MLIS Program Performance

The School of Information Studies MLIS program has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) since 1931 and remains the only ALA accredited program in Louisiana. 

ALA Accredited Seal

 

237%

5 year increase in enrollment

- LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

476

Fall 2023 MLIS Students

- LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

 

 

SIS Fall Enrollments

Program 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
MLIS 187 193 175 241 316 372 476
CARST   21 19 31 15 16 16
CRIM 13 12 4 8 10 10 7
CSLIB 9 12 14 17 6 4 4
Total 209 226 212 297 347 402 503

Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

MLIS Retention

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
% Yr 2 80.4 74.2 78.8 67.8 88.4 80.5 80.0
% Yr 3 46.4 22.6 42.3 40.7 46.5 - -
% Yr 4 12.5 8.1 7.7 6.8 9.3 - -
% Yr 5 5.4 1.6 1.9 - - - -

Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

611

Graduate degrees awarded in the past 5 years

- Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

1.7 Years

5 year average full time MLIS student time to degree

- Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

MLIS Average Time to Degree*

Student Type 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-2022
Full-time 1.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 1.7
Part-time 2.5 2.7 2.5 2.8 2.6
Total 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.5 2.3

Degrees awarded in an academic year follow standard reporting procedures and include prior Summer, Fall, and Spring. Time-to-degree is measured using the census date of original program term and day 1 of commencement month. Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis. *AY 2021-2022 is the most recent year reported as of February 2024. 

Degrees Granted

Program 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
MLIS 37 89 75 43 73 74 142
CARST - - 19 16 17 10 76
CRIM - 2 3 2 4 1 20
CSLIB - 3 9 5 8 9 5
Total 37 94 106 66 102 94 243

Source: LSU Office of Data and Strategic Analysis

84%

Percent of graduating students employed

- SIS Exit Survey

96%

Percent of alumni employed after 3 years

- SIS Alumni Survey

 MLIS Placement Data

In 2019, SIS began administering an exit survey for all graduating students. The following data indicates student employment status at the time of graduation.

 

Survey Responses 2019-20 (n=6) 2020-21 (n=32) 2021-22 (n=22) 2022-23 (n=41) Total (n=60)
I am not currently employed and am seeking a position 0% 13% 23% 17% 16%
I am currently employed in a non-LIS capacity and am seeking a position 50% 13% 32% 24% 24%
I am currently employed in an LIS capacity, but am/will be seeking a new position 33% 38% 14% 20% 25%
I am currently employed in an LIS capacity and will continue to work in this position 0% 34% 27% 22% 26%
Other 17% 3% 5% 17% 10%

Other responses

  • I am currently 1/2 employed in a LIS position and 1/2 in a substitute teaching capacity and am seeking a full-time position.
  • I am not currently employed and have secured an LIS position for next school year.
  • Paraprofessional library role, wanting salary role.
  • I am not seeking any new position.
  • I am a doctoral student.

Source: SIS Exit Survey

In 2019, SIS began administering surveys of alumni 3 years after graduating. The following data indicates alumni employment information based on graduating year.

Status 2016-17 (n=9) 2017-18 (n=32) 2018-19 (n=6) 2019-20 (n=9) 2020-21 (n=12) Total (n=68)
Currently Employed 89% 94% 100% 89% 100% 96%
Not Employed 11% 6% 0% 11% 0% 4%

 Source: SIS Alumni Survey

Position 2016-17 (n=9) 2017-18 (n=32) 2018-19 (n=6) 2019-20 (n=9) 2020-21 (n=12) Total (n=68)
Academic Library 44% 16% 50% 33% 33% 28%
Archives 0% 0% 0% 22% 0% 3%
Museum 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% 1%
Public Library 56% 34% 33% 33% 8% 31%
School Library 0% 22% 17% 13% 25% 19%
Special Library 0% 0% 0% 0% 17% 3%
Other 0% 25% 0% 0% 17% 15%

Source: SIS Alumni Survey