Wayne State University

Aim Higher

Admissions

Requirements
Applicants to the School of Library and Information Science must satisfy the following criteria:

  1. Possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. Have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or better or possess another degree beyond the bachelor’s degree. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average between 2.50 and 2.99 can satisfy this requirement by one of the Alternative Admissions methods.
  3. Meet the SLIS Technology Requirements.
  4. Submit a personal statement reflecting relevant personal and academic background and experience. The statement should be a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 words (1-2 pages).
  5. Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
  6. Attend New Student Orientation. MLIS students must attend orientation prior to starting classes. The School views orientation as an essential element of the MLIS program. Students who do not attend the on-campus orientation sessions will be dropped from their classes. This is not applicable to certificate-only students.

Transfer Credit
Applicants with previous graduate-level course work in library and information science or another discipline may be eligible to transfer in credits.  For complete details and requirements, please consult our Transfer Credit policy.

Change of Status
Students who have been previously admitted to Wayne State University at the graduate level are not required to submit an application form. The following change of status form should be completed and submitted directly to the School of Library and Information Science at 106 Kresge Library, Detroit, MI, 48202. Please be sure to include your personal statement and resume with this form.

Download Change of Status Form

Application Dates for Admission*
For Fall classes beginning early September by July 1
For Winter classes beginning early January by October 1
For Spring classes beginning early May by March 15

*The SLIS can only process a finite number of new students per semester. Keep in mind that having your application into the WSU Graduate School by the submission date does not guarantee a spot in the SLIS for that particular semester. Please plan accordingly.

For international students, the application form and all transcripts and documents must be on file in the Graduate Enrollment Services  at least four months before the start of the term in which the applicant plans to begin graduate studies.

For additional information on Graduate School Admission, refer to the Wayne State University Graduate Bulletin

How to Apply

  1. Complete the online Graduate Admission Application form and submit it with the $50 application fee.
  2. Compose a personal statement and upload it to your application. 
  3. Upload a current resume or curriculum vitae with your application.
  4. Request official transcripts from each university you have attended and have them sent directly to Graduate Admissions, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202.

Application Status

After your application is submitted, you will receive an access ID and password from Computing and Information Technology (C&IT). Please use this information to check your application's status in Pipeline. If this is your first time using WSU Pipeline, your password is your 9-digit Banner ID.

Check Your Status

  1. Go to WSU Pipeline
  2. Log in by entering your access ID (2 letters followed by 4 numbers, such as aa9999) and password (your initial password is your 9-digit Banner ID beginning with 00 or 000).
  3. Click the "Check Your Admission Status" icon on the right-hand side.
  4. This will automatically take you to the status screen. At this screen, you will see your status and if there are any outstanding materials.

If you have problems logging in to WSU Pipeline and you have your access ID and password, please contact C&IT at (313) 577-4778.

Please note: It can take 1 to 2 weeks from the receipt of your application materials before the information is put into the electronic system.