uAlberta School of Library and Information Studies MLIS Program Reaccredited to 2028

June 30, 2020

Congratulations to the uAlberta School of Library and Information Studies on the continued accreditation of its MLIS program!

UAlberta MLIS Accreditation Renewed to 2028

Please be advised the MLIS program at the University of Alberta is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation (COA), with the status of continued accreditation. The next comprehensive review visit is scheduled for Spring 2028. (We were awarded the full seven year renewal, plus a bonus year in light of COVID-19).

The completed Spring 2020 review process went very smoothly, notably marking the first in the School’s history inclusive of our, original in Canada, online MLIS offering, and under the newest Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies approved by ALA Council in 2015. Our earned success is thanks to a lot of hard work and heavy lifting by a veritable village of people.

Sincere appreciation is extended to our Dean Jennifer Tupper, the Accreditation Advisory Committee, the Accreditation Working Committee, the many individuals and groups who participated (in person and virtually) in the external review panel (ERP) site visit, and everyone who gave us their generous support along the way at the School, Faculty, and University levels, and well beyond into the broader professional community. Special thanks are owed to the following three people: Re-accreditation Administrator, Nancy Evans; Assistant Chair, Administration, Izabela Martyniak; and, Self-Study editor/auditor Cheryl Trepanier (MLIS 2019). Of course, we also owe important acknowledgment to the conditional time and efforts of the COA and the ERP.

Of interest, in our latest Employment Survey of MLIS Graduates, that of 2018 graduates, respondents reported that 59% of their jobs secured required an ALA accredited degree. (In the prior survey, for the 2017 respondents, the finding was 58%.) See Program Assessment information here.

Toni Samek
SLIS Chair, 2015-2020