Archival studies | MLIS | Mizzou

Get started with Mizzou

Apply here

Overview

As the only archives-focused program in Missouri, this online MLIS is unique and cutting-edge. With specialized curriculum designed to meet the requirements of the Society of American Archivists, the master’s program prepares students to provide long-term stewardship for archival materials in both analog and digital formats — from traditional paper records, photographs, audio recordings and moving images, to email messages, word processing documents and websites.

A graduate of the online archival studies MLIS will be prepared to:

Take the Academy of Certified Archivists examination, with pre-approved courses;
Establish archives and records programs facilitating access to community history and identity;
Maintain policies and practices for ethically responsible collecting and exhibition.

The School of Information Science and Learning Technologies (SISLT) is a proud member of the iSchools consortium, an international coalition of leading information schools.

Quick facts

Official name

Master of library and information science with an emphasis in archival studies (MLIS)

Campus

University of Missouri

Program type

Master's degree

Academic home

College of Education | School of Information Science and Learning Technologies

Delivery mode

100% online

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission, Teacher Education Accreditation Council, American Library Association

Credit hours

Estimated cost

$18,074.55

*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.

a female archivist studies a small book, surrounded by towers of newspapers

Career prospects

Jobs for archival studies MLIS graduates may include

Archivist
Records manager
Collections manager
Film and video archivist
Digital preservation librarian
Photo archivist
Metadata librarian
Museum archivist
Library director
Access services librarian

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2018 Edition, Librarians

Employment growth

National Center for O*NET Development. 25-4021.00. O*NET OnLine

70%

Library jobs requiring a master’s degree

Program structure

You can complete this program entirely online. Occasional face-to-face courses and events may be offered. Most library and information science faculty are based in Columbia, MO with faculty in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Courses are semester-based, though some courses are in an eight-week format. Students typically take one or two classes each semester and finish in two to four years. Students who attend full-time typically finish in two years.

Course work includes

Archival practice
Appraisal and archival systems
Data & records management

Delivery

100% online

Calendar system

Semester-based

Typical program length

2-4 years

Typical course load

1 or 2 classes each semester

Accreditation

The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The College of Education is a member of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The library and information science master’s program is accredited by the American Library Association.