COA announces accreditation decisions taken at 2014 Annual Conference

CHICAGO — The Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces accreditation decisions made at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

Continued accreditation status was granted to the following programs, with the next comprehensive review visit scheduled to take place in spring 2021:

• Master of Science in Library Science and Master of Science in Information Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
• Master of Library and Information Studies at the University of Oklahoma;
• Master of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University;
• Master of Science in Information Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

ALA accreditation indicates that the program has undergone a self-evaluation process, has been externally reviewed and meets the Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies, established by COA and adopted by ALA Council. COA evaluates each program for conformity to the Standards, which address mission, goals and objectives; curriculum; faculty; students; administration and financial support; and physical resources and facilities.

A complete list of programs and degrees accredited by ALA can be found in the Directory of  ALA-Accredited MLIS Programs. Individuals who would like more information about a particular program should contact the program directly.

The ALA COA is a leading force in accreditation, having evaluated educational programs to prepare librarians since 1924. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes ALA COA as the authority for assessing the quality of education offered by graduate programs in the field of library and information studies.