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The American Library Association’s Committee on Accreditation elected to grant continued accreditation status to The iSchool at Drexel, College of Information Science and Technology’s Master of Science in Library and Information Science (MS). The College first received accreditation for its Bachelor of Science in Library Science (LIS) when the association began offering accreditation in 1924/25. Its evolving educational programs in LIS maintained full accreditation ever since, making it one of the longest continually accredited library and information science programs in the nation.The MS is reviewed for ALA Accreditation every seven years. Accreditation is achieved through a review process conducted by an external review panel of practitioners and academics that verifies the program meets ALA’s standards for accreditation of master’s programs in library and information studies. In preparation for review, iSchool faculty and staff spent more than a year preparing a detailed self study that provides evidence to demonstrate that the program meets the standards. Overall, more than 60 programs in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico are accredited by the ALA. “ALA Accreditation is a very rigorous process to which we are highly committed,” said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Eileen Abels, who headed the iSchool’s re-accreditation efforts. “We are delighted to receive our continued accreditation status for the MS program. This reaffirms that we continue to provide high-quality education. In addition, we know this is important for our students since many employers only hire graduates of ALA Accredited programs.”The MS remains the most popular program at the iSchool. In the fall of 2010, the College saw a 7 percent increase in the number of students in the program as compared with fall 2009. This increase represents both online and on-campus students. Through the MS, students can specialize their studies to meet their career goals by completing one of the College’s six optional concentrations: Archival Studies, Competitive Intelligence and Knowledge Management, Digital Libraries, Library and Information Services, Youth Services, and School Library Media. Such program customization is key to helping students launch and grow their careers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic’s 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook, jobs in librarianship should increase by about 8 percent during the next decade and while there will be growth in traditional library settings, opportunities for librarians beyond traditional settings are expected to see the fastest growth.The iSchool at Drexel’s MS is ranked among the top 10 library science programs in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The program was rated 9th in the nation overall, and is in the top two among private colleges and universities. The program’s national rankings for its specialties in Information Systems and Digital Librarianship came in at numbers three and six respectively. The College also ranked fifth under the Library and Information Studies specialty rankings for Health Librarianship.Founded in 1892, The iSchool at Drexel educates students in information science and technology at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels and features Drexel University’s Cooperative Education program. The College’s mission is to unite technology, people, and information to make a fundamental difference in tomorrow’s knowledge society. The iSchool at Drexel is a founding member of the iSchools Caucus of more than 25 prominent colleges dedicated to immersing students in the iField — connecting people, information and technology. For more information visit www.ischool.drexel.edu.News media contacts:Susan Haine McDonnell, writer/editor, the iSchool at Drexel 215-895-6271 or seh57@drexel.edu Niki Gianakaris, director, Drexel News Bureau, Office of University Communications
215-895-6741, 215-778-7752 (cell) or ngianakaris@drexel.edu