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DUAL MASTERS OF ARCHIVAL STUDIES & MASTER OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION STUDIES PROGRAM

Plan of Study
The Dual Degree Program is designed to allow students to earn both an MAS and an MLIS within a reasonable period of time (generally between three and five years). Students considering this option should carefully read the descriptions, including the sections regarding undergraduate preparation for each of the two individual degrees. Students who wish to complete the Dual Degree Program should indicate this as early as possible, preferably on their application submitted to the School prior to admission, or following admission to one program by requesting a "transfer" (see below) to the Dual Degree Program.

Supervision
Candidates admitted to the Dual MAS/MLIS program will be assigned an adviser from each of the two degree programs.

Degree Requirements
The two master's degrees, MAS and MLIS, are awarded on the completion of a total of 81 credits of work approved by the School. Students must complete the following:

  • The Dual MAS/MLIS program requires a total of 81 credits. Of these at least 36 must be ARST and 36 must be LIBR. The remaining nine credits can be a combination of ARST, LIBR, or other approved courses.
    • ARST 510, ARST 515, ARST 516, ARST 520, ARST 540 and ARST 573 (3 credits each for a total of 18 credits)
    • LIBR 501, LIBR 502, LIBR 503 (3 credits each for a total of 9 credits)
    • Either ARST 500 or LIBR 500 (3 credits; students cannot take both - stated pre-requisites must be met for the given course)
    • Either ARST 591 or LIBR 505 (3 credits; students cannot take both - stated pre-requisites must be met for the given course)
    • Either ARST 570 or LIBR 504 (3 credits; students cannot take both - stated pre-requisites must be met for the given course)
    • Either ARST 587 or LIBR 587 (3 credits; students cannot take both - stated pre-requisites must be met for the given course)

It is each student's responsibility to ensure that he or she has the required pre- and co-requisites for all courses in which registration is desired.

Courses taken Outside the Degree Program
 Elective courses other than those designated ARST or LIBR at this University may be applied to the program, whether taken at this or another institution; they may total no more than nine (9) of the required 81 credits. Permission to apply such a course for credit must be obtained from the SLAIS Graduate Adviser before the student begins the course. Permission must also be obtained from the instructor of the course. Any such course must be at the 300-level or above (or the equivalent at another institution) and granting of permission will be based on the course's direct relevance to the individual's work in the Dual MAS/MLIS program. Students must have completed at least 18 credits in their degree program before taking outside courses. A maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 may be counted toward the requirements of a master's degree.

First Nations Curriculum Concentration
 Students in the First Nations Curriculum Concentration cannot also be in the Dual program.

Transfer to Dual MAS/MLIS Policy & Procedures
Students enrolled in the MAS or MLIS program may apply to transfer to the Dual MAS/MLIS program. A limited number of spaces are allocated each intake for transfer students, so students should expect a competitive process. Successful applicants will be selected based on a combination of academic achievement, quality of responses to the questionnaire, and promise of professional success in the archival and library fields. Transfer applications are due by the standard application deadlines and will be reviewed by the relevant Admission Subcommittee.

Deadline by which students must apply to transfer:
Transfer applications are due February 1 st of each academic year. Students must apply before completing their first 24 credits of study.

Students accepted in the Dual MAS/MLIS program may be admitted to start the following September or January depending on available space.

Procedures:

  1. Discuss with the Program Chair of the program you are transferring into.
  2. Complete the transfer application form.
  3. Have the application form signed by the Program Chair.
  4. Submit completed application form to the Student Services Coordinator before the application deadline.
  5. Applications will be reviewed by the Admission Subcommittee for the program to which the student is transferring for decision.

Experiential Learning (Practicum/Internship/Professional Experience/Co-op)
Field experience in an information-based centre, records office and/or archival repository is highly desirable for students, even those with experience in the work. This may be in the form of any of the following optional activities: the non-credit LIBR 595 Practicum, the three-credit ARST 595 Internship, the three-credit ARST 596 and/or LIBR 596 Professional Experience, or a SLAIS Co-op paid (and thus non-credit) work placement.
Participation in credit-bearing experiential learning activities should be discussed with the faculty adviser if necessary, and confirmed with the student services coordinator by the middle of the term preceding the one in which the student will register for this course so that a project, supervisor, and placement may be arranged.
For those students who enrolled in the Dual MAS/MLIS PRIOR to September 2011: LIBR 595 Practicum is a required course (0 credits) as this was part of the degree requirements in effect at the time of initial enrolment. UBC Policy (see http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,296,0,0) offers such students the option of meeting the degree requirements in effect at the time of initial enrolment, or meeting the revised requirements (in which LIBR 595 is not required).

The Co-Op Program
For information on the SLAIS Co-Op program please go to the Co-Op information page.

Thesis
A student with research interests may elect to write a thesis in one of the two fields, but not both. Consultation with the appropriate Faculty Adviser should begin before the student has completed one-half of the required courses.  Students admitted to SLAIS prior to January 2006 may take either a 6-credit or a 12-credit thesis.  Students who enter SLAIS in January 2006 or later can only elect to do a 12-credit thesis.

Application Procedures: Use "Admissions" link to the left

Course Descriptions: For detailed information please use the "Courses" link to the left