Texas Woman’s University

Texas Woman's University was initially founded in 1901 as the Girls Industrial College with input from several groups, including the Texas Press Women's Association. Though it became co-educational for graduate programs in 1972, TWU is the largest public, state-supported college for women in America. Endowed for $12.2 million, TWU currently serves 9,443 undergrad and 5,735 post-grad Pioneers across nine divisions like the School of Library & Information Science. From its main 270-acre suburban campus in Denton, the "Golden Triangle of North Texas," TWU delivers education from Dallas to Houston and online. Texas Woman's University famously houses the Women's Collection of 42,000 books and 3,000 manuscripts, including the WASP Archival Collection, in the Blagg-Huey Library.

According to Forbes, Texas Woman's is the 232nd top public university and 232nd best research institution nationally. The U.S. News recognized TWU for America's 34th best graduate library and information studies degrees. On Niche, TWU is named the 349th "Most Conservative College" and 333rd "Best Value School" with a 91 percent job placement rate. Washington Monthly crowned Texas Woman's University the ninth best bang for the buck in the South. The publication also placed TWU at 188th overall for contribution to the public good. College Factual included Texas Woman's in the United States' top 5 percent for ethnic diversity and liberal arts.

Texas Woman's University Accreditation Details

In 2013, Texas Woman's University passed the reaffirmation process under Chancellor Dr. Carine M. Feyten with no public sanctions from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This Level VI regional accreditation means that the university is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Online library science degrees maintain approval from the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Accreditation. School librarianship courses also meet the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards for Texas K-12 Certification.

Texas Woman's University Application Requirements

Although Texas Woman's University is classified as "less selective," graduate programs are competitive since space is limited. Entering the online MLS or MALS program requires finishing a four-year bachelor's degree or higher. Graduating from a regionally accredited college with a minimum "B" average is preferred. Those with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 must submit test scores. For example, TWU graduates achieve a mean verbal score of 150 and quantitative score of 146 on the GRE. International students have an extra step of proving English fluency with a minimum paper-based TOEFL score of 550 or the equivalent.

Texas Woman's University accepts applications on a rolling basis until spaces are filled; however, the priority deadlines are July 1st for Fall, December 1st for Spring, and May 1st for Summer. The online SLIS application is a fillable PDF that's best accessed by Google Chrome. Prospective graduates must also submit the following by mail to P.O Box 425769 in Denton, TX 76204.

• Official transcripts from each college
• Scores for the GRE or MAT exams
• Current resume or curriculum vitae
• Three professional reference letters
• Two-page statement of librarianship goals
• Payment for the $50 application fee

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time graduate students from Texas pay $4,522 for tuition and $2,364 for fees on average. Mean tuition and fees for non-resident graduates is $11,867 and $2,364. Online study for the MLS and MALS follows a different pay structure though. Courses above the 500-level charge $254 in-state and $674 out-of-state per credit online. Library science courses have an additional surcharge of $10 and a technology fee of $22.5 per credit too. Therefore, the total master's program costs are just $9,144 in-state or $24,264 out-of-state.

The NCES reports that 67 percent of full-time Texas Woman's students share $41.64 million in financial aid with an average package amount of $6,412 yearly. Before the Online Graduate Orientation, students should file the FAFSA to qualify for low-interest Federal Direct Unsubsidized or Grad PLUS loans. Certified educators interested in school librarianship may receive the TEACH Grant. Living in the Lone Star State could unlock funds like the Tuition Equalization Grant, Texas Armed Services Scholarship, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. MLS majors often apply for the Texas Library Association's Siddie Joe Johnson Award, Walter H. Escue Memorial Scholarship, Vivian Greenfield Education Award, and more. Online students may be eligible for the TWU Graduate Student Scholarship, McNair Scholars Scholarship, Myrtle G. Isensee Endowment, and other institutional awards. Nearby Denton residents could also secure graduate assistantships that currently pay $12.54/hour or $9,781 every year.

Online Degree(s) Available

Digital technology has helped 26 master's and four doctoral programs at Texas Woman's University become easily accessible online. Online graduate courses are limited to 25 students apiece for quality interaction with Ph.D.-level faculty trained at Arizona State, UW-Madison, Emporia State, Rutgers, and more. Students log into Blackboard 24/7 through the Pioneer Portal to complete coursework, gain access to the TWU Online Writing Lab Live, and join the BPM Betw Lambda Chapter. Future librarians could complete these two degrees 100 percent online:

Master of Arts in Library Science

Accredited by the ALA, the Master of Arts in Library Science is a research-based graduate degree conducted fully online by TWU for students seeking to improve library and information services through empirical-based studies. The 39-credit curriculum produces librarians for applying research expertise in academic and government libraries. Sample online courses include research methods, information retrieval, statistics, and communications technologies. Professional preparation culminates with a six-credit master's thesis project where online students conduct thorough literature reviews on central research problems under a faculty advisor's wing.

Master of Library Science

TWU's Master of Library Science is another of the ALA-accredited online programs that takes a more practice-oriented approach to prepare librarians for applying skills in various information environments. The 36-credit degree offers eight specializations: Academic Libraries, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, Health Science Libraries, Information Technology, Technical Services/Cataloging, and Community Informatics. Online courses span from library management to information organization with a 120-hour unpaid, supervised practicum placement. Rather than a master's thesis, MLS students must complete a final exam portfolio of their experiences.

Related Resource: Top 30 Affordable Online Master's in Library Science Degree Programs

Librarians who already hold a master's degree have an online pathway to the Graduate Certificate in School Librarianship. The 24-credit option features specialized courses like children's literature, school multimedia services, collection development, and instructional partnership for completion in roughly two years part-time. There's also a Graduate Certificate in Evidence-Based Health Science Librarianship online for practice in medical and nursing facilities. This accelerated track involves just 12 credits beyond the MLS with courses like health informatics and health reference services at Texas Woman's University.