Weepsie

So it seems even if UBC/SLAIS deem me good enough to attend their esteemed institution, I'll have to decline anyway. It was always going to be tough to save enough money to do it. I believe I'd have 15000 dollars going over for fees, rent etc and apparently that's not enough (even if my fee would only be 4200 and if I am incredibly thrifty). I think It could be done with great sacrifice and a life of a hermit being adopted but I'd like to experience everything Vancouver has to offer so from that point of view it's not enough. I had been hoping to be able to work off campus in a library or institute that I could relate to my course or get a co-op placement but I've been told today my student visa would only cover on campus work unless it's directly linked to the course. It's a bit of a bummer as Ireland is not a place I want to be in the near future (I'll come back) but this news as scuppered the plans. It looks like that unless I get funding or a friendly bank manager (nigh on impossible to get a loan over here at the moment) I'll be staying at home. Anyone else in a similar predicament,

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Thanks, Id probably be ok with 45 mins especially if it saved me money in the long term. Where I'll be going in Ireland if I don't get accepted is 45min-1 hour bus trip anyway and gets worse certain times of the year. I probably spent 45 minutes-hour as an undergrad commuting too as I would walk to the local train station daily to get my train to college.

a few others on another site have heard nothing. I take some comfort in the site saying 6 weeks between applications closing and acceptance e-mails being sent. 6 weeks is this Tuesday

Ah I see. It's not so much patience as that I bombarded them with questions in December and January and feel they'd probably be a bit sick of me. Maybe next week I'll contact again though. I'm amazed to say that they and other folk from UBC I've had to contact have been very quick to respond, quicker than some places here in Ireland.

Possibly academic or some form of governmental role. I'm more concerned about the theory I think and how information is organised. I plan on combining this with American Studies or International relations to research how information changes or is used at times of conflict so on so forth. Well that's for now anyway. I hope to have many strings to my bow. I also want to work in the National Security Archive in D.C. for a bit

I've not heard a thing from UBC, now I've heard that someone hasbeen accepted and someone has been contacted saying theyll know this week I think it does not bode well for my application.

When applying it was not something I gave much consideration to as It's not widely used in Ireland/UK, but how important is GPA and what is the scale. On the face of my overall results, one may not think theyre all that impressive. I averaged around 64/65% in both my BA and MA. That equates to second class honour, grade one (2.1) or a B. generally75% isan A+ and is quite hard to get. I think my GPA is about 3.4 or 3.5 but not sure whether that's considered good. If it is I may get offered some sort of funding which would make it an automatic yes to head on over to Canada.

Like all professional degree's Library Qualifications tend to come at a price. I too was stunned by McGills fees when I checked. It was lucky that UBC was my only consideration as the Fee for me would be qquite low as an International Student. It really depends on how badly you want to do it. Perhaps you could ask for a deferral for a year if you're working now. Give yourself the year to save and maybe do some pre-study and research other ways of funding. From what I can gather also, fees are continually rising as it gets more diverse and competitive. The shift to IT focused LIS studies maybe partly to blame, but also universities losing funding is hardly helpiing

ir720, would you be able to forward any info or insights about SLAIS/UBC should i need any. Theyve said that they will inform accepted applicants by e-mail within 6 weeks of the deadline. That's next Tuesday so here's hoping.

Cheers for the reply. I've essentially got a place at home in Ireland for me to do a similar course, but it has fewer options and is almost entirely IT centred where as UBC, while being 6000 miles or so from home just seems far too impressive should I get the chance. I feel I may have messed up my application somewhat though and may not get it though.

what is the absolute cheapest i could get rent for in Vancouver within a reasonable commuting distance to the UBC campus with internet (preferably wireless) access and other standard utilities at all. If possible id be hoping around 500 and I'd prefer to have housemates (students if possible)

Pretty much as the title says. Anyone applied there or know of anyone who went there. Looks like it has plenty of variety and a solid reputation from what I gather.

I'm going on my own dime too should I go. I'm hearing people say that id need 18-20000 dollars after fees to get by. This seems a ludicrous amount to me. I'll be looking for affordable rent off campus probably, preferably with a group of other students in the same boat. I can be thrifty when I need to be and realise that food etc doesnt neccesarily have to be expenseive if you shop around a bit. though ill probably look for some sort of part time work, as much to gain more professional experience for the degree as anything else, as to support myself even more. Though I may of course not even get in and all this is moot and i'll stay in Ireland where the rain is worse I'd wager because of the greyness it brings!!

I'm applying from little old Ireland. I've always wanted to live in Vancouver for some reason at some stage in my life, I'm somewhat obliged to do a degree next year and it's somehow cheaper for tuition for me to go there than it is here. Rent and living expenses more than balance it out, in fact they make it seem ludicrous that I'd consider going but the Campus looks amazing, my experience of Canada and its folk has always been nothing short of pleasant. There's is also a fairly young population of Irish over there now seeing as how this country is a bit short on most things at present. Mostly, the challenge of being taken out of my comfort zone for an intense programme of study. It may require a sizeable bankloan however. I've already done some checks on rent and housing just in case I'm accepted and decide to take it. I'll know in the next 2 weeks I think.

As I've read that people who choose to do LIS degrees generally come from a wide array of other degree programmes, and that most I work with seem to have a different qualification I awas wondering what everyone has studied before pursuing a LIS degree. Me, English & History as my BA degree and then an MA in History (american).

Got in touch wuth UBC and they said something to the effect that it's allowable but there are not too many positions opens, and won't be too many by the time I'm there. I'm still waiting to hear from the embassy if I can work part time as I'd be looking to get relevant work experience while I'm over there. Over here there are few openings in Library/Info field at the moment, even fewer part-time.

I imagine so. CILIP and ALA do recognise each other's programmes on the upside. Im probably taking a risk attempting to go to CAnada to do a LIS rather than doing it locally, but that's more so because the main body here likes to support its own I feel (there's really only 1 course here). I've already done US History, being the only one too, when everyone else did Irish and European so I like to think that learning different practices and theory will help me stand out. It is something that will probably become more standardised in the future though, maybe not anytime soon though

Thanks for the replies, Im a little bit more enlightened now. I think if I explained to the department the future plans for study and how ill be combining aspects of a LIS degree and History/Policitcs and Conflict studies it may be a goer. I'm applying from Ireland so it's all a bit new and the system is a bit different.

I was looking to find out if it was at all possible to work as a TA or RA in a faculty other than the one you were studying for, provided you were suitably qualified of course. I ask as I've got a Masters in History already and have done within that Media and Foreign Policy/International relations. I'll be doing an MLIS but would take a TA position in a History dept too if it were possible. I intend on doing a PhD in American Studies or History sometime after focusing on information organization/dissemination during times of conflict so it is not a completely mad notion I think, though unlikely Thanks

you could also consider archival science if you want to work in a museum or Aberystwyth in Wales, UK does a distance MLIS programme which is highly rated. The Library school is also highly respected. You do have to sepnd one week in a small welsh town but you can do it at your own leisure thereafter I believe

In terms of getting onto a degree programme, most seems to want some entry level experience, often a few weeks. Some will take you on merit with previous results taken into account. It's quite a competitive profession by all accounts. I'm over in Europe looking to do the MLIS in canada, though I've somewhere to fall back on. There are not many openings at the moment in the sector so it's important to get experience for once you graduate if not before hand. I took 6 months unpaid and am now fortunate to have a year long contract that is aimed at preparing me the course.

I'm in a different boat to others here seeing as I am applying from Europe. Only applied to UBC and should find out in the next 2/3 weeks. I've a place in Ireland i think if I wish to stay at home and would probably get into the place in Wales if I go for that but think a change would be interesting.

I've applied to do an MLIS course at UBC from September next year. I should find out soon enough if I'm accepted but then have to decide between there, home (Ireland) and Wales to do the degree. I've gone through reasons for going to any of the three but maybe someone on here can enlighten me further as to UBC's charms etc. If money wasn't a factor it'd be UBC, but I'd just about cover fees, rent, healthcare I think without and probably a few months worth of food too. Any input is welcome.