Information Studies (MSIS)
Department website: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/
This program offers a pathway to diverse, high-demand information careers. As the field of information rapidly expands within the digital age, 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
Graduate Handbook
Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.
Admission
All applicants must complete the general application procedures for the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. For full details, refer to the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' Admissions page. Please allow plenty of time to process your application. Find more information on admissions procedures here: https://ischool.utexas.edu/programs/admissions.
Accreditation
The Master of Science in Information Studies degree program is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). 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.
Licensure
This program has concentrations that prepare students for the K-12 school librarian certification by the State Board for Educator Certification.
Students seeking the Standard School Librarian Certification in the State of Texas must choose the school library practicum as a capstone experience and will be assigned to school libraries and work under the supervision of school librarians for a total of 160 clock hours.
Total Hours Required: 36
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| Program curriculum | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: | 30 | |
Information | ||
Information and other fields | ||
| Hours chosen from: Capstone Experience (taken in the final semester) | 3 | |
| Professional Experience and Project | ||
| Practicum in School Libraries | ||
| Master's Report | ||
| Thesis | ||
| All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies: | ||
| Graduate Natural Sciences Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
Endorsement
Students have the option to pursue an Endorsement of Specialization (EoS), recognizing that a student has created an area of concentration within the hours required for the degree. The program curriculum offers any number of options for students to craft a concentration once they have completed required coursework. See more information at: https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/programs/endorsement.
Capstone Experience
In the final semester, all students must complete a "capping" experience, which enables them to integrate their professional education and the intellectual and institutional vocations toward which they are striving. This is to be a culminating experience that synthesizes a variety of skills, knowledge, and expertise while demonstrating that the student can lead an independent project. When considering a Capstone experience, students are strongly encouraged to review the Capstone student manual and consult with their individual academic advisor as well as the Career Development Director.
Capstone Options
Students must complete one of the following as an exit course only in their final semester:
- INF X88L Professional Experience and Project: Apply the knowledge gleaned from coursework to a real-world problem in a real-world setting. In a single semester, complete a fieldwork-based project under the primary guidance of a field supervisor from the organization sponsoring your project.
- INF X88R Practicum in School Libraries: The school library practicum is required for those students seeking the Standard School Librarian Certification in the State of Texas. Under the school library practicum option, you will be assigned to school libraries and work under the supervision of school librarians for a total of 160 clock hours. Students also attend, but should not register for, INF 388L class sessions as specified in the syllabus of that class. A school library practicum involves a good deal of orientation to school libraries as you first become familiar with people, roles, and resources before carrying out everyday tasks, preparing resources and materials, and providing skills instruction.
- INF X98R Master's Report: The master's report is a substantive, publishable-quality paper synthesizing a domain or area of investigation that demonstrates familiarity with major concepts and issues in a theoretical and rigorous manner. Working with the guidance of a faculty advisor and a second faculty reader, students write a publishable-quality paper on a topic of choice in a single semester.
- INF 698 Thesis: A master's thesis is a research project resulting in a substantive paper that involves original collection or treatment of data and/or results. Working with the guidance of a faculty advisor and a second faculty reader, students write a publishable-quality paper on a topic of choice across two semesters. Since the master’s thesis requires two consecutive semesters of course work, students who would like pursue the thesis option must make that decision before the end of the second semester in the program (if attending full-time).