Library and Information Science: Information Organization Concentration, Online MLIS
Explore structuring and managing information resources with an online information organization (IO) concentration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. Through the School of Information Studies, you can choose elective courses that meet your goals.
This concentration sets you apart in the job market and demonstrates your expertise to potential employers. You’ll learn how to effectively organize and retrieve information in traditional libraries, digital archives or new information fields.
Start Dates: Fall, Spring or Summer
Cost per Credit: $800 (Total Cost: $28,800*)
Credit Hours: 36 (15 credits in information organization required)
*Total cost will vary based on the number of credits transferred into UWM.
Program Type
Master’s
Program Format
Online
Why Study Archives at UWM?
- Use your existing knowledge, whether from humanities, social sciences or other fields, to gain a holistic perspective on information organization.
- Earn an official transcript designation that showcases your MLIS information organization concentration.
- Prepare for a wide range of career opportunities by integrating information organization skills with MLIS knowledge.
- Take courses led by industry experts who teach classes in both online and in-person settings.
Discover financial aid and scholarships while earning your MLIS degree with an online information organization concentration. Contact Student Financial Services with any questions about funding your degree.
Scholarship opportunities may increase with academic standing. Explore the Panther Scholarship Portal regularly as you make progress on your degree.
To begin UWM’s online MLIS information organization concentration, you must apply to the MLIS program and select your concentration of choice. You can also submit the Concentration Declaration of Intent form to add or remove a concentration after admission.
Enhance your MLIS degree with a focused study in information organization by completing 15 credits of special coursework. These credits are a part of your degree plan as electives, allowing you to gain expertise in information organization while fulfilling your MLIS requirements.
Courses
Take classes ranging from information architecture to metadata, ensuring you graduate ready for an advanced career in the information organization field.
Before declaring an information organization concentration, we recommend you take the following course:
- INFOST 511: Organization of Information
Note: INFOST 511 is the prerequisite for all qualifying courses. INFOST 511 is one of the required courses for the MLIS program and does not count toward the 15 credits required for the concentration.
- INFOST 582: Introduction to Data Science
- INFOST 611: Cataloging for Small Libraries
- INFOST 619: Topics in Information Organization
- INFOST 682: Digital Libraries
- INFOST 712: Resource Description for Library Catalogs
- INFOST 714: Metadata
- INFOST 717: Information Architecture
- INFOST 719: Advanced Topics in Information Organization (with an IO-related topic. May be repeated with a change in topic to 9 credits max.)
- INFOST 750: Arrangement and Description in Archives (prereq: INFOST 650)
- INFOST 759: Fieldwork in Archives and Manuscripts
- INFOST 771: Data Curation
- INFOST 785: Database Management Systems for Information Professionals
- INFOST 898: Master’s Thesis (with an IO topic, directed by an IO faculty member)
- INFOST 990: Fieldwork in Library and Information Science Services (with a focus on IO. Prereqs: all INFOST core courses and relevant IO elective courses.)
The following courses are recommended for this program but do not count toward the information organization program:
- INFOST 682: Digital Libraries
- INFOST 787: Library Automation
- INFOST 788: Information Systems: Analysis and Design
Get Hands-On Experience
For students new to the field, we recommend completing a hands-on fieldwork experience of one to three credits, ensuring they gain skills alongside classroom knowledge. While fieldwork is not required, practical experience is a critical component when preparing for a profession.
- Students may ask any Information Studies faculty member in an information organization to be their fieldwork faculty advisor.
- Students must have their fieldwork placement approved by the information organization concentration coordinator in advance (regardless of the faculty advisor).
- Fieldwork should generally be done later in a student’s program after relevant elective courses have been completed (e.g., completion of 711 before beginning a fieldwork experience in cataloging).
- Fieldwork may be taken for one, two or three credits during any one semester.
- A maximum of three credits of fieldwork may be included as part of the 15 credits of electives for the concentration. (An additional three credits may count toward the MLIS but not toward the concentration.)
- Waiving fieldwork does not reduce the required 15 elective credits for the concentration.
The information organization concentration equips you with skills that are in high demand. Your experience with organizing and managing information will be valuable wherever large amounts of data or content need to be structured, accessed and preserved.
Potential job roles for graduates of this concentration include:
- Information Architect
- Cataloger
- Indexer
- Metadata Specialist
These positions can be found in a wide variety of settings, including public and academic libraries, corporate information centers,