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Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.)

The Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in Library and Information Science is open to those who hold a master's degree in library and information science. Librarians, information scientists, and others in information management enroll in the program to refresh and update their skills, gain greater specialization in their professional training, or redirect their careers from one area to another. In addition to the formal digital libraries concentration, other examples of areas of concentration include library and information center administration, information technology, and information management. An area of concentration might also be a specific library function such as children's services, government information, science information, or technical services. The C.A.S. is available via the LEEP scheduling option. The C.A.S. Program does not lead into the Ph.D. Program.

Courseload | Financial Aid | Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Courseload

This 40 semester hour course of study is structured to encourage students to design programs that meet specific educational and career goals. A sequence of 32 hours of courses is developed by students with their advisors. Up to 16 of the hours may be taken outside of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. The final eight hours are the C.A.S. project, a substantive investigation of a problem in librarianship or information science, which is followed by a final oral examination (see a list of past C.A.S projects). A maximum of 12 hours, with a grade B or better, may be transferred, subject to review by the GSLIS Admissions Committee and the Graduate College. Transferred hours must be graduate-level courses in library and information science earned at an ALA-accredited master's degree program, or a field other than LIS completed at any campus of the University of Illinois or any accredited institution. These hours cannot have been used to fulfill the requirements of a degree earned at another institution and must have been completed within the last five years.

Completion of the 40 hour Certificate of Advanced Study varies widely. Full-time students may finish in two semesters and one summer, but students have five years to complete the program.

Grades

Students must complete 32 or more hours of course work with a 3.25 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale). The credit/no-credit option applies only to courses taken outside the library and information science curriculum. Hours taken under the credit/no-credit option are not computed into the G.P.A. and may not be applied to a degree in library and information science.

Financial Aid and Enrollment Status

The Tuition and Financial Aid page in our Admissions information will give you details about the types of financial aid students may be eligible for, and how to go about applying for it. Students holding graduate assistantships awarded and/or administered by the School must be registered for a set number of classes determined by the percentage time of the assistanship; students will be advised of the amount upon appointment. Students with graduate assistantships in the library or elsewhere on campus must follow the enrollment requirements of the units employing them.

Admission Requirements

C.A.S. applicants must have completed a master's degree in library and information science, with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 also is required in the last two years of the applicant's undergraduate degree program. The Admissions Committee makes every effort to assess applicants on their probable degree of success in the program, rather than relying only on how well the applicant meets the formal requirements. Contact the GSLIS admissions officer with questions about the admissions process: (217) 333-7197.

Entry

Students may enter the C.A.S. program in fall, spring, or summer. Please see the Admissions section of our website for specific application requirements, deadlines, and forms.

Computer Literacy Requirements

In order for us to teach our courses at the graduate level, you are expected to have certain computer skills. You can acquire these skills before you begin the program or by taking special free workshops that are offered by GSLIS and the LIS Library during the early part of the semester. When classes start, you will be expected to have three basic competencies:

1. Elementary computer literacy. This means that you can perform such tasks as run a program and organize and manipulate files on a personal computer, remote computer (such as a server), or removable media (such as a floppy disk or USB storage device). You are expected to know how to compose and print a research paper with appropriate figures and/or tables using a standard word processing program. If you own a computer, you should know how to set it up, install software, and connect it to a network (via dial-up, broadband, or wireless connection). You may gain these skills at a local community college, through self-tutoring, or elsewhere. You are encouraged but not required to have your own computer. Several computer firms offer educational discounts through the University MicroOrder Center. The on-campus GSLIS lab is Macintosh-based, however Windows and Unix/Linux users are also supported in the School.
2. E-mail and bulletin board skills. You should know how to communicate using e-mail and electronic bulletin/message boards. This requires both a mastery of the technical issues of usage (how to read and reply to messages) and an understanding of proper etiquette.
3. Information retrieval skills. You need the ability to use the UIUC online catalog, the UIUC Online Research Resources database, and common bibliographic databases found in many libraries.  You should be familiar with finding information on the web using search engines and other common tools.

In addition, certain skills may be expected to be acquired during your time at GSLIS:

1. HTML/XML authoring. Workshops will teach basic HTML and XML syntax for creating documents and putting information on the Web.
2. Basic Linux (Unix). Servers running the Linux operating system can be accessed through the GSLIS local area network. These servers provide a wider range of software applications beyond those ordinarily available on the lab workstations. Programs running on the Linux servers can act on the files stored in student home directories. Some (not all) GSLIS classes will require you to use the Linux servers, and familiarity with Linux/Unix commands will be valuable whether or not you enroll in such a class.
3. Database creation. Students may be expected to design simple databases in several GSLIS courses.
4. Information literacy in LIS.  You will become familiar with key information sources within the discipline of LIS, including journal indexes, full-text databases, online repositories, and major websites.

Some individual courses require additional technical competencies such as more advanced database design and programming languages. These skills can be learned through community college courses, informal short courses offered in GSLIS by staff and professional organizations and through self-study.

During your time at GSLIS, you will have access to many technology resources, including the GSLIS User Services Help Desk. We encourage you to share your feedback and questions with us and do hope you take advantage of the support we offer the GSLIS community. Please feel free to contact us with questions by emailing -help, at support.lis.uiuc.edu-.