University of Kentucky’s School of Information Science, a unit in the College of Communication and Information, rose two places on the “America’s Best Graduate Schools” list by U.S. News and World Report for top library and information studies program and maintains a top 4 ranking in health librarianship.

The “America’s Best Graduate Schools” survey is conducted annually among library and information studies programs that are accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), an accreditation that the School of Information Science has maintained since 1940-41. The research ranks graduate programs from the perspective of leading practitioners. 

“We strive to offer a program that reflects the evolving needs of today’s information professionals and that is grounded in the theoretical foundations of the profession,” said Dr. Jeff Huber, director and professor in the School of Information Science.

The program of study in Library Science (LS) is one of approximately 60 educational programs in the United States currently accredited by ALA and is the only such program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The school is also a member of the iSchool Caucus, which is a consortium of more than 80 information schools in universities on five continents that are dedicated to advancing the information field by creating innovative systems and designing information solutions.

Graduate students in the LS program earn their 36 credit hour degree online . The school offers a variety of unique opportunities and resources to students, including:

·      Asynchronous online classes that allow students a flexible, individualized schedule;

·      In-state/resident tuition rates for online learners, which cut costs of a graduate degree significantly for distance students;

·      Practicum possibilities as part of the student’s credit hours; and a

·      Chance to apply for an alternative spring break internship position in Washington, D.C. at places like the National Archives and Records Administration, National Library of Medicine, or Smithsonian Libraries.

In fall 2016, the School expanded its graduate offerings by introducing the master’s program in information communication technology (ICT), which prepares students to assume leadership positions charged with effectively applying, using, and managing technology when solving problems related to information and communication. LS students can take ICT special topics courses like security informatics, cybercrime and digital law enforcement, content management, human computer interaction, and social computing, in addition their LS coursework.

The School of Library and Information Science in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky became the School of Information Science on July 1, 2015. The name change follows the expansion of programs at the School (both at the graduate and undergraduate level) and the increasing diversity of professions in the information field. The Instructional Communication and Research program became a part of the school in 2013, and the Information Communication Technology program debuted in 2014. The School offers a M.S. in Library Science, School Library Certification, M.S. in Information Communication Technology, B.A./B.S. in Information Communication Technology and an undergraduate minor in Information Studies.