PhD Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information and Library Science (PhD-ILS) is a residential research degree designed to educate scholars and future leaders in the field of information and library science. Each student will develop a program of studies tailored to their individual interests and career goals. Required classes include a seminar on current research issues in LIS, and coursework on research methods, statistics, and theory. Students will take additional courses related to their specific research area. The PhD-ILS program also offers opportunities for students to develop teaching skills through both coursework and teaching experience. No explicit electives are required.

Faculty: School of Data and Information Sciences | Department: Data and Information Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

2 Students must take INLS 994 twice for a minimum of 6 credit hours. 3 42 credit hours are required with 6 credit hours of INLS 994 Doctoral Research and Dissertation Core courses include INLS 881 Introduction to Doctoral Studies in Information and Library Science; INLS 882 Research Issues and Questions; BIOS 660 Probability and Statistical Inference I; BIOS 661 Probability and Statistical Inference II; EDUC 710 Introductory Statistical Methods; EDUC 784 Intermediate Statistical Methods.

Career pathways

Each student will develop a program of studies tailored to their individual interests and career goals. The Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP) PhD trains scholars for careers in research and instruction as well as leadership roles in the industry.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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