Information Studies: INF

Lower-Division Courses

Upper-Division Courses

Graduate Courses

INF 380C. Information in Social and Cultural Context.

Examines the role of information in human activities, particularly in relation to particular social and cultural contexts. Examines how individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, and society at large create, find, use, understand, share, transform, and curate information. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 380D. Designing Dynamic Web Pages.

Principles and practices for designing, developing, and evaluating interactive desktop and mobile Web pages. Theories and models for color, styles, and interactive page elements, such as forms. Students create and evaluate Web pages using current technologies, such as XHTML/HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, and Adobe Flash. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 380E. Perspectives on Information.

Multidisciplinary and historical examination of concepts of information. Contrasts key literature from information studies with perspectives from other fields. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 380K. Internet Applications.

Introduction to Internet concepts, protocols, applications, and services. Examines the impact of policy and management decisions on current and future developments, and studies the design and implementation of Internet applications, including HTML, CSS, and related tools. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 380P. Introduction to Programming.

Restricted to students in the School of Information Studies. Introduction to common concepts and constructs of modern computer programming such as classes and objects, methods, inheritance, data types, variables, operators, procedures, and code libraries. Development of programmatic solutions to specific computing problems and design applications for modern computing platforms such as desktop, tablet, mobile, and the World Wide Web. Intended for students with no significant prior programming experience. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Information Studies 380P, 383P, 385T (Topic: Introduction to Programming). Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 181, 281, 381. Individual Studies.

In-depth study of a problem or topic related to information studies, usually culminating in an examination or a scholarly written report. Individual instruction. With consent of the graduate adviser, may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor and the graduate adviser.

INF 181E. Electronic Portfolio.

Creation of a Web site that displays the student's professional aims, interests, and pursuits, including resume and work samples. Designed to be taken during the final semester of the Master of Science in Information Studies degree program. Individual instruction. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and concurrent enrollment in one of the following: Information Studies 388L, 388R, 698B, 398R.

INF 381W. Advanced Problems in Information Studies.

Study of a problem or topic related to information studies. Offered as an online course. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. With consent of graduate adviser, may be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 382C. Understanding and Serving Users.

Overview of human-computer interaction, understanding client groups, information filters, information literacy and information-seeking behavior, as well as user studies and usability testing. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382D. Introduction to Information Resources and Services.

Major reference resources and strategies useful in providing information services in libraries and other information agencies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382G. Information Resources and Services for Children and Young Adults.

Examines the evaluation, selection, and use of books and other media for young adults of junior and senior high school age. Briefly surveys the reading experience, psychology of adolescence, and reading interests of young adults. Includes extensive reading and viewing. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 3: Materials for Children and Young Adults. Explore the evaluation, selection, and use of books and other media and materials to meet the needs of children and young adults.

INF 382H. Legal Information Resources.

Identification of relevant legal information resources, efficient retrieval of legal information, and the role of technology in legal information access. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 382H and 382L (Topic: Legal Information Resources) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382K. Information Resources in the Health Sciences.

Evaluation of conventional and online health information resources used by consumers and health care professionals for health promotion and disease and disorder prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management. Includes traditional and alternative approaches, genetic clinical information approaches, and evidence-based approaches to the use of resources. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382L. Information Resources and Services.

Evaluation and use of printed online information resources and services in specialized areas, with emphasis on new information technologies. Information-seeking behavior of users, document delivery, new roles of the information specialist in user support, and information needs of a variety of clients. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 3: Inquiry and Information Seeking in K-12. Examine inquiry models and information-seeking theories relevant to K-12 teaching and learning. Explore tools and resources for student learning and strategies for teaching specific information literacy skills within the context of an inquiry process and varying K-12 subject areas. Designed for students pursuing the Information Studies: School Librarian stackable certificate. Additional prerequisite: Prior coursework in educational psychology and methodology is strongly recommended.

INF 382N. Information Resources in Business.

Communication patterns, bibliographic organization, and information resources in business and industry. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382P. Competitive Intelligence Resources and Strategies.

Resources and strategies for market and competitive analysis. Research and analysis of market trends and financial, technical, and cultural strengths and weaknesses of companies. Online, print, and primary research and analytical techniques. Ethics, process, and presentation are emphasized. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382R. Introduction to Scientific Data Informatics.

Introduction to the characteristics of scientific data and the emerging practices applied toward their management and preservation. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382S. Library Instruction and Information Literacy.

History of instruction in information service settings; learning theory, including learning styles; professional organizations involved in supporting instruction; instructional delivery modes and materials; and evaluation. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Information Studies 382D is strongly recommended.

INF 382T. Information Services: Theory, Techniques, and Subject Areas.

Exploration of reference services; and evaluation and use of printed and online information resources and services, with emphasis on interpersonal communication and new information technologies. Information needs and information-seeking behavior of users; and new roles of the information specialist in user services. Includes information resources and services in the humanities and social sciences. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382U. Digital Resources for Children and Youth Seminar.

Exploration of digital information resources available for children and youth, including the range of content and availability, how information resources are conceived and created, and the implications of these resources for school and public libraries. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 382V. Visual Resources for Youth Seminar.

The history and selection criteria of the Caldecott Award; the history of picture books and publishing; academic and professional literature about children's materials; and selection criteria for picture books, including evaluating children's literature and developing the tools to analyze picture books for narrative, artistic, and compositional elements. Illustrative techniques and their effectiveness in relation to particular texts. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 383D. Mathematical Foundations of Information Studies.

Introduction to traditional finite mathematical concepts, including probability distributions and models, linear equations, matrix algebra, linear statistical models, basic information theory, and the use of mathematical and statistical software for modeling and data analysis. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 383E. Interpreting Implicit Information on the Web.

Theories and methods of Internet language and image interpretation. Examines persuasion, group and individual identity projection, and group-value demonstration. Focuses on how discourse is shaped by ideology, social forces, and the knowledge and beliefs of its producers within several information contexts, such as online communities, education, science, and healthcare. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 383H. Introduction to Digital Humanities.

A hands-on introduction to guiding infrastructural and institutional developments involved in digital humanities. Explore areas of focus including archives, collection, data curation; funding, tool building, and scholarly publishing. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 383H and 385T (Topic: Introduction to Digital Humanities) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 383S. Library Information Science, Espionage, and Intelligence Gathering.

Examines the historical and conceptual linkages between the field of library information science and the practices of intelligence gathering and espionage. Explores the role and structure of the intelligence community, the similarities and contrasts between intelligence practitioners and other information professionals, and historical case studies that illuminate areas of overlap and cooperation between the disciplines. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384C. Organizing Information.

Introduction to the concepts of information organization, representation, and classification. Consideration of different traditions of practice and user concerns. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384D. Collection Management.

Philosophical and social context, objectives, and methodology of evaluating, selecting, and managing library materials. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384F. Seminar in Information Organization.

Critical, in-depth examination of significant concepts in information organization. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384H. Concepts of Information Retrieval.

The science and engineering of building automated search engines: foundations and emerging methods, key models and approaches, front-end usability and back-end algorithms, theories of relevance, annotation practices, and system evaluation/benchmarking. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384M. Topics in Description and Metadata.

Principles and practices for describing information resources. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 384R. Digital Repositories.

Introduction to issues in selecting, managing, and using digital repositories in diverse institutional settings. Covers repository models, collections, metadata, interoperability, preservation, policies, work flows, interfaces, visualization, applications, and services. Includes working with different repository software. Examines the impact of repositories on institutional culture, work practices, and publication models. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 384W. Descriptive Cataloging and Metadata.

Standards, rules, and metadata formats for representing information entities in library catalogs and other bibliographic systems. Emphasis on the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules and the MARC metadata format. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385C. Human-Computer Interaction.

The history and importance of human-computer interaction (HCI), theories of HCI design, modeling of computer users and interfaces, empirical techniques for analyzing systems and interfaces, interface design, and styles of interaction. Emphasis on reviewing research papers, current works, and future directions in HCI research. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385E. Information Architecture and Design.

The theory and design of information architecture: models that provide structure and context for information to shape meaning, purpose, and utility toward understanding. Students present theoretical reviews; map and design; and develop novel information architectures using a variety of methods and software applications. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385G. Advanced Usability.

Designed to build upon the skills covered in Information Studies 385P. Individual project evaluating a Web site or other software user interface. Students devise a plan for testing, secure IRB approval to test human subjects, conduct study, analyze date, write a report, and present the results and conclusions. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and Information Studies 385P.

INF 385H. Digital Media Design.

Design and production of graphic, audio, video, and multimedia materials, with emphasis on aesthetics and usability. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385K. Projects in Human-Computer Interaction.

Projects based on theories of human-computer interaction design, modeling of computer users and interfaces, empirical techniques for analyzing systems and interfaces, interface design, and styles of interaction. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385L. Information Networks.

History, design, and use of digital information networks. Emphasis on origins of the Internet in the United States, varied technical models for networked information services, and social analysis of networked communication from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Includes close review of classic papers in networked communication as well as current works. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385M. Database Management.

Principles and practices of database management and database design. Discussion and implementation of a database. Application life cycle, data dictionaries, relational database design, SQL queries, reports and other interfaces to database data, and documentation. Students work on individual and group projects. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385N. Informatics.

Investigation of informatics movements around the world and in various disciplines and professions, such as biomedicine, nursing, public health, education, business, law, and public affairs. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385P. Usability.

The basics of user-centered design through the lifecycle of a software product. Includes perceptual, psychological, and other scientific underpinnings of usability and the justification for the application of usability engineering in software development. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385Q. Knowledge Management Systems.

Survey of knowledge management systems that enable the access and coordination of knowledge assets, including intranets, groupware, Weblogs, instant messaging, content management systems, and e-mail in both individual and organizational contexts. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385R. Survey of Digitization.

Introduction to the issues and trends in digital asset management and digitization initiatives, including planning and project management, asset delivery and management systems, interoperability and the importance of standards, copyright, metadata basics, digital preservation, and specific digitization processes for documents, images, video, and sound. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385S. Digital Libraries.

Research, development, and evaluation issues related to digital collections of documents, data, and multimedia formats, including metadata and interoperability; access strategies and user interfaces; implications for policies and social issues; collection development with physical as well as digital materials Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385T. Special Topics in Information Science.

Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 1: Presenting Information. Visual, numerical, textual, and verbal presentation of information based on fundamental theories of human information perception and communication. Examples may include tables, graphs, dashboards, infographics, and reports. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Presenting Information) and 385T (Topic 1) may not both be counted.
Topic 2: Visualization. Concepts, principles, strategies, techniques, and tools for the visual presentation of large, high-density, or complex information resources from a variety of disciplines such as the sciences, humanities, law, arts, and business. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Visualization) and 385T (Topic 2) may not both be counted.
Topic 3: Human Computation and Crowdsourcing. Introduction to the theory, methods, and applications of human computation and crowdsourcing; covering a breadth of key concepts as well as more specialized depth in one or more key sub-areas. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Human Computation and Crowdsourcing) and 385T (Topic 3) may not both be counted.
Topic 4: Mobile Interaction Design. Introduction to the design of mobile interactions with emphasis on research and analysis, conceptual design, mobile interface prototyping, and the basics of interface evaluation and usability testing. Only one of the following may be counted: Information Studies 385C, 385T (Topic: Mobile Interaction Design), 385T (Topic 4).
Topic 5: Data Mining. A hands-on introductory overview of the applications, methods, tools, and technologies that constitute data science and data mining. Fundamentals of Python and R programming languages and relevant libraries. A semester project applying the learned methods and technologies to a specific dataset. Three lecture hours for one semester. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Data Mining) and 385T (Topic 5) may not both be counted.
Topic 6: Information Modeling. An introduction to fundamental information modeling methods such as relational database design, conceptual modeling, markup systems, and ontologies. Information 385T (Topic: Information Modeling) and 385T (Topic 6) may not both be counted.
Topic 7: Information Science in the Intelligence Community. Introduction to the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and the world of espionage from a Library and Information Science perspective: how intelligence agencies collect, manage, and analyze data and information to produce actionable insights for policymakers. Information 385T (Topic: Intelligence Gathering) and 385T (Topic 7) may not both be counted.
Topic 8: Information Ethics. Examination of contemporary information ethics issues applying a variety of ethical theories, including non-Western and feminist theories. Information 385T (Topic: Information Ethics) and 385T (Topic 8) may not both be counted.
Topic 9: Data Wrangling. An introduction to working with data - reading a variety of formats, designing a database schema, and introductory programming skills for inserting, querying, and transforming of data. Information 385T (Topic: Data Wrangling Excel SQL Beynd) and 385T (Topic 9) may not both be counted.
Topic 10: Interaction Design. Introduction to the design and production of useful and elegant interactive experiences, including iterative design, prototyping, and user testing. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Interaction Design) and 385T (Topic 10) may not both be counted.
Topic 11: Crowdsourcing for Computer Vision. Examine the opportunities and challenges for using crowdsourcing to teach computers to "see". Information Studies 385T (Topic: Crowdsourcing CPU Vision) and 385T (Topic 11) may not both be counted.
Topic 12: Ethics of AI. Identify and address a variety of ethical challenges related to AI and its applications. Apply a broad range of ethical theories, including non-Western and feminist theories, to contemporary issues in the design, development, and deployment of AI-based systems. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Ethics of AI: Good Systems) and 385T (Topic 12) may not both be counted.
Topic 13: Human-AI Interaction. Introduction to combining human and machine intelligence to benefit people and society. Explore cutting-edge research on a number of subjects related to human-AI interaction, including the psychological and societal impacts of AI as well as design guidelines and methods for human-centered AI. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Human-AI Interaction) and 385T (Topic 13) may not both be counted.

INF 385U. Digital Media Collections.

Collection design, resource selection, description and organization, development of user access mechanisms. May include collection considerations in regards to various media, workflow and project management, audience analysis, and notions of authorship in the collection context. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 385T (Topic: Creating and Using Digital Media Collections) and 385U may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385V. Health Informatics.

Introduction to health informatics; includes fundamentals of information in biomedicine, nursing, public health, bioinformatics and genomics, electronic records, and integrated systems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 385W. Security Informatics.

Explores information, computer, and network security in several contexts. Examines business impacts of security, societal implications of the protection of information resources, and technical aspects of securing information technology systems and data. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 386. History of Information and Society.

Topics on the histories of information; libraries; archives; information science, technology, and businesses; conservation; and museums. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 386C. Archives, Records, and Preservation in the Modern World.

Progress of archival enterprise, records management, and preservation administration from the Renaissance to the present. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 386E. Information and Culture.

Examines information as a cultural phenomenon; may include e-commerce, privacy and secrecy, censorship, information as a commodity, Internet culture, access to cultural heritage, and control of the cultural record. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 386G. Gender, Technology, and Information.

Definitions of and metaphors for technologies; in-depth analysis of feminism and science and technologies studies, masculinities and technologies, women's underrepresentation in technology, reproductive and sexual technologies, domestic technologies, design and architecture, book clubs and reading, and gender and (information) articulation work. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 386G and Women's and Gender Studies 393 (Topic: Gender, Technology, and Information) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 386H. Theory and Methods of Oral History.

Theories of oral history; practical methods for producing, recording, annotating, and searching oral and video histories; archival issues related to documentation of oral histories; use of oral histories in various scholarly fields. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 387. Administration.

Theory and practice in the design, behavior, evaluation, and administration of libraries and other information agencies and systems. Marketing of information organizations and resources. Administrative applications of technology. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 5: School Library Management I. Designed for students pursuing Texas Education Agency (TEA) certification in school librarianship. Examine the philosophy, objectives, and management of the school library with an emphasis on standards and competencies, and the roles of the school librarian as collection curator, literacy leader, and program administrator. Information Studies 387 (Topic 5) and Information Studies 388C may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: Consent of the department.
Topic 6: School Library Management II. Designed for students pursuing Texas Education Agency (TEA) certification in school librarianship. Examine the philosophy, objectives, and management of the school library with an emphasis on the roles of the school librarian as an instructional partner and information specialist. Information Studies 387 (Topic 6) and Information Studies 388C may not both be counted Additional prerequisite: Information Studies 387 (Topic 5) and consent of the department.

INF 387C. Managing Information Organizations.

Management theory, concepts, processes, and practices as applied to information agencies and systems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 387E. Evaluating Information Programs.

Use of evaluation in support of decision making, setting priorities, allocating scarce resources, and improving programs. Students study how to conceptualize, design, implement, and report on evaluation in the context of working with a local client. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 387M. Information Marketing.

Examines the marketing of information agencies, systems, services, publications, and software and hardware products to consumers. Includes marketing research, planning, user studies, product development, communication, pricing and distribution for profit and nonprofit organizations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 387T. Information Technology and Work.

Examines the role information technology plays in modern work. Case studies of historical and modern examples of technology implementation and work transformation. Includes qualitative techniques, such as interviewing and observing, for data collection; data analysis; and presentation of data. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 388D. Planning and Management of Programs for Children and Young Adults.

Designing and planning effective services and programs for children and young adults: technologies, information need analysis, and trends. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 388E. Historical Museums: Context and Practice.

The process of exhibit creation in historical museums, from planning through development to opening and maintenance, as a negotiation among stakeholders for influence on the story that is told. Students visit local historical museums and examine how presentations are influenced by the institutional position of the museum, including its history and resources; the concerns of museum employees; the influence of the audience and of those who are directly affected or represented by an exhibit; and the role of contractual professionals. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 388K. Organizational Environments.

Mission, goals, and objectives of specific information settings. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 1: Public Libraries. History, missions, values, governance, funding, services, user communities, architecture, leadership, and issues in public librarianship.
Topic 2: Academic Libraries. The relationship of academic library management to trends in postsecondary education, to the institution the library serves, and to the research community at large.
Topic 3: Special Libraries. Development and management of special libraries and information centers.
Topic 5: Rare Book and Special Collections. Administration of rare book and manuscript collections. Introduction to analytical bibliography.
Topic 6: Law Libraries. Overview of law librarianship, the discipline of law, and the culture of the legal environment, including the context in which law librarians, legal publishers, and other legal information professionals work.

INF 388L. Professional Experience and Project.

Study of a practical problem, current phenomenon, or professional issue in an institutional setting. Conference course. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; Completion of at least twenty-one semester hours of coursework in the graduate program in information studies.

INF 388R. Practicum in School Libraries.

Designed for students pursuing Texas Education Agency (TEA) certification in school librarianship. Fieldwork in varied school library settings under the supervision of qualified personnel. At least 160 hours of supervised fieldwork for one semester. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; consent of the department.

INF 188T, 288T, 388T. Internship in Libraries and Other Information Agencies.

Supervised fieldwork. For each semester hour of credit earned, the equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester, with additional hours to be arranged. May not be counted toward any degree in the School of Information. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of graduate adviser.

INF 389C. Archival and Records Enterprise.

Theory and practice of archival administration and records management. Problems in acquiring, organizing, and providing for use of archives and office records; issues in deterioration and care of paper, books, photographic material, magnetic records, and other media through preservation programs for libraries and archives. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389E. Introduction to Records Management.

Systems for controlling recorded information in an organizational setting. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389G. Introduction to Electronic and Digital Records.

Examines personal recordkeeping and information management to explore the creation, management, and preservation of digital information. Includes current developments in digital technology that affect recordkeeping. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389J. Appraisal and Selection of Records.

Investigates the history, theory, and practice of selecting and appraising records information for permanent or quasi-permanent retention in an archival environment. Explores influences of other stakeholders on the selection and appraising process. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389K. Life Cycle Metadata for Digital Objects.

Constructing the "metadata continuum" in order to understand how metadata may function as an authenticating wrapper for an electronic record. Analysis of the elements of the continuum, including records surveys and inventories, creation metadata, active management metadata, records schedules, accession records, cataloging and description metadata, maintenance records, and usage records. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 389M. Introduction to Issues in Records Information.

Exploration of the fundamentals of records information and their role in society. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389N. Seminar in Archival Enterprise.

Theory and practice of archival administration and records management. Problems in acquiring, organizing, preserving, and providing for use of administrative and collected archives. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 389R. Introduction to Archival Enterprise I.

Introduction to the records aspect of archival enterprise, from acquisition to use, with emphasis on arrangement and description. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 389S. Introduction to Archival Enterprise II.

Administrative and professional issues, including organizing the work of a repository, management issues, marketing, space, law, and ethics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 390C. Copyright: Legal and Cultural Perspectives.

Digital and other important communication technologies; how copyright in the United States developed and has evolved; and copyright seen from a number of disciplinary points of view, such as legal studies, cultural history, and public policy. Other subjects may include the cultural commons; natural rights arguments for copyright versus social bargain and statutory arguments; identifying and protecting the public interest in information; the law of copyright and cultural categories such as the author, the work, intellectual property, and creation; and important federal court cases. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Information Studies 390C and 390N (Topic: Copyright: Legal and Cultural Perspectives) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 390N. Information Policy.

Critical examination of conflicts and trends in information policy in private organizations and in federal, state, and international public-sector organizations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 1: Federal Information Policy. Exploration of major information-policy conflicts around topics such as privacy, surveillance, and freedom of information; in-depth analysis of the implications of digital technologies in the post-9/11 United States. Designed to help students develop skill in policy analysis as a research method and familiarity with many kinds of sources of information about federal information policy.
Topic 2: Seminar in Information Policy. Analysis of issues and trends in information policy in various environments.

INF 390P. Topics in Privacy.

Policy, value systems, and critical theory regarding privacy, studied from historical, sociological, feminist, or other perspectives. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 391D. Doctoral Inquiry in Information Studies.

Restricted to students in the information studies doctoral program. Topics in the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of information studies. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 6: Directed Readings.
Topic 7: Directed Research.
Topic 8: Introduction to Doctoral Research and Theory I. Foundations of inquiry in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and a review of theories and methods of inquiry in information studies in particular.
Topic 9: Doctoral Research and Theory II. Epistemological concepts and processes of theory generation and testing in information studies, with special attention to research methods and specific problems of interest to the student.
Topic 10: Survey of Information Studies. An overview of the major ideas, concepts, and theories of information studies.
Topic 11: The Research Enterprise. An overview of the nature and purposes of research, and common methods and methodologies in information studies.
Topic 12: Disciplinary Foundations for Information Studies. An overview of concepts, results, and perspectives from philosophical, social science, humanistic, design, and technological disciplines that provide important underpinnings for information studies.

INF 391E. Advanced Topics in Information Studies.

Restricted to students in the information studies doctoral program. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, Information Studies 391D (Topic 10), and consent of instructor; additional prerequisites may vary with the topic.

INF 391F. Advanced Topics in Research Methods, Methodologies, and Design.

The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Additional prerequisites vary with the topic.

INF 391G. Doctoral Writing Seminar.

Intensive writing, critique, and rewriting to assist senior doctoral students with refining their research writing in preparation for qualifying papers, dissertation proposals, and formal publications. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 392C. Preservation Administration and Services.

Theory and practice of preservation administration and services. Problems in planning, organizing, and implementing preservation work in libraries, archives, and museums. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392D. Preservation Basics.

Fundamental issues and problem solving in the preservation of cultural heritage collections in libraries and archives. Topics include the development and ethics of preservation and conservation, types and causes of deterioration, preventive care and stabilization, monitoring and controlling interior environments, reformatting, and performing preservation-needs assessments. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392E. Materials in Libraries, Archives, and Museums.

Underlying factors in the physical nature of materials; concepts of permanence, durability, and deterioration; challenges of both traditional and modern collections; emphasis on print and photographic collections. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392F. Risk Assessment and Collections Management.

Agents of deterioration, including physical forces, security, disaster, and environmental conditions; risk assessment, strategies to reduce risk, and personal safety. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392G. Management of Preservation Programs.

Management of specific preservation strategies for cultural record; preservation policy; the selection process for preservation; minor mending and repair operations; library binding and conservation treatment; preservation assessments; emergency preparedness; contracting for services; and budgeting, grant writing, and fund- raising for preservation. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392H. Creating Sustainable Digital Collections.

Hands-on activities that focus on building sustainable collections of digitized resources. Designed to help students gain curatorial understanding of the media to be digitized and knowledge of and experience with the technical and managerial aspects of the digitization process. Includes creation of metadata and digital preservation strategies for long-term access. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392K. Digital Archiving and Preservation.

Examines the permanent archiving of digital information. Covers media refreshment, emulation, migration, and electronic records repository construction and administration. Case study projects involving campus repositories and off-campus institutions. Students use legacy hardware and software and digital forensics tools to preprocess digital collections for repository storage. Also explores issues in long-term electronic records preservation. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

INF 392L. Introduction to Audio Preservation and Reformatting.

Study of audio recording through a chronological examination of the development of recording; basic care and preservation of recordings; economics of audio preservation; and stability concerns of modern media. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 392M. Advanced Audio Preservation and Reformatting.

Exploration of changing concepts in the nature of audio information in different formats, issues of access within the context of preservation, criteria for prioritization of materials to be reformatted, considerations in invasive versus minimal restoration, and study of rare formats. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and credit or registration for Information Studies 392L.

INF 392P. The Politics of Preservation.

Introduction to the components of the media industries, using the available literature as well as the University's film and video resources. The course employs both a theoretical and a practical approach to the archival media product. Debate over defining historical media material as artifact complements discussion of the realities of digitization and physical deterioration. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 393C. Conservation Laboratory Techniques.

Analysis, housing, and treatment of physical objects. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

Topic 8: Conservation Science I. Introduction to the physical and chemical properties of materials used in fabrication; and identification and repair of books, photographs, manuscripts, and related objects.
Topic 9: Conservation Science II. Advanced exploration of the physical and chemical properties of materials used in fabrication; and identification and repair of books, photographs, manuscripts, and related objects. Includes a research investigation of a typical conservation problem.
Topic 10: Treatment Techniques for Flat Paper. Basic techniques for care and handling of paper materials including but not limited to mending, dry cleaning, humidification and flattening, exhibit design and installation, enclosures, and documentation.
Topic 11: Treatment Techniques for Bound Materials. Basic techniques for care and handling of bound materials including but not limited to sewing structure, minor mends, and enclosures.

INF 397. Research in Information Studies.

Methods and subjects of research in information studies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; prerequisites may vary with the topic.

Topic 1: Bibliography and Methods in Historical Research. Sources of information for, and techniques of conducting, investigations in history.
Topic 2: Practicum in Research. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and the graduate adviser.
Topic 3: Digital Libraries Research. Exploration of theoretical and practical research on creating digital collections and making them available. Additional prerequisite: Information Studies 385R and 392H, significant experience in digital applications in digital libraries, or consent of instructor.
Topic 4: Seeking Funding for Information Studies. Designed to help students gain an understanding of and hands-on experience with the pursuit of funding for information studies. Students investigate possible funding sources, and develop at least one grant or contract application.

INF 397C. Understanding Research.

Survey of the goals, methods, processes, and products of systematic inquiry. Designed to prepare students to critically evaluate information studies research. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 397D. Bibliography and Methods in Historical Research.

Sources of information for and techniques of conducting investigations in history. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 698. Thesis.

The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for two semesters. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: For 698A, graduate standing in information studies and written consent of the graduate advisor; for 698B, Information Studies 698A.

INF 398R. Master's Report.

Preparation of a report to fulfill the requirement for the master's degree under the report option. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in information studies and written consent of the graduate advisor.

INF 398T. Supervised Teaching in Information Studies.

Teaching strategies for course design, syllabus creation, material development, classroom activities, student engagement, and grading. Additional subjects may include negotiation of course load and timing, course marketing, TA management, online teaching, and doctoral teaching/advising. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit as a teaching practicum. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

INF 399W, 699W, 999W. Dissertation.

May be repeated for credit. Offered on the credit/no credit basis only. Prerequisite: Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree.

Professional Courses