UTexas

Information Studies

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Master of Science in Information Studies
Doctor of Philosophy

For More Information

Campus address: UT Administration Building (UTA) 5.202, phone (512) 471-3821, fax (512) 471-3971; campus mail code: D8600

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin, School of Information, 1616 Guadalupe Stop D8600, Room 5.202, Austin TX 78701

E-mail: graduateadmit@ischool.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/

Areas of Study

Master of Science in Information Studies (MSIS)

The School of Information Master of Science in Information Studies (MSIS) program offers a pathway to diverse, high-demand information careers. As the field of information rapidly expands within the digital age, MSIS students engage in a flexible curriculum that provides the tools necessary to study, manage, and innovate the information systems around us. Our students learn to design new tools, analyze human activities, organize information, and ensure technology serves its intended users. Join the next generation of information creators, innovators, brokers, and designers. 

  • Informatics
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • User Experience (UX) Research and Design
  • Health Informatics
  • Information Security, Privacy, and Policy
  • Human-Centered AI and Data Science
  • Data Engineering
  • Information Organization and Access
  • Information Retrieval and Search
  • Curation and Preservation
  • Archives and Records Management
  • Librarianship
  • Information Literacy

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Information systems and technologies are fundamentally shaping the behaviors of individuals, organizations, and society. To understand the dynamics of our world, and to help shape a future that reflects social values, research at the School of Information crosses disciplinary divides, bridges the arts and the sciences, and applies human insights to technological advances.

The School of Information Ph.D. program curriculum and immersive mentorship prepare students to become high-quality, high-impact researchers, scholars, and teachers. Throughout the doctoral program, students will learn to reason and evaluate ideas and data across disciplines, see beyond current approaches to problems, and cross disciplinary boundaries in search of answers to the grand challenges facing today's modern information society.

Facilities for Graduate Work

Facilities for students in the School of Information include an Information Technology Laboratory, two computer classrooms, conservation and preservation laboratories, audio and video editing suites, multimedia teaching stations in all classrooms, and access to a usability and accessibility laboratory, an information retrieval and crowdsourcing lab, a digital archeology lab, a computer vision lab, and a virtual reality lab. Students have access to advanced computer equipment and software for instructional and research use, including 3-D printing and fabrication, supplementing the school’s physical and wireless network and computer facilities. Students receive a full-service Internet account and have access to various computer operating systems, such as Macintosh, Windows, and Linux.

Accreditation

The University’s program for the degree of Master of Science in Information Studies is accredited by the American Library Association. (The ALA does not concern itself with accrediting programs at levels other than the master’s degree.) The program for the certification of K-12 school librarians is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) in the spring 2023 semester.

Amelia Acker
Ahmer Arif
Jakki Bailey
Kayla Booth
Andrew P Dillon
Ying Ding
Kenneth Robert Fleischmann
Edgar Gomez-Cruz
Danna Gurari
Jacek Gwizdka
Elliott Hauser
James L Howison
Earl Huff Jr
R David Lankes
Matthew Alan Lease
Min Kyung Lee
Eric T Meyer
Eric Nordquist
Sarah S Norris
Soo Young Rieh
Loriene Roy
Angela D Smith
Ciaran Trace
Bo Xie
Yan Zhang

Admission Requirements

Master of Science in Information Studies

All applicants to the School of Information's graduate programs must complete the general application procedures for the UT Graduate School. For full details, refer to the Graduate School’s Admissions page. Please allow plenty of time to process your application. Find more information on admissions procedures here: https://ischool.utexas.edu/programs/admissions.

Integrated Program with Computer Science (BSCS/MSIS)

Admission to the integrated Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Master of Science in Information Studies (BSCS/MSIS) program is open only to undergraduate students within the Department of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin. It results in the awarding of a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree, followed by the Master of Science in Information Studies degree.

Integrated Program with Informatics (BSI or BA/MSIS)

Admission to the integrated Bachelor of Science in Informatics or Bachelor of Arts with a major in Informatics and Master of Science in Information Studies (BSI or BA/MSIS) program is open only to undergraduate students within the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin. It results in the awarding of a Bachelor of Science in Informatics or a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Informatics degree, followed by the Master of Science in Information Studies degree.

Doctor of Philosophy

The objective of the doctoral program is to prepare graduates to contribute to the discipline through research and creative leadership. Emphasizing research, the program allows students to pursue advanced studies in the information discipline and in related subject areas, to study appropriate method and theory, and to learn to engage in advanced research by carrying out a guided and supervised dissertation project. The program is interdisciplinary; students must take courses from other University offerings to supplement those in the School of Information.

Detailed information is available at the School of Information's website.