Wayne State University School of Information Sciences

What Wayne State University School of Information Sciences does

Wayne State University School of Information Sciences (SIS) is an academic unit within Wayne State University, a public research university in Detroit, Michigan, founded in 1926 and operating for nearly 100 years. The school delivers ALA-accredited graduate education in library and information science, including the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS), joint MLIS/MA degrees in History and Public History, graduate certificates in Archival Administration, Information Management, and Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults, and a School Library Media Specialist Endorsement. All programs are offered entirely online with asynchronous course delivery, supported by experiential learning resources such as the Digital Media Projects Lab, the Alternative Spring Break program at institutions like the National Archives and Smithsonian, and student organizations including FLID and NDSA.

The school's core technology is an asynchronous online learning environment hosted on Wayne State's Digital Commons institutional repository, which also hosts the student-run peer-reviewed Information Warrior Journal. Revenue is generated through graduate tuition, supplemented by federal grants (notably from IMLS, including a $247,152 award for Project RUSL), alumni donations (Betty Ong gift, Spang estate), and corporate partnerships such as the GEHA-backed expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in southwest Detroit. Tuition is not publicly disclosed. The school serves a primarily regional and U.S. national student base of working professionals and career-changers, with measurable outcomes including 83% year-over-year MLIS retention, a 2.8-year average time-to-degree, and a 66% full-time employment rate within six months of graduation per Library Journal Placements and Salaries 2024.

Name

Wayne State University School of Information Sciences

Legal name

Wayne State University School of Information Sciences

Website

https://sis.wayne.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wayne State University School of Information Sciences is an ALA-accredited public graduate school offering online MLIS, MSIS, and certificate programs in library, archival, and information science, serving working professionals and career-changers across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library and Information Science Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA), Online Teacher Education Universities (Licensure & M.Ed.) (EDAHALAG)

Keywords

• Library science education
• Information science degrees
• Archival administration programs
• Graduate certificate programs
• School library endorsement

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: Revenue generated from tuition for graduate degree programs including MLIS, MSIS, and various graduate certificates. Programs can be completed entirely online with asynchronous format, making them accessible to a broader student population.
2. External Grants and Funding: Federal grants such as the IMLS Enhancement Grant and IMLS National Leadership Grant awarded to faculty and the school for specific projects like decolonizing library systems and restoring urban school libraries.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Gifts and donations from alumni and supporters, such as the Betty Ong gift to support knowledge inclusivity and Spang estate contributions for student support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SIS delivers ALA-accredited graduate-level educational programs in library and information science, including the MLIS and MSIS master's degrees, four graduate certificates (Archival Administration, Information Management, Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults, and School Library Media Endorsement), and joint MLIS/MA degrees with Public History and History. All degrees and certificates can be completed entirely online with asynchronous course formats, and are supplemented by experiential learning through the Digital Media Projects Lab and the Alternative Spring Break program at major cultural heritage institutions.

Product overview

Wayne State University School of Information Sciences (SIS) is an ALA-accredited educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs, certificate programs, and professional development opportunities in library and information science. The school provides a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS), multiple graduate certificates (Archival Administration, Information Management, Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults), and endorsements for school library media specialists. The school operates experiential learning resources including the Digital Media Projects Lab (DMPL) for hands-on training with archival formats, and supports student professional development through organizations like FLID (Future Librarians for Inclusivity and Diversity) and publications like The Information Warrior Journal. Programs are delivered entirely online with asynchronous format options, positioning SIS as both an educational provider and a gateway to the information profession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Information Warrior Journal: A peer-reviewed, open-access student journal published on Wayne State's Digital Commons featuring work from SIS students and recent alumni

Products and services

• Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) ALA-accredited master's degree preparing professionals for leadership roles in libraries and other information organizations, with customizable curriculum paths and fully online asynchronous delivery.
• Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) Master's degree preparing students for data-intensive and user-centric environments in the information technology industry, with fully online asynchronous delivery.
• Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration Certificate program representing one of the oldest archival education programs in the nation, providing both traditional and digital archival skills through experiential education.
• Graduate Certificate in Information Management Certificate program covering information management principles, data management, and information governance for various organizational settings.
• Graduate Certificate in Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults Specialized certificate providing training to serve young library users, covering collection development, technology, instructional methods, literacy, and outreach.
• School Library Media Specialist Endorsement Endorsement program preparing educators for school library media specialist roles, covering digital citizenship, information literacy, and media center management.
• Joint MLIS/MA in Public History Combined degree program allowing students to earn both MLIS and MA in Public History, integrating library science with public history applications.
• Joint MLIS/MA in History Combined degree program pairing MLIS and MA in History, enabling expertise in both library science and historical research.
• Experimental (Expedited) School Library Media Program Accelerated pathway for obtaining school library media certification, designed for working professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% student retention rate (70 of 85 new MLIS students enrolled in fall 2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMLS provides federal grant funding for innovative library projects. Dr. Anne Heidemann received IMLS Enhancement Grant for 'We all read, we all write' community writing/ publishing initiative, and IMLS National Leadership grant for decolonizing and indigenizing library systems of organization. Dr. Kafi Kumasi received IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program award for Project RUSL.
• Project RUSL Partners (Harper Woods and River Rouge School Districts)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with metro Detroit school districts to restore urban school libraries through Project RUSL (Restoring Urban School Libraries). Project provides education and professional development for classroom teachers to become certified school librarians and build capacity for school libraries.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide free monthly books to southwest Detroit families through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program. SIS led initiative that tripled its reach with $15,000 GEHA investment.
• Detroit Carhartt WorkshopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Carhartt Workshop on the second floor of the company's flagship Detroit store provides community space and connects history of the company to today. Dave Moore (alumnus) helped establish the workshop as a community resource.
• Blacksburg Public LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner with Virginia Tech Libraries, LASO (Latino Association Student Organization), and El Centro for the Comunidad Book Club, which provides books in English or Spanish with Spanish-only discussion meetings.
• National Archives and Records AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Alternative Spring Break program providing week-long internship opportunities for SIS students. Students gain hands-on experience at nationally iconic cultural heritage institutions.
• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Alternative Spring Break program providing week-long internship opportunities for SIS students at the Smithsonian museums and archives.
• Presidential LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Alternative Spring Break program providing internship opportunities at various Presidential Libraries across the nation.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Alternative Spring Break program providing internship opportunities at MIT libraries and archives.
• Detroit Sound ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKimberly Schroeder serves as Collections Advisor for Detroit Sound Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Detroit's musical heritage. SIS fellowship helped digitize 7,000 minutes of local music history.
• Detroit Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership with Detroit Public Library where many alumni work and volunteer. Joint initiatives include Community Engagement Librarian program and outreach programs. SIS student Emily Polet-Monterosso's kidney donation awareness project and community programs connect students with DPL.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/WayneStateSchoolofInformationSciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/Wayne-State-University-School-of-Information-Sciences-61579730069236
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wayne-state-university-school-of-information-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/siswaynestate

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wayne State University School of Information Sciences