Program Overview

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Information: Campus Program, MS

The master's degree at the Information School (iSchool) prepares graduates to develop, provide, and assess information and data services that create, collect, organize, store, analyze, find, distribute, and use information and data in a diverse, technological, and global society. The program prepares information professionals to work in three broad, overlapping areas of the information professions.

User Experience Design

Graduates obtain employment in user experience design, interaction design, usability testing, systems analysis and project management, IT training, educational technology support, digital asset management and curation, and content management.

Data Analytics/Management

Graduates obtain employment specializing in management of data and information in a variety of organizations with expertise in knowledge management, digital asset management, data and information governance, prospect research, systems analysis, records management and compliance, research data management and project management, and database development and management.

Human Factors in Cybersecurity

The Human Factors in Cybersecurity concentration will develop skills in understanding, preventing, and responding to cyber attacks while also providing a strong foundation to understand the role that humans play in cybersecurity and privacy. You will gain expertise in psychology for cybersecurity, cybersecurity usability, data privacy, and cybersecurity for high-risk populations. Additional electives in cyber ethics, and law and governance are available.

Admissions

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

• Fall Deadline: March 1
• Spring Deadline: The program does not admit in the spring.
• Summer Deadline: This program does not admit in the summer.
• GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): Not required.
• English Proficiency Test: Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy.
• Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT): n/a
• Letters of Recommendation Required: 2

The MS Information admits students to its master's programs once a year for a start in the fall semester.

• Full consideration deadline for iSchool MS Information scholarships is February 15.
• Full consideration deadline for admission is March 1.
• Applications submitted after the fall deadline are considered on a space available basis.

Funding

The Bursars Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Information

Students enrolled in this program are not eligible to receive tuition remission from graduate assistantship appointments at this institution.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

Mode of Instruction

Mode of Instruction: Face to Face

Curricular Requirements

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 30 credits
• Minimum Residence Credit Requirement: 16 credits
• Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement: 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework.
• Overall Graduate GPA Requirement: 3.00 GPA required.
• Other Grade Requirements: Within the student's total program, one grade of BC or C is allowable in either a required or elective course if it is balanced by a grade of A or AB earned either prior to or concurrently with the unsatisfactory grade.
• Assessments and Examinations: No formal examination is required.
• Language Requirements: None.

Required Courses

• L I S 615: Systems Analysis and Project Management for Information Professionals (3 credits)
• L I S 751: Database Design for Information Professionals (3 credits)
• L I S/COM ARTS 705: Introductory Analytics for Decision Making (3 credits)
• L I S/CURRIC 620: Field Project in Library and Information Agencies (3 credits)
• L I S 732: Strategic Information Services (3 credits)
• Breadth Requirement in Ethics: All students must complete at least three credits in ethics from the list below.
  • L I S 461: Data and Algorithms: Ethics and Policy (recommended)
  • L I S 661: Information Ethics and Policy
• Concentrations: At least 9 credits must be taken from among the following approved courses organized by concentration area.
  • Concentration Area: User Experience/Interaction Design
    • L I S/COMP SCI 611: User Experience Design 1
    • L I S/COMP SCI 612: User Experience Design 2
    • L I S/COMP SCI 613: User Experience Design 3
    • L I S/COMP SCI 614: User Experience Design Capstone
  • Concentration Area: Analytics and Data Management
    • L I S 706: Data Mining Planning and Management
    • L I S 707: Data Visualization and Communication for Decision Making
    • L I S 711: Data Management for Information Professionals
• Electives: Up to 3 credits of electives may be taken from the below approved list.
  • COMP SCI 319: Data Science Programming I for Research
  • COMP SCI 570: Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction
  • L I S/AFRICAN/COM ARTS 444: Technology and Development in Africa and Beyond
  • L I S/LEGAL ST 460: Surveillance, Privacy, and Police Powers
  • L I S 500: Code and Power
  • L I S 501: Introduction to Text Mining
  • L I S 510: Human Factors in Information Security
  • L I S/NURSING 517: Digital Health: Information and Technologies Supporting Consumers and Patients
  • L I S 640: Topics in Library and Information Studies
  • L I S/LEGAL ST 645: Intellectual Freedom
  • L I S 646: Introduction to Info Architecture and Interaction Design for the Web
  • L I S/LEGAL ST 663: Introduction to Cyberlaw
  • L I S 875: Topics in Information Processing and Retrieval
  • L I S 999: Independent Reading and Research
  • I SY E/PSYCH 349: Introduction to Human Factors
  • I SY E 552: Human Factors Engineering Design and Evaluation
  • DS 341: Design Thinking for Transformation

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate Schools Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

• Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions: The program will not accept credits taken outside of UW-Madison to be used toward the degree.
• Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison: The program will allow up to 3 credits of approved MS Information or Computer Science coursework taken as an undergraduate to transfer toward the degree.
• Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers): Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
• Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UWMadison: The program will accept up to 10 credits from the iSchool capstone certificate in Digital User Experience Design (UX) or Analytics for Decision Making, if those credits were earned within ten years of admission to the MS degree.

Probation

Registration is not a guarantee of enrollment under conditions of unsatisfactory progress. Students who fall into unsatisfactory progress will have an academic hold placed on their record; they should discuss clearing the hold with their adviser.

Advisor / Committee

All continuing students are required to meet with the staff advisor prior to registering for each semester in order to remove registration holds and ensure timely progress towards degree completion.

Credits Per Term Allowed

15 credits (however, 12 credits are highly encouraged)

Time Limits

The maximum period for completion of the MS (under special circumstances) is seven calendar years.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Professional Development

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.