School of Information Sciences—Information Science and Technology

The School of Information Sciences offers a Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree and a PhD degree in Information Science. In addition, the school offers the Certificate of Advanced Study in Information Science to post-master's-level students who wish to continue their education along the lines of their special interests. Students may also pursue a joint degree program between SIS and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Research Focus

Members of the faculty are active researchers with funding from governmental and/or corporate sources. Both master's and doctoral students have an opportunity to work with faculty on research projects, and doctoral students conduct independent research for their dissertations. The major areas of research interest are systems analysis and design, information retrieval, database and networking, visualization, human-centered computing, intelligent systems, security assured information systems, and cognitive science.

Contact Information

Information Science Program

School of Information Sciences

135 North Bellefield Avenue

412-624-3988 or 800-672-9435

Fax: 412-624-5231

E-mail: isinq@mail.sis.pitt.edu

www.ischool.pitt.edu/ist

The MSIS Degree Program

Connecting people, information, and technology is the mission of the School of Information Sciences. The Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree program builds on that mission by preparing students for careers as information professionals, including systems analysts and designers, database developers and managers, information security experts, and more. This 36-credit program can be completed in three semesters (depending upon course schedules) of full-time study or as many as four years of part-time study. For more details about this program, please visit www.ischool.pitt.edu/ist/degrees/msis-program.php.

Our Curriculum

The curriculum has been designed to provide our students with a rigorous program that is also flexible, so that the specific needs of individual students can be met. The MSIS Program offers several options to carefully target your studies. For those not ready to specialize, the School allows you to design a course of study under the direction of your advisor that meets your individual needs, while conforming to the general distribution guidelines found in the MSIS Plan of Study. Many students use this option to sample multiple areas of the curriculum, such as cognitive systems, human-centered computing, systems design and implementation, networks and security, database management, and policy. The program has developed a series of courses of study, in consultation with industry, that ensure that students have the critical expertise in human-centered computing, database and web systems, information assurance and security, geoinformatics, telecommunications and distributed systems, and cognitive systems.

Admissions

Applicants for graduate study must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better. The program seeks students with diverse interests and abilities. An undergraduate computer science major is not a prerequisite. Although many successful students have entered the program with a background in mathematics, engineering, or computer science, many other outstanding students entered with undergraduate degrees in business, music, history, philosophy, or chemistry.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for admission to the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree program include one three-credit college course in each of the following:

• A structured programming language
• Statistics
• Mathematics—a college-level mathematics course, preferably in discrete mathematics or calculus, is required.

Students who lack some of the prerequisite courses may be admitted provisionally pending completion of the prerequisites during the first or second term of study. Any coursework that the student is asked to meet as a condition of their admission must be completed with a grade of B or better.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

All Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) applicants are required to submit a recent score (within three years of the date of application) on the Graduate Record Examination as part of their admission credentials. Scores on all three sections (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) of the General Section should be submitted. While submission of the GRE scores are preferred, a recent and strong performance on the GMAT will be accepted in lieu of taking the GRE exam.

International Applicants

There are different documentation requirements for international students.

English Language Proficiency

Graduate students must possess sufficient knowledge of English to study without being hindered by language problems, to understand lectures, and to participate successfully in class discussion. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be taken if the applicant’s native language is not English. The institution code for the University of Pittsburgh is 2927 and the department code is 90.

A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 80 (Internet-based) on the TOEFL is required for admission to graduate study in this program. The requirement to take the TOEFL may be waived if the applicant has received a degree from an accredited institution in the United States.

Upon arrival, students with TOEFL scores less than 650 (paper) or 280 (computer) will be given the on-campus administered English Language Proficiency Test. If remedial courses in English as a foreign language are recommended as an outcome of the Michigan Test of English Proficiency, the student must complete the remedial course during the first two terms of study.

Students may choose to take the International English Language Testing System exam (IELTS) in place of the TOEFL. Students should receive a score of Band 6.5. Students who do not achieve this score or better, will be given the on-campus administered English Language Proficiency Test. If remedial courses in English as a foreign language are recommended as an outcome of the Michigan Test of English Proficiency, the student must complete the remedial course during the first two terms of study.

Application Fee

Submission of an application fee as determined by the School of Information Sciences. This fee is non-refundable and required of all applicants.

Deadlines

Admissions occur on a rolling basis throughout the year. See the School's Financial Aid web site for Financial Aid Deadlines.

Financial Aid

The Graduate Information Science and Technology Program awards financial aid on the basis of qualification and need to full-time graduate students with full admission status (all prerequisites completed). Please visit www.ischool.pitt.edu/admissions/financial-aid.php for the most current information.

Academic Advising

Each student is assigned an academic advisor at the time of admission to graduate study. These assignments are made primarily on the basis of the student’s background and interests as shown in the application. The student may at any time elect to change advisors—any such change requires the consent of the new advisor and must be reported to the Department. Forms for changing advisors are available in the Department office, Fifth Floor, IS Building.

In consultation with the advisor, the student must complete a Plan of Study at the time of registration.  The Plan of Study forms are available from the advisor. A Plan of Studies is a series of courses designed to meet the minimum exit competences judged by the faculty to be necessary for employment as an information professional. All Plans of Study must have the approval of the advisor and will be used to ensure that the student has met all requirements for graduation.

Statute of Limitations

The Master’s Degree program must be completed within four years of the first term in which courses were taken after admission. The normal full-time course load is 9 to 12 credits per term; thus, a full-time student will complete the program in three or four terms. The normal part-time course load is 6 credits per term, which permits the part-time students to complete the program in six terms. The faculty, in response to a student petition, must approve exceptions to the four-year limit if extenuating circumstances exist.

Registration and Residence Requirements

To maintain active student status, students must register for at least 3 credits during one of the three terms of the calendar year. It is recommended, however, that part-time students register for at least 6 credits during two of the three terms of the academic year to maintain reasonable progress through the program.

MSIS Degree Requirements

A minimum of 36 credits is required to complete the MSIS degree. Basic course requirements are as follows:

• Six credits of course work in the Mathematical and Formal Foundations area (INFSCI 2000 required unless exempted by advisor)
• Eighteen credits of course work in the Systems and Technology areas (including either INFSCI 2500 or INFSCI 2592)
• Six credits of course work in the Cognitive Science area.
• Six credits of electives. Students may pursue a thesis or a practicum as one of the elective options.  Students should know that a thesis is not a requirement of the MSIS degree program.

Certificate of Advanced Study in Information Science

Post Master's level students may pursue a certificate in information science (IS).

In consultation with an advisor, students project a Plan of Studies to meet their specific interests or needs, and these plans may change as the program proceeds. Students may select graduate-level courses in other departments within the University as well as at Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education-cooperating institutions. Admission to all courses is contingent upon meeting course prerequisites and is subject to the advisor's approval.

Candidates for the IS CAS must complete the following requirements:

Course work must be completed within a period of four calendar years from the student's initial registration in the certificate program. Students interested in the CAS should consult this website

The PhD in Information Science Degree Program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program provides research-oriented graduate study and professional specialization in the science of information. The candidate must give evidence of superior scholarship, mastery of a specialized field of knowledge, and demonstration of ability to do significant and relevant research. Students interested in the PhD degree should consult this website.

The candidate for the PhD program should have a broad knowledge of the field as a profession as well as a specialization in an area of major interest. Every candidate should have, in addition, a strong background in the foundations of information science and in research methodologies.

The advisor and student should design a Plan of Studies at the time of registration.

The School also offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Information Science with a focus in Telecommunications. Details are available at www.bulletins.pitt.edu/graduate/tele.htm.

Residence Requirement

The PhD degree can be completed by a combination of full-time and part-time study. One term of full-time study is required. All students, whether on campus or away, must maintain active status by registering according to the registration requirements stated below.

Registration Requirement

All graduate students not admitted to candidacy, whether or not they are using University facilities or faculty time, must be registered for a minimum of 3 credits in one of three consecutive terms to continue as active students. Doctoral candidates in residence are required to register for a least 3 credits per term or such greater amount as the department deems appropriate. Doctoral candidates not in residence must be registered for at least 1 credit per three terms. Students must be registered in the term in which the preliminary and comprehensive examinations are taken and in which dissertation defense and graduation take place.

PhD Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the PhD degree program in IS must be completed in not more than six calendar years from the time of first registration. Students may in extenuating circumstances submit a formal request for extension of their statute of limitation or for a leave of absence from the program. The request must be submitted to the advisor and then presented to the Faculty Committee on Doctoral Studies for a decision.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Masters program in information science, applicants for admission to the PhD program should have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or better for any graduate studies they have pursued.

Students must submit at least three references from persons in the professional and academic communities. The PhD Admissions Committee may, on occasion, require additional references.

Applications will not be considered without the submission of the School’s application fee.

Students must submit as evidence of the ability to undertake doctoral work, an essay (not to exceed 1,000 words) indicating, as specifically as possible, the student’s academic and professional goals in relation to the Information Science and Technology doctoral program and identifying potential areas and/or topics in which the student expects to pursue dissertation research. This essay is a critical component of the admissions process, and will be used in assigning the student’s initial program advisor.

PhD applicants must either have or demonstrate the following prerequisite knowledge. These courses or their equivalents should be taken before seeking admission but may be taken during the first four terms of study. All courses must be at the graduate level and may have been taken in the course of pursing another graduate degree:

Statistics or Discrete Math (e.g., IS 2060 Statistics or IS 2020 Mathematical Foundations)
Cognitive Psychology (e.g., IS 2300 Human Info Processing or IS 2350 Human Factors)
Systems Analysis and Design (e.g., IS 2510 Information Systems)
Data Structures (e.g., IS 2500 Data Structures)
Database Management (e.g., IS 2710 Database Management)

PhD Degree Requirements

• Students pursuing the PhD degree are first admitted to graduate study in information science. The degree requires a minimum of 72 credits of which 60 will normally be beyond the master's degree.

Graduate degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed all courses required for the degree with at least a 3.0 GPA. Courses numbered below 2000 do not meet the minimum requirements for doctoral study, although they may be taken to supplement a doctoral program.

Preliminary Examination Requirement

The Preliminary Examination is comprised of an oral presentation related to a research oriented publication. In preparation for the preliminary examination, which is usually taken in the third semester of study, PhD students will complete the following course work.

• Four graduate-level courses, one in each of the following areas: Research methods, foundations, design, and information
• Six credits of independent study focused on a research project, which will result in an original, publishable quality research paper (the basis for the preliminary exam)
• Three doctoral seminars (9 credits), including a required Introduction to Doctoral Research (IS 3005/3006), are required. Advanced doctoral seminars will be focused on single research themes.

While the preliminary examination can be taken before the completion of the core courses and doctoral seminar, the preliminary examination requirement will not be considered satisfied until all core courses and doctoral seminars are completed.

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

The comprehensive examination requires successful completion of the preliminary exam. The student will choose three areas of concentration and three faculty members for the comprehensive examination Committee, one of whom is the advisor. In preparation for the comprehensive exam, it is expected that the student will complete 3 credits of advanced statistics and a minimum of 12 additional credits in elective courses, which may include any of the graduate courses, independent studies, or doctoral seminars, in the School of Information Sciences. Once the committee and the topic areas are selected, the student will prepare an activity and reading list with the advice and approval of the committee members. The student will then conduct whatever preparation is necessary. When the student is ready, he/she will inform the advisor who will ask each member of the committee will submit one or more questions to the advisor. The advisor will be responsible for constructing the exam with appropriate balance over the three topic areas. The student will be given the questions and allowed one week to prepare written answers to the questions. After review of the written answers, an oral examination will be scheduled. The oral questions will cover the answers on the written examination, and more broadly, about knowledge of the material in the three areas of concentration. The result of the comprehensive examination will be a pass or fail. If a student fails, they may retake the exam one more time.

Candidacy and Dissertation Requirements

Doctoral students are required to take a minimum of 18 dissertation credits as a part of their study. Dissertation credits should be taken during terms when a student is actively working on the dissertation. In any term in which a student is enrolled for dissertation credits, the student should meet with their advisor on a regular basis to monitor that appropriate progress is being made towards the completion of the dissertation proposal or the dissertation. The specific activities in a given term should depend on the current stage of the dissertation process. In addition to writing the proposal and dissertation itself, other appropriate activities may include reviewing the literature, programming, prototyping, running preliminary studies, writing grant proposals, preparing journal articles related to the dissertation or presenting preliminary results at conferences.

Once the comprehensive examination is successfully completed, the student is officially a doctoral candidate. After becoming a doctoral candidate, the student can propose and defend a dissertation topic.

Research Areas in Information Science and Technology

Specific areas of research include:

• Systems design and analysis—system design methodologies, improved applications of information systems (including geographic information systems), rigorous systems specification.
• Visualization study—search and retrieval paradigms for databases, replacement of mental inferences with visual inferences in problem solving, the extraction of intelligence from large scientific databases, emergent relationships during learning and self-organization in neural networks.  SIS researchers have developed customized real-time displays for physicians.


• Human-centered computing—tailoring the interface to the specific user, generation and use of analogies, design of interfaces that promote the development of expertise, visual languages, electronic publishing, and hypermedia.


• Cognitive Science—artificial intelligence, neural networks, natural language processing, human cognition, development of a natural language parsing system, building modes of semantic memory, spatial knowledge and processing, mathematical models of cognitive processes, and classification research.


• Information Assurance—system security, role-based access control, XML security, distributed systems, system survivability.


• Web Systems and Database Management—distributed systems, client-server systems information infrastructure and e-markets, scalable architectures for wide-area environments.

Graduate Course Listing in Information Science