Information Studies, B.A.

View Checksheet

Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120

Major Hours: 42

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 48

Upper-Division Hours Within Major: 24


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.00

Program Code: B560 (online: B561)

Major Requirements

  • Some courses required for the major may also fulfill University General Education and/or Dodge College of Arts & Sciences Requirements.
  • A grade of C or better is required in each major course. Information Studies category courses must be completed within a maximum of two attempts per course.
LIS 1013Information and Digital Literacy3
LIS 2003Introduction to Information Science3
LIS 4013Information Management in LAMs3
LIS 4043Fundamentals of Information Technology3
LIS 4453Digital Collections3
LIS 4823Internship in Information Studies3
Guided Elective Categories (must total 24 credit hours) 1
Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums - choose 6 to 9 hours6-9
Technology - choose 3 to 6 hours3-6
Management & Leadership - choose 6 hours6
Culture & Communication - choose 6 to 9 hours6-9
Total Credit Hours42
1

The lists of approved courses for these categories are available from the School of Library & Information Studies. 

Major Support Requirements 

Writing and Research
Writing - choose 3 hours 13
Research - choose 3 hours 13
1

The lists of approved courses for these categories are available from the School of Library &
Information Studies.

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and Dodge College of Arts & Sciences requirements must be from the approved General Education course list published in the Class Schedule or at http://www.ou.edu/gened/coursesCourses graded P/NP will not apply.

MINIMUM OF 40 HOURS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-13 hours in the same language)
The college requirement cannot be met by high school coursework.
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Intermediate Course (2000 level) 1,20-3
Mathematics (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Mathematics list3
Core Area II: Natural Science (7 hours, including one laboratory component)
Biological Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: BIOL, HES, MBIO, or PBIO 13-4
Physical Science
Choose an approved General Education Natural Science course with one of the following prefixes: AGSC, ASTR, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, GPHY, METR, or PHYS 13-4
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities (18 hours)
Artistic Forms
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list3
Western Culture
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (excluding HIST 1483/1493)3
World Culture
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Additional Core IV Upper-Division Arts & Humanities courses
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Choose one course from Artistic Forms, Western Culture, or World Culture 1,33
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours56
1

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements: college requirements are not automatically fulfilled by a previous degree.

2

One course at the intermediate level or demonstrated competency at that level

3

6 upper-division hours, 2 courses, at the 3000- 4000-level. Must be outside the major.

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 48 upper-division hours.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements

Arts and Sciences Hours: At least 80 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BA degree. At least 55 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses are required for a BS degree.
Pass/No Pass Enrollment: A maximum of 16 semester hours of free elective credit may be attempted under this option.
Individual Studies (e.g., courses titled “Independent Study”): A maximum of 12 total semester hours may be counted toward graduation, excluding Honors Reading and Honors Research.
P.E. Courses: No physical education activity courses will be counted toward the 120 semester hours of acceptable credit for graduation.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • At least 15 of the final 30 hours applied toward the degree or at least 50 percent of the hours required by the institution in the major field must be satisfactorily completed at the awarding institution.
  • At least 15 semester hours of upper-division major work must be completed in residence at OU.
  • OU correspondence courses are not considered resident credit.

Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum over all 2.00 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU. Some schools and departments of the College have higher minimum grade point averages required for their students.
 

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with Dodge College of Arts and Sciences and/or School of Library and Information Studies academic advisors to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy University, College of Arts and Sciences, and Information Studies major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
LIS 1013 Information and Digital Literacy 3
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
Beginning Foreign Language (Core I) 5
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours14
Second Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
Choose one Guided Elective 1 3
Beginning Foreign Language continued (Core I) 5
General Education Math (Core I) 3
 Credit Hours14
Sophomore
First Semester
LIS 2003 Introduction to Information Science 3
Choose one Guided Elective 1 3
Intermediate Foreign Language 3
Natural Science with lab (Core II) 4
Free Elective, lower-division 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
Choose two Guided Electives 1 6
Writing Major Support Course 3
Natural Science without lab (Core II) 3
Non-Western Culture (Core IV) 3
Free Elective, lower-division 1
 Credit Hours16
Junior
First Semester
LIS 4013 Information Management in LAMs 3
LIS 4043 Fundamentals of Information Technology 3
Choose one Guided Elective 1 3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
Understanding Artistic Forms (Core IV) 3
Choose two Guided Electives 1 6
Research Major Support Course 1 3
LIS 4453 Digital Collections 3
 Credit Hours15
Senior
First Semester
Western Culture (Core IV) 3
Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Choose one Guided Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
LIS 4823 Internship in Information Studies 3
Humanities, upper-division, outside major (Gen. Ed.) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
Free Elective, upper-division (3000-4000-level) 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours120
1

The School of Library and Information Studies requires a minimum of 27 upper-division hours within the major; therefore, some of the approved major courses must be chosen at the upper-division level to ensure this requirement is met.