MA & MLIS English and Library and Information at University of South Carolina

Programme overview

This three-year dual degree program prepares students for a variety of professional paths, including careers in academia, museums, archives and as subject specialists in academic or public libraries. Expand your intellectual borders and your career opportunities. Along with the rigorous curriculum of the nationally ranked School of Information, the English department offers innovative courses based on theoretical developments in literature, culture, rhetoric and composition.

Faculty: College of Information and Communications / McCausland College of Arts and Sciences | Duration: 30 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbia, SC, United States

What you will study

Popular courses include Social Justice Storytelling and Advocacy as well as History and Utopia. Reading knowledge of one foreign language may be required, and the program culminates in a portfolio and thesis. Students can work with the SC Center for Community Literacy or travel to schools with Cocky as part of his Reading Express initiative.

Career pathways

Potential careers include Public Librarian, Literacy Specialist, Writer, College Instructor, Reference Librarian, Archivist.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admissions (University of South Carolina Academic Bulletin): Students applying to the joint English/MLIS will submit applications to both programs separately and will be evaluated by each program. Admission to one program does not guarantee admission to the joint degree. Students applying to the joint degree must have their applications for both programs submitted by the English application deadline (January 11). Applications not submitted to both programs by the English department deadline will not be considered for the joint degree.

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 applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer terms; Fall applications open the prior September, Spring applications open in January and Summer applications open in May.

The graduate application fee is $50 per primary application, reinstated effective August 1, 2026. Deadlines are programme-specific. The Moore School of Business, the Arnold School of Public Health and the College of Nursing use their own applications; the Moore School charges an additional $50 application fee for graduate programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://www.sc.edu/admissions-at-sc/applications/index.php

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