MLIS Mission, Goals, Objectives

MLIS Mission, Goals, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes and Higher Learning Commission Learning Outcomes Assessment Process

(Adopted March 11, 2016, Updated March 8, 2021, Updated February 2022)

Mission

The mission of the MLIS program is to educate the next generation of information professionals by offering a rigorous curriculum that fosters professional knowledge and skills, professional ethics, critical inquiry, and leadership to address the needs of a diverse and global information society.

Goals and Learning Objectives

Goal 1: To impart knowledge of library and information science (LIS).

Students will be able to…

1.1 delineate and assess important social, political, and historical developments in library and information science and cultural heritage institutions.

1.2 analyze the information needs, preferences, and behaviors of users.

1.3 describe and evaluate the range of roles that LIS professionals fill in society.

1.4 apply the philosophy, principles, and ethics of LIS to professional practice.

Goal 2: To prepare the next generation of professionals for leadership roles in library and information science.

Students will be able to…

2.1 identify and evaluate the diverse functions of the LIS professions.

2.2 prepare for change in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.

2.3 apply principles and technologies for the organization, access, retrieval, and preservation of information.

2.4 demonstrate the knowledge and skills to develop and evaluate library and information services and systems.

Goal 3: To prepare professionals who are able to serve the information needs of a diverse global society.

Students will be able to…

3.1 identify, promote, and provide services to serve the needs of diverse stakeholders, including underserved populations.

3.2 integrate the theory and practice of library and information science for diverse audiences in a global society.

Goal 4: To develop new scholars and information professionals who can evaluate and apply research findings.

Students will be able to…

4.1 assess the merits of research and apply relevant findings to professional practice.

4.2 apply research theory, methods, and techniques to solve problems in the LIS professions.