Study with Us

The University of the Philippines

The University of the Philippines is the country's premier institution of higher learning. Founded in 1908, and with a new Charter granted by law (R.A. 9500) in 2008, UP leads in setting academic standards and initiating innovation through its graduate programs, research activities, and public service. UP's education has a distinctive flavor evident in our graduates who embody the University's commitment to academic excellence, social responsibility, and democratic access. UP is the highest ranked university in the Philippines, placing 65th in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings and 396th in the QS World University Rankings. UP has eight constituent universities in 21 campuses, with its main campus in Diliman, Quezon City occupying a sprawling 493 hectares and home to more than 23,000 students.

The UP School of Library and Information Studies

The UP School of Library and Information Studies (UPSLIS) is the first library school in Southeast Asia and the top performing library school in the Philippines

UP was the first university in Southeast Asia to offer courses in Library Science in 1914. Post-war, the Institute of Library Science was formed in 1961 to offer a graduate program. Now known as the UPSLIS, we continue to lead and reinvent information science education and practice in the region. With 14 full-time faculty members, 17 part-time subject experts from industry, and a low student-teacher ratio of 11:1, UPSLIS provides the best foundation for entering work in the information professions.

Our Programs

The BLIS program is an innovative and interdisciplinary program that aims to develop well-rounded graduates who are able to:

  • Manage information resources, services, tools, and organizations
  • Assess information needs and design responsive information services for diverse users and communities
  • Apply ethical and legal principles in handling information issues faced by individuals, organization, and societies
  • Appreciate the dynamic relationship between information, technology, and society to develop information systems
  • Conduct research using LIS tools and concepts towards the expansion of knowledge in the field and develop solutions to information-related problems

The Bachelor of Library and Information Science is a four-year, 138 unit program that allows students to:

  • Develop a broad foundation in library and information science (LIS)
  • Pursue minor programs within and beyond the School
  • Design a program of study in preparation for medical school, law school, or other graduate programs

Through electives, students may choose to specialize in certain “tracks”:

  • Librarianship
  • Archives and Records Management
  • Information Studies
  • Informatics and Data Science
  • Health Information
  • Legal Information
  • Digital Humanities

Key Information

New high school graduates can apply to the BLIS program through the UP admissions process (UPCAT) via https://upadmissionsonline.up.edu.ph/

College students from a different university may transfer to the BLIS program through the Office of the University Registrar

The MARM program provides students with the knowledge and skills required to work in and develop archives, special collections, record centers, and other memory and collecting institutions.

At the end of the program, graduates will be able to:

  • Evaluate the value of records and archives for research, expression, decision-making, and nation building
  • Integrate core archival theories and principles in relation to praxis
  • Apply established standards and best practices in performing preservation functions
  • Design policies, programs, and strategies for the development of archives and records management
  • Assess the legal, moral, and ethical responsibilities in preserving history, memory, and identity through archival records
  • Formulate approaches and viewpoints to address the current problems and challenges on archives and records at the micro and macro levels

The Master in Archives and Records Management (MARM) focuses on the study of theory-driven and cross-disciplinary practices of archiving and recordkeeping. Students will learn the knowledge and skills necessary to support and document critical organizational decisions and activities that will help ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in both public and private sectors, and to help preserve and promote our cultural heritage, collective memory, and identity.

Grounded on best practices and ethics, the practical and theoretical engagements provided by the program will prepare future archives and records professionals to be historically and culturally conscious and reflective, while further enriching their experience with information for civic engagement and participatory governance. Thus, the MARM program balances the pragmatic and business aspects of records management, and the historical and cultural dimensions of archives.

Key Information

Modes and Duration Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 3 years
Maximum allowed residence of 5 years
Credits

34 units of lectures and laboratory work

Each credit unit is at least 16 hours of instruction in the form of lecture, discussion, seminar, recitation, or any combination of these forms; or 32 hours of laboratory work.
Entry Requirements

The basic requirement for admission is a Bachelor's degree from an accredited Higher Education Institution in the Philippines, or an equivalent foreign qualification, with a general weighted average of at least 2.0 in the UP Scale.

Credentials and references must be submitted as part of the application. Applicants must also take a general aptitude test and diagnostic test from the UP Diliman Office of Counseling and Guidance as well as an entrance exam and interview with UP SLIS.

Foreign applicants whose native language is not English must satisfy a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 500 on the paper-based test, or at least sixty-one (61) on the Internet-Based Test (IBT).

Foreign students must also secure a Study Permit along with other visa requirements upon successful admision to the program.

Resources
Application

The MLIS program offers a venue for intellectual and professional conversations on research-focused approaches and evidence-based practices, towards the advancement of professionals in information sciences. The program creates leaders in the profession who promote a sense of humanity and justice through critical and transformative practice, and embody the principles of honor and excellence towards nation-building as UP scholars.

The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program provides the skills and knowledge to start a career in the information professions. Graduates learn to manage information sources and services in academic, public, research and special libraries, knowledge centers, as well as archives and records offices.

Key Information

Modes and Duration Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 3-5 years
Maximum allowed residence of 5 years
Credits MLIS with thesis: 36 units
MLIS with special project: 37 units
Each credit unit is at least 16 hours of instruction in the form of lecture, discussion, seminar, tutorial, recitation, or any combination of these forms.
Entry Requirements

The basic requirement for admission is a Bachelor's degree from an accredited Higher Education Institution in the Philippines, or an equivalent foreign qualification, with a general weighted average of at least 2.10 in the UP Scale.

English Proficiency Requirement for International Students

If your native language is nor English you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of English proficiency.

Resources
Application

The MSLIS is an interdisciplinary program that offers courses focusing on the creation, use, dissemination and preservation of information in relation to society and emerging technology, as well as theories connected to these information activities.

By the end of the program, graduates will be able to:

  • Critique current and emerging technical knowledge and skills to develop innovative practices
  • Advocate for the advancement of the profession by engaging with different stakeholders in developing effective guiding principles, policies, and strategies towards shaping professional identity
  • Collaborate with diverse communities to address the universal human right to access information
  • Lead library and information science research by producing quality works and publications that expand the body of knowledge of the profession
  • Apply core ethical principles to the conduct of information work
  • Promote a sense of humanity and justice through critical and transformative practice of library and information work
  • Embody the principle of honor and excellence towards nation-building

The Master of Science in Library and Information Science (MSLIS) is a thesis-based program that prepares graduate students for advanced library and information work in academic institutions, government agencies, businesses and corporations, and various information and cultural environments. Students will be trained to conduct systematic and relevant research that will add to the body of knowledge and practice of LIS, and address diverse information problems and issues.

This program creates leaders in the profession who promote a sense of humanity and justice through critical and transformative practice, and embody the principles of honor and excellence towards nation-building as UP scholars.

Key Information

Modes and Duration Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 3-5 years
Maximum allowed residence of 5 years
Credits 36 units
Each credit unit is at least 16 hours of instruction in the form of lecture, discussion, seminar, tutorial, recitation, or any combination of these forms.
Entry Requirements

The basic requirement for admission is a Bachelor's degree in Library and Information Science (BLIS) from an accredited Higher Education Institution in the Philippines, or an equivalent foreign qualification, with a general weighted average of at least 2.10 in the UP Scale.

Credentials and references must be submitted as part of the application. Applicants must also take a general aptitude test and diagnostic test from the UP Diliman Office of Counseling and Guidance as well as an entrance exam and interview with UP SLIS.

Foreign applicants whose native language is not English must satisfy a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 500 on the paper-based test, or at least sixty-one (61) on the Internet-Based Test (IBT).

Foreign students must also secure a Study Permit along with other visa requirements upon successful admision to the program.

Resources
Application

Non-degree students, with credit

Students who are interested in taking courses offered by UPSLIS may apply as a non-degree student for no more than one semester. As there is no specific program of study, these students will not be eligible for graduation. The courses they have taken will be reflected in their Transcript of Records (TOR). Since they do not follow any organized program of study, non-degree students are not prospective candidates for graduation for any degree in the University. However, these courses may be credited towards MLIS should the student choose to apply and be accepted to the program within five years of earning the course credit.

Special Students, without credit

Mature students (such as retired librarians, pensioners who love books, or grandparents doing genealogical research) who want to keep updated or engage with the latest theories and principles in LIS may be admitted as special students without credit and may enroll in such courses for which, in the opinion of the course instructor and the Dean, they have the necessary background knowledge and ability to pursue profitably.

Special students shall not be allowed to enroll for more than 9 units a semester or to register for more than two (2) years, except by special permission of the Dean. They may register for particular subjects within a semester when permissible under the system of instruction adopted by the college. These students do not earn formal academic credit. However, subjects taken even though without credit may be reported at the end of each semester as “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory”. Special students pay the same fees as regular students and may register at any time without the payment of fine for late registration, subject to other regulations of the University.

Seminars and Trainings

UPSLIS regularly offers seminars and training programs on a wide array of subjects, free or at a minimal cost. Institutions may also request specific training for employees and we will work with them to deliver a program that best fit their requirements.

Student Life

Outside of classes, UP is host to about 200 student organizations for different academic subject areas, causes, regional affiliations, religions, sports, and other special interests. UP SLIS is host to two academic organizations, the Library and Information Science Students Association (LISSA) and the Future Library and Information Science Professionals of the Philippines (FLIPP), as well as a variety of special interest groups on different subject areas such as ICT and ARM.

The Office of Scholarships and Grants have a variety of financial programs available to suit different needs. Further, tuition is free for all new BLIS students following the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 (R.A. No. 10931). You can visit http://ovcsa.upd.edu.ph/student-services/osg/ for more details.

UP provides comfortable, accessible, and affordable accommodations for underprivileged students and students from far provinces through the Office of Student Housing (OSH). The OSH manages eleven (11) residence halls on campus: six (6) are co-educational: Kalayaan, which is exclusive for freshmen; Kamagong, exclusive for graduate students; Ipil, Molave and Yakal for upperclassmen; and the International Center for foreign students. Four (4) are exclusively for female students: Ilang-Ilang, Kamia and Sampaguita for undergraduates, and Sanggumay for graduate students. The Centennial Residence Halls are divided into Concordia B. Albarracin Hall for undergraduate male students and Centennial 2 for female undergraduate students. More details on the residence halls can be found at http://ovcsa.upd.edu.ph/student-services/osh/ .

Opportunities

Our alumni have gone on to pursue careers in the information professions as librarians, archivists, records managers, system administrators, programmers, knowledge management specialists, information systems designers, information architects, and researchers among others. We also have graduates who are now lawyers, doctors, and academics

Our alumni can be found across various leading public and private organizations in libraries, archives, and information centers here and abroad. The following companies have recently hired BLIS graduates from UP:

  • Asian Development Bank
  • McKinsey & Company
  • Philippine Stock Exchange
  • ABS-CBN, Ayala
  • BPI
  • PNB
  • Accenture
  • Baker & McKenzie
  • US Embassy
  • World Health Organization
  • St. Luke’s Hospital
  • World Bank