2019-2020 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship
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Return to: School of Computing and Information
For more than 100 years, Pitt has been educating the professionals who will lead us through the information age: librarians, information and knowledge managers, archivists, and digital content managers. As the nature and form of information evolves and becomes more complex with each passing year, the education of its managers becomes increasingly vital.
Our Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship (ICDS) offers an array of graduate degree programs and areas of focus designed to prepare students for careers in this critical profession. We offer one of the most recognized programs in the nation - our Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA).
The Doctor of Philosophy Program prepares students for advanced work in research, teaching, and administration. The program will allow students to gain the skills in teaching or research appropriate for careers at major research universities, teaching institutions, and library systems.
From the faculty who drive our reputation as a top-tier research university to our course work, which is highly relevant to a field that is always changing, the School offers the right environment to prepare you for a successful and challenging career in the library and information science field.
Academic Advising
ICDS will assign new students an academic advisor at the time of admission to graduate study. These assignments are made based upon the cohort that is created at the start of each fall term. If a student elects to change advisor because of an area of interest, the change requires the consent of the new advisor and must be reported to the Program. Forms for changing advisors are online through the School’s Current Students Web site.
At the time of initial registration or before the completion of the first term, the student is encouraged to discuss a plan of study with their advisor. A plan of study is a series of courses designed to meet the minimum exit competencies judged by the faculty to be necessary for employment as an information professional; this plan is outlined in and completion is tracked through the Academic Advisement Report (AAR). If there has been course work or experience in one or more of the content areas of the program, students are permitted to substitute and take courses in an area in which additional background is needed. Substitutions and exceptions must have the approval of the student’s advisor and must be documented through the Records Office. Information regarding documenting exceptions is available on the School’s Current Students Web site.
Details regarding advising and resources for tracking your degree progress (the AAR) are available on the School’s Catalog page, under the Advising section . Each student must ensure that the AAR meets all of the program requirements for graduation. At the completion of the program, the Records Office coordinates with the Department to certify all students for graduation. See the School’s Catalog page for more details and regulations pertaining to graduation.
Stricter advising guidelines and regulations apply to doctoral students. See the doctoral program regulations for details.
Departmental Policies
Grade Policies for Graduate Students
Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA
Each student must maintain good academic standing with a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) for all credits of graduate-level coursework. Failure to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA result in the student being placed on academic probation. For full details regarding academic standing, see the Academic Standing and Dismissal section of the SCI Catalog.
Grades for MLIS Core Courses
The six required core courses are:
A student must earn a grade of B or better in each core course. If a grade of B or better is not earned in a core course, the student must register for the course in the next term offered and earn a grade of B or better. A core course may be repeated only once; all other School policies regarding the repetition of courses apply (see Academic Standing and Dismissal section ).
Grades for Elective Courses
All students must earn satisfactory grades in each elective course taken. Grades of C-, D+, D, D-, F, and Unsatisfactory are unacceptable for credit toward graduation. A course for which such a grade is earned must be replaced with another course or retaken, with a higher grade earned. In either case, a higher grade must be earned and a 3.0 GPA must be maintained. A course for which a grade of C- or lower was earned may be repeated only once.
Academic Provisional Admission
At the discretion of the faculty, a limited number of students who do not meet the 3.0 GPA minimum required for full admission into the MLIS program may be considered for admission. If such students are able to provide additional evidence of academic potential (e.g., outstanding scores on the Graduate Record Exam or the Miller Analogies Test) or professional potential (e.g., outstanding letters of recommendation and/or outstanding work experience), they may be admitted to the MLIS program with academic provisions. Such students must earn a B average (3.0 GPA) in the first twelve credits earned toward the degree. Failure to achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the conclusion of the first twelve credits, may result in dismissal from the MLIS program.
Incomplete Grades and Class Enrollment for Master’s Students
A master’s student who has two incomplete grades (either “G” or “I”) on their transcript will be barred from enrolling in further courses until the incomplete coursework and grades have been resolved.
Stricter grade guidelines and regulations apply to doctoral students. See the doctoral program regulations for details.
ProgramsDoctoralMaster’s
Return to: School of Computing and Information
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