Future Students

Are you interested in library and information science? Have you been wondering if Palmer is the right school for you? Then…

More….

If you don’t find all the answers you want from this site, please send an email directly to Alice Flynn (alice.flynn@liu.edu). She would be happy to help!

General Program Information
The Palmer School of Library and Information Science
General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Financial aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid How-To andForms
Tuition and Fees Schedule

General Information about Palmer Manhattan

  • The Palmer School’s master’s degree (MSLIS) is offered at LIU Post in Brookville, Long Island; in Manhattan at NYU’s Bobst Library; and in Brentwood in Long Island’s Suffolk County.
  • Once admitted to Palmer, students may choose to take classes at any of our sites.
  • The master’s degree is 36 credits (12 courses). There are five required core courses including a capstone internship.
  • We offer an optional certificate program in Archives and Records Management that can be taken within the 36 credit MSLIS. It is an 18 credit concentration. Those who already have a master’s degree in any field are eligible to apply for the certificate without the MSLIS.
  • We have the only concentration in rare books and special collections of its kind, taking advantage of spectacular NYC resources—both places and people!
  • Many students do both the rare books and archives concentrations within the 36-credit MSLIS.
  • Students interested in working in the school setting can earn the school media specialist certification by taking our blended program, meaning that many of the courses are taken online. School media students earn teaching certification as part of the School Media Specialist degree.

The Program

  • Palmer’s courses cover all of the basics (reference, cataloging, history of the field) within the context of today’s technologies, coupled with the very latest topics (audio preservation, website architecture, building digital libraries, emerging technologies, just to name a few) and specialized areas of interest like History of the Book, Artists’ Books, Special Collections of NYC, Preservation, and more, so that our students are more than equipped to handle the challenges of working as today’s information specialist.
  • Flexible scheduling allows for evening, weekend, intensified (one week, six weekends, two weekends, etc.), online and blended (primarily online) formatting. Classes are offered in the fall, spring and summer enabling students to move through the program at the pace that works best for them. Palmer’s required internship ensures that students have professional-level, hands-on experience just prior to graduating. A list of past internship sites can be found here.

The Faculty

  • Palmer faculty represent a wealth of experience and interests. Not only do our full-time faculty teach and counsel our students, but we have access to the best of the best in the way of working professionals from a variety of New York City institutions — other universities like Columbia, New York University, Hunter, to the New York Public Library, New-York Historical Society, The Grolier Club, and others.
  • For more information on our Palmer faculty, please visit this page.

Admissions

  • Students may apply for fall, spring or summer admission.
  • Admission is on a rolling basis—once the LIU Post Office of Graduate Admissions has ALL the necessary materials (all transcripts, two references, completed application, personal statement, resume) applicants usually hear back within three weeks.
  • GREs are not required for anyone with a 3.0 or better on the overall undergraduate cumulative average OR for anyone who has completed another master’s or professional degree.
  • The application may be found online at: http://www.liu.edu/CWPost/Admissions/Graduate.aspx
  • Interested students may take up to six credits (two courses) prior to admission. To apply for this non-matriculated status, please contact alice.flynn@liu.edu. Please understand that there is no financial aid available for students who are not matriculated. The earned credits will be applied to the official record once the student is matriculated.

The Dual Degree with NYU

  • Palmer boasts an excellent dual degree program with NYU aimed at addressing the critical need for subject specialists for research libraries.
  • Graduates of this program work in any number of academic and corporate or non-profit settings.
  • Interested students apply to both Palmer and to the program of their choice from NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Science and specific programs at NYU’s NYU’s Steinhardt School. Once accepted into both universities, applicants must complete a short application for the dual degree program itself in order to confirm that your goals match those of the program– to train subject specialists who wish to work in a research setting.
  • Students receive two master’s degrees (our MSLIS and a master’s degree from NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Science or Steinhardt School) but credits required for each individual degree are reduced. Students take a total of 28 Palmer credits and approximately 24 NYU credits.
  • Through the innovative four-credit mentorship component of the dual degree, students work closely with an NYU subject specialist mentor over the duration of their time in the dual degree program.
  • Dual degree students should plan on beginning both degrees simultaneously in the fall. Once a student has earned more than six Palmer credits (two courses) s/he is no longer eligible to join the dual degree program.
  • For more information, please see our page on this blog.

Scholarships/Financial Aid

  • Palmer and other sources offer a number of scholarships, and most students are eligible for loans. Please see this page for a list of possible scholarships. We also encourage students to explore organizations and associations specific to their particular interests since these are often a source of funding.
  • Anyone applying for any form of aid or scholarship must complete the FAFSA form. Please indicate the following processing codes on your application: FAFSA-002751.
  • Palmer Manhattan FAQ (PDF)
We have a great program in wonderful places, and we’d be glad to answer any other questions you might have.

For questions related to the program at LIU Post, please email Gerry.Kopczynski@liu.edu; for information on the program in Manhattan, please email  Alice.Flynn@liu.edu.

Please join us for one of our information sessions! Dates are posted here. We look forward to speaking with you in the weeks to come!