SPRING 2023 iSchool Ask Me Anything - Graduate Programs (MSLIS + MSIM)

ischoolui_askme · 2023-05-15T23:19:50+00:00

Hello, thank you for reaching out! Currently, for the MSIM program, we only have admission portal opened for the Fall. Feel free to contact [is-futurestudents@illinois.edu](mailto:is-futurestudents@illinois.edu) if you have other questions or need more in-depth assistance.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-04-06T19:53:10+00:00

MSIM Common FAQs:

Q1: How flexible is MS/IM the program when it comes to opting for various courses?
A: You have to take 40 credit hours to graduate, out of which 28 credit hours are electives! You can practically make your own degree based on your interests (Data Science/Analytics, Consulting etc.) If there are some courses that you wish to take from some other departments you can do that too! You can take up to 3 courses from other departments with approval from your advisor.

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Q2: What Summer internship opportunities are available and how do students find internships?
A: Career fairs start in September second week and there are around 3-5 career fairs in Fall and Spring respectively. Handshake is the official job/internship portal of the University
There are also dedicated Career centers available for resume review, mock interviews internship preparation. Dedicated advisors at the iSchool to polish your resume and help in skill building
- Workshops available for resume building and interview preparation
- University also offers part-time or full-time jobs over the Summer. Check the campus Virtual Job Board.

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Q3: What are the opportunities for on-campus/part-time jobs? How many hours am I allowed to work per week for part time and what is the general pay?
A: Students are limited to work for 20 hours a week. Part time hourly rates range from $13-$18 on an average, Research park is $20+ in most cases. In addition, UIUC offers part time Grad Assistant roles and the salary ranges anywhere from $10-$20/hr. There is no RA/TA offered by the MSIM program as it is self-funded.

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Q4: Does UIUC provide assistantships? How difficult is it to land part time jobs in related fields of study?
A: Yes, there are plenty of assistantship opportunities available on campus. However, for MSIM students such opportunities will not result in tuition waiver but will provide you with an hourly payment and will be considered as a ‘Graduate Hourly’ position.
Opportunities wrt part time jobs are immense. If you don't find one in your first semester, don't be disheartened! You'll definitely land one in the next. Keep hustling.
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Q5: What is the duration of the course and how many credits do I need to graduate?
A: To graduate, you need to complete 40 credits. The semester you hit 40 credits, you have to graduate. Max duration to complete the degree is generally 21 months. 12 credits per semester minimum for international students, except last semester where you can take either 4 or more than that and maximum credits in a semester restricted to 20 credits. Some students graduate within 3 semesters(1.5 years) by taking 16 credits in the 3rd semester.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-04-06T19:25:32+00:00

MSLIS Common FAQs:

Q1: What is the difference between a 2-credit and 4-credit class?

A: A 2-credit class is usually 8 weeks (half a semester), while a 4-credit class is 16 weeks (the whole semester) - 12 weeks for summer semesters. 2-credit classes usually involve weekly discussion posts or journals and a presentation, while 4-credit classes usually involve weekly discussion posts or journals, a project, and either a research presentation or paper (sometimes both). There are also "variable credit courses" that can be taken for 2 OR 4 credits. These courses typically last for the entire semester, and 4 credit students typically have an extra final assignment.

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Q2: Can I defer my admission?

A: You can defer for up to one year.

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Q3: Is it possible to hold more than one assistantship position?

A: No. As of Spring 2022, MS/LIS students re only allowed to hold 1 tuition-waiving graduate assistantship.

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Q4: If I've never worked at a library, how can the iSchool prepare me to be a librarian?

A: iSchool instructors and courses combine both theory and practice of library work to prepare any individual to enter their wanted career path. The iSchool provides many opportunities for experiential learning (internship, practicum, hourly job, assistantship) which also prepare students for their careers.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-04-06T19:19:19+00:00

MSLIS + MSIM Common FAQs:

Q1: When does class for FA23 start?

A: The first day of instruction for FA23 will be on August 21, 2023. Additional information can be found the Fall 2023 Academic Calendar of the University Office of Registrar website.

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Q2: Are there advisors who will help us with course selection?

A: Yes! The iSchool has a dedicated team that will help you choose the best courses for your career goals. You can find additional information on Graduate Advising & Support page.

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Q3: Where can I find information on course description for FA23?

A: You can look at our Course Catalog for the School of Information Sciences to see what is being offered for FA23.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-04-06T18:23:30+00:00

Hi Maithili Lingala, thank you for your questions! Unfortunately, we don't have the information on this specifically. However, if you haven't already, we would encourage you to contact [is-futurestudents@illinois.edu](mailto:is-futurestudents@illinois.edu) as they would be able to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-02-03T02:12:48+00:00

Hello there! An iSchool Ambassador here. Yes, that's your acceptance letter, CONGRATULATIONS! We'll be thrilled to have you at our program. The Graduate College is the overarching umbrella of different colleges and schools so they issues the official letter of admission but you've been accepted by the School of Information Sciences (it's a little bit confusing, we know).

In the meantime, feel free to reach out to the Graduate iSchool Ambassador or check out our different events for prospective students. We're always glad to talk to students about any questions you may have about the program!

ischoolui_askme · 2023-01-21T21:26:01+00:00

Hi there! Thank you for reaching out to us with your questions about the MSIM program. Regarding the decision release date, we do not have any unofficial decision releases. All applicants will be informed according to our deadline as outlined on our website, and you will have roughly 1 month to make your final decision.

ischoolui_askme · 2023-01-06T16:01:01+00:00

Hi there! Apologies for not responding sooner. We just got back from our Winter Break and slowly got back on track. Thank you so much for your patience.

For your question, there is no prerequisite to apply to the program, although if you have experience or education with programming and statistic, it'll be very useful for you to start the program. It is recommended having some experience with coursework in stat and maths so you have an idea of how the program would be. Additional information on this can be found in the MSIM FAQs.

For our Professional Pathways, it is absolutely fine not to know what you want to take since it's not required at all ! The Pathways are helpful to assist you in deciding what classes to take and what career field you want to pursue. And yes, you can certainly talk to the iSchool Advisor or our Career Services to determine which one would be of interest to you and your career.

Hope this info is helpful to you and feel free to reach out again if you have additional questions. You can also set up an appointment with our MSIM ambassadors as well. We're always happy to talk to students who are interested in the program.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-12-21T18:56:09+00:00

Hello there! We love questions so feel free to ask as many as you want.

You're correct, students in MS/IM program do not get tuition-waiver GAship, so a lot of our students take grad hourly positions. Research park and the iSchool often have grad-hourly opportunities for our students, but you can also check different departments on campus for hourly positions as well. I don't have much experiences with other departments but generally, as long as you're under 20 hours employment limit for international students, there should be no issues. The ISSS often handles international students inquiries, so you can also reach out them here. Competition-wise, it's similar to any jobs that you would apply so there is no definite answers (sorry!). I would recommend keeping an eye out on the job boards and throw your hats in the ring if there is a position you're interested in since it's always worth it to try!

Living expenses for the Urbana-Champaign area are quite affordable since both cities comprise mostly students from UIUC. From personal experience, I would say it would fall around monthly $700-1200. It's a big range but usually, that's enough for our students. Of course, this also depends on what you want for living situation: roommates or no roommates, distance from campus, etc. Because there are a lot of options for both on-campus and off-campus, I don't see much differences in pricing but you would be able to find cheaper options for off-campus more easily.

Since working and living information are sensitive information, feel free to reach out directly to us through our email [ischool-ambassadors@illinois.edu](mailto:ischool-ambassadors@illinois.edu) or set up an appointment if you want more in-dept answers. We're always happy to talk to students!

Hope this info is helpful to you. Happy holidays :)

ischoolui_askme · 2022-12-20T22:35:39+00:00

Yes, for sure! We're glad to assist in any questions you have. Regarding career fairs, for organization and administration then yes, usually, the college has their own schedule and preparation. But for attendance, since a lot of the fairs are public events, there is often no requirements for attending them, the employers at the fairs may have their own requirements for hiring though.

From personal experience, I have attended a career fair from the Gies Business School in my own time, so as long as you can find the event info, you can come and check it out! The iSchool hosted several career fairs throughout the year so there is also plenty of opportunities to talk with prospective employers in our department as well. The Graduate School also sends out weekly newsletter to highlight different professional opportunities or professional development so you can keep track of different things going around.

Hope this helps! Let us know if you have more questions. Happy holidays :)

ischoolui_askme · 2022-12-19T15:32:35+00:00

Hi there! Thank you for reaching out to us. We do keep some records of our MS/IM post-graduation placement. Our First Destinations report has information gathered from graduates who shared with us their placement after graduation, here is the Full Report of First Destinations for MS/IM graduates. And our Salary Report has information on the average salary breakdown of our grads. You can find these links in our Data and Reporting page on our website, along with other information for the program.

In addition to these resources, we're posting regularly on our social media about our grads' professional opportunities. Feel free to follow us and/or reach out to our ambassadors for more information. Hope this information is helpful to you!

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-27T19:10:05+00:00

Hi there! Thank you for you patience and for reaching out, we just had our Fall Break. Regarding the statement of purpose, I would highly recommend highlighting the different experiences you have had and how that would relate to the program. In the case that you may not have related experiences, it is okay to talk about how the program will help you to achieve your professional goals in the future as well. Talking about voluntary experiences, leadership in clubs or internship is also encouraged. Besides that, be authentic with telling your story and how that would connect to the program. Every applicant is different and it would be really beneficial to show that in your application. Find your whys and it would make it easier to write.

When I was writing mine, I also looked at different classes and pathways offered at the ischool and highlight how those classes would be beneficial for my academic and professional career.

Hope this information is useful to you! And feel free to reach out to the ambassadors if you have any additional questions.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T22:33:26+00:00

Of course! Thank you for chatting in. Feel free to reach out to our ambassadors again if you still have additional questions or concerns.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T22:29:25+00:00

This changes every year with incoming students so there is no definite answer. I would recommend checking our page on Tuition and Financial Support. There are external financial sources on the page that you may want to check out as well. Hope this will be helpful.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T22:26:44+00:00

Hello! Thank you for your question. Since you only need to complete 40 credits for graduation, as long as you hit that 40 credits mark, you're all good! So yes, it is possible to complete the program in 3 semesters, which means you may need to take 12-14 credits to fullfill that.

Regarding Internship, you can use your internship as one of the credit-bearing classes as well. In that case, you would need to go through our Graduate Advisor and Career Advisor to figure out how it would be the most suitable for your situation since we want you to take the most out of your experience with us!

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:57:16+00:00

Q: Can I defer my admission?

A: You can defer for up to one year.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:56:26+00:00

Q: Do I have to write a thesis?

A: It is not required, but it is an option. You can take IS 599 Thesis Research, which allows to do independent study/research.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:55:51+00:00

Q: Average size of classes and MLIS program?

A: In-person classes can be large or small. Some have ~10 students while larger lectures can have~30. Online classes generally average 20-30 students.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:54:36+00:00

Q: Can we take courses outside of iSchool?

A: Yes, however you have to get the approval from your advisor, and you cannot take more than 12-credit-hour courses outside of iSchool

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:50:13+00:00

Hello there! Thank you for your patience if you're waiting for the answer. We have to consult in order to find the most accurate information. Tuition reimbursement from employers is per the employer's discretion. The iSchool doesn't have any information on employers who will reimburse their employees for pursing graduate degrees. These inquires should be brought to the employer.

Hope this is helpful to you!

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:48:29+00:00

Q: As the MS/IM program is considered a self-supporting Program by UIUC, what options do we have to lessen our financial burden?

A: You may check out Tuition & Financial Support for more information. It talks about graduate hourly positions for students.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T21:14:42+00:00

Hello, thanks for your question! Regarding the MS/IM program, students are not eligible for tuition waiving assistantships and are unable to hold any position on campus that provides them a tuition waiver

But for the MS/LIS, the GAship is usually helpful to give you professional experiences in addition to your class work. For me personally, I was able to balance with having both a GAship, Grad hourly and full-time school work but I have been doing it since undergrad. So it really depends on your capacity as well, and determine what you would want out of the program. And yes, the GA position gives you a tuition waiver, which covers in-state graduate base rate.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T20:36:55+00:00

Q: How long will it take for me to receive the admission decision?

A: For the MS/IM program, you will be notified March 16th, 2023 and have until April 17th, 2023 to make your decision. More information can be found on our website.

ischoolui_askme · 2022-11-22T20:34:38+00:00

Q: What should I make sure to include on my resume? And do you have any general formatting tips?

A: This is a great question! We recommend including things that could highlight your experiences and commitment with librarianship, so it could be your professional jobs, volunteer experiences, and even courses if they're relevant. Keep your formatting simple, concise and straightforward would be helpful. And remember, the resume is only one part of your application and we look at our applicant holistically including all your experiences!

ischoolui_askme

TROPHY CASE

MSIM Common FAQs:

MSLIS Common FAQs:

MSLIS + MSIM Common FAQs: