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Courses for this program are 100 percent online: no campus visits are required. Hybrid face-to-face/online classes may be offered in Columbia or Kansas City.
Successful completion of the program requires 39 credit hours; 18 credit hours of required courses, 12 hours of ELIP core, a 3-credit hour practicum, and the remainder from electives.
Course planner
Courses are entirely online with some synchronous meetings via Zoom. All required synchronous meetings are listed during registration. Some optional, in-person meetings and events may be offered, but the program has online options in almost all instances. Courses are mostly semester-based and some use an eight-week format. Students typically take one or two classes each semester and finish the program in two to four years. Students who attend full time typically finish in two years.
ePortfolio
Prior to graduation, all students must complete the ePortfolio graduation examination requirement to demonstrate their understanding of library and information science student learning outcomes. Learn more about the ePortfolio.
Nondegree-seeking enrollment
Prior to acceptance into the program, you may enroll in up to 9 credit hours as a nondegree-seeking (in some cases, post-baccalaureate) student. Enrollment does not guarantee acceptance. Learn more about nondegree-seeking university student admissions.
State authorization
States require that the University of Missouri-Columbia be authorized to deliver university-level distance/online education to their residents. Each state handles this process differently.
Please see our state authorization page for more information.