fully funded phd in library and information science

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School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering

Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering

Department of Information & Library Science

Advance the field of information technology

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Science at IU Bloomington is one of the oldest, continuously running information science doctoral programs in the nation. Our mission is to train the next generation of information scientists—professionals who want to understand, predict, and advance the ways in which people use information systems and communication technologies.

We welcome students from all over the United States and world. Most plan to enter academia. Our alumni have worked at institutions such as the University of North Carolina, UCLA, the University of Hawaii, Kent State University, and the University of Alabama. Other graduates go on to work for organizations like NASA, the Langley Research Center, and Oracle.

Learn about the Ph.D. minor

ILS welcomes doctoral students from all disciplines to consider a minor in information science.

Please send inquiries to [email protected]

Learn how to apply

Begin your online application

Generate original research on the topics that interest you most

The Ph.D. in Information Science is designed to prepare you for research and teaching in academia. Your core requirements will help you develop a strong understanding of the research process and what constitutes scholarly research. You’ll also learn to identify and conceptualize significant research problems so that you may undertake new research initiatives and contribute new knowledge to the field.

We encourage you to research the ideas and questions that fascinate you most. Recent areas of concentrated study include, but are not limited to:

• Biodiversity information and culture
• Computer-mediated communication
• Critical information and library science
• Cultural analytics
• Cultural heritage informatics
• Data and text mining
• Digital and computational humanities
• Digital curation
• Digital libraries
• Documentation
• Gender and technology
• History of the book, readership, and publishing
• Knowledge organization (KO), including classification, ontologies, and metadata
• Knowledge sharing
• Online communities
• Philosophy of information and information ethics
• Records management
• Social informatics
• Social media mining
• Technology and diversity
• Text encoding and digital editions

Regardless of your specific career interests, you will graduate prepared to work as a professional researcher, teacher, and consultant.

Recent Ph.D. dissertations

Discover what our students are researching. Review a list of ILS Ph.D. dissertations dating back to 1968.

See dissertation list

Review your program requirements

Degree requirements for the Ph.D. in Information Science are listed in the University Graduate School academic bulletin.To review your specific requirements, choose the bulletin that represents the year you started, or plan to start, your Ph.D. program.

2023-24 bulletin

2022–23 bulletin

2021–22 bulletin

Ways to fund your education

ILS offers funding opportunities for incoming Ph.D. students , and current Ph.D. students .

Adjunct teaching opportunities are also available as a form of financial assistance.

If you’re interested in teaching contact your committe chair and the chair of the doctoral committee.

Choose a minor

All Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering doctoral students are required to complete either a minor within the school or an approved minor outside the school. Your minor should relate to your research, as determined by your advisory committee.

See Luddy minors

To learn more about Ph.D. minors outside of the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, visit the websites of IU Bloomington’s 16 degree-granting colleges and schools .

Find other ways to meet the Luddy Graduate Team

Department of information & library science resources and social media channels.

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PhD in Information Sciences

Join a renowned community of scholars.

The work of our faculty defines the field and puts scholars like you at the forefront of the information society. When you join the iSchool, you'll benefit from the excellence and reputation of the nation's leading school in library and information studies. Our interdisciplinary research program responds to new social and technological opportunities for producing, analyzing, disseminating, and accessing information.

PhD students are guaranteed financial support for five academic years (excluding summers) through research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships. Our students come from a variety of academic backgrounds and professional experiences, creating a collaborative, innovative, and vibrant community of scholars.

The Information Sciences PhD program is a residency program. Students are required to complete all coursework while located in Champaign-Urbana. Students may choose to complete their research outside of Champaign-Urbana at the discretion of the faculty advisor. Please note that if an international student leaves Champaign-Urbana at any point during their study, this may impact funding opportunities through the iSchool.

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By looking carefully at the interaction of people, information, and technology, we aim to improve our understanding of the world in order to make it better for all. We do this together—PhD students, research staff, and faculty helping each other to learn how to be better researchers. As program director, my role is to help engineer the magic of creativity as we all work to nurture a community devoted to finding things out. Michael Twidale, Professor and PhD Program Director

Our program opens doors, preparing students for successful careers. Recent graduates have obtained faculty positions with numerous universities including Denver, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland-College Park, Michigan, Simmons, South Florida, UNC-Greensboro, Washington & Wayne State. Additionally, recent graduates have secured their first jobs in in a range of settings, including:

• Privacy Researcher, Facebook
• Research Scientist, PatientsLikeMe
• Consultant, Deloitte
• Data Scientist, U.S. Government
• Digital Scholarship Librarian, DePaul University
• Instructional Data Specialist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Cataloger, Princeton University
• Core Investigator, Veterans Health Administration

Program overview

Work closely with your faculty advisor to create educational experiences both within and outside the classroom to support your professional goals. With only two required courses— History and Foundations in IS (IS 509) and Research Design in IS (IS 519) —you can customize your degree through a broad range of electives. Your program will consist of 48 hours of coursework and 32 hours of dissertation work. Required milestones that will help to build your research expertise include:

• Field exam in a significant sub-area of IS
• Research presentation to demonstrate research competency
• Dissertation culminating in a public presentation, defense, and submission

For a more detailed program overview, please visit Program Overview .

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Explore your research focus

You want to do important work that makes an impact and to collaborate with leaders in the field. We have the resources and the expertise to help you accomplish just that.

iSchool researchers address key challenges at the intersection of people, information, and technology in highly multidisciplinary ways. Our strategic research vision drives the scope of our research projects and presents a distinct imprint for the substance and impact of our work in areas such as:

• Scientific data and knowledge practices
• Organization of knowledge and information
• Data curation
• Digital humanities
• Digital libraries
• Community informatics
• Youth services and digital youth
• Informetrics
• Human-computer interaction
• Human-centered data science and social computing
• Information privacy, security, and ethics
• Health and bioinformatics
• History of information

What I like best about the iSchool is its inclusive culture and expansive opportunities. The welcoming faculty and staff are always there to offer academic and non-academic support. Because the iSchool's researchers work in very different subfields, PhD students are able to explore a range of research topics and collaborative opportunities across disciplinary boundaries. Wenyi Shang, PhD Candidate

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Support for leading-edge research

Flourish at a research university.

The University of Illinois is a preeminent public research university, which means you will have access to exceptional resources beyond those in the iSchool:

• Blue Waters Petascale Supercomputer
• University Library
• Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
• National Center for Supercomputing Applications

Get the support you need

Research Services supports and promotes the research activities of the iSchool, large or small, funded or unfunded. At the iSchool, you'll find supportive staff ready to help you with:

• Project planning and consulting
• Grant proposal development
• Research administration
• Research policies & IRB
• Student grants
• Research infrastructure

PhD Alumni & Student Features

PhD at 75: Jeanie Austin

PhD at 75: LaTesha Velez

Get to know Kainen Bell, PhD student

PhD at 75: Kirstin Phelps

PhD at 75: Peter Organisciak

Questions? I can help.

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UBC School of Information’s Doctor in Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies is a four-year funded program that combines coursework with focused independent study and research. Our students have ready access to faculty members and benefit from unique opportunities at a comprehensive, world-class, research-intensive university.

We designed our PhD program to provide advanced research education for outstanding and highly motivated students who have already obtained a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree, a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) or an equivalent related degree.

• Information seeking, retrieval and use
• Human-computer interaction and design
• Critical approaches to information systems and services
• Information appraisal, classification and organization
• Social computing
• Information ethics and information policy
• Personal archives, digital archives, and online communities
• Records and information management
• Data management and natural language processing
• Blockchain technologies, information trust and governance
• Digital cultural heritage and preservation
• Digital humanities

Program highlights

• Advanced education in information and archival studies
• Focus on scholarship and research, with strong support for interdisciplinary approaches
• State-of-the-art research and learning facilities at a world-class university

Identify a potential supervisor

The doctoral program is highly selective. The strongest applicants have research interests aligned with the faculty expertise in the School of Information. Identifying a faculty member who can support your application does not guarantee an offer of admission. Still, it can ensure that your application is read carefully in light of the limited number of positions available each year. The following paragraphs provide suggestions for reaching out to potential supervisors.

• Familiarize yourself with program requirements. You want to learn as much as possible from the information available before reaching out to a faculty member.

Focus your research

• Identify faculty members who are conducting research in your specific area of interest.
• Read up on the faculty members in the program and the research conducted in the department.
• Familiarize yourself with their work, and read their recent publications and past theses/dissertations they supervised. Be sure that their research is indeed what you are hoping to study.

Make a good impression

• Do not send mass emails to everyone in the department hoping for a match.
• Address the faculty members by name. Your contact should be genuine rather than generic.
• Include a brief outline of your academic background, why you are interested in working with the faculty member, and what experience you could bring to the department.
• Highlight your achievements and why you are a top student. Faculty members receive dozens of requests from prospective students, and you may have less than 30 seconds to pique someone's interest.
• Convey the specific ways you are a good fit for the program.
• Convey the specific ways the program/lab/faculty member is a good fit for the research you are interested in/are already conducting.
• Be enthusiastic, but don't overdo it.

Course requirements

Students entering the doctoral program with an approved master’s degree will be required to take a minimum of 24 credits of coursework before achieving candidacy.

Your advisor may recommend additional courses, and you may be required to take courses in the iSchool Master of Library and Information Studies program or the Master of Archival Studies program to provide sufficient background for your research focus.

In addition, we strongly encourage our doctoral students to take graduate-level courses from other UBC departments in their chosen area of research.

Program details

Upon entering the doctoral program, you will be assigned an adviser who will work with you to develop an appropriate coursework schedule relevant to your research plan. You will take advance study in the major and minor areas (LAIS 620 and 621) with your advisor or the faculty member(s) best aligned with your research focus.

The qualifying exams assess your knowledge of the relevant literature, analytic capacity, and skill in developing original written and oral presentations of ideas. Typically, your advisor becomes your dissertation supervisor through the qualifying examinations.

Upon successfully completing the qualifying examinations, you will enter the dissertation stage of the program. Working closely with your supervisor, you will assemble a dissertation committee of no fewer than two additional eligible faculty members; these may be the same faculty who assessed your qualifying exams.

You will develop and defend a dissertation proposal of not less than 30 pages following the guidelines in the Doctoral handbook of policies and procedures . The goal of the proposal is to ascertain your research readiness.

Upon the successful defence of the proposal, you are recommended for candidacy.

You will then undertake the research and writing to prepare the dissertation following the guidelines of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS). When the dissertation is completed and successfully defended, you will be recommended for your Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.

Qualifying examinations

The qualifying exams for the School of Information PhD consist of coursework (LAIS 620 and LAIS 621) as well as a formal examination with written and oral components. This overview of the qualifying exam process is meant as a guide for students and faculty. While specific details of each student’s exam preparation, writing and defence will vary, there are consistent timelines, objectives and expectations of all doctoral students. This document sets out a process for preparing for, writing, and assessing the qualifying examination as a key milestone in a student’s progress toward degree.

Students receive course credit (and faculty receive teaching credit) for LAIS 620 and LAIS 621. As such, the policies related to student resources, academic concession, academic integrity, academic accommodation, and conflicting responsibilities that apply to all other coursework also apply to the qualifying examination. Students who have needs or concerns related to these policies can negotiate adjustments to the exam procedures with their advisor and the Doctoral Studies Chair. Details of the policies and how to access support are available here.

Upon completion of all other degree coursework requirements (See: degree requirements), a student is enrolled in LAIS 620 (Advanced Study in the Major Area) and LAIS 621 (Advanced Study in the Minor Area) by the Program Assistant. The courses are six credits each, and should be taken over the course of the Winter 1 & 2 terms of the second year of doctoral study. These courses represent the preparation for the qualifying exam (50%) as well as the exam itself (50%). The preparation portion of each course is satisfied through a directed study with the student’s advisor or potential committee member. The advisor may recommend additional coursework for credit course auditing, depending on the student’s background or intended topic of study.

Through the LAIS 620 and 621 coursework, the student provides evidence that they are able to:

• Identify and describe Major and Minor areas of focus that will frame the examination process;
•  Read for both depth and breadth in the areas of focus;
• Curate bibliographies of academic sources that represent key concepts, ideas, theories, or methods in the areas of focus;
• Develop research relevant questions that emerge from the reading;
• Connect the research focus area(s) with the broader discipline;
• Communicate clearly and effectively to academic audiences, in written and oral forms.

Key outputs from the LAIS 620/621 coursework are materials that guide the examination process, specifically:

• An overview document for the Major and Minor areas (length determined by the advisor, however 1500 to 3000 words is typical) that provides a fulsome description of the areas of focus, important concepts and definitions, and key questions that emerge from reading in these areas; and
• A guiding bibliography of 40-50 sources for each of the areas of focus.

The Major and Minor areas of focus are developed with the approval and consultation of the advisor and examination committee. The Major and Minor together should support the development of student thinking, but not encapsulate exhaustively the thinking within a discipline. The level of specificity and scope are important considerations. The Major and Minor areas should be complementary but not overlap. For example, the Major area may be the central focus of a student’s intended inquiry, with the Minor area a complementary theory or method, or a cognate area related to but not a subset of the Major.

The qualifying exam has two overarching objectives: 1) to assess the student’s knowledge of current trends, theories, and methods in the areas of focus; 2) to determine if the doctoral student is sufficiently prepared to design their dissertation project.

• Through the qualifying exam, the student provides evidence that they are able to:
• Identify and critically read relevant literature in the areas of focus;
• Comprehend and evaluate arguments in the areas of focus;
• Integrate and synthesize ideas within the areas of focus;
• Put their research focus area(s) in conversation with the broader discipline;

The student will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge, and critical analysis in the discipline through:

• Knowledge of the main issues or problems in the areas of focus;
• Incisive evaluation of current and past research;
• Rigorous analysis, organization and synthesis of information;
• Clear written, and oral communication of ideas, concepts and arguments.

Students are expected to read carefully and write to issues that are contained within these bibliographies, but cannot be expected to read or write outside them as part of the examination process.

The faculty member who advises a doctoral student through their course work and qualifying exams is known as an adviser. This is usually (but not always) the same person who supervises their work as they write their dissertation, the supervisor.

The student and their adviser will assemble an Examination Committee that will adjudicate the Major and Minor focus areas by setting the exam questions and assessing the answers. The Examination Committee will consist of the adviser and two or three additional faculty members. These are typically faculty who have served as instructors to the student, have supervised reading courses in one or more of the areas of study, or have expertise related to the focus areas. The student's adviser will chair the committee.

The Examination Committee will set the questions for both the Major and Minor area exams. The questions will be based on the Major and Minor focus area descriptions and accompanying bibliographies approved by the committee by the end of January of their second year. After committee approval, the scheduling of the written exam and oral defense can occur.

Structure of the examinations

• The qualifying examination occurs in the Winter 2 term of the student’s second year in the Doctoral Program, and must be completed within 24 months of starting the program, as required by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
• Writing of the Major and Minor areas will occur within a 30-day period, and the overall length of the examination should not exceed two months.
• The format for the written examination is a take-home examination to be completed during a 21-day writing period. The writing period must begin and end on a weekday. The dates can be negotiated, and a one-day extension granted if a statutory holiday, religious holiday or cultural observance falls within the writing period (see UBC policy on conflicting responsibilities).
• The examination is intended to be a sequestered writing period, during which the student should have minimal contact with other students and faculty. Peer editing and reviewing of draft answers is not permissible, nor should the student and advisor or examination committee consult on the questions once they are administered. Students who need accommodations such as an extended exam period or writing support should consult with their advisor and DSC Chair in advance of the examination scheduling.
• The examination will comprise two significant essays, one each for the Major and Minor focus areas. The essay prompts will be formulated by the committee, and reflect the depth and breadth of the Major and Minor. The major area essay prompt should be presented as an opportunity for the student to compose a “state of the field” review related to the student’s area of research focus. The Minor essay prompt should permit the student to focus on a theory, method or cognate area that complements the Major area, without being redundant. In terms of length, approximately 5,000 words (including references) would constitute a minimal answer for each essay, with 7-10,000 words judged more acceptable in most cases.
• An oral examination of not more than three hours will occur not more than two weeks following the completion of the writing period.
• The oral examination committee consists of at least three members of Examination Committee.
• The Chair of the DSC serves as examination chair, and there is no audience present.

Sample Exam Timeline (Actual dates negotiated among student, committee, and DSC Chair):

• Supervisor submits questions vetted and approved by the examining committee to the Program Assistant one week before the exam writing period begins (February 24).
• Student receives exam questions on Friday March 3 at 9am [21-day writing period begins].
• Student submits written answers to Program Assistant on Thursday March 23 at 5pm [Writing period ends].
• Committee has seven days to read and evaluate essays.
• Committee communicates to DSC Chair that oral exam will proceed on Thursday March 30.
• Oral exam occurs Friday March 31.

After a student submits the written qualifying exam essays, the examination committee will have no less than seven days to read and evaluate them prior to the oral examination. The committee should confer prior to the oral examination to confirm that the quality of the written essays is adequate to proceed. If the essays are adequate, the student will proceed to the oral examination. If the essays are deemed inadequate, the committee will recommend either a mark of FAIL, or Adjournment (see below). The committee’s agreement to proceed or not proceed to the oral examination should be a consensus decision sent to the DSC Chair at least one day prior to the oral examination.

The purpose of the oral examination is to allow the student to provide context for their written exam answers, to demonstrate additional depth and breadth of knowledge in the area, and to show their communicative competency. The questions of the oral examination will be related to the questions answered by the student in the written examination of the major and minor areas. Examiners' questions will be based on peripheral or related material that contributes to a complete answer to the questions posed.

The oral examination will be comprised of the following parts:

• Introductions and clarification of procedures by the DSC Chair or designate
• Student presentation (15 minutes maximum – see below)
• Examination of the Major Area: At least one round of questions from each examiner, until all examiners are satisfied.
• Examination of the Minor Area: At least one round of questions from each examiner, until all examiners are satisfied.
• In-camera session: The student is dismissed, and the examiners meet with the Chair to discuss the outcome, feedback, and mark for the examination.
• Feedback: The student returns to the exam session and the Chair or Advisor provide the outcome and next steps.

At the beginning of the oral exam the student may take the opportunity to expand on their answers to the written exam questions, amplifying the answers or outlining the key points. This speaking opportunity must take no longer than 15 minutes, and may be strictly oral or aided only by notes or a visual presentation (i.e., the student is not allowed to read a prepared paper). The student may bring into the oral examination only a copy of the written exam and the notes or software (e.g., PowerPoint) for the 15-minute presentation.

During the in-camera session of the examination, the faculty will evaluate the student’s written and oral performance on each of the Major and Minor areas of focus. The student will be given one of three marks for each the Major and Minor. Faculty will assess the written and oral examination for each area as a combined mark.

• Unconditional PASS : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination meets all the indicators. The examination milestone is considered met and a grade is assigned.
• Conditional PASS : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination meets most of the indicators, but may need additional writing or revision to satisfy the committee. A student who receives the mark of Conditional PASS must complete revisions under the direction of the Advisor within two weeks. The committee will assess the revised responses and either provide the mark of FAIL or Unconditional PASS. Further oral examination is not required.
• FAIL : The student’s performance in the written and oral examination does not meet the exam indicators above. A student who receives the mark of FAIL must withdraw from the program. UBC procedures for appeal of assigned academic standing are detailed in the Academic Regulations section of the UBC Calendar.

A student may receive a split decision for the Major and Minor areas; that is, the mark assigned may be different if the written or oral performance is inadequate in either area. If a student receives a Conditional PASS in either area, the numerical grade will be provided after the revision period. If a student receives a FAIL in either the Major or Minor area, the milestone is not met, and the student must withdraw from the program.

A student receives a grade for each of the Major (620) and Minor (621) area examinations. This grade is a score that reflects their combined written and oral performance. The examination grade constitutes 50% of the grade for the Major or Minor area, the other 50% being the score assigned for the exam preparation. The Advisor should bring the preparation scores to the in-camera session. The grades for preparation and examination are averaged and submitted to the Program Assistant using the grading form provided on the school’s internal website.

A student who receives the mark of Unconditional PASS should receive a grade that is appropriate to their level of achievement, i.e., in the A to A+ range (85-95). A student who shows weaker performance in either the oral or written components, but not to the point where revision is necessary, may receive a lower grade. However, all grades for an Unconditional PASS must be above the B level (74+).

In the event the examination committee is unable to reach consensus on either the mark or numerical grade in the in-camera session, the DSC Chair (or their designate as examination chair) will serve as arbiter.

An adjournment may occur when the examination process needs to be halted for additional preparation, or for personal reasons arising from the student’s situation. There are two conditions under which the exam process may be halted or adjourned.

• Faculty requested adjournment: If one or both examination essays are of an unacceptable quality, but there is confidence they can be improved with additional preparation, the chair of the examination committee may request an adjournment. This request should be made between the submission of the essays and the oral examination. The request should be made to the DSC Chair.
• Student requested adjournment: If the student experiences a personal situation that puts their ability to complete the examination in question (significant illness, unexpected life incident, or emergency), they may request an adjournment. This request should be made during the writing period to the advisor and DSC Chair.

If an adjournment is granted, the student will have six months to complete the examination process. The student may not proceed to the oral examination until the written essays are deemed of sufficient quality. If the student does not produce passable essays on the second try, the student will be given the mark of FAIL and must withdraw from the program. The student must be informed of the committee’s decision in writing, and will have the opportunity to appeal to the DSC Chair. A candidate will be permitted to re-write the examination only once. The student is responsible for scheduling the re-writing.

All students can appeal the examination mark or numerical grade if they feel that the process for administration or assessment was unfair or in error. To appeal, the student must send a written note of appeal, along with any evidence to support their claim, to the DSC Chair within one week of receiving their examination feedback. The Chair will review the written essays and chair report to identify if any redress is appropriate. The outcome of the appeal will be provided to the student in writing no more than 30 days after receipt of the appeal.

Career outcomes

Graduates of the School of Information Doctoral Program have held positions in academia, including tenure track faculty at some of the world's leading universities, the IT industry, and leadership roles in libraries, archives, and other public sector institutions.

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Information Culture and Data Stewardship

University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information

• Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
• Master of Library and Information Science Online (MLISOnline)

PhD in Library and Information Science

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PhD students may begin their studies only in the Fall Term in order to ensure a coherent program of study.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program prepares students for careers in research, education, and professional practice. The program will give students the opportunity to gain the skills in teaching or research appropriate for careers at major research universities, teaching institutions, and library systems. The candidate must give evidence of superior scholarship and mastery of a specialized field of knowledge and must demonstrate his/her ability to do significant and relevant research.

Doctoral study in this field is a challenging, life-changing experience. You will learn how to conduct independent research through projects that have the potential to change the way people interact with information and to fundamentally impact how society evolves. This program will go far beyond giving you a set of skills… it will teach you to think in a completely different way. Coursework and research programs address cutting edge issues such as evaluating information in terms of being saved for posterity; information literacy in both developed and underdeveloped countries, closing the digital divide; and how social media impacts behavior and services in the Information Age.

Requirements for the PhD degree, a 54-credit program, include a minimum of 36 course and seminar credits beyond the master’s degree and 18 dissertation credits.

The School of Computing and Information invites applications from students interested in the following areas:

• Archives and archival studies
• Data stewardship
• Digital curation
• Digital humanities
• Digital and information literacy
• Ethics of information, data, and technology
• Informatics and libraries
• Information and data interaction
• Information culture and society
• Intellectual property
• Learning paradigms in information environments
• Libraries and information services
• Open science, reproducibility & transparency
• Research data management
• Scholarly communications / digital scholarship
• Social computing and information culture

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the PhD degree must be completed in not more than 6 calendar years from the time of first registration (or 8 calendar years for part-time students).  Students may, in extenuating circumstances, submit a formal request for extension of their statute of limitations or for a leave of absence from the program.  The request must be submitted to the advisor and then presented to the LIS Committee on Doctoral Studies for a decision.

Alumni of this program have found challenging and successful academic careers at institutions such as the University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, Simmons College, Texas Woman’s University, the University of Rhode Island, the University of Toronto, UPMC, Kuwait University , and more.

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Ph.D. Programs in Library and Information Sciences

Written by Kelly Davis

MLIS – Clarion University | Youth Services Librarian

A Ph.D. in library science or information science provides scholars with the tools to produce individual research, collaborate with other researchers, and teach library and information science in higher education. The standards are not as concrete for Ph.D. programs as for Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) programs, but there are a few ways to rank a program’s quality. One way is to look at the school of information offering the Ph.D. and the other programs they offer, including if the school provides an MLIS degree and if the degree is accredited by the American Library Association. Another sign of a quality program is seeing the research and progress made by graduates and faculty and how much access a Ph.D. student will have to quality research opportunities.  

In this article, we highlight some of the most comprehensive Ph.D. programs in the U.S. based on these two significant factors. We also try to provide a few programs in each region of the U.S. in the hopes that one of the programs will be near you. Additionally, we will look at many other aspects of each program as well, including the format, what the coursework involves, and how to apply and become qualified for each Ph.D. program in library and information science. 

All of the following Ph.D. programs come from a school that is accredited by the American Library Association and offers students the ability to work with decorated and world-class scholars and professors. Additionally, the programs we chose are in areas that provide ample career opportunities following the program. If you want to know more about each program and what may be a good fit for you, keep exploring below.

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University of West Alabama

Online Ed.D. (Library Media Focus)

Explore the essential role of library media within rural schools and districts with an EdD designed for instructional leaders.

• ACBSP Accredited
• Flexible Online Courses
• Financing Options Available

Liberty University

Online D.B.A. in Information Systems

Experience real-world applications, equipping you as an innovator in strategy, security, ethics, design and development, and business process support.

Ph.D. in Information from the University of Michigan

Doctoral students will work one on one with professors in information, many of which specialize in communication technologies, collective research capabilities, and how to change social relations. All professors know a wide range of research and topics and look at information and how individuals and communities interact with information and technology. Additionally, in your application, you will pick which professors you want to work with out of the 100 in the program. 

Many Ph.D. graduates receive careers as professors at prestigious schools including Brown University, Stanford University, and the National University of Singapore. Many receive fellowships at prestigious universities including Harvard University and Brown University. Other careers they received shortly after graduating include UX researcher for Google, Yahoo, and Facebook, design researcher for IBM, and data analysis for Microsoft. 

How to apply

First, apply online and pay the application fee. Send in a Statement of Purpose essay which will include the area of research you want to contribute to and past research done. Additionally, you will need to send in a personal history statement, a resume, three letters of recommendation, and transcripts. Your admission acceptance will be multifaceted in the factors the program will examine. Namely, they will look at past research, work experience, and your goals moving forward. 

Ph.D. in Information Studies at Long Island University

The Ph.D. program includes a dissertation and requires 60 credit hours. There are two areas of study for students which are Information Access and Systems, and Information Studies and Services. Additionally, this program can be taken part-time or full-time to accommodate students’ schedules. The on-campus classes can be taken between 6 PM and 9 PM. It is also the only program of its kind in the Metropolitan New York area, and it is within a school that is accredited by the American Library Association. 

How to Apply

You need a master’s degree to qualify, which can be in any area of study. Admissions will also evaluate you based on previous research, work experience, and the interest you have in research going forward. Then apply online , and pay the application fee. You will also need to send in transcripts, three letters of recommendation,  a statement of research and area of study, a resume, a personal statement, and a sample of scholarly writing. 

Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology at Syracuse University

Syracuse University offers its Ph.D. scholars opportunities to work and research one on one with professors and other doctoral students. The research opportunities are in areas of philosophy, psychology, sociology, computers and digital information, policy studies, librarianship, and information communication. This program is not offered online or part-time. It is a four to five-year program of full-time residential coursework. The Ph.D. student is funded by the school, and for this reason, the program is very selective. 

Apply online , pay the application fee, and send in transcripts and any other research or work experience completed. Applicants will be evaluated by a committee based on their readiness for the program, their intellectual ability and academic record, research interests as they relate to faculty interests, communication skills, and research preparedness. 

Ph.D. Philosophy in Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Chapel Hill is the most respected information science department in North Carolina and its MLIS program is often ranked first or second by the U.S. News and World Reports. Their doctoral program is sure to hold to the same standards. Many of the faculty for the MLIS program are also professors in the doctoral program. The difference is that Ph.D. students work one on one with these world-class professors. The program is rigorous, but it provides some flexibility for those holding a job, or have families to care for. There is financial support for Ph.D. students and many receive full support for the first four to five years of the program; typically, students finish within that period. Students learn more about library and information science and they enhance their research and presentation of research capability. 

How to apply 

Accepted students in this program are often seeking to be information leaders, have a knowledge of diverse research methods, enjoy being an independent investigator, are committed to finding information to address critical questions, and enjoy intellectual challenges.  Applicants must have either an MLIS degree or an equivalent of study and research completed. To apply, go online and fill out the online application and pay the application fee. Also, send in all transcripts, an updated resume, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose that includes your area of research interest. 

Ph.D. in Communication and Information at Kent State University

The Ph.D. program in communication and information from Kent State University in Ohio is part of the information science school, which has been around for over sixty years. The program is offered online and in person and is a 70-credit hour degree program including a dissertation. Doctoral students must also pass the doctoral comprehensive examination to graduate. 

The degree program is for those interested in research, information communication, teaching higher education and academic librarianship administration, and administration in other information fields. The school of information science provides and encourages outreach opportunities for those pursuing a degree in library and information science. The outreach programs give students more experience and knowledge in conducting scholarly research and analyzing the needs of communities and the diversity within those communities. 

How to Apply 

To qualify you must have a master’s degree and a minimum of a 3.30 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Then applicants must fill out an online application and pay the application fee. Applicants should also send in official transcripts, an updated resume, a goal statement, a sample of scholarly writing, and three letters of recommendation.

Gateway Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at San Jose State University

San Jose, California is a great place to earn a doctoral degree in librarianship and information science because of the various research options and a number of opportunities due to the variety of ethnic groups and cultures in the cities of California. The Gateway doctoral degree program in library and information science teaches students to become independent scholars as well as collaborate with other researchers and colleagues.  Ph.D. students complete the program mostly online, however, there is an annual meeting that is a week-long and focuses on collaborative research. San Jose’s Gateway program also holds a partnership with the Manchester Metropolitan University, which offers doctoral students the opportunity to work with their professors as well in their research and to learn from them in coursework. With this program, students from both schools have won prestigious awards for their individual and collaborative research. 

The application process is one of the more extensive doctoral programs, and the program is highly selective. There are three stages of the application process. The first is filling out an online application , paying an application fee, and sending in a statement of purpose, an updated resume of related work, unofficial transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a 1000-word research proposal. In the second stage, the applicant is interviewed by faculty members, and they may ask for more writing samples. If the applicant makes it past the first two stages, then Manchester Metropolitan University will go over the final applicants and approve or disapprove of them. 

Doctorate in Information Science at the University of Washington

The information science department at the University of Washington is known for the research their doctoral students and their faculty do. They also teach students to become professors in their field and to be administrators in librarianship. The doctoral program puts emphasis on collaboration between students and faculty, plus they care about diversity in ethnicity and culture with the idea it brings richer research due to a mix of different backgrounds. The Ph.D. students also learn about UX, or User experience, which is how to evaluate a culture or group and its relationship with information and technology. Doctoral students are also taught to use various research methods and various ways to present information and research results. 

To qualify for the doctoral program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with an average 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and a master’s or other additional higher education degree is preferred. However, admissions also look at your experience, interest and goals, and scholarly research.  Applicants can apply online . You will need to pay the application fee, send in transcripts, a personal statement, a diversity statement, a research statement, three letters of recommendation, and your interest in areas of research and which faculty member(s) you prefer to work with.

Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at Simmons University

Simmons University is located in Boston Massacutes which provides an ideal environment for research and study. Boston is full of history, diversity, and cutting-edge technology. The area also has a multitude of career opportunities after graduation. This degree program provides a flexible format for those who do not live in the area because the courses can be taken online. Additionally, students can take a mix of courses online and in person. The main focus of the degree program is to further skills in research and teaching within the library and information science.  Doctoral students also gain skills in organizing, analyzing, retrieving, and managing information. Students also learn how to preserve materials and learn more about archiving physical documents and digitizing documents for online archives. Simmons University also partners with other universities in other countries for higher quality and diversity of research. 

To qualify for the program, applicants need either an MLIS degree or an MS degree in Library and Information Science from a program accredited by the American Library Association. To apply, go online and fill out the application and pay the application fee. Also, submit all transcripts from any colleges or universities you attended, and send in a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, a writing sample of previous research, and a comprehensive curriculum vitae. 

University of Texas at Austin Ph.D. in Information Studies

The University of Texas at Austin has a well-funded Ph.D. program in information studies that allow for new technology to be a part of the curriculum and research. The doctoral students also can learn and then teach other institutions about various new technologies and the best ways to implement them to meet their community’s needs. Additionally, Austin is an advancing and thriving city in the midst of technological growth, and the city offers opportunities for research and careers in information science. The program includes a dissertation and 39 hours of coursework. During this time, students will produce two peer-reviewed scholarly journals. 

You do not have to have a master’s degree to qualify for this program, but you do need a bachelor’s degree and an average 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 grading scale. 

Then, apply online and pay the application fee. Afterward, send in three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. 

The University of North Texas’ Information Science Ph.D. Program

The Doctoral program at the University of North Texas is the nation’s largest Ph.D. program in the Information Science discipline. It is also interdisciplinary so that students can work with students and faculty in various other degree programs including geography, computer science, engineering, linguistics, and merchandising. The program also has concentration options and dual degrees in data science consumer behavior and experience management, journalism cybersecurity, geospatial information systems, health informatics, and linguistics.

To qualify for any doctoral program you must have at least a 3.50 in either your undergraduate degree or your master’s degree. Also, talk to the admissions department for the information science department. Then apply online , send in transcripts, pay the application fee, and send any other documents or scholarly writing the application requests. 

Florida State University PH.D. in Information

Florida is a great state to earn a Ph.D. in library and information because of the diversity in the state of Florida as well as the environmental and marine biology research that is done in Florida. This is good for research opportunities as well as career opportunities. The number of good colleges in FLordia provides many career opportunities as well. 

Florida State has a program called the iSchool and it is ALA-accredited. Additionally, their doctoral students are able to travel across the U.S. for presenting at conferences like the ALA conference, ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, and the Association for Information Science and Technology conference.

To qualify you must have a master’s degree and at least a 3.0 GPA. To apply, fill out the online application and send in a resume, statement of purpose, writing sample, and three letters of recommendation. Right now the GRE requirement is waived. Be sure to speak to an admissions counselor for any additional application requirements or recommendations. 

Library and Information Science Ph.D. Programs Final Thoughts

Ph.D. programs in library and information science are worth pursuing if you have a passion for sharing information through various modes to communicate with other scholars, but more importantly, with the world and its many communities. Many of these programs are lengthy and require dedication, but if you believe you have the drive to become a Ph.D. in Information and Library Science, then I hope this article helps you find a good match for your professional research and career goals. 

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Ph.D. in Information and Library Science

This doctoral program provides an environment that enables creative and energetic students to become innovative thinkers and leaders. Through coordination of student and faculty interests and activities, the program offers opportunities for research, teaching, and leadership in a variety of settings.

Information and library science research leaders must be able to identify problems that are significant for our future as an information society, carry out rigorous studies and draw valid conclusions from them, and communicate those findings to stakeholders who can act on them. The SILS doctoral program provides intensive, but highly flexible and customizable, preparation for careers in academia and research.

The Ph.D. in Information and Library Science is designated as a STEM program, which allows eligible international graduates to apply for a 24-month OPT extension.

After successfully defending their dissertations, SILS’ graduates have accepted positions as tenure-track faculty in information schools, research scientists in corporate and government labs, and chief information officers in a myriad of organizations and businesses. With a degree from our doctoral program, our graduates are making a difference.

• Kimberly Hirsh, 2021, Consulting Scholar-Librarian
• Sandeep Avula, 2020, Research Scientist, Amazon
• Eliot Hauser, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
• Colin Post, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Jonathan Crabtree, 2020, Assistant Director of Research Data Information Systems, Odum Institute, UNC-CH
• Emily Roscoe, 2020, Adjunct Instructor, School of Government, UNC-CH
• Megan Threats, 2020, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University
• Heather Barnes, 2020, Digital Curation Librarian, Wake Forest University
• Yinglong Zhang, 2020, Research Scientist, Google
• Shenmeng Xu, 2020, Scholarly Communications Librarian, Vanderbilt University
• Sarah Beth Nelson, 2019, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
• Anita Crescenzi, 2019, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, UNC-CH
• Kathleen Brennan, 2018, Senior Researcher, Google
• Samantha Kaplan, 2018, Research and Education Librarian, Duke University
• Ericka Patillo, 2018, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Grace Shin, 2018, Sookmyung Women’s University, Korea, Adjunct Professor at SILS.
• Leslie Thomson, 2018, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNC-CH

Other notable graduates in recent years:

• Jay Dominick, 2005 , Vice President and CIO at Princeton University
• Meredith Evans, Ph.D.  2006 , Director, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum & 74th President of the Society of American Archivists
• Meredith Weiss, 2010 , Vice President for Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University
• Fred Stutzman, 2011 , CEO, Freedom

Financial Support

SILS typically provides support for full-time doctoral students during their first five years of study. Prospective doctoral students must apply by December 10 to receive full consideration for financial aid.

Learn more from our Financial Information page.

SILS seeks PhD students who:

• Aim to be information leaders in the 21 st century.
• Are attracted to information and library science as a field that incorporates diverse theoretical perspectives and a wide range of research methods.
• Possess the discipline and will to be independent investigators, and the vision and communication skills to be influential leaders in the field.
• Are committed to a life of research and scholarly inquiry addressing critical questions.
• Enjoy intellectual challenges and demonstrate analytical and critical thinking.

Admission to the doctoral program is competitive and based upon the strength of the applicant’s educational background and standardized test scores, work experience, statement of research, and personal interview. In reviewing applicants for admission, the school will consider past academic record and scholarly potential of an applicant, as well as the match of the candidate’s research interests with those of the school’s faculty. One or more faculty must be willing to assume the advisory role for the student.

Doctoral and Special Programs Coordinator

[email protected] or 919-962-0182

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Library and Information Science, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program, in the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship (ICDS), prepares students for careers in research, education, and professional practice. The primary purpose of the PhD program is to develop an understanding of library and information science beyond the master’s degree, with particular emphasis on the conduct of original research, the production of significant research findings, and the contribution of such findings to public knowledge.

This is a research-driven program where you will work closely with professors who are experts in their fields. Opportunities for our PhD students include:

• Archives and Information Science: For doctoral students interested in pursuing academic careers in the archives area, with a focus on digital preservation or curation and archival ethics, accountability, and appraisal issues.
• Information Behavior: For doctoral students who seek to understand how people plot a course through complex information ecologies including digital environments, and how such ecologies can respond to their ways of thinking, feeling, and valuing. A special emphasis is placed on behaviors of children and youth.
• Health Information Behavior and Health Education Interventions: For doctoral students who wish to investigate the information practices and behaviors of health professionals, patients, caregivers, and consumers.
• Social Information Systems: For doctoral students who will investigate issues related to the design and use of social information systems, focusing on the impact of social media on people’s information behavior.
• Web-based Information Systems: For doctoral students interested in studying, designing, and implementing web-based systems for representing, retrieving, extracting, and disseminating relevant information.
• School Librarianship: For doctoral students interested in teaching, research, and administrative experience in a top-ranked, competency-based School Library Certification Program designed for school librarians and school library supervisors.

Degree Requirements

This PhD degree requires a minimum of 54 credits beyond the master’s degree with a total credit minimum of 72. A minimum of 36 credits must be taken in advanced course work. The student must receive a letter grade in each course taken in this 36-credit requirement, except for the teaching practicum course.  

An additional 18 credits are required, which must be applied to dissertation research and writing; however, regardless of the number of credits taken, no more than 18 credits for dissertation research and writing may be applied toward graduation. The grade for these credits will appear as an “S” on the student’s transcript. In order to register for, and successfully complete, dissertation credits, students must show evidence of work toward the dissertation by completing the Dissertation Credit Tracking Checklist and updating it at the end of the term.  

The minimum of 36 credits of course work, all of which must be on the graduate level, must be distributed as follows: 

• 3 credits: LIS 3000 Introduction to Doctoral Studies
• 9 credits: 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• 3 credits: LIS 3950 Teaching Practicum or FACDEV 2200 Practicum on University Teaching
• 6 credits: Courses in research methodology and statistics
• 6 credits: Courses in cognate field
• 3000-level independent studies or doctoral seminars offered by SCI (maximum of 6 credits)
• Additional 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• Additional cognate courses (up to 6 credits)
• Additional research methodology courses
• 2000-level courses in SCI (subject to approval by the students’ advisor)

For full degree requirement details, visit the Library and Information Science course catalog .

Admissions Requirements

• Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

UBC iSchool’s Ph.D. program is a four-year funded program that combines coursework with independent study and research. Students have access to faculty members and advisors and benefit from unique opportunities at a research-intensive university. The Ph.D. program is designed to provide advanced education for outstanding students who have already obtained a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree, a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) or an equivalent related degree.

We are home to a community of researchers actively engaged in investigating questions of vital importance to society in the age of information. At the broadest level, we are concerned with recorded artifacts of human experience: their creation, collection, organization, preservation, and use. Increasingly, these artifacts - books, documents, images, data, etc.- are created and/or preserved in digital formats that can be widely disseminated and used. Our collective work aims to ensure that this legacy of human experience, housed in both traditional and newer digital forms, is preserved, shared and explored, so that individuals and communities can continue to draw upon it to deepen their understanding of themselves and their communities and make new discoveries about our world.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

• Interdisciplinary nature of the faculty and their collaborators
• Teaching opportunities for PhD students in the masters programs and Bachelor of Media Studies program.

I chose to study at UBC for many reasons, one of them being that I was able to find a department where my interdisciplinary aspirations were supported and actively encouraged.

Bonnie Tulloch

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Document requirements.

Applicants are encouraged to identify and contact potential supervisors based on faculty research areas.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research highlights.

• Award-winning faculty, recognized provincially, nationally and internationally for their contributions and leadership in library, archival and information studies research.
• Research projects funded in excess of $1M annually.
• Partner in the Designing for People research cluster, a multidisciplinary approach in people-centred design for interactive technologies, with several faculty contributing to the development of the program.
• Learn more about current Faculty leading major research initiatives at ischool.ubc.ca/research

Research Focus

Human-computer Interaction, Information Interaction and Design, Cultural Heritage, Documentation, Records and Information Management, History of the Book, Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, Knowledge Organization, Digital Archives/Media and Social media.

Research Facilities

PhD students are provided a lab space specifically for work and research in the school. The iSchool has an additional computer lab and bookable spaces with high-tech equipment for use in usability studies, conducting user research and analysis and more.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

The school strives to support doctoral students in applying for external funding opportunities. As of September 2018, all full-time students who begin the iSchool Ph.D. program will be provided with a funding package of at least $26,000 for each of the first four years of the PhD program. Additional funding may be obtained through internal and external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships and graduate academic assistantships.

In addition, international students are eligible for the international tuition award of $3,200 per year for four years.

Additional Funding Opportunities

UBC has launched Canada's first Blockchain training pathway for graduate students. The Graduate Pathway on Blockchain and Decentralized Trust Technologies will be a 12-credit non-degree training program that augments existing Master's and PhD programs. Additional funding may be available for students as part of the Blockchain pathway.

Average Funding

• 5 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 5 students was $6,205.
• 4 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 4 students was $10,910.
• 6 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 6 students was $2,910.
• 12 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 12 students was $26,449.
• 3 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 3 students was $22,778.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

9 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 7 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

UBC's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies prepared an in-depth report tracking outcomes for more than 3,800 PhD students who graduated between 2005-13. Using a combination of survey and internet searches, information was obtained for 91% of these graduates. This approach, and the ability to link the outcomes to student data, allowed a more comprehensive and richer analysis of student outcomes than most studies of this kind. The data is publicly available on their website  and features outcome comparisons by faculty and subject area.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Library, Archival and Information Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Abdul-Mageed, Muhammad (Artificial intelligence (AI); Deep Learning; Natural Language Processing; Machine Learning; Computational Linguistics; Social Media Mining; Arabic)
• Bullard, Julia (Organization of information and knowledge resources; Library science and information studies; classification systems; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Information Systems; metadata; values-in-design)
• Douglas, Jennifer (Personal recordkeeping and archives; Person-centred archival theory and practices; Grief and recordkeeping and archives; Emotions and recordkeeping and archives; Archival arrangement and description)
• Kwakkel, Erik (Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; Codicology; History of Libraries; History of the Book; Medieval Manuscripts; Paleography; History of Reading)
• Lemieux, Victoria (Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; Blockchain technology; information visualization and visual analytics; International development; Records and information management; Risk management; Transparency and the public interest (in public sector and financial contexts); Trustworthy records)
• Meyers, Eric (youth online behavior, information seeking, web search, libraries, public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, learning, virtual worlds, collaboration, social networks, new media, digital literacy, information literacy )
• Nathan, Lisa (Media and communications; Critical studies of technology; Climate Justice; Indigenous-led Information Initiatives; Collapse | Adaptive Informatics; Values & Design; Information Ethics & Policy)
• O'Brien, Heather (All other social sciences, n.e.c.; user engagement; user experience; community engagement; information seeking and retrieval; information access; cognitive processes related to information searching and evaluation; health technologies)
• Shaffer, Elizabeth (intersections of race, gender, and digital infrastructures and technologies)
• Sinnamon, Luanne Silvia (Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; human information interaction; Information Systems; information retrieval; New Technology and Social Impacts)
• Turner, Hannah (Archival, repository and related studies; Library science and information studies; cataloguing and classification; Cultural Institutions (Museums, Libraries, etc.); Impacts of New Information Technologies; information practice; museum anthropology; Science and technology studies)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• The archival preservation of independent music production : a constructivist grounded theory study
• An intelligent class : the development of a novel context capturing method for the functional auto-classification of records
• Fixing for change : information practice and stories of aspiration in community-based repair initiatives
• How task frames affect the process and products of inquiry
• Do the ends justify the memes? : exploring the relationship between youth, internet memes, and digital citizenship
• Caring for newcomer communities and their data : an inquiry into interdependence in information practices
• Unpacking homework : Brazilian school children's information interaction ecologies
• Leveraging information governance and digital technologies for climate action : an inquiry into records retention and disposition in Canadian organizations

Related Programs

Same academic unit.

• Master of Archival Studies (MAS)
• Master of Archival Studies and Master of Library and Information Studies (MASLIS)
• Master of Arts in Children's Literature (MA)
• Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS)

Further Information

Specialization.

Library, Archival and Information Studies provides an interdisciplinary, high-demand educational experience in which students gain rich expertise suited to hybrid library/archives environments and cultural institutions. Area of study includes First Nations Curriculum Concentrations; Data services; Librarianship; Community and culture; Information interaction and design; Information sources and services; Digital resource management; Information analysis and management; Archives and preservation; Records management; information policy.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Andrea Kampen

I decided to study at UBC through a combination of geography and networking. Life circumstances brought me to Vancouver where I had occasion to meet my now supervisor Dr. Heather O’Brien (School of Information). I found her work in user engagement intriguing and she was very encouraging of applying...

One of the major benefits of this research project is the number of interlocking and complimentary community-based projects that I am able draw upon and contribute to. UBC’s campus is home to Out On The Shelves (OOTS), volunteer-run, non-profit, LGBT2QIA+ community library, which would also be a...

Michelle Kaczmarek

I decided to move to Vancouver from my home in southwest England because graduate study offered a new challenge to live and learn in a new country and UBC had a strong reputation for welcoming international students. Learning about the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory that UBC occupies, and from those who...

Hoda Amal Hamouda

I have always seen that my work on citizen media videos involves an aspect that relates to the archival discipline. Actually, one of the early video prototypes I carried out when designing for citizen media videos was called the "living archive". When I found a good deal of interdisciplinarity...

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Great academic programs, great location: the distinct seasons and mild climate are among the reasons why graduate students choose to study here -- from the autumn leaves to cherry blossoms, witness the many colours Vancouver has to offer.

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Student Spotlight: Nick Vera

Library and information science - ph.d..

Our Ph.D. program provides doctoral-trained teacher scholars for library and information science programs across the nation. It also promotes the research-based foundation for these areas within the profession.

General Information

This research-intensive degree prepares student scholars for faculty and administrative careers at universities, research centers and private businesses. Our students distinguish themselves in advancing the ways people and organizations create and use information.

Our students demonstrate excellence in:

• Nurturing critical and reflective thinking on the fundamental problems related to using information.
• Fostering an environment of successful mentoring.
• Preparing scholars who are passionate about the role of information in human affairs.
• Fostering cross-disciplinary thinking with research and academic expectations.
• Mastering the literature and practices in the broad field of information science.
• Developing in-depth knowledge in their specialty field.
• Developing profound skills of synthesis and analysis of research.

Degree Requirements

Our Ph.D. students must complete an approved program of 54 credit hours beyond the master’s level. See all requirements on this page.

Admission Guidelines

Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive. Find admissions requirements here.

Meet our Current Doctoral Students

Our doctoral students are involved in a variety of research and scholarly activities. Read more about them here

Application Deadline

The application deadline is January 15. We are not accepting applications on a rolling basis.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

Course Catalog

Information sciences, phd.

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Sciences

The Ph.D. program consists of the following components:

• a history and foundations of IS seminar (4 graduate hours);
• research methods (8 or more graduate hours);
• electives (36 graduate hours);
• field exam; and
• thesis (32 or more graduate hours).

Thus, a minimum of 48 graduate hours of coursework plus 32 graduate hours of thesis credit are required.

The School of Information Sciences (iSchool) offers programs of study leading to the Master of Science (M.S.), the Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S), and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Three Master of Science (M.S.) degrees are available. The M.S. in Library and Information Science (L.I.S.) prepares students for professional careers in all types of information organizations, including libraries. The M.S. in Information Management (I.M.) will prepare the students for information-intensive professional roles in a broad range of sectors. The Library and Information Science concentration of the campus-wide M.S. in bioinformatics program emphasizes multidisciplinary skills that are required for a career developing and managing information systems for the biological sciences community. The C.A.S. program provides the opportunity

• to study an aspect of information sciences in greater depth than is possible in the M.S. program,
• to refresh and upgrade one's professional training several years after completing a M.S. program, or
• to redirect one's career into a different area of library and information science.

School Librarian Licensure is available in conjunction with both the M.S. in L.I.S. and C.A.S. The Ph.D. is a research degree program.

Admission The general admission requirements of the Graduate College apply. Consideration is also given to language study and computer skills, relevant work experience, letters of reference, and evidence of leadership. International students must score at least 620 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (260 on the computer-based test; 104 on the iBT version); or 7.5 on each section of the IELTS. The M.S. in bioinformatics requires a strong background in information science including undergraduate-level computing and mathematics. The C.A.S. requires a master's degree in library and information science and a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) in the master's program. 

School Librarian Licensure Candidates interested in the School Librarian Licensure program must first be admitted and enrolled as a degree-seeking student within the School of Information Sciences before their application to the School Librarian Licensure program is reviewed.  Accepted students must successfully pass two Illinois State Board of Education testing requirements prior to registration for the final fieldwork experience.

Graduate Teaching Experience Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in the Ph.D. program for those interested in faculty careers.

Facilities and Resources Among the major areas of faculty research are:

• community informatics
• data analytics
• data curation
• digital humanities
• digital libraries
• history of information
• information retrieval
• organization of knowledge and information
• privacy, security, and trust
• ethics and values for information
• youth literature, culture, and services

The iSchool's Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship (CIRSS) conducts research on information problems that impact scientific and scholarly inquiry. The Center for Children's Books (CCB) provides a review and research collection of the newest literature for children and young adults. The Communications Office produces two high-quality publications, Library Trends and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. The staff of each of these units is available to students and faculty for consultation and guidance. A computer network with Internet connectivity is integral to teaching and learning activities. The University Library provides a vast reservoir of resources for all types of study and research in library and information science.

The School maintains an ongoing commitment to continuing education through conferences, institutes, workshops, and course offerings.

Financial Aid Financial aid may be available from the iSchool, the University Library, and elsewhere in the University in the form of graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and hourly paid work. Area libraries may provide pre-professional or hourly positions. Also, the iSchool offers a limited number of fellowships for which doctoral students tend to be favored over C.A.S. and master's degree students. Students in the joint program that do not hold a FLAS fellowship are eligible for, but not guaranteed, fellowship or assistantship support in the semesters in which they are enrolled in the iSchool. Any assistantship awarded to these students provides a waiver of the base in-state tuition and service fee as well as a stipend. Non-Illinois residents must pay the difference between in- and out-of-state tuition.

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in Information Science

For additional details and requirements, refer to the unit's  Graduate Programs of Study  and the  Graduate College Handbook .

Entering with approved MS/MA degree

Other Requirements

Entering with approved BS/BA degree

• Definition: The iSchool’s PhD students will discover how complex, interdependent global systems— including informational, social, and technical —affect and are affected by the characteristics and behavior of individuals, communities, and institutions.
• Definition: The iSchool’s PhD students will acquire broad and deep expertise, including knowledge and skills, across subfields of information science. This includes the ability to engage with, plan, and conduct interdisciplinary research.
• Definition: The iSchool’s PhD students will apply their knowledge and skills to promote inquiry, discover solutions, generate new ideas, and communicate their research. This includes conducting independent and exemplary research, presenting their work in public settings, and publishing their work in peer-reviewed venue.
• Definition: The iSchool’s PhD students will develop a critical and reflective orientation toward such social and cultural differences as race, indigeneity, gender, class, sexuality, language, and disability. This includes the ability to conduct ethical and responsible research.
• Definition: The iSchool’s PhD students will build and sustain productive relationships to respond to information-centric, civic and social challenges at local, national, and global levels, creating positive impact in their communities. This includes the ability to convey their knowledge to others, e.g., by teaching or TA courses or workshops, and through outreach and service activities.

Graduate Degree Programs in the School of Information Science

• Bioinformatics: Information Sciences, MS  (on campus & online)
• Information Management, MS (on campus & online)
• Library & Information Science, MS (on campus & online)
• Library & Information Science, CAS (on campus & online)
• Writing Studies
•   Library & Information Science, MS and African Studies, MA
• Library & Information Science, MS and History, MA
• Library & Information Science, MS and Law, JD
• Library & Information Science, MS and Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, MA

School Librarian Licensure : available in conjunction with both the MS in LIS and CAS in LIS

School of Information Sciences Dean: Eunice Santos Program Contact: Katrina Hagler School of Information Sciences website iSchool Faculty 501 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6211 (217) 244-3432, (800) 982-0914 (within the US) ischool email

Admissions PhD in Information Science Admissions & Requirements Graduate College Admissions & Requirements  

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30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

These fully funded Ph.D. programs are in fields like business, computer science, education and nursing.

(Getty Images) |

Many Ph.D. programs are fully funded.

Students interested in graduate research in various fields, from public health and English to computer science and engineering, have numerous options for Ph.D. programs that offer full funding. These programs typically provide waived tuition and fees and an annual stipend. Some also offer health insurance and other benefits. Gaining admittance into these small cohorts can be highly competitive, and the programs can be time-consuming . Here are 30 fully funded Ph.D. programs at U.S. colleges and universities. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list – there are others out there.

• Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Chicago

Anthropology Ph.D. students at the University of Chicago can receive funding for up to eight years of study, assuming they are in good standing at the university. During that time, they will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus health insurance and a living stipend – which equated to $33,000 for the 2022-2023 school year – and can apply for external fellowships.

Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University (MA)

Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston offers a Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health that aims to provide students with expertise in disease prevention and treatment. This program includes tuition, a stipend and health insurance for five years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. International students receive the same benefits. Current research in the school's laboratories involves diseases like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, malaria and tuberculosis.

(Dominick Reuter) |

• Ph.D. in business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Students enrolled in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can study a range of fields like organization studies, accounting and information technology. Those pursuing a Ph.D. will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus a monthly stipend of $4,267, capped at $51,204. They will also receive medical insurance, new laptops at the beginning of their first and fourth years of study and $4,500 over five years for conference travel expenses.

(Tommy Lavergne | Rice University)

Ph.D. in business at Rice University (TX)

At the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business in Texas, students enjoy full financial assistance upon admission to the Ph.D. program. Aiming to prepare students to teach in fields like accounting, finance, organizational behavior and strategic management, the program provides students with a research or teaching assistantship. Students receive a tuition waiver and a $40,000 annual stipend contingent on making satisfactory academic progress and maintaining full-time student status.

Office of Strategic Communication | University of Iowa

• Ph.D. in business at the University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business offers Ph.D. degrees in fields such as accounting, economics, business analytics and marketing. The college says it provides full funding to "virtually all admitted students." This includes tuition and fees, a minimum nine-month stipend of about $20,000 with annual adjustments and comprehensive health insurance covered at 90%. Some departments offer funding for research presentations at major conferences, summer fellowships and paid time off for independent research.

Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University (NY)

According to Cornell University 's website, all students admitted to the chemical engineering Ph.D. program at the New York school receive a full tuition waiver, health insurance and a stipend. This funding can come from a teaching assistantship, research assistantship or fellowship, and full stipends are granted for nine months with the likelihood of additional aid in the summer.

Chris Taggart | Columbia University

Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University (NY)

Students enrolled in Columbia University 's Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at the Teachers College in New York receive fully funded tuition and a $25,000 stipend annually for three years. The stipend also carries into a student's fourth year. These doctoral fellows "may be expected to serve" as graduate teaching or research assistants. Students typically complete the mentor-matched program, which includes a full-year internship, in five to seven years.

Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University (RI)

Brown University 's Ph.D. students in computer science have access to "full financial support while completing the degree," plus the option to take classes at nearby schools without incurring additional costs, according to the school's website. In fact, doctoral students in any program at the Rhode Island university are guaranteed five years of financial support, which includes tuition remission, a stipend, health services fees and a subsidy for health insurance.

Georgetown University |

Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University (DC)

Georgetown University 's Ph.D. program in computer science provides scholarships and assistantships that cover full tuition at the Washington, D.C., school and include a stipend and health insurance for the first five years. Once enrolled in the program, students must complete the Apprenticeship in Teaching Program and ultimately write and defend a full research dissertation in a seminar open to the public.

Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. students in the computer science or computer engineering program at Washington University in St. Louis receive full tuition support and health insurance. According to the university's website: "As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses and a new, high-end Apple laptop computer. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree." Doctoral students may also qualify for one of three fellowships.

Jeff Miller | UW-Madison

• Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison

Incoming Ph.D. students at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin—Madison are guaranteed full funding for the duration of the time that they are expected on campus, according to the university's department of counseling psychology website. Doctoral students also receive a benefits package that includes health insurance. Funding may come from financial aid, fellowships, assistantships and/or traineeships.

Emory University |

Ph.D. in economics at Emory University (GA)

Students enrolled in the economics Ph.D. program at Emory University typically receive full funding, according to the Georgia university's website. The stipend provided to students is $36,376 per year for five years, starting in fall 2023, and the full tuition scholarship is worth $70,200 per year. Funding for admitted students also includes a $4,370 annual subsidy that covers 100% of a student's cost of health insurance. First-year students have no stipend-related work requirements.

• Ph.D. in education at New York University

New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers more than 30 degree programs. Many can be pursued on campus or online. Ph.D. degrees are offered in areas like developmental psychology, educational leadership and childhood education. Full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. students are eligible for a funding package that includes an annual stipend – $32,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year – tuition coverage for required coursework and student health insurance for five years.

L.A. Cicero, Stanford News Service |

Ph.D. in education at Stanford University (CA)

Stanford University's Graduate School of Education allows students numerous fellowship and assistantship opportunities at the California school, along with a "five-year funding guarantee that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary, and covers the standard cost of attendance," the program website reads. At the Graduate School of Education, doctoral students can choose from a range of academic areas like curriculum studies and teacher education, and developmental and psychological sciences.

• Ph.D. in education at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education provides full funding to Ph.D. students as part of a fellowship and research apprenticeship package. This funding includes a living stipend, health insurance and coverage of tuition and fees for up to four years if the student maintains full-time enrollment. Some students may also qualify for additional summer funding.

• Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Doctoral students in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor can choose from numerous areas of specialization under umbrella categories like aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, and robotics. All engineering doctoral students are guaranteed full funding, a monthly living stipend and health insurance. The exact amount can vary, according to the program's website, and funding comes from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships.

Boston University Photography |

• Ph.D. in English at Boston University

Annually, doctoral students studying English at Boston University receive a stipend plus full tuition, fees and basic health insurance. This funding is guaranteed for at least five years, with two of those years typically free from teaching requirements. Funding can sometimes be extended up to seven years, according to the university's website, but it's not guaranteed. Students may also apply for various prizes, fellowships and short-term research and travel grants.

(Stephanie Diani) |

• Ph.D. in English at the University of California—Los Angeles

Applicants to the Ph.D. in English program at the University of California—Los Angeles are automatically considered for various funding options. A six-year funding package includes "a minimum of two years of full fellowship, four years of summer stipend support and up to four years of teaching assistantships," according to the school website. Beyond tuition, fees and health insurance are also covered.

Jeff Watts |

Ph.D. in international relations at American University (DC)

American University offers doctoral students in its international relations program who do not have external funding a renewable four-year Dean's Fellowship that is contingent on making satisfactory academic progress. The fellowship includes the cost of tuition, fees and a stipend that must be earned via a part-time role as a teaching or research assistant. Students also must "demonstrate competency in a modern foreign language" before graduating.

Jonathan Cohen | Binghamton University

• Ph.D. in management at Binghamton University—SUNY

All students admitted to the interdisciplinary management Ph.D. program at the Binghamton University—SUNY School of Management in New York receive a combination of a full-tuition scholarship and a teaching or research assistantship for each academic year, up to four years. This STEM-designated business doctoral degree prepares students for careers in academia and work in the public and private sectors, and has a student-faculty ratio of 1-to-1, according to the university's website.

Duke University Communications |

Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University (NC)

Doctoral students at Duke University in North Carolina studying materials science and engineering generally receive full tuition, a stipend and fee support for the first five years. Students also receive up to six years of health insurance if they are on the university's student medical insurance plan. The doctoral program aims to help students publish with a faculty adviser and develop research skills, with the opportunity to present research at professional conferences.

Homewood Photography | JHU

Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University (MD)

The School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland provides most doctoral students with three fully funded years of study. Available financial aid includes graduate assistantships, targeted fellowships and nursing-specific funding. The university aims to "advance the theoretical foundation of nursing practice and healthcare delivery" with the degree, its website reads. "By graduation, most Hopkins nurse scholars have been awarded grants that continue their research and set them well on their way to a successful career."

• Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Virginia

All students admitted to the University of Virginia 's Ph.D. in Nursing program are eligible for four years of scholarship funding to cover tuition, insurance and fees, as well as annual stipends. To receive certain aid, students must work 10 hours per week as a graduate teaching assistant. With a heavy research focus, students can expect courses in qualitative, quantitative and historical research, and will have to submit a research proposal for peer review.

Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University (CT)

At Yale University in Connecticut, the School of Nursing offers full funding to its Ph.D. students. They receive a monthly stipend for four years in addition to paid tuition and health care. The program allows students to gain in-depth knowledge in a particular area of study. Every incoming Ph.D. student gets paired with a faculty adviser "whose area of expertise and active research most closely matches with the student’s scholarly interest," according to the school's website.

University of Minnesota |

• Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program to study psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities are guaranteed full funding for five years as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and degree progress. This funding includes full-time tuition, a nine-month stipend and subsidized health insurance. Funding comes from some combination of teaching assistantships, traineeships, research assistantships and fellowships. Students in the program can specialize in areas like cognitive and brain sciences, industrial-organizational psychology and social psychology.

Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame

Ph.D. within the Romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame (IN)

University of Notre Dame doctoral students who focus on French and Francophone studies, Iberian and Latin American studies or Italian studies are guaranteed five years of funding. Funding includes a full scholarship, including tuition and fees, plus a stipend and health insurance. Anyone who completes the Ph.D. degree requirements at the Indiana university within five years will automatically receive a one-year postdoctoral fellowship via the university's 5+1 Program. Fellows will have a teaching load limited to one course per semester.

Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College (PA)

Students admitted to Bryn Mawr College 's Ph.D. program in social work receive full tuition waivers and "substantial stipends" toward living expenses. The Pennsylvania college's website says: "Consistent with our model, all Ph.D. students are funded equally, and do not compete for basic financial support during coursework." The program's cohorts typically include only three or four students each year. According to the college, it awarded the first Ph.D. degree in social work in the U.S. in 1920.

Vanderbilt University |

Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University (TN)

Funding is guaranteed for all admitted doctoral students enrolled in the special education Ph.D. program at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. This includes full tuition, a "competitive" monthly stipend and health insurance for up to four years. Students may also be nominated for additional honor scholarships and fellowships. Areas of focus within the Ph.D. program include high-incidence disabilities and early childhood education.

Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University (IL)

This interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at Northwestern University in Illinois combines coursework in humanities, social science and the visual arts. The program's students receive a five-year full-tuition scholarship plus an annual living stipend. Ph.D students enrolling at this program in fall 2022 will receive a living stipend of at least $36,960 during the 2023-2024 school year. Stipend amounts may change from year to year. Students can apply for subsidies to facilitate conference travel and summer language study.

(Photo by Sarah L. Voisin | The Washington Post via Getty Images)

• Ph.D. in women, gender and sexuality studies at University of Maryland

At the University of Maryland 's Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Ph.D. students without a master's degree usually have five years of guaranteed funding. Those with a master's degree usually are funded four years, with awards stemming from a mix of departmental fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships. Since the program's establishment in 1999, the department has granted 36 Ph.Ds, according to UMD's website.

Learn more about paying for graduate school.

Finding a fully funded program isn't the only option to offset the costs of graduate school. See these seven strategies to pay for graduate school to learn more. Check out the latest Best Graduate Schools rankings to see the country's top business, medicine and law programs – and more. For additional grad school tips, follow U.S. News Education on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Ph.D. programs that are fully funded

• Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University
• Ph.D. in business at Rice University
• Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University
• Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University—St. Louis
• Ph.D. in economics at Emory University
• Ph.D. in education at Stanford University
• Ph.D. in international relations at American University
• Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University
• Ph.D. within the romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame
• Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College
• Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University
• Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University

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Best Doctorates in Library Science: Top PhD Programs, Career Paths, and Salaries

A PhD in Library Science can open up a world of opportunities for library professionals. With a PhD, you can work as a librarian in a public or academic library, conduct research, or teach at the college or university level. There are many library science jobs available to those with a library science PhD degree .

So if you’re looking to level up your career and want to enroll in the best PhD in library science, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss the top PhD programs in library science, as well as career opportunities and salaries for those with a library science degree.

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What is a phd in library science.

A PhD in Library Science is a research degree that prepares students for careers in library and information science. Students in a library science PhD program conduct research on topics such as information retrieval, library management, digital libraries, and user behavior. They also learn about the history of libraries and the ways they have changed over time.

How to Get Into a Library Science PhD Program: Admission Requirements 

The requirements to get into a library science PhD program are a Master’s Degree in Library Science, school transcripts, and an acceptable GPA. some library science programs require that you take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). You’ll also need to provide a statement of purpose, a written sample of your previous research, and letters of recommendation.

Admission requirements for library science PhD programs vary. Some strictly require a master’s degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited institution, while others don’t. Some programs may also require you to have experience working in a library.

PhD in Library Science Admission Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Library Science from ALA-accredited institute
• Transcripts of all previous education
• Statement of purpose
• Writing sample of prior research
• Letters of recommendation

Library Science PhD Acceptance Rates: How Hard Is It to Get Into a PhD Program in Library Science?

It’s hard to get a PhD in Library Science. In fact, getting admission in PhD in any subject is not easy. The acceptance rate for library science PhD programs varies but is generally very competitive. For instance, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill only has a 24 percent overall school acceptance rate, which also indicates that PhD acceptance there can be challenging.

How to Get Into the Best Universities

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Best PhDs in Library Science: In Brief

Best universities for library science phds: where to get a phd in library science.

Some of the best universities for library science PhD include Simmons University, University of South Carolina, and University of Pittsburgh. You’ll also get the best library science doctoral degree from Indiana University, Rutgers University, and Emporia State University. In this section, you’ll learn about more of these schools and their library science PhD programs.

Dominican University was founded in 1890 as a private university. It comprises eight schools, offering 19 master's and PhD programs. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10-to-one, making it easier for students to get individualized attention. Dominican University is consistently ranked as the fourth best value school by US News & World Report .

PhD in Library and Information Science

This PhD program is an accelerated four-year degree. The first year of the program is dedicated to graduate-level coursework, and the next three years are devoted to PhD study. Some of the major courses offered include Studies in Core Values, Ethics, and Issues in the Library and Information Professions, Organization of Knowledge, and Big Data & Competitive Intelligence.

PhD in Library and Information Science Overview

• Program Length: 4 years
• Acceptance Rate: 76% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $850/credit
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Scholarships, financial aids

PhD in Library and Information Science Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute
• 1500-word statement of purpose and resume
• Research writing sample
• Official transcripts of all educational degrees

Emporia State University (ESU) has one of the oldest schools of library sciences in the western half of the US. This public research university was founded in 1863. Now, it has more than 200 academic programs across four colleges.

PhD in Library and Information Management

The program consists of four advanced courses, four research courses, and four foundational courses in a concentration. It’s offered in three concentrations: Instructional Design and Technology, Information Systems, and Informatics. This doctorate program prepares students for higher education roles, such as researchers, instructors, and administrators.

PhD in Library and Information Management Overview

• Program Length: 3 years
• Acceptance Rate: 86% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $3,467/semester (in-state), $7,425/semester (out-of-state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Graduate assistantships, scholarships, fellowships

PhD in Library and Information Management Admission Requirements

• Cumulative GPA of 3.25 in master’s degree
• Minimum GRE score of 304
• 3 letters of recommendation
• 200-300 word statement of purpose
• Written work sample

Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university. Founded in 1820, it’s the main campus of Indiana University and the largest of its seven campuses by enrollment. Over 43,000 students are enrolled in this school, making it the largest campus of Indiana University. Most of Indiana University Bloomington's programs are highly ranked nationwide.

PhD in Information Science

Indiana University Bloomington is one of the oldest information science doctoral programs in the nation. Areas of research include archives, critical information, library science, digital libraries, philosophy of information, and information ethics. The program has produced many notable alumni who have gone on to careers in academia and industry.

PhD in Information Science Overview

• Acceptance Rate: 80% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $7,092/semester (in-state), $20,967/semester (out-of-state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching assistantships, scholarships

PhD in Information Science Admission Requirements

• CGPA of 3.2 in bachelor’s degree and 3.5 or better in master’s degree
• Writing sample (may be a publication, a grant proposal, or a technical white paper)

Rutgers University is known as a research powerhouse. This university has three campuses, 29 schools and colleges, and more than 300 research institutes throughout New Jersey. It offers more than 400 graduate programs and is home to nearly 69,000 students. The university was founded in 1766 and is one of the oldest and largest universities in New Jersey.

PhD Library and Information Science

Rutgers University is a world-renowned institution for PhD in Library and Information Science. The program faculty are at the forefront of knowledge in their fields, with numerous publications to their credit. The research areas in this PhD program include but are not limited to human information behavior, information retrieval, and information and technology.

PhD Library and Information Science Overview

• Acceptance Rate: 67% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $43,807/year (in state), $61,892/year (out of state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships, and fellowships, grant funding

PhD Library and Information Science Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s and master’s transcripts
• Personal statement
• Writing sample

San Jose State University (SJSU) is located at the center of Silicon Valley, making it a prime location for students interested in technology and innovation. The university is research-focused and is known for its world-class education. SJSU was founded in 1857 as a state normal school, and today has nine colleges and 36,000 enrollments.

Gateway PhD in Library and Information Management

SJSU's Gateway PhD in Library and Information Management is an international doctoral degree program that partners with Manchester Metropolitan University, England. It’s focused on research and prepares scholars for faculty and research positions. Students have the opportunity to get knowledge, supervision, and experience from the faculty of both universities.

Gateway PhD in Library and Information Management Overview

• Program Length: 4-7 years
• Tuition and Fees: $10,794/year
• PhD Funding Opportunities: No funding opportunities

Gateway PhD in Library and Information Management Admission Requirements

• Master's Degree in Communication, Information Science, Library Studies, Media Studies or another related academic or professional field
• A minimum 3.5 GPA from a relevant master’s degree
• Demonstrate research experience gained in master’s (master’s thesis or the research publication at master’s level)
• 250-word statement of interest and a letter of recommendation
• 500-word research proposal and a resume
• Copies of transcripts of all previous degrees

Simmons University is a private research university founded in 1899 focused on advancing education for women. With over 4,500 graduate students, it’s now a coeducational university offering more than 60 majors and programs. Simmons University is committed to providing students with opportunities for both on-site and off-site research.

Simmons University is one of the nation's leading institutions for library and information science. Its Library and Information Science program is ranked 11th in the country by US News & World Report. The program is focused on envisioning the library's function in academic communication, strategic priorities in academic libraries, and library technology management.

• Acceptance Rate: 83% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $1,345/credit
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Teaching assistantships, scholarships, fellowships
• Master’s degree
• Statement of purpose 
• Character references (academic or professional)
• Official transcript of previous education

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill is one of the oldest public research universities in the US. This school was chartered in 1789. It now offers over 160 graduate and doctoral degrees and is known for its high-quality and affordable education. It’s also ranked as the sixth most innovative university in the World by Reuters.

PhD in Information and Library Science

UNC at Chapel Hill offers an outstanding Doctor of Philosophy in Information and Library Science program. It provides students with opportunities in research, leadership, and teaching. Admission to the program is competitive. Scholars who complete the program have career opportunities in schools, corporate settings, and government libraries.

PhD in Information and Library Science Overview

• Acceptance Rate: 24% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $586/credit (in state), $1,602/credit (out of state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Financial aid, research and teaching assistantship, fellowships, external awards

PhD in Information and Library Science Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Unofficial transcripts of previous education
• Resume 

University of Pittsburgh is one of the most prestigious public universities in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1787, the university has grown to include four regional campuses, 16 schools and colleges, and 645 degree and certificate programs. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-one, the University provides its students with an intimate and interactive learning experience.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program prepares scholars for careers in education, research, and professional practice. Students will learn about archives and information science, school librarianship, and web-based information systems. The program requires a minimum of 54 credits of coursework and 18 credits of research and dissertation.

• Acceptance Rate: 64% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $1,031/credit (in-state), $1,767/credit (out-of-state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Scholarships, awards, fellowships, assistantships
• Master’s degree accredited by American Library Association (ALA) in a related field
• Minimum of 3.5 GPA
• Essay 
• Letters of reference (academic or professional)
• Official transcripts

Founded in 1801, University of South Carolina (USC) has 13 graduate schools offering over 250 graduate programs. USC is an R1 institution designated by the Carnegie Research Classifications. It has 56 graduate programs ranked nationally. USC has over 6,000 graduate students and is committed to the diversity and inclusion of African-Americans.

The PhD program is research-intensive and trains students for jobs as academics and administrators in research institutes and universities. Admission to this PhD program is competitive. This 54-credit curriculum covers a broad range of topics, so students may do research in a number of areas with the aid of this program.

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• Acceptance Rate: 68% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $599/credit (in-state), $1,257/credit (out-of-state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Sponsorships, awards, grants
• Official transcripts from previous colleges and universities
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA 

Founded in 1848, University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the leading research institutions in the US. It’s among the top schools for research spending and has Nobel Prize winners among its faculty. It has 13 schools and colleges, including over 160 master's and doctoral programs, and about 9,700 graduate students.

PhD in Library and Information Studies

The program is highly writing-intensive, with all students required to complete a comprehensive dissertation prior to graduation. Classes in this PhD degree program are small, with only a handful of students admitted each year. The program offers two concentrations, which include information studies and print culture history. PhD students may get a five-year fully funded scholarship.

PhD in Library and Information Studies Overview

• Program Length: 3-5 years
• Acceptance Rate: 57% (overall school acceptance rate)
• Tuition and Fees: $12,220/year (in-state), $25,548/year (out-of-state)
• PhD Funding Opportunities: Scholarships, assistantships, loans, research and travel grants, fellowships

PhD in Library and Information Studies Admission Requirements

• Master’s degree in a related field 
• Minimum of 3.0 GPA

Can You Get a PhD in Library Science Online?

Yes, you can also get a PhD in Library Science online. Some universities offer online programs for Library Science degrees that are flexible and convenient for working professionals. Some of the best online PhDs in library science are given in the below table.

Best Online PhD Programs in Library Science

How long does it take to get a phd in library science.

It typically takes three to five years to complete a PhD in Library Science. This time is spent on earning coursework credits, conducting research, and writing a dissertation. The first year is usually spent on coursework, while the rest is spent on your research, thesis, and final defense.

Is a PhD in Library Science Hard?

Yes, a PhD in Library Science is hard because you have to work independently most of the time. Plus, the burden of meeting deadlines is only on you. In fact, taking a PhD in any subject is challenging to complete, as it requires discipline, dedication, and hard work.

However, the rewards of obtaining a PhD are many. With a Doctorate in Library Science, you can pursue a career in library science in the academia or research fields. You’ll also be able to command a higher salary.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a PhD in Library Science?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), it costs an average of $19,792 per year to get a PhD in Library Science. The average cost to get a PhD from a public university is $12,410 per year. In comparison, the average cost of getting a PhD from a private university is $26,597 per year, according to NCES.

How to Pay for a PhD in Library Science: PhD Funding Options

You can pay for a PhD in Library Science through student loans, scholarships, or fellowships. Some students also apply for grants from their schools, the government, or private organizations. Others may work as research assistants or teaching assistants to help pay for their education.

Best Online Master’s Degrees

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What Is the Difference Between a Library Science Master’s Degree and a PhD?

The main difference between a Library Science Master’s Degree and a PhD is that a doctoral degree is more of a research degree, while a master’s degree is a professional degree. A PhD prepares students for careers in academia or research. A master’s degree prepares students for careers as librarians or information professionals.

Another difference between these two is the program length. A PhD in Library Science typically takes three to five years to complete. A Master’s Degree in Library Science can be completed in one and a half to two years.

Master’s vs PhD in Library Science Job Outlook

The job outlook for both Master’s and PhD Library Science graduates is positive from 2020 to 2030. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job projections for librarians with master’s degrees will grow by nine percent . On the other hand, the job growth forecast for those with PhD degrees is 12 percent .

Difference in Salary for Library Science Master’s vs PhD

The difference between the salaries of master’s and PhD holders is not significant. According to the BLS, the median salary for PhD degree holders is $1,909 per week. The median weekly salary for those with a master’s degree as their highest educational attainment is $1,574.

Related Library Science Degrees

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Why You Should Get a PhD in Library Science

You should get a PhD in Library Science if you’re looking for a career in academia or research. With a PhD, you’ll be able to teach at the university level and conduct research. You’ll also have the opportunity to work in high-level positions in libraries or information organizations.

Reasons for Getting a PhD in Library Science

• More job opportunities. With a PhD in Library Science, you’ll have access to more job opportunities than with a master’s degree. You’ll also be qualified for jobs that require higher levels of education and experience.
• Higher salary. If you have a PhD in Library Science, you can pursue higher-level positions and command a greater salary. Having a PhD will give you an edge in the job market and help you land the job of your dreams.
• Research contribution. A Doctorate in Library Science gives you the opportunity to conduct research and investigate different library practices. You can contribute to the knowledge base in the field. Your research can be used to inform policy decisions and help shape the future of libraries.
• High expertise. A PhD in Library Science makes you an expert in your field. You’ll be able to offer leadership and direction to library services. You’ll conduct research, manage projects, and help people find the information they need.

Getting a PhD in Library Science: Library Science PhD Coursework

The coursework for a library science PhD program covers a broad range of topics including archival arrangement, information retrieval, and organization of knowledge. Students also learn about information technology and research in library and information science. Below are brief descriptions of each course.

Archival Arrangement

In this course, students will learn about the principles of archival arrangement. They will learn about different archival theories and practices, such as provenance and original order. They will also learn about how to arrange digital archives.

Organization of Knowledge

In this course, students will learn about different models of organizing knowledge, such as the Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress Classification system. They will also learn about how knowledge is organized in digital environments.

Information Retrieval

This course covers different aspects of information retrieval, such as search engines and information literacy. Students will learn about different information retrieval systems, such as Boolean searches. They will also learn about how to evaluate and select information sources.

Information Technology

This course covers different aspects of information technology, such as hardware and software. Students will learn about different types of information technology, such as databases and digital libraries. They will also understand how to manage information technology projects in relation to library science.

Research in Library and Information Science

This course covers research methods and design in library and information science. Students will learn about different research approaches , such as qualitative and quantitative research. They will also learn how to develop research proposals and conduct literature reviews.

Best Master’s Degrees

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How to Get a PhD in Library Science: Doctoral Program Requirements

The requirements to get a PhD in Library Science include a comprehensive exam, coursework credits, teaching practicum, dissertation process, and final thesis defense. It also requires getting taking a research methodology course and maintaining a required GPA.

The comprehensive exam is a written and oral examination that tests your knowledge of library science. You’ll be expected to answer questions about library theory, research methods, and information technology.

You’ll need to complete a certain number of credit hours to graduate with a PhD in Library Science. The required coursework credits vary by school, but most programs require between 36 and 60 credit hours.

Most PhD in Library Science programs require a research methodology course. This course will teach you about different research methods. You’ll learn about how to design research studies, collect data, and analyze data.

Many PhD programs in Library Science require a teaching practicum. This is an opportunity for you to gain experience teaching library science courses. You’ll be required to teach one or two classes during your practicum.

To graduate with your PhD in Library Science, you’ll need to maintain a certain GPA. The required GPA varies by school, but most programs require a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

A thesis is required for a PhD in Library Science. Your thesis will be a research project that you complete during your time in the doctoral program. You’ll need to choose a topic, conduct research, and write a dissertation.

After you complete your thesis, you’ll need to defend it before a panel of faculty members and students. During your defense, you’ll be asked questions about your research. You’ll need to convince the panel that your research is valid and that your conclusions are sound.

Potential Careers With a Library Science Degree

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PhD in Library Science Salary and Job Outlook

PhD in Library Science salary and job outlook are good. With a PhD, you can become a postsecondary teacher, librarian, archivist, or library media specialist. The job outlook for these positions ranges from eight to 19 percent, which is as fast or faster than the outlook of other occupations. The demand for qualified librarians is expected to grow in the coming years.

What Can You Do With a PhD in Library Science?

There are many different types of jobs that you can get with a PhD in Library Science, including digital librarianship, archive manager, and information scientist. You can also be a postsecondary teacher and database administrator.

Best Jobs with a PhD in Library Science

• Computer and Information System Manager
• Database Administrator
• Librarian and Library Media Specialist
• Library Science Postsecondary Teacher

What Is the Average Salary for a PhD in Library Science?

The average salary for a PhD in Library and Information Science is $55,000 per year, according to PayScale. However, the average annual salary for a PhD degree holder in any subject is $100,000. Ultimately, the salary of a library science PhD holder depends on the school they graduated from, the position they assume, and the experience they have, as seen in the table below.

Highest-Paying Library Science Jobs for PhD Grads

Best library science jobs with a doctorate.

The best library science jobs with a doctoral degree are those that are in high demand, have a positive job outlook, and offer a good salary. Some of the best jobs for library science PhDs are discussed below.

A computer and information system manager is responsible for the overall planning, implementation, and maintenance of an organization's electronic data and information systems. They are also in charge of the security of an organization's electronic data.

• Salary with a Library Science PhD: $165,940
• Job Outlook: 11% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 482,000
• Highest-Paying States: New York, California, New Jersey, Washington, District of Columbia

Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data. They make sure that users can access the information easily. DBAs develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure the database is used effectively. They also maintain and update the databases.

• Salary with a Library Science PhD: $98,860
• Job Outlook: 8% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 168,000
• Highest-Paying States: New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, New York, Rhode Island

Library science postsecondary teachers teach courses in library science in universities. They prepare and deliver lectures, create syllabi, and assess student learning. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers.

• Salary with a Library Science PhD: $77,100
• Job Outlook: 12% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 1,276,900
• Highest-Paying States: California, South Carolina, Indiana, Rhode Island, Oregon

Librarians and library media specialists are responsible for library administration, including acquisition, cataloging, and circulation of library materials. They also provide reference materials and research services to library patrons. They may also develop and implement library programs.

• Salary with a Library Science PhD: $62,550
• Job Outlook: 9% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 143,500
• Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Washington, California, Maryland, New York

Archivists preserve historical records. They organize and store records, documents, and artifacts. Archivists also provide reference services to library visitors. They also protect the old records by making digital copies of them.

• Salary with a Library Science PhD: $50,120
• Job Outlook: 19% job growth from 2020 to 2030
• Number of Jobs: 35,000
• Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island

Is a PhD in Library Science Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Library Science is worth it. With a PhD, you’ll be able to work as a professor and researcher. You can also become a librarian, archivist, information officer, or library media specialist. If you’re interested in research, a PhD in Library Science will give you the skills you need to conduct research and write scholarly papers. Overall, a PhD in Library Science is a good investment.

Additional Reading About Library Science

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PhD in Library Science FAQ

Based on our list, the salary for library science professions ranges from $50,120 to $165,000 per year. This pay may vary depending on the role, tenure, and years of experience.

Yes, a Postdoc in Library Science can be worth it if you’re a knowledge-seeker and you want to further pursue your career in research and academia. A postdoc may give you an edge in getting a promotion in academia. If you’re a librarian, archivist, information specialist, or in any library science field other than academia, you’re not required to get a postdoc.

The four types of libraries are public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, and special libraries. Public libraries serve the general public. Academic libraries serve the students and faculty of colleges and universities. School libraries serve the students and faculty of K-12 schools. Special libraries serve specific organizations or groups of people.

Yes, library science is in demand, with the job outlook for library science professions ranging from eight to 19 percent. There is a growing need for qualified librarians and library media specialists. This is due to the increasing use of libraries and the increasing amount of information that needs to be organized and accessed.

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How to Apply to the PhD in Library & Information Science Program

Academic qualifications and selection procedures.

• Four-year Honors undergraduate degree or equivalent
• ALA-accredited Master in Library and Information Science degree
• Minimum 78% average for the last degree
• Master's degree in another field

How to apply

General application information, english proficiency.

Students born outside Canada whose first language is not English, and who have not completed a four year university degree in Canada, the US, or the UK, must provide proof of achieving a score of at least 107 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 8.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), taken within the last 2 years.

Information to Include in Online Application

• Name and personal information
• Contact information
• Academic background
• Past or current students of Western University are required to upload an electronic copy of their academic record to the online application. An unofficial academic record, available from your Western Student Center, can be used.
• If you have attended or are currently enrolled at any university or college other than Western, you MUST upload and attach an electronic copy or scanned PDF copy of your transcripts from each institution attended to the online application. Applicants who are offered a space in the program will be required to provide one official* copy of their transcript to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies prior to the start of the program.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum score required: 107 Internet-based. Western's TOEFL ID is 0984
• International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum score required: 8
• Referee Information Applicants are required to enter the names and contact information (including e-mail address) of two academic referees  (academic referees are people who have taught the applicant in a university degree credit course) into the online application. If several years have passed since the applicant last attended university, professional references can be substituted for academic ones. Within 24 hours of the time that the applicant enters the referee information into the application, each referee will receive a request via e-mail to complete an electronic recommendation form on the applicant’s behalf. A link to the form will be included in the e-mail. The applicant will receive an e-mail when Western receives the referee's letter of recommendation.
• Non-refundable application fee of CAD $150.00

Supplementary Documents to include with Application

• A 600-800 word Statement of Academic Intent : Describe your academic interests to date and the research or research creation path you hope to follow in the Library and Information Science PhD. Be as specific as you can comfortably be in outlining your proposed research topic or question, methodology, and contribution to knowledge. A strong statement generally provides clear evidence why graduate study in Library and Information Science at Western is well suited to your research background and scholarly interests, and it shows that you have reviewed the profiles of the relevant supervisory faculty and indicated which you think could serve as supervisors.
• A 600-800-word personal statement that introduces you to us by 1) describing your background (eg., academic interests, prior study, work, volunteer, or life experience) that is relevant to the program, 2) discussing how you hope the program will contribute to your post-graduation goals, and 3) addressing how you see yourself contributing to the diversity and inclusivity of the Faculty. If you don’t feel that your grades reflect your capabilities, this is a place to explain why not.
• A sample of your writing, which could be a published article or paper, a report, a major essay, a chapter in a master's thesis, or some other substantive evidence of writing ability. Applicants who have completed research (published or unpublished) are encouraged to submit scholarly writing. Research proposals prepared as part of course work or for another degree are also appropriate
• A CV detailing your education and professional experience
• For permanent residents of Canada only, please include a photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card or a photocopy of your Record of Landing. If you are applying to be a permanent resident, but have not been granted landed-immigrant status, you must apply as an international applicant.
• Proof of name change, if applicable (photocopy of change of name documentation, such as marriage certificate or other legal change of name and a photocopy of photo ID showing your current name)

Note: The Graduate Record Examination is no longer an admission requirement for the doctoral program. The Faculty reserves the right to request that an applicant undertake the GRE under certain circumstances. As part of the process of consideration of applicants, an interview (either in person or by telephone) may be required if the Doctoral Admissions Committee considers it necessary to explore or clarify various aspects of the applicant's submission.

Questions About Applications or Admissions

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University of Washington Information School

Master of library and information science.

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The library science master's program at the University of Washington is ranked #2 in the U.S. The UW iSchool offers residential and online modes.

Follow your passion

At the University of Washington Information School, we’re educating the innovators and leaders of the library and information world. Our world-class faculty will help you develop the skills you need to play an essential role in any knowledge-intensive industry. With your Master of Library and Information Science degree in hand, you’ll have the practical skills to advance your career and the confidence to make bold decisions as libraries evolve and serve the public in a rapidly changing landscape. 

The i School approach

The MLIS program is designed to prepare you for an array of experiences at diverse organizations and companies. Our core curriculum emphasizes our values of diversity, inclusion and social justice.

Courses in knowledge organization theory, design thinking, and information ethics create a framework and academic foundation on which you can build throughout your career. Electives give you the flexibility to explore your interests more deeply or study a subject completely new to you. Take your understanding deeper through an independent study or Directed Fieldwork by designing learning outcomes specific to your professional goals. 

As a student in the iSchool's MLIS program, ranked No. 2 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, you will gain: 

• An integrated understanding of information concepts, theories, processes, models and research with a focus on the needs of people who use the information services, systems and resources, and the technology that supports them.
• An appreciation of the varied roles, contexts and settings in which information work occurs and their interrelationships. 
• Awareness of important and trending information issues and the ability to discuss the social impact of these trends.
• Professional skills and experiences important for entry-level positions, and a deeper understanding that will take your career to the next level.
• The ability to be an innovative and strategic thinker in solving contemporary information problems.

Learn more about our key student learning outcomes .

Residential or Online

Immerse yourself in the MLIS program on campus or pursue your studies online, on your own schedule. It’s all up to you. Residential and online students take the same courses and earn the same Master of Library and Information Science degree. Learn more about these degree options .

Learn more about the  statistics for graduation rates and length of time to degree for each program mode.

What’s Your Next Career?

Your MLIS degree will open doors to a satisfying career in which you can make a positive impact. iSchool career advisors provide targeted programming to help you achieve your goals. Our recent graduates have moved on to work as librarians, metadata specialists, information architects, web content managers, taxonomists and more. Learn more about potential careers with your MLIS .

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Fully Funded PhD in Library, Archival, and Information Studies at University of British Columbia

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The University of British Columbia, situated in the vibrant city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, currently offers a fully funded Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Library, Archival, and Information Studies.

This esteemed Ph.D. program is tailored to provide exceptional research training for highly accomplished students who have already completed a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree, a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS), or an equivalent closely related degree.

PhD Program Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program in Library, Archival, and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia, applicants must have previously obtained a Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree, a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS), or an equivalent degree with a strong emphasis on the field of library, archival, or information studies.

Additionally, prospective students should demonstrate outstanding academic performance and research potential.

PhD Funding Coverage

The University of British Columbia is committed to providing financial support to students admitted to the Ph.D. program in Library, Archival, and Information Studies. The funding package includes:

Base Funding: All full-time students entering the iSchool Ph.D. program will receive a guaranteed funding package, typically valued at a minimum of $26,000 per year for the first four years of their Ph.D. studies. This funding is designed to cover living expenses and support research activities.

International Tuition Award: International students are eligible for an International Tuition Award, which generally amounts to $3,200 per year for a duration of four years. This award helps offset the cost of tuition, making the program more accessible to international candidates.

Application Requirement

Prospective students must submit a comprehensive admission application package, which typically includes the following components:

Transcripts: Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, including the completed Master’s degree program, showcasing strong academic performance.

Letters of Recommendation: Typically, three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and research abilities. These letters should highlight the candidate’s potential for doctoral research.

Statement of Purpose: A well-crafted statement detailing the applicant’s research interests, goals, and reasons for pursuing a Ph.D. in Library, Archival, and Information Studies at UBC.

Curriculum Vitae (CV): A detailed CV outlining the applicant’s academic and professional experiences, research activities, and relevant skills.

Writing Sample: A sample of the applicant’s scholarly or research writing that demonstrates their ability to engage with academic discourse in the field.

English Language Proficiency: For international applicants, proof of English language proficiency, usually demonstrated through standardized tests such as TOEFL or IELTS, if applicable.

Application Deadline

December 15, 2024

Application Fee

Canadians (and Permanent Residents, Refugees, Diplomats): (CDN) $112.00; International Applicants: (CDN) $168.25.

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Fully funded PhD program in Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, deadline December 1, 2021

Dr. Jodi Schneider’s Information Quality Lab invites applications for fully funded PhD students in Information Sciences at the School of Information Sciences (iSchool) , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Current areas of interest include:

• scientific information and how it is used by researchers and the public
• controversies within science
• potential sources of bias in scientific research
• confidence in applying science to public policy

Candidates should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any field (e.g., mathematics, sciences, information sciences, philosophy, liberal arts, etc.). The most essential skills are strong critical thinking and excellent written and spoken English. Interest or experience in research, academic writing, and interdisciplinary inquiry are strongly preferred.

Students in the Information Quality Lab develop both domain expertise and technical skills. Examples of relevant domains include public policy, public health, libraries, journalism, publishing, citizen science, information services, and life sciences research. Examples of technical skills include knowledge representation, text and data analytics, news analytics, argumentation analysis, document analysis, qualitative analysis, user-centered design, and mixed methods.

Examples of current Information Quality Lab projects: REDUCING THE INADVERTENT SPREAD OF RETRACTED SCIENCE: SHAPING A RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION AGENDA (Alfred P. Sloan Foundation) – stakeholder-engaged research to understand the continued citation of retracted research, currently focusing on standards development and raising awareness of what various stakeholders across scholarly communication can do.

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC LIBRARIES’ INFORMATION LITERACY SERVICES THROUGH AN UNDERSTANDING OF KNOWLEDGE BROKERS’ ASSESSMENT OF TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION (I nstitute of Museum and Library Services Early Career Development ) – Scientific misinformation and pseudoscience have a significant impact on public deliberation. This project will conduct case studies on COVID-19, climate change, and artificial intelligence to understand how journalists, Wikipedia editors, activists, and public librarians broker knowledge to the public. We will develop actionable strategies for reducing public misinformation about scientific and technical information.

USING NETWORK ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT AND ASSESS CONFIDENCE IN RESEARCH SYNTHESIS ( National Science Foundation CAREER ) – developing and testing a novel framework to evaluate sets of expert literature for potential sources of bias and to allow evidence-seekers to swiftly determine the level of consensus within a body of literature and identify the risk factors which could impact the reliability of the research.

Dr. Jodi Schneider studies the science of science through the lens of arguments, evidence, and persuasion. She seeks to advance our understanding of scientific communication in order to develop tools and strategies to manage information overload in science, using mixed methods including semantic web technology (metadata/ontologies/etc.), network analysis, text mining and user-centered design. Her long-term research agenda analyzes controversies applying science to public policy; how knowledge brokers influence citizens; and whether controversies are sustained by citizens’ disparate interpretations of scientific evidence and its quality. Prior to joining the iSchool, Schneider served as a postdoctoral scholar at the National Library of Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh Department of Biomedical Informatics, and INRIA, the national French Computer Science Research Institute. She is an NSF CAREER awardee and holds an Institute of Museum and Library Services Early Career Development grant. Her past projects have been funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Science Foundation Ireland, and the European Commission.

iSchool PhD PROGRAM iSchool PhD students have backgrounds in a broad range of fields, including the social sciences, sciences, arts, humanities, computing, and artificial intelligence. Accepted students are guaranteed five years of funding in the form of research and teaching assistantships, which include tuition waivers and a stipend. Additional funding is available for conference travel.

Our PhD program in Information Science is the oldest existing LIS doctoral program in the U.S. with 270 graduates. Recent graduates are now faculty members at institutions such as the University of Michigan, University of Washington, University of Maryland, Drexel, and UCLA, professionals at Baidu, Google, Twitter, Uber and AbbVie, and academic library professionals at the Library of Congress, Princeton University, and the University of Chicago.

APPLICATION PROCESS For more information about the application process, please visit: https://ischool.illinois.edu/degrees-programs/phd-information-sciences/apply Next application deadline: December 1, 2021 (This is an annual opportunity.)

For additional information about the iSchool PhD program, see https://ischool.illinois.edu/degrees-programs/phd-information-sciences

For questions about the program, please contact Prof. Michael Twidale, PhD Program Director, at [email protected].

For questions, about the Information Quality Lab, please contact Dr. Jodi Schneider.

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PhD Postgraduate research in Library and Information Management

PhDs in this area will be supervised by the Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group, a team of recognised experts in scientometrics, webometrics, and altmetrics.

Why choose this course?

PhDs in this area will be supervised by the Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group, a team of recognised experts in scientometrics, webometrics, and altmetrics. A majority of the research submitted by the group to the last national evaluation (REF2014) was judged to be “world leading”. The three topics involve quantitative analyses of publication or web data to investigate methods to evaluate research outputs. PhD ideas from any of these areas will be considered, in addition to statistical PhDs that address issues deriving from scientometrics, webometrics, or altmetrics.

The group has a 100% success rate for its previous PhD students.

As a PhD student, you would meet with your director of studies monthly and attend the monthly Statistical Cybermetrics Research Group doctoral forum in which you will hear about others’ research and update them about your work. You could expect to attend one or two international conferences and publish up to three international journal articles during your studies. You will also benefit from being part of the Research Institute for Information and Language Processing, giving you access to text processing expertise and a joint seminar series of international invited speakers.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Course Fees and Finance

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure , with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

  Applicants for a research degree shall normally hold either:

 • a first or upper second class honours degree, or

 • a master’s degree, or

 • evidence of prior practice or learning that is accepted by the Dean of Research.

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English at least to the level of an IELTS score (or equivalent) of 7.0, with no individual element less than 6.0. The only exemption to this is for students who are not required to do so as per UKVI regulations: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english. 

Financial support for research study:

Before applying, you should consider carefully how you will finance your studies for the duration of your programme, including tuition fees, research support fees and living costs.

Government loans (Home Fee Status):

Government loans are available for postgraduate research students of up to £28,673, to cover fees and living expenses. More information can be found at Doctoral-loans website.

Studying in the UK: Guidance for EU students

For 2021/22 new entrants, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status and financial support from Student Finance England.

Self-funded:

We are able to take payments in instalments, to spread out the cost of your studies, and it is possible to switch between full-time and part-time modes of study. For more information go to How to pay.

Postgraduate Research Loyalty Discount:

To students progressing from an undergraduate programme and/or a taught postgraduate programme to a postgraduate research programme, where both courses are University of Wolverhampton Awards.

There is no time limit on how long ago you completed your degree and/or Masters level qualification, as long as the new award is at a higher level.

Research councils:

The UK Research and Innovation funds postgraduate study in all subject areas on a discretionary basis.

University Research Studentships:

Other sources:

Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

01902 32 22 22

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Library and Information Science

Mailing Address: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Library and Information Science Hamilton Library Room 002 2550 McCarthy Mall Honolulu, HI 96822 Tel : (808) 956-7321 Fax : (808) 956-5835 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.hawaii.edu/lis/

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Application Deadlines

Individual graduate programs may have priority consideration deadlines. Applicants are advised to contact the graduate programs for such dates. Any available funding support is limited and often awarded well in advance of the application deadlines.

Applicants who apply after the application deadlines MUST consult with the graduate programs before submitting an application. Application fees are non-refundable and may not be used for an application submitted at a later date.

• Admissions Requirements

Ways to Apply

Apply online or download PDF application forms.

Applicants need to meet:

• Graduate Division admissions standard and documentation requirements , and
• program specific admissions criteria and documentation requirements . Send all program specific documentation requirements directly to the graduate program.
• Standardized Exams

Refer to program specific admissions criteria and document requirements to determine if the GRE or another standardized exam is required by the graduate program. Official GRE scores must be sent directly to Graduate Division Student Services. All other scores are to be sent to the graduate program.

TOEFL or IELTS is required of most applicants who are non-native speakers of English. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores must be sent directly to Graduate Division Student Services. Minimum scores vary for each graduate program.

Program Overview

• Departmental Program Overview

Degree Requirements

All graduate students at UHM need to meet degree requirements set by the Graduate Division and their graduate programs. For general Graduate Division requirements, see Degree Requirements . Below is an overview of the degree requirements for this graduate program.

• Departmental Degree Requirements

The information provided here is for reference only. Please refer to the department’s website for the latest and most accurate information.

Graduate Division 2540 Maile Way Spalding Hall 3rd Floor Honolulu, HI 96822 Tel: (808) 956-8544 Email: [email protected] The University of Hawaiʻi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution Use of this site implies consent with our Usage Policy | © 2020 Graduate Division | All Rights Reserved

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Information Studies MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL Information Studies is one of the only departments in the UK with research programmes in library and information studies, information science, archives and records management, publishing, and digital humanities. We can also offer unparalleled opportunities for cross-domain research, such as user studies and usability, metadata, the management of electronic resources, information governance, data science and semantic technologies for the humanities.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper-second class UK Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate subject, or a recognised taught Master’s degree. Overseas qualifications of an equivalent standard from a recognised higher education institution are also accepted.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

UCL Information Studies undertakes research in fields including Librarianship, Archives and Records Management, Publishing, Information and Data Science, Machine Learning, Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence and Digital Humanities, and offers doctoral study in these fields. Our research aims to develop the understanding and insight needed to shape the emerging information environment, while elucidating and building on the historical developments that have created it. We are the country's largest department of Information Studies located within one of the world's top ten universities and our teaching is built upon an international research reputation .

Who this course is for

This MPhil/PhD is for applicants with a strong interest or background in librarianship, archives and records management, publishing, information and data science, machine learning, knowledge-based artificial intelligence, and/or digital humanities. It is suitable for both recent masters graduates as well as early or mid-career professionals.

What this course will give you

The department has strong links with a wide variety of organisations including the National Archives, the Turing Institute, the British Museum and other major museums and galleries, and with various publishing houses. We are located close to the British Library and other major research libraries. Our central London location makes it easy for collaborative work with other nearby institutions and groups to take place .

The department's research is organised around four research centres and groups. These facilitate interaction between established researchers, and offer research training and career development opportunities for early stage researchers and research students. Importantly, they provide coherence and a critical mass of researchers in key areas.

The foundation of your career

Our doctoral students go on to do a wide variety of interesting jobs after they graduate from UCL. Many go into senior posts in the information professions, both in the UK and abroad. Examples include: Head, Curation and Preservation Services, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries, USA; Chief of Archives at the United Nations; and Head of Research, The National Archives, UK. Others continue their academic career in universities around the world, in departments of library science, computer science, information management, archive studies, digital humanities and publishing.

Employability

Some of our research students have already worked as information professionals in the public and private sectors or in academia in the UK and worldwide. Other research students have recently completed masters programmes and have yet to start a professional career. The successful completion of a research degree has enabled many of our students to achieve high positions in fields including information and technical professions, cultural heritage/GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) professions, and policy, both in the UK and around the world.

The department has a strong culture of collaborative research and brings together researchers, whether staff or students, from across UCL as well as other institutions and organisations. Crucial to this are our research groups and centres, which provide a focus for our research activity, including doctoral students, post-docs and staff with specific research interests. Most doctoral students are attached to one or more of these groups and will be encouraged to get involved in research seminars, visiting speakers, annual lectures, visits and other activities which these centres organise regularly. The centres also facilitate online interaction through blogs and twitter feeds.

Teaching and learning

During your first year you will attend the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module (a weekly seminar based programme). You will work with supervisors to develop your research proposal and research questions, undertake an extended literature review and identify your research approach and methods.

All doctoral students are expected to take full advantage of the skills development programme available through the UCL Doctoral School. Research students should accrue 20 points per year (60 points over 3 years, or 80 points over 4 years).

All research students are initially registered for an MPhil. Upgrade to PhD status is dependent on satisfactory progress and takes place between months 9 and 18 for full-time students (15 and 30 for part-time students). The upgrade examination involves a written upgrade report and viva examination. A total of 20 training points are also required to Upgrade. Final PhD examination is by thesis submission and an oral viva examination.

Contact hours and hours of self-study are agreed between the student and the supervisor at the beginning of their research degree and should be reviewed on a regular basis. Full-time postgraduate research (PGR) students are expected to work a minimum of 36.5 hours per week on their project. With agreement of their supervisors, contact time can be on-site or remote working depending upon the nature and stage of the project. PGR students can have the opportunity to access UCL facilities ‘out of hours’ including weekends and holidays during their period of registration, and will have research meetings with their supervisors at least once per month. Full-time PGR students can take 27 days of annual leave, plus eight days of bank holidays and six UCL closure days.

Research areas and structure

At the heart of our research activities lie the following centres and groups hosted by the department:

• Centre for Digital Humanities
• Centre for Publishing
• Centre for Archives and Records Research
• Forum for information literacy Research
• Knowledge, Information and Data Science group

Research environment

We are one of the only university departments in the United Kingdom with postgraduate programmes in Library and Information Studies, Knowledge, Information and Data Science, Archives and Records Management, Publishing, and Digital Humanities. As well as topics within these specific areas, we can offer unparalleled opportunities for cross-domain research, for example in user studies and usability, metadata, the management of electronic resources, data visualisation, and applications of machine learning to natural language processing.

You will benefit from conducting research at one of the world’s top universities and will be supervised by experienced and internationally known researchers.

Year 1 Full-time

During your first year, you will attend the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module (a weekly seminar based programme which continues for 3 terms in Year 1).

Typically in the first year of study, you will work with supervisors to develop your research proposal and research questions, undertake an extended literature review, identify your broad research approach and appropriate research methods. By the end of Year 1, you should have a clearly articulated research proposal and associated research method, an initial bibliography appropriately referenced, have read a range of relevant literature, and developed a provisional timetable for the next two to three years. You will have done sufficient initial research to prepare for upgrade to full PhD candidate status.

Year 2 Full-time

If progress has been sufficient in Year 1, an upgrade to doctoral student status is made. If you are a full-time student, you should undertake the PhD upgrade after 9-18 months of registration. The exact timing will depend on when you are ready to meet the requirements.

Your activities in your second year will depend on your research area and methodology. Some students focus on primary data collection, others on experimentation, computer coding, or development of formal models or theories. You may focus on training in specific software packages or other tools that you wish to use to conduct analysis or experiments. Throughout your PhD, you will continue to meet your supervisor regularly to reassess your skills development and training needs and maintain the Log progress record.

Year 3 Full-time

In your third year, you will typically continue with the research activities undertaken in the previous year but with an increasing emphasis on analysis of the results accumulated using your chosen methodologies. During this year, you will also increasingly spend time on structuring and writing your final thesis, revising and improving earlier written material as necessary. Some students also begin to publish parts of their work and/or present their research at academic venues.

Completing Research Status (CRS)

The formal minimum length of the MPhil/PhD is three years. If you are not ready to submit your thesis after three years you will be required to apply for ‘Completing Research Status' (CRS). If agreed, it enables you to be registered with UCL for a fourth year of study without payment of any fees. Many full-time students complete and submit their thesis in this way

The milestones are spread over a longer timescale if you are part-time. You may have to take the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module over your first and second year and will not usually be ready to upgrade until your second year. You will conduct your main research over several years and will plan to write up and submit in your fifth year. If you are not ready to submit by the end of your fifth year, you can have up to two years of CRS.

UCL Information Studies has a number of doctoral students who study part-time over a minimum of five years. Part-time study is typically undertaken in conjunction with other employment, for example within the information professions, or because you have significant other time-consuming commitments.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).

The department has some funds which can be applied for, on a case by case basis, for research expenses.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Please visit our Scholarships for doctoral students in DIS page for more information about our departmental funding opportunities.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Quirk PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 26 January 2024 Value: Fees and maintenance (3yrs) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Applicants can identify and contact potential supervisors before making their application. If they do not, the research proposal will be used to identify any potential supervisors in the department. For more information, see our Applying for a PhD in the Department of Information Studies page.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Year of entry: 2023-2024, got questions get in touch.

Information Studies

[email protected]

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