Did You Know?
SLAIS Faculty have won three UBC Killam Teaching Prizes!
SLAIS: The iSchool at UBC Facts
Degrees Offered
Size of Student Body
Size of SLAIS Faculty
When SLAIS Began
Our Location
What degrees does SLAIS offer? As a graduate school, SLAIS offers both master's and doctoral degree programs.
- The Master of Archival Studies degree prepares graduates to manage records (real or digital) for both current use and archival purposes, leading to careers as archivists, digital asset managers, records managers and others. Application deadline is February 1 for September admission annually.
- The Master of Library & Information Studies degree prepares graduates to manage information in all formats, leading to careers as librarians, information managers, information architects and others. Application deadlines are February 1 for September admission and June 1 for admission the following January.
- The Dual MAS/MLIS program has been developed for students interested in acquiring the skills and knowledge required to work in both libraries and archives, as well as a number of other information environments. Students graduate with both the MAS and MLIS degrees. Application deadlines are February 1 for September admission and June 1 for admission the following January.
- The academic Master of Arts in Children's Literature provides specialized education for graduate students in the study of children's literature using a multi-disciplinary approach. Application deadline is February 1 for September admission annually.
- The Ph.D. in Library, Archival and Information Studies is an advanced research degree for outstanding candidates who already hold a Master of Archival Studies or Master of Library & Information Studies degree. Application deadline is February 1 for September admission annually.
For more information on SLAIS programs, visit www.slais.ubc.ca/programs/programs.htm.
How many students attend SLAIS? There are between 225 and 250 students in the School at any given time. The number varies on the time of year - we admit students in both September and January, and while there is a November convocation ceremony, most of our graduating students are conferred their degrees at the May convocation ceremony.
The Master of Library & Information Studies program is the largest, with about 130 students. About 30 students are in the Master of Archival Studies, and 30-40 in the Dual MAS/MLIS program. Another 20 students are in the academic Master of Arts in Children's Literature program, while students in our Ph.D. number approximately 15-18.
How large is the SLAIS faculty? We number 13 full-time faculty members, with a range of research interests and teaching areas. To find out more about our faculty, visit www.slais.ubc.ca/people/faculty/faculty.htm. To find out more about the exciting and innovative research being done by faculty at SLAIS, visit www.slais.ubc.ca/research/ research-slais.htm. We also have a strong team of adjunct faculty, who ensure our course offerings include those which reflect current practices in both library and archival professions. Learn about our current adjunct faculty at www.slais.ubc.ca/people/ faculty/adjuncts.htm.
When did SLAIS open its doors? The School's origins date back to September 1961, when the School of Librarianship opened as a professional school within the UBC Faculty of Arts and Science, welcoming students in a one-year post-baccalaureate Bachelor of Library Science. That was replaced in 1971 with the two-year Master of Library Science. In 1981, the School inaugurated the two-year Master of Archival Studies degree, the first graduate program in archival studies in North America. Three years later, the School became the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies. In 1995, SLAIS graduated its first group of students to receive the newly re-named Master of Library and Information Studies degree. The Joint MAS/MLIS program (since renamed the Dual MAS/MLIS program) was launched in 1998, the same year SLAIS began to offer a First Nations Curriculum Concentration for MLIS and MAS students as well as part-time studies in the MLIS program. The following year, the School launched the multidisciplinary Master of Arts in Children's Literature, and in 2003, the first cohort of students was admitted to the Ph.D. program in Library, Archival & Information Studies.
Where is SLAIS located? Since 2008, SLAIS is located on the top floor in the south wing of the architecturally stunning Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, providing a central location in the heart of the UBC Point Grey Campus. The building also houses the Chapman Learning Commons, the UBC Science and Engineering Library, the UBC Art + Architecture + Planning Library, the Library's Automated Storage and Retrieval System, Rare Books & Special Collections, the University Archives, and the Wallace B. and Madeline H. Chung Collection and exhibition space. Our location provides students and faculty with access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources that encourage collaboration and innovation, partnership with various stakeholders, and the opportunity enhance student understanding with experiential learning, both in practice and in research.
