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

 

178%

5 year increase in enrollment

- LSU Office of Budget & Planning

372

Fall 2022 MLIS Students

- LSU Office of Budget & Planning

 

 

SIS Fall Enrollments

Program 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
MLIS 149 187 193 175 241 316 372
CARST     21 19 31 15 16
CRIM   13 12 4 8 10 10
CSLIB 3 9 12 14 17 6 4
Total 152 209 226 212 297 347 402

Source: LSU Office of Budget & Planning

MLIS Retention

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
% Yr 2 82.4 84.8 80.4 74.2 78.8 67.8 88.4
% Yr 3 32.4 47.8 46.4 22.6 42.3 40.7 -
% Yr 4 14.7 6.5 12.5 8.1 7.7 - -
% Yr 5 2.9 2.2 5.4 1.6   - -

Source: LSU Office of Budget & Planning

372

Graduate degrees awarded in the past 5 years

- Source: LSU Office of Budget & Planning

1.7 Years

5 year average full time MLIS student time to degree

- Source: LSU Office of Budget & Planning

 

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 Budget & Planning

Degrees Granted

Program 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
MLIS 46 37 89 75 43 73 74
CARST - - - 19 16 17 10
CRIM - - 2 3 2 4 1
CSLIB - - 3 9 5 8 9
Total 46 37 94 106 66 102 94

Source: LSU Office of Budget & Planning

85%

Percent of graduating students employed

- SIS Exit Survey

93%

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) Total (n=60)
I am not currently employed and am seeking a position 0% 13% 23% 15%
I am currently employed in a non-LIS capacity and am seeking a position 50% 13% 32% 23%
I am currently employed in an LIS capacity, but am/will be seeking a new position 33% 38% 14% 28%
I am currently employed in an LIS capacity and will continue to work in this position 0% 31% 27% 27%
Other 17% 6% 5% 7%

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.

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 2015-16 (n=5) 2016-17 (n=9) 2017-18 (n=32) 2018-19 (n=6) 2019-20 (n=9)
Currently Employed 100% 89% 94% 100% 89%
Not Employed 0% 11% 6% 0% 11%

 Source: SIS Alumni Survey

Position 2015-16 (n=5) 2016-17 (n=9) 2017-18 (n=32) 2018-19 (n=6) 2019-20 (n=9)
Academic Library 40% 50% 18% 50% 36%
Archives 0% 0% 0% 0% 13%
Museum 0% 0% 6% 0% 0%
Public Library 0% 50% 41% 25% 36%
School Library 20% 0% 24% 25% 13%
Special Library 40% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Other 0% 0% 12% 0% 0%

Source: SIS Alumni Survey