For the first time since 1999, U.S. New & World Report released its new rankings of master's programs in library and information studies in March 2006. Overall, SLIS is tied for #7 in the nation. In the specialties category, SLIS law librarianship ranks #4. Digital librarianship, information systems, and school library media received a #8 ranking.
According to The Ranking Methodology article on USNews.com, graduate programs in the sciences "are based solely on the ratings of academic experts" in the field. Rankings for other graduate programs such as business and law use both expert opinions and statistical data.
For an April 5, 2006, news article in Indiana Daily Student (IDS), SLIS Dean Blaise Cronin said the school's record of landing large grants and other sources of money isn't considered. "We should have been ranked a little higher," he said. "We punch above our weight."
Specifically, for the master's programs in library and information studies, the ranking methodology was as follows:
U.S. News ranked 50 master's degree programs in the United States that are accredited by the American Library Association. The rankings are based on the results of a fall 2005 survey sent to the dean of the program, the program director, and a senior faculty member in each of these programs. The questionnaires asked individuals to rate the academic quality of programs at each institution as outstanding (5); strong (4); good (3); adequate (2); or marginal (1). Individuals who were unfamiliar with a particular school's programs were asked to select "don't know." Scores for each school were totaled and divided by the number of respondents who rated that school. The response rate was 51 percent. (America's Best Graduate Schools 2007 - www.usnews.com)
To view the full rankings, see U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Graduate Schools 2007."
Read the initial stories about the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science rankings:
- Indiana University press release.
- The Herald-Times (story from March 31, 2006)
U.S. News rankings good news for IU schools Library science, business, education schools get good marks in school comparisons
*text reposted with permission in the SLIS News story below - Related SLIS News Story (posted March 31, 2006):
SLIS ranked #7 by U.S. News & World Report
- Related SLIS News Story (posted April 5, 2006)
IDS story: SLIS Top-10 Ranking
Posted April 09, 2006