Program Overview

M.A. Library and Information Science

The USF School of Information's Library and Information Science Master of Arts program has been continuously accredited by the American Library Association since 1973/1974.

ALA Accreditation

Accreditation is a voluntary evaluation system of higher education institutions and programs. It is a collegial process based on self-evaluation and peer-assessment for the improvement of academic quality and public accountability. Accreditation assures that higher education institutions and their units, schools, or programs meet appropriate standards of quality and integrity.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is both a process and a condition. The process entails the assessment of educational quality and the continued enhancement of educational operations through the development and validation of standards. The condition provides a credential to the public-at-large indicating that an institution and/or its programs have accepted and are fulfilling their commitment to educational quality based on ALA standards.

For How Long is Accreditation Valid?

The term of accreditation is 7 years. Every 7 years the Office of Accreditation assembles a panel to evaluate the mission, goals, and objectives of a school and to determine if the school is meeting the ALA Standards in providing library and information science education to its students.

The Process

Approximately two years prior to the expiration of a school's accreditation, ALA's Office of Accreditation sends out a memorandum notifying the school of their review. At that time, the school develops a Program Plan which explains how the school will go about assembling the documentation required by the Office. The plan is submitted and the Office then comments or makes suggestions about the Plan. Next, the school begins to compile all of the information necessary to accomplish their plan. That information, the Program Presentation, is submitted. Additional comments and/or information may be requested and a final document is submitted to the COA office. Based on the documentation presented, the Committee writes their report. Then a site evaluation team will visit the School. They will compile a report which is submitted to the Director of the Office of Accreditation. Finally, at the summer ALA conference, the Director of the School of Information will discuss the report with a panel established by the Office of Accreditation.

Factors Affecting Accreditation

• Unequal or inadequate funding of the school by the parent institution
• Inadequate faculty and/or staff
• Inadequate facilities
• Internal standards that do not comply with ALA requirements

Importance of ALA Accreditation

Graduating from an ALA-accredited program provides greater flexibility in the types of libraries and jobs for which you can apply and enhances your career mobility. Most employers require an ALA-accredited master's for most professional level positions and some states require an ALA-accredited degree to work as a professional librarian in public or school libraries. ALA accreditation indicates that the program has undergone a self-evaluation process, been reviewed by peers, and meets the Standards established by the American Library Association's Committee on Accreditation.