MI Admissions

Rutgers’ Master of Information (MI) program is competitive, requires 36 credits and must be completed within three years. The program offers two methods of course delivery:

• On campus/hybrid, with classes offered at Rutgers’ New Brunswick campus
• Fully online

Admission is based on:

• Prior academic performance at an accredited academic institution
• GRE scores (No GRE required if you have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better or you have another graduate degree.)
• Professional work experience
• Two letters of recommendation
• A personal statement
• Résumé/CV

Attention International Applicants for the Master of Information program: The U.S. Government Department of Homeland Security has recently directed a return to pre-pandemic regulations, which now require international students to enroll in a minimum of 6 credits of on-campus courses in the fall and spring semesters (a total of 9 credits minimum per semester). We have limited on-campus course offerings each semester, and this may jeopardize your visa status. Therefore, International students applying for enrollment to the MI on-campus/hybrid program during the Fall 2024 through Spring 2025 semesters are only eligible for the DIY academic concentration. It is also important to note that, at this time, most on-campus course offerings will be from the concentrations that focus on technology (IDI, DS, TIM). International applicants can apply to the MI fully online program and complete any seven concentration options. If you would like to discuss further, please reach out to the Graduate Admissions team: gradadmissions@comminfo.rutgers.edu, (848) 932-7550.

For more information about these Rutgers policy changes, please review the full course of study requirement on the Rutgers Global website. For more information about these Rutgers policy changes, please review the full course of study requirement on the Rutgers Global website.

E-transcripts are strongly encouraged and can be sent to e-transcripts@gradadm.rutgers.edu
If your institution does not offer e-transcripts, please have official transcripts mailed to:

Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Proctor Hall, Suite 308
65 Davidson Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854 U.S.A.

International applicants or those with international degrees: We require all transcripts to be evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member. Please refer to the International Students section below.

GRE Scores
You do NOT need to take the GRE if you have a cumulative undergraduate average of 3.0 or higher or you have completed an advanced degree (e.g. Masters; JD; Ph.D.). If a student meets either of the GRE circumstances, they will be automatically exempt from needing to provide GRE scores. No further action is necessary. If your GPA is below 3.0, you must take the GRE. To send your GRE scores to Rutgers, use institution code 2790.

Recommendations
Two letters of recommendation are required. Please submit names of people who are in a position to evaluate your work (e.g., a college professor or workplace supervisor). Recommenders should comment on personal characteristics that will support your success in a rigorous academic program that requires critical thinking, analytical skills, self-reflection, and problem solving. Recommenders will be asked to submit letters on organizational letterhead. Be prepared to supply names and email addresses for all recommenders during the online application process. These letters will be solicited once you have submitted your application.

Statement
A personal statement of approximately 750 words that includes your professional goals and how you believe the MI degree will support your progress toward these goals.

Resume or CV

Application Fee
We require a $70 non-refundable application fee. Review Rutgers Graduate and Professional Admissions guidelines.

Helpful Admission Checklist

Degree:MI (formerly M.L.I.S.)

Institutional Program Title:Library & Information Science

CIP Group Title:Library Science/Librarianship

CIP Code:11.0401

We welcome international students to apply. See the Rutgers University Graduate Admissions page for International Students for more detailed information. Please note that there are five additional requirements that all international applicants must meet:

1. Minimum required scores on either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or DET (Duolingo English Test) earned within the past three years. All decisions are made pending documentation.
   • TOEFL minimum required scores are 94+ for the internet-based test (iBT) or 587 for the paper-delivered test. The Rutgers Graduate School-New Brunswick suggests these minimum sub-score distributions: Writing, 24; Reading, 24; Listening, 22; Speaking, 24 (on iBT only).
   • IELTS Academic test minimum required overall band score is 6.5+. IELTS results are delivered to receiving organizations by postal mail or electronic download. See IELTS for more information.
   • Duolingo minimum required score is 120. See Duolingo for more information. 
   • Send GRE and TOEFL scores to Rutgers Institutional Code 2790; Rutgers does not use ETS department codes.
     NOTE: TOEFL or IETLS are not required for:
     • Students who earned their bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or have taken an accredited English as a Second Language program or course.
     • International applicant students coming from an English-speaking country with a minimum of three years of undergraduate education where the mode of instruction was English.
2. Evidence of adequate financial resources
3. Proper visa status
4. An official transcript evaluation by any member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) such as WES (World Education Services). Refer to NACES for a full list of eligible evaluators.

Important: Rutgers University may deny admission to non-immigrant students for lack of English proficiency, lack of financial support, or because of improper visa status.

Complete your application by the deadlines stated below in order to be considered for admission. Complete applications are periodically reviewed before the deadline. Please note, all required application documents must be received for an application to be considered complete. 

September Program Start: May 15

January Program Start: November 1

May Program Start: March 15

SC&I and the MI program are proud to be able to recognize high-achieving graduate students each year by awarding scholarships and awards to incoming and continuing students. Visit SC&I Scholarships and Awards for:

• Application instructions
• Scholarship eligibility criteria
• Scholarship timelines and deadlines
• MI scholarships, fellowship and support funds

If you have any questions, you may contact the SC&I scholarship administrator at scholarship@comminfo.rutgers.edu.

A maximum of six credits of graduate coursework may be transferred to the MI program under the following two options:

• Credits may be transferred from a graduate program of library and information science accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) if the work was completed with a grade of B or better within three years prior to admission to the Rutgers MI program. Credits will not be transferred until the successful completion of one semester of study. Verbal approvals will be granted for course transfers that align to specific courses in the MI curriculum.
• Credits may be transferred from masters-level courses earned at Rutgers University or master’s level courses earned from a Master’s program from an accredited institution with a grade of B or better within three years prior to admission to the Rutgers MI program. Requests should be submitted after the completion of 12 credits. Practicums and Independent studies cannot be transferred.
• All requests subject to approval and specific requirements of program pathways.
• Current students wanting to take master's courses outside the program must have the approval of the director of the program. Please provide a copy of the course syllabus, a brief statement with respect to how the class aligns with your academic/professional goals, and approval from your academic adviser or concentration coordinator prior to registering for the class. The student is responsible for reaching out to an external program/faculty to obtain permission to take the class.
• Any course completed outside the MI program without explicit advance approval of the program/department will not be applied toward the MI degree and will not be computed in the MI grade point average.

To determine if transfer credits are possible, students with potential transfer credits must:

• Submit a cover letter identifying these credits and include an explanation of why these courses are relevant to the MI degree and their professional goals to the program director.
• Submit course descriptions and syllabi pertaining to these courses to the program director.
• Submit official transcripts from the transferring institution to the SC&I Office of Student Services. Copies of the transcripts will be sent to the Graduate Registrar with the accompanying transfer credit request if approved by the program.

Courses for transfer credit will be evaluated by the program director in consultation with the Admissions Committee and/or concentration coordinators/faculty. After being admitted to the program, students should submit transfer credit requests based on schedules set forth in the policy to the MI Program Director and the Office of Student Services at mi@comminfo.rutgers.edu. The Office of Student Services will notify students of the outcome within four weeks of the requested date.