Frequently Asked Questions about the MLS/MA Program



Dual Degree Program in Library Science and History (MLS/MA)

Queens College, City University of New York

Graduate School of Library and Information Studies (GSLIS)

History Department

Frequently Asked Questions

Revised 8/29/16

Compiled by C. Perry with input from G. Davie and J. Thayer

Programs and Certificates

Degree Program

• 54 graduate credits – Library Science and History – MLS/MA

Certificate Program (GSLIS)

• 15 graduate credits – Certificate in Archives and the Preservation of Cultural Materials

• Students wishing to earn the Archives Certificate as part of the Dual Degree Program will be required to complete 57 credits in order to meet the requirements for both the certificate and the dual degree

For more information on the various programs and certificates consult the following link:

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The program offers students the opportunity to develop skills in the methodologies of both library science, including archival and special collections management, and historical research.  Graduates of the program will receive two degrees, one in the Master of Library Science and the other in the Master of Arts in History, and will be well suited for professional careers in academic libraries, museums, oral history initiatives, document conservation, public or private archives, and for admission into Ph.D. programs in either History or Library Science.

Admission Requirements

• U.S. Students

o Bachelor’s degree or higher

o Undergraduate Cumulative Average (GPA)

• 3.0 GPA (B) or higher

• If less than 3.0 GPA:

▪ One might apply first as a non-matriculated student

▪ GRE (Graduate Record Examination) suggested

• International Students

o Bachelor’s degree or higher

o Undergraduate Cumulative Average (GPA)

• 3.0 GPA (B) or higher (or equivalent)

• If less than 3.0 GPA: take GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

• Official transcripts are reviewed by the Graduate Admissions to determine equivalency with U.S. standards

o English Language Proficiency (either TOEFL or IELTS)

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

▪ Minimum score of 100

▪ Puerto Rico: TOEFL may be waived if evidence of English proficiency

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

▪ Minimum score of 7

International students are usually required to take a minimum of nine (9) credits per semester.

Application Process

For entry as a Matriculated Student

Applicant must

o Submit Online Application. The program code is as follows:

• Library Science and History – MLSMA

• Do NOT specify in the application code your intention to pursue the Archives Certificate; this can be included in your essay

o Submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions – Either online or by surface mail

• An essay of 500 words, indicating interest in the program.

• Three Letters of Reference

• A non-refundable $125 application fee by check, money order, credit card (online only), or e-check.

Note: The application fee is waived for Queens College undergrads if they apply directly after graduation

o Submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions - mailed in a sealed envelope

• Official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended.

You may then expect:

o The Office of Graduate Admissions reviews/processes the documents in the order received.

o When the application is complete, the Graduate School of Library & Information Studies (GSLIS) and the Department of History are notified.

o Applicant is contacted by GSLIS to attend a required group interview, offering three optional dates.

o During the interview, the program is discussed in more detail, a plan of study is created and a pre-registration form is created for the upcoming semester.

o Please bring evidence of immunization to your interview or submit it to the GSLIS shortly thereafter. We cannot register students without proof of immunization.

o Representatives of the Department of History and the GSLIS consult jointly to render a decision regarding admission and status of matriculation. Due to the vagaries of departmental procedures, it may take up to a month following the interview to render a decision.

o Students will be notified of the decision by the Office of Graduate Admissions by email, and also will receive a letter in hard copy from the GSLIS and Department of History.

o If accepted: the student pays a Commitment Tuition Deposit of $250, submits proof of immunization (if not previously submitted), and is then automatically enrolled in the courses for which he/she is pre-registered.

• For Non-Matriculation

This option is usually taken when students have below a 3.0 average, if they are uncertain of their plans, or if they have missed the official deadline for admission as a matriculated student. One can take up to 12 credits as a non-matriculated student.

o Submit an Online Application. See codes above.

o Submit to Office of Graduate Admissions – online or mailed

• Transcript(s) from all higher education institutions attended (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).

• A non-refundable $125 application fee by check, money order, credit card (online only), or e-check.

(This fee is applied toward application for matriculated status if applying while taking courses as a non-matriculated student).

o Pre-register for classes at GSLIS

Courses taken as a non-matriculated student (up to twelve credits, with a B average) will be applied to your transcript after acceptance as a matriculated student

Required MLS/MA coursework

Students will complete the following components, totaling 54 credits:

GSLIS, required core courses (12 credits):

• LBSCI 700: The Technology of Information 

• LBSCI 701: Fundamentals of Library and Information Science 

• LBSCI 702: Information Sources and Service: General 

• LBSCI 703: Introduction to Technical Services 

GSLIS, electives (12 credits): 

• any other four LBSCI graduate courses (in consultation with the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA)

Capstone Research Project (3 credits) (toward the end of the program):

• LBSCI 709: Research in Library and Information Studies 

GSLIS Certificate in Archives and Preservation of Cultural Heritage Materials (15 credits, in lieu of the 12 elective credits)

• LBSCI 730: Archival Appraisal, Arrangement, and Access*

• LBSCI 732: Archives and Manuscripts and the Shapes of Material History 

• LBSCI 733: Preservation of Cultural Heritage Materials

• LBSCI 752: Digital Preservation**

• LBSCI 795: Internship  

*Should be taken first in the sequence, following completion of the core required courses

**Consider also:

• LBSCI 720: The Design and Evaluation of Visual Information for the Web as a precursor for 729 and other advanced technology courses. 

• LBSCI 729 and/or LBSCI 753 or LBSCI 757 are recommended precursors for 752 

• LBSCI 736 is a recommended precursor of the spring semester class of 752

Students seeking the Archives Certificate as part of the MLS/MA program will be required to complete 57 credits prior to the awarding of the Dual Degree

History, required (3 credits): 

• HIST 791: Introduction to Historical Research  (should be taken first or second semester)

History, electives (21 credits): 

• any other seven HIST graduate courses (student are encouraged to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies in History regarding appropriate courses for their research)

Capstone Research Project (3 credits) (toward the end of the program):

• HIST 792: MLS/MA Capstone Research Project

Options for Preregistration in the GSLIS (Full-time and Advanced Standing students

Full-time Dual Degree students, and those with 18 or more credits, are eligible to pre-register for LBSCI courses in consultation with the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA. For the purposes of deciding full-time status or advanced standing, courses in BOTH the GSLIS and History departments are counted. Such pre-registration forms will be completed during Advisement weeks, usually in October and March of the Fall and Spring semesters, respectively.

There are no options for preregistration for History courses.

Advisement

Dual degree students are required to consult with the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA for advisement until they have earned a minimum of 18 credits. They are strongly encouraged to seek advisement in subsequent semesters. During these sessions, a planning form will be updated to track coursework to date, as well as intended areas of concentration as students proceed through the program. These will be retained in each student’s folder in the GSLIS Office. This is especially important as students begin preparing for their Capstone Research Project (LBSCI 709/HIST 792) near the end of the Dual Degree program.

Dual degree students are strongly encouraged to contact the Director of Graduate Studies in History and seek out advisement from the DGS on their coursework and research interests, especially the semester before they begin taking history courses. The DGS can help dual degree students find relevant courses. The DGS can also introduce students to history faculty who might be able to advise them on possible topics for their capstone research project.

Questions

• How should I distribute my coursework when beginning the program?

Answer: Courses for the first semester are selected in consultation with the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA in the GSLIS during the required Admissions interview. It is recommended that students accepted for matriculation take at least one of the core LBSCI courses and HIST 791 in the first semester. Full-time students may opt to take two courses in each department, or several core LBSCI courses and HIST 791.

Students are encouraged to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies in History for history courses in addition to HIST 791.

• Is there any penalty for taking all courses in a single department in a given semester, after the first semester?

Answer: While students should strive to balance their coursework between the two departments as they proceed, their matriculated status in the Dual Degree program will not be adversely affected if they take all courses in one or another department in a given semester.

• In what areas of library and information studies can I specialize?

Answer: Please consult “GSLIS Courses to Support Areas of Concentration” ( )

Students in the MLS/MA program may focus on coursework in academic/research librarianship, archives, digital librarianship, museum collection management, art librarianship and visual resources curation, and related areas.

• In what areas of history can I specialize?

Answer:

You may specialize in any area of history. Faculty in the History Department conduct research and teach courses covering a wide range of geographic regions and time periods. MLS/MA students should plan to develop their research focus (and the topic of their final capstone research project) in consultation with a fulltime member of the History Department who can advise them on primary source materials and scholarly literatures relevant to their specific research interests.

For more information on the research specialties of the History faculty, see

Consult for a listing of new and infrequent Graduate Course Descriptions

• What are the deadlines for application for the Dual Degree program?

Answer:

For Spring semester: November 1

For Fall semester: April 1

As dates get close, deadlines may be extended.

• Are summer courses available?

Answer: Yes. The GSLIS Summer Session I is a four-week program in June. Summer Session II is a six-week program. A more limited number of courses are offered in summer by the History Department.

• Are applicants who are accepted for fall admissions eligible to take summer classes during the previous summer?

Answer: Yes.

• Is the MLS/MA Dual Degree Program in Library Science and History one degree or two degrees?

Answer: It is a dual degree, a Master in Library Science (MLS) and Master of Arts in History (MA), both awarded at the conclusion of all required coursework in both departments.

• Is this dual degree accredited by the American Library Association (ALA)?

Answer: Yes, the MLS/MA is fully accredited by the ALA.

• Who might be interested in the Dual Degree program in Library Science and History (MLS/MA)?

Answer: It is geared to those who might seek to work in academic librarianship, museums, archives or similar cultural institutions, in which coursework in the two disciplines might provide a relevant complementary educational background. For additional information consult

• How do I apply for the Dual Degree program in Library Science and History (MLS/MA)?

Answer: When submitting the online application (under the Library Science area), select the MLSMA code. Your essay should indicate your interest in the dual degree program.

• Can I take History courses at other CUNY campuses to count towards my History coursework?

Answer: Students may take a maximum of 6 History credits at another CUNY campus. Prior permission from the Director of Graduate Studies in History is required.

• How long do I have to complete the MLS/MA Dual Degree program?

Answer: Three years of full-time study and up to six years of part-time study. Extensions may be available upon request.

• When am I eligible to enroll in the Internship class (LBSCI 795)?

Answer. Usually students in the Archives Certificate will have taken some courses in the Archives sequence before enrolling in LBSCI 795. Individual requests to enroll in LBSCI 795 at an earlier point in the program will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA.

• How are courses cross-listed in both departments (GSLIS and History) to be counted toward the distribution of courses counting toward the Dual Degree?

Answer: Students should register under the course code for the department under which they wish the credits to apply.

• Handling of Capstone Project (near the end of the program): in what order should students plan to take their required HIST 792/LBSCI 709 coursework?

Answer: Depending on their full-time or part-time status and other considerations, students may wish to take HIST 792/LBSCI 709 simultaneously or consecutively. If the latter, the order in which the courses should be taken should be determined in consultation with both the GSLIS and History Advisors. Students are encouraged to discuss these issues as soon as they begin to have a sense of what topic(s) they plan to investigate.

• If I already have an MLS from Queens College and would like an MA in History, should I apply for the MLS/MA program?

Answer: No. Apply for the History MA directly.

• Are all classes on the Queens College campus?

Answer: Most classes are on campus, some are in hybrid (blended) mode, a few are online, and others are in Manhattan.

MOST of the courses in the Archives Certificate program are now offered in Manhattan and/or online.

• Are any courses taught online?

Answer: GSLIS is expanding our offerings of both online and hybrid/blended courses (those taught partially online and part face-to-face,) and we expect this trend to continue. At present, no History graduate courses are offered in online mode.

There also is an option to take some online courses (up to four) through the WISE consortium with other American Library Association accredited schools, for which you would pay Queens College tuition. There is a maximum of 12 non-QC credits for those transferring credits from previous LIS programs in addition to the WISE consortium credits.

• What can I do to reduce my commute?

Answer: Some GSLIS classes are offered on the same day (where one of the core courses is offered at 3:55 pm, and another at 6:40 pm.) GSLIS courses are also available in online or hybrid mode. History classes are scheduled from 4:30 to 6:10, and from 6:40 to 8:20 p.m. Consult “Schedule of Classes (CUNYFirst)” at bottom of to view course schedules in either Library Science or History. Enter the code for each respective department to view the relevant courses.

• I have been out of school over 10 years – will that be a problem?

Answer: No. A substantial number of our students are working adults who are coming to the program as a second or third career.

• If I applied and was accepted can I defer my application?

Answer: Matriculated students are allowed to defer for one semester without having to pay the application fee again (but they would have to submit a reactivation application in Hobson’s). If non-matriculated students defer they will have to apply and pay the fee again. See

• When applying, shall I still be required to submit 3 letters of reference and an essay if I’m currently enrolled in a graduate program at another accredited university?

Answer: Yes.

• Can the requirement for an OFFICIAL transcript for matriculating students be waived?

Answer: No – never.

• If I’m currently enrolled as a non-matriculated student, will be required to pay the $125 application fee again if applying for matriculation?

Answer: No. That fee will be waived.

• I was accepted as a non-matriculated student for the History side of the program? What does this mean?

Answer: This means that the History MA Program Admissions Committee would like more information about your preparedness for advanced study in History. If you have taken very few History undergraduate History courses, you may be admitted as a non-matric in History so that you can prove your suitability for the dual degree.

If you were accepted as a non-matriculated student in History, you will need to take two MA history courses (6 credits). You should not register for 791 or 792. You can then apply to become a fully matriculated student in the MLS/MA program. The History MA Admissions Committee will then look to see that you have received a B or higher in these two courses and that you are a good match for the MLS/MA program.

• Where can I find general information about the field of librarianship and job opportunities?

o These government sources:





U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.  (©2016).  CareerOneStop.  Retrieved from 

This is a very valuable resource to explore on a number of levels.  Click on "Explore Careers", Browse by Occupation (or type in Librarians or Archivists) and search by state or metropolitan area to get a sense of salary levels, projections of job growth, needed skills, tasks, and much more.  

o For further information about careers in librarianship you can consult:



• Is there any financial assistance?

o Queens College’s Office of Financial Aid handles all loans and work-study opportunities



o GSLIS has a jobs listserv which posts opportunities for both candidates with MLS degrees and also part-time options for students. See

o Various outside sources of scholarships

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o In some cases, students who obtain jobs as library trainees through area public libraries may be eligible for tuition assistance through their employers.

• I am not a resident of New York State. Where do I find out if I can apply for Queens College?

Answer: Anyone can apply to Queens College. The tuition for those who are not residents will be different from the tuition for residents. For more information contact the Graduate Admissions office

• I am interested in pursuing an MLS or MLS/MA at Queens College. Can I meet with you to discuss my interests and career possibilities?

Answer: Yes. For the MLS alone, you can call the GSLIS office at (718) 997-3790 to set up an appointment with the Graduate Advisor for Admissions. If you wish to discuss the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA, please call the same number to set up an appointment with the Graduate Advisor for MLS/MA.

Information: Queens College Web Links

Applying to a Graduate Program (4 types: Matriculated, Non-Matriculated, Re-entry, Reactivation)

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Admissions

Webpage - “Apply Now” button

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Tuition and Fees

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Financial Aid

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General Information about GSLIS

• QC landing page:

• Department Website: (preferred)

GSLIS Degree Programs and Certificate Programs

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Dual Degree Program for Library Science and History (MLS/MA)

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Listservs for GSLIS Students

• GLISANN: official announcements

• GSLISJOBLIST: official job listings

• Link to apply for both listservs



International Students – more information

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(Please especially note the information about the Transcript request for Institutions Abroad.)

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