Welcome new students! Below is a TON of information that should help you get started with the program. You can find even more information on the FAQ posts all organized into handy categories.
Remember to Accept enrollment!
In your official offer letter from the Graduate School there is a link to accept admission to the MLS Program.
New Student Online Information Session
Spring 2016
December 1, 2015, 6:30-7:30pm
Join the session here: http://go.umd.edu/Spring16AdmitsInfo
Fall 2016
March 2, 2016, 7:00-8:00pm
Join the session here: http://go.umd.edu/Fall16AdmitsInfo
Can’t make it? Not to worry, we’ll record and post it after!
Orientation – Save the Date!
The iSchool orientation will take place on August 23, 2016 on the College Park campus. An orientation for fully online students is being arranged. (Spring 2016 are not required to attend but are welcome!)
New Student Checklist
Here’s the 2016 New Student Checklist to get you started.
Registration
You can find detailed instructions on how to register on our How to Register Guide. Spring and Fall billing information and due dates can be found here. Summer courses have an alternate billing schedule than fall/spring. You can review the billing policies here.
Financial Aid
Specific questions regarding financial aid must be directed to the Office of Financial Aid. Financial Advisors are available by appointment, which can be set up by phone at (301) 314-9000 or via email at umfinaid@umd.edu. For more information see the Financial Aid Office webpage here: http://financialaid.umd.edu.
Scholarships
Scholarships and award announcements are shared through the iSchoolAnnouncements and program specific listservs as well as program blogs like MIM Central and blogMLS. The iSchool also maintains a webpage dedicated to financial aid information, which can be found here: http://ischool.umd.edu/content/financial-aid
Scholarships are also available through professional organizations such as the American Library Association (ALA), Society of American Archivists (SAA), Special Libraries Association (SLA), and Maryland Library Association (MLA). These scholarships can be found here: http://ischool.umd.edu/content/other-financial-aid-opportunities.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate Assistantships or GA positions are available through university offices and departments. GA positions include a stipend, health benefits, and tuition remission. The amount of tuition remission and stipend ranges will depend on whether the student is at the master’s or doctorate level and whether the assistantship is a 9.5-month or 12-month position.
Although numerous graduate assistant positions exist, finding one is like finding a regular job and can be arduous. You can find GA postings on the MLS-Students listserv and MIM Central website. Graduate assistantships are also available through the UMD Job Announcements website here: https://ejobs.umd.edu. The University Library employment page will also post GA positions when they are available: http://lib.umd.edu/hr/employment-opportunities/home.
Field Study and Jobs
If you are looking for an internship or field study opportunity, the iSchool maintains a database of active listings of institutions eager for MLS students as well as additional opportunities that may have more time-sensitive application periods. It is never too early to start thinking about where you will do your field study! The Field Study database is available here: http://ischoolfieldstudy.umd.edu
If you are looking for employment in the field of libraries or the information sciences, be sure to regularly check or subscribe to the MLS-Jobs page. Any job listings that are sent to the iSchol are posted on this page within blogMLS. Students may subscribe to the blog through the “subscribe by email feature.” Subscribers will receive one daily digested email with any posts that went up.
ListServs
MLS-Students: The MLS-Students listserv is for currently enrolled MLS students. The MLS program administrators use this list to send out official announcements such as changes in course schedules and information on events like our iSchool Internship and Networking Fair. You can expect to receive several emails each week from this list. It is very important that you read the emails sent by this list as they may contain essential administrative information. You will be automatically subscribed to this list and will remain subscribed during each semester that you are registered for courses.
iSchoolAnnouncements: The iSchoolAnnouncements listserv is for every student in the iSchool. This is used by the iSchool administrators to convey official information that affects all students (e.g. scholarship opportunities at the iSchool). It is also used by our very active student organizations to promote their various events. You can expect one or two emails a week depending on the level of activity from our student organizations. It is very important that you read the emails from this list, as they may contain administrative information, such as how to apply for graduation. You will be automatically subscribed to this list and membership is mandatory.
iSchoolDiscussion: The iSchoolDiscussion listesrv is the public-facing listserv where students, faculty, and alums post news, events, and general announcements. To join, send an email to listerv@listserv.umd.edu with the first line in the message “SUBSCRIBE ISCHOOLDISCUSSION your name” excluding quotation marks. The subject line of your email should be left blank. Membership is optional.
blogMLS
blogMLS is the official blog of the MLS Program at the iSchool. It is maintained by the MLS Director, MLS Program Coordinator, and a crack team of MLS students. On it you will find official program information, iSchool news and events, resources for MLS students, and much more. There is some overlap between official announcements on the MLS-Students listserv and this blog. This is to ensure that students see the information and have a centralized place to find announcements send previously. The main blogMLS page can be found at http://mls.umd.edu.
blogMLS has a Jobs Page. This section of blogMLS is focused on advertising relevant jobs and paid internship opportunities. Any jobs that are sent to the iSchool are posted to this area, and students may choose to subscribe to the blog through the “subscribe by email feature,” which will send a daily digested email with any posts that went up.
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