The American Library Association has re-accredited San José State University’s Master in Library and Information Science degree program for another seven years. The ALA has continually accredited the MLIS program, one of three master’s degrees offered at the SJSU School of Information, since 1969.

Accreditation from the ALA is a “collegial process based on self-evaluation and peer-assessment for improvement of academic quality and public accountability.” The Office of Accreditation oversees this process and has several responsibilities when reviewing master’s programs including promoting “diversity and inclusiveness in library and information studies education,” as well as, “fair and equitable accreditation reviews of library and information studies programs.”

As part of the three-phase accreditation process, the SJSU School of Information prepared a self-study report, hosted a formal site visit by the External Review Panel, and met with the Committee on Accreditation at the annual ALA Conference in June 2022. The Committee on Accreditation provides the formal review and is made up of 12 members from different backgrounds. The process took over a year and was “extremely difficult and demanding,” said Dr. Anthony Chow, director of the SJSU School of Information.

Through accreditation, the SJSU School of Information has demonstrated that its MLIS degree program meets the standards of the ALA and is “fulfilling their commitment to educational quality.”

Chow believes this process has made the SJSU School of Information “stronger than ever.” Describing the school as a “national family” and most diverse in the nation, Chow stated, “We have the privilege of being a true leader in the field and we have a responsibility to work hard and continue to provide the highest quality of LIS education that we possibly can.”

The next review for re-accreditation will take place in 2029.