Admissions

Admissions Overview

Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool) seeks students who are passionate about harnessing the power of information to drive innovation in the digital age. Our admissions team reviews each application holistically, considering applicants of diverse backgrounds who can contribute their knowledge and experiences to the iSchool community. Applicants should demonstrate their ability to meet the demands of a rigorous graduate program.

Application Deadlines

Syracuse offers program start dates four times per year, in January, April, July and October. Applications are now being accepted for the start dates listed below, and admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Students who submit by the early priority application deadline will receive admissions decisions first and be able to connect with iSchool faculty and resources sooner. Additionally, for students who submit by the early priority deadline, the application fee of $75 is reduced to $45.

Application Requirements

You can access the online application here. To complete your application for any of the iSchool’s online programs, you must submit the following:

Resume

Your resume should be current and detail your employment history, academic honors, publications, military experience, leadership roles and/or other academic, professional and community activities.

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Transcripts

Official degree-bearing transcripts are required. You may be required to submit transcripts from the other academic institutions you have attended as well. Please send transcripts to the following addresses.

Applicants for the Library and Information Science¹ and Information Management programs should have transcripts sent to:

Syracuse University
Application Processing Center
iSchool@Syracuse
P.O. Box 30096 017-004
College Station, TX 77842

Applicants for the Applied Data Science program should have transcripts sent to:

Syracuse University
Application Processing Center
DataScience@Syracuse
P.O. Box 30096 017-003
College Station, TX 77842

Institutions that use electronic transcript services can send your official degree-bearing transcript to applicationservices@ischoolonline.syr.edu. Applicants for the Applied Data Science program should have transcripts sent to applicationservices@datascience.syr.edu.

Letters of Recommendation

Two professional or academic references are required to complete your application. Your recommenders must be able to speak in depth to your analytical abilities, initiative, problem-solving skills, discipline, and organizational and communication ability.

Academic references from professors, faculty or advisors must be able to provide a meaningful assessment of your academic record. Professional references, preferably from a supervisor, preferably in your current role, should be able to speak to your professional dedication and ability to succeed in a competitive master’s degree program.

To apply for the Information Management for Executives program, your application will also need to be accompanied by a recommendation letter from an appropriate individual who can offer an independent assessment of your professional expertise and leadership potential in the information management field. You will be prompted to upload this recommendation within the online application.

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Test Scores

The iSchool takes a holistic approach when reviewing applications, as such, applicants are not required to submit GRE scores. If, however, you think your GRE scores or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores could be an asset to your application, you should request that your official scores be sent to us. Syracuse University’s GRE school code is 2823, and our GMAT school code is NG0-HT-87.

The admissions committee reserves the right to request a GRE score from any applicant. In rare cases during the review process, the admissions committee may not be able to make an informed decision solely on the information provided. In these cases, an admissions counselor will request a test score on the committee’s behalf.

Again, although the submission of GRE/GMAT scores is not required, it is recommended for applicants who feel their scores will support their application.

If you are an international applicant, in place of GRE scores, it is advisable to send a credential evaluation with a GPA conversion (preferably WES).

Please note, MS in Library and Information Science: School Media applicants must submit competitive scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Miller Analogy Test (MAT) or other acceptable, nationally normed admissions examination. Contact an admissions counselor to learn more about test waivers.

Personal Statement

Please provide a personal statement, written entirely by you with no outside assistance, detailing why you wish to study for the degree you have chosen. Describe any experiences in school or work that have helped you to prepare for this course of study, your main academic and personal interests, your career goals, how you expect this program to aid you in achieving those goals, and why you wish to study at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies.

Your statement should be double-spaced, approximately 500 words, and include your name and date of birth on each page. The file format should be in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF format.

Information Management for Executives Personal Statement

If you are interested in pursuing the M.S. in Information Management for Executives, you will be evaluated on the following three criteria to assess your leadership potential and qualification for a credit award for experience and knowledge. In your personal statement, please also address how your experience fulfills each of these criteria:

• Years of professional experience: A minimum of six years is necessary. In most cases, more than six years of experience is necessary to demonstrate the required qualifications.
• Appropriate job responsibilities: Your professional experience must be in one or more domains that are central to the information management field.
• Continually increasing job responsibility: You must be able to demonstrate that your career shows a steady progression through increasingly responsible positions.

Your statement should be double-spaced, approximately 500 words, and include your name and date of birth on each page. The file format should be in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF format.

Library and Information Science: School Media Personal Essay

If you are interested in the M.S. in Library and Information Science: School Media Specialization you will be required to submit the following essay, in addition to the personal statement above.

Please provide a personal essay, written entirely by you, demonstrating your beliefs about children’s learning, individuals’ diversity, enthusiasm for learning, collaboration and ethics that are suitable to the education profession.

Your statement should be double-spaced, approximately 500 words, and include your name and date of birth on each page. The file format should be in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF format.

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Application Fee

The nonrefundable application fee for all programs is $75. If you apply before the priority deadline, the application fee will be reduced to $45.

Application fee waivers are available for:

• active-duty service members and veterans;
• current Syracuse University undergraduate and graduate students; and
• Syracuse alumni and employees.

International Applicants

International applicants and applicants whose native language is not English will be required to submit TOEFL or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores and U.S. bachelor’s degree equivalency.

Learn more about the international admissions requirements.

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