Master of Library and Information Studies, Knowledge Management Specialization

Students who complete the Master of Information Studies program at McGill University will be equipped to become useful and knowledgeable information professionals in fields that are ever increasing in relevance today. Students who specialized in Knowledge Management will be qualified to work as taxonomists, content managers, knowledge journalists, community of practice facilitators, or knowledge support offices.

Students can choose one of two tracks (MISt and MISt – Project), both of which are non-thesis degrees. The Master of Information Studies program with an additional project has a research-based project that is worth 18 credits, while the other route does not include such a project.

This IA program generally has a duration of two years on a full-time basis, with 48 credits in total being earned. Some students opt to complete their degree part-time, in which case a maximum of 5 years may be used.

Students in this information architecture program must choose an Area of Interest to focus on to hone their knowledge and understanding in a specific field. The Knowledge Management (KM) area of interest allows students to work in almost any kind of organization that includes some kind of collection of knowledge – and that means almost any organization at all.

KM involves collecting the expertise of a given company from people's heads, documents, databases, and elsewhere and distributing it in an effective and productive way to allow the knowledge to be shared and accessible for anyone who needs it.

MISt students with a specialization in Knowledge Management will take information architecture classes that include Business Information, Competitive Intelligence, Knowledge Management Foundations, Intellectual Capital Management, Knowledge Taxonomies, Communities of Practice, and more.

In order to complete this IA degree, students must take certain required courses (15 credits) as well as complementary Knowledge Management courses (21-33 credits). The program is conducted entirely in English, so prospective students who don't have English as their mother tongue must demonstrate English proficiency. A bachelor's degree from a recognized university with high enough grades (a B or higher) is also required.

Students at McGill University will take all of their IA classes in person, meaning they will have to be living in Montreal. Students in their second year may take an additional practicum course, which is worth 3 credits and gives students the opportunity to use their acquired knowledge to gain actual experience in the field.

The application window opens on September 15th, with the deadline for completion for both Canadian and international students on January 15th. International students will have to pay around $13,000 per year for tuition, as well as $1300 or more in Student Service Fees and $1100 or more in Health Coverage fees. Canadian citizens pay much lower tuition costs, especially if they are from Quebec. McGill University is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) and is therefore internationally recognized.

McGill University and the McGill School of Information Studies has a rich history, stemming back to 1897. Nestled in the multicultural hotspot of Montreal, Quebec, the school is an affiliate of iSchools, which is an international consortium focused on the promotion and leadership of information as an area of discipline. The MISc program has been offered since 2014.