university of south carolina phd in library science

2024-2025 Academic Bulletin

Library and information science, ph.d..

Students must complete an approved program of 54 credit hours of 700- and 800-level courses beyond the master’s level, including a minimum of 12 hours of dissertation preparation with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will understand theory development and research methods and their application in the field of library and information science.
• Students will demonstrate familiarity with seminal and contemporary scholarship involving major library and information science theories, problems, and practices.
• Students will understand the theory, practice, resources, and technologies of college-level instruction, and demonstrate proficiency in instructional techniques.

Ph.D. in Library and Information Science

Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive and is based on the strength of the applicant’s educational background (with the expectation of an M.L.I.S. or master’s-level degree in a related field), standardized test scores, work experience, a statement of research interests, and a personal interview.

Application requirements for the Ph.D. program include:

• completing the Graduate School’s online application form, including a written statement describing the applicant’s anticipated research focus or interest and a nonrefundable $50 application fee;
• official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended;
• for international students whose native language is not English,  an official report showing a minimum score of 570 (230 computer-based) on the TOEFL or a minimum overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS Academic Course Type 2 exam;
• three letters of recommendation from persons able to comment on the applicant’s academic ability and scholarly potential -- letters of recommendation cannot come from family members;
• a resume or curriculum vitae outlining the applicant’s educational and professional achievements (sent directly to the School of Information Science);
• following the receipt of all documents listed above, an interview with a member of the graduate faculty.

Degree Requirements (54 Post-Masters Hours)

Core courses (15 hours), research methods (6 hours), qualitative methods (3 hours).

Chosen from advisor-approved options such as the following:

Quantitative Methods (3 Hours)

Isci electives (12 hours).

Chosen from advisor-approved 800-level seminars or 700-level courses appropriate to research interests and the production of work designed for scholarly publication or presentation.

Cognate Courses (9 Hours)

Chosen from advisor-approved courses from another discipline related to the student’s research interests (i.e., mass communication, sociology, education, anthropology, computer science, English, geography, history, marketing, philosophy, political science, psychology, public administration).

Comprehensive Written and Oral Examinations

Dissertation preparation (12 hours).

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Dreeszen Bowman named a Biliniski Dissertation Fellow

Library and information science - ph.d..

The iSchool Ph.D. program trains exceptional doctoral scholars, educators and professionals, preparing them for impactful careers in established and emerging fields of information and library science, both nationally and internationally.

This research-intensive degree prepares students to tackle real-world problems in the Information Age, equipping them to become thoughtful leaders, innovators, and scholars in faculty and administrative roles at universities, research centers, and private businesses. The program is supported by distinguished faculty and Ph.D. students  engaged in cutting-edge research across fields. With a flexible curriculum, students can effectively shape their PhD journey to address contemporary issues from interdisciplinary perspectives.

In a creative and dynamic environment, we focus on:

• Engaging in critical and reflective thinking to address the fundamental challenges of the Information Age.
• Fostering cross-disciplinary thinking to meet complex research and academic standards within complex information ecosystems.
• Preparing scholars who are passionate about the ethical and transformative role of information in shaping society.
• Cultivating a supportive and enriching mentorship environment.
• Mastering literature and practices across the evolving information and library science areas.
• Developing deep expertise in specialty areas related to information.
• Incorporating diverse theoretical perspectives and a wide range of information and library science research methods.
• Honing advanced skills in synthesizing and analyzing cutting-edge research.
• Aspiring to train leaders in information for the future.

Ph.D. students at the iSchool can take advantage of various funding opportunities, including scholarships, assistantships and fellowships, all designed to support their academic journey. These funds are awarded through a competitive selection process.

Admission to the Ph.D. program is competitive and is based on a holistic review of a student’s educational background, work experience, statement of research interests and personal interview.

If you’re interested in applying for our Ph.D. program at the School of Information Science, here’s what you will need:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in this country, or its equivalent from a foreign institution. Applicants will also possess a master's degree or equivalent from an institution of recognized standing.
• Official academic transcripts from all colleges and universities - whether or not you earned a degree.
• Graduate School application form and application fee.  You must  apply online.
• The supplemental application, which includes writing an essay responding to the statements on the application. It is available through the online application.
• A grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Three letters of recommendation. Letters should evaluate your undergraduate or graduate academic performance or your job performance. Letters from friends and relatives about your personal attributes will not be accepted. If you have questions, call the admissions coordinator at 803-777-3887 for guidance.
• International applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS International Academic Course Type 2 exam. A TOEFL score of at least 570 on the paper-based test or 80 on the internet-based test is required, or an IELTS score of at least 6.5.
• Resumé showing educational and professional experience.

Our students also have to be interviewed by a doctoral committee.

More details are available in our doctoral handbook (pdf).

Our Ph.D. students must complete an approved program of 54 credit hours beyond the master’s level, including a minimum of 12 hours of dissertation preparation with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

Our program includes 15 hours of core courses and six hours of research methods courses.

Our students choose 12 hours of electives in the School of Information Science from their research area, with a goal of producing work designed for scholarly publication.

They also choose a cognate of nine hours from another area, such as mass communication, sociology, computer science, English, geography, history, marketing, political science, psychology or public administration.

Dissertation preparation accounts for the final 12 hours.

Our students are required to complete at least 18 of their hours on campus over three consecutive major semesters and take comprehensive written and oral examinations before graduating.

Students are required to establish residency in South Carolina for the duration of their coursework.

Information Session

Our doctoral students are winning scholarships and fellowships, acquiring grants and research funding and winning awards for their scholarly work. Read more about what they are achieving.

Ehsan Mohammadi, Ph.D. Associate Professor Phone:   803-777-2324 Email:   [email protected]

Trey Sandoval, III Recruitment Administrative Coordinator Phone:   803-777-5277 Email:   [email protected]

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.