School of Information Studies
From Chaos to Clarity. From Noise to Knowledge.
For more than 90 years, the LSU School of Information Studies (SIS) has championed LSU’s land-grant mission through teaching, research, and service that empower communities. Since 1932, SIS has pushed beyond the traditional boundaries of the classroom—leading the university in adopting collaborative, forward-thinking technologies that meet students where they are. Our undergraduate courses and minor equip students with the skills to navigate and interpret the digital world, while our fully online graduate programs prepare future librarians, archivists, records and information managers, and information professionals. At SIS, we help students bring order to the complexity of the past and present—from chaos to clarity, from noise to knowledge—so they can shape a better-informed future for all.
About Our Online Graduate Degree Programs
The School of Information Studies (SIS) offers asynchronous online graduate programs in two different formats: SIS Online & LSU Online. Both SIS Online and LSU Online programs are taught by the Information Studies faculty. The sections below summarize the difference between the two program formats.
Our traditional program (SIS Online) is a non-accelerated online format that follows 14-week Fall and Spring semesters. Students in the SIS Online programs are classified as traditional, on-campus students for the application process and tuition & fees. Therefore, students interested in applying for SIS Online programs must select on-campus as admission type in their application. Students in the SIS Online Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) can take elective courses from one of ten focus areas (or any combination thereof).
SIS Online also offers the Graduate Certificate in Archival Studies (CARST), Graduate Certificate in Records & Information Management (CRIM), and the Doctor of Design (DDes) in Cultural Preservation focused in Archival Studies.
The accelerated program offered through LSU Online follows a term-based system with two terms in each Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Students in our LSU Online programs are classified as online students for the application process and pay a flat rate for tuition & fees. Students interested in applying for LSU Online programs must select online as admission type in their application. Students in the LSU Online Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) can take elective courses from one of ten focus areas (or any combination thereof). The LSU Online Graduate Certificate in Archival Studies (CARST) and LSU Online Graduate Certificate in Records & Information Management (CRIM) are also offered.
Click here to see our full comparison and description of our graduate programs.
Across the Pond
The LSU School of Information Studies Brings LSU Online Students to the UK for Its First Study Abroad Program
This summer, LSU School of Information Studies students traveled across Scotland and England as part of the Libraries in the UK study abroad program. Led by Jennifer Steele, the four-week experience gave students hands-on opportunities to explore libraries, archives and cultural institutions while gaining new perspectives on their field. The program also marked the first time LSU Online students could participate in an SIS study abroad experience, allowing remote students to connect with classmates in person while learning abroad.
Former SIS Director, Dr. Carol Barry, Looks Back on a Career of Leadership and Service
In advance of her retirement, longtime LSU School of Information Studies faculty member and former director, Carol Barry reflects on 35 years of teaching, leadership, and service at Louisiana State University. In the interview, Barry discusses the evolution of library and information science, the growth of the School of Information Studies, and the challenges and opportunities that shaped the program over the past three decades. She also shares her thoughts on student success, faculty leadership, and the future of information studies at LSU.
"35 years later, I am so pleased with my past self for choosing LSU. It has given me, on the whole, a really fulfilling 35 years, and I have genuinely enjoyed all of the people I’ve worked with during that time, the faculty, staff, and students. Because without the people, what is it?"
The School of Information Studies adds Its A.I. Expertise to the LSU Database
LSU launched AI Literacy Essentials, a free online course that provides a general introduction to artificial intelligence (AI) and how to use it effectively, professionally, and ethically. CHSE faculty Jacqueline Bach and Edward Benoit III are featured as experts shaping the content.
Recent SIS News
SIS Organizational Membership
