School of Information Sciences - Department of Information Science and Telecommunications

The Department of Information Science and Telecommunications (DIST) offers a Master of Science and a PhD in Information Science. In addition, DIST 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. DIST also offers a Master of Science in Telecommunications through a program based in the Department of Information Science and Telecommunications and jointly sponsored with the Departments of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Communication, and with the Katz Graduate School of Business. A Certificate of Advanced Study in Telecommunications and a PhD in Information Science with a Telecommunications concentration are also offered.

Research Focus

All members of the faculty are active researchers with funding from governmental and/or private 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, telecommunications and networking, visualization, human-computer interaction, and cognitive science.

In the area of systems analysis and design, researchers develop system design methodologies, improved applications of information systems, including geographic information systems, development of rigorous systems specifications, and office automation systems that encourage the exchange of information.

Issues in telecommunications and networking research include wireless telecommunications, computer networking protocols, distributed databases and distributed processing, economic models for telecommunications, gigabit networking, network survivability, and photonic switching.

Researchers in the area of visualization study search and retrieval paradigms for databases, the replacement of mental inferences with visual inferences in problem solving, the extraction of intelligence from large scientific databases, the discovery and analysis of emergent relationships during learning and self-organization in neural networks, and have developed customized real-time displays for physicians.

Human-computer interaction research focuses on the importance of tailoring the interface to the specific user. Areas of interest include the generation and use of analogies, the design of interfaces that promote development of expertise, visual languages, electronic publishing, and hypermedia.

In the research area of cognitive science, basic research spans the diverse topics of artificial intelligence, neural networks, natural language processing, and human cognition. Specific areas of study include the development of a natural language parsing system, building models of semantic memory, spatial knowledge and processing, mathematical models of cognitive processes, and classification research.

Contact Information

Department of Information Science and Telecommunications

7th Floor IS Building

135 North Bellefield Avenue

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Phone: (412) 624-9400

Fax: (412) 624-2788

E-mail: isadmit@pitt.edu

Web site: http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~dist/

Admissions

To qualify for admission, an applicant must be a graduate of an accredited college or university, with a scholastic average of B, or a minimum quality point average of 3.00 (on a scale where A=4.00). Preference will be given to candidates with better than a B average. The scholastic average of the final 50 percent of a student's undergraduate course work, as well as of graduate courses that may have been taken, shall be examined in determining achievement of this requirement.

All MSIS and MST 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.

Upon admission to DIST, students are classified as having full status or provisional status. Students are assigned full status when all matriculation requirements are fulfilled; students are assigned provisional status when certain matriculation requirements remain to be satisfied. Such conditions must be completed no later than the first two terms of graduate study in DIST. Time spent removing deficiencies after a provisional admission is included in the four-year statute of limitations. See detail on statute of limitations under the relevant program description below. Any coursework used to meet provisional requirements cannot be applied to the course requirements for the degree.

Registration and Residence Requirements

Full-time study on campus is considered most beneficial to the student, but DIST recognizes that many students hold jobs or have other off-campus responsibilities that make full-time study impossible. Degree requirements, therefore, can be met by full- or part-time study or a combination of both. While DIST endeavors to offer a wide variety of course times (day, Saturday, and evening), it cannot offer as full and rich a program of studies to those who are constrained by personal obligations.

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

With the possible exception of six credits of advanced standing, all course work must be completed in residence in DIST (i.e., registering with an INFSCI or TELCOM code). DIST may approve courses taken at other member institutions in the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE); students need approval of their advisors before cross registering. Courses taken at other schools or departments of the University or through PCHE cross registration are considered in residence provided the registration is with an INFSCI department code. See also Cross Registration in the Registration section of this bulletin for further detail.

At most, six credits of upper-division undergraduate course work may be applied toward a graduate degree in Information Science. All other credits (including the practicum or thesis) must be at the graduate level (2000 or 3000 course numbers). No University of Pittsburgh courses numbered below 1000 or from 7000-7099 may be applied toward master's degree requirements. Specific courses for each student will be determined in consultation and with the approval of a faculty advisor. All students must, in consultation with their advisors, draw up and record a formal Plan of Studies.

Credit By Examination: No credit by examination will be granted toward the master's degree, nor credit for work completed in extension courses or in off-campus centers of another institution unless those credits are approved for graduate degrees at that institution.

Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) Program

The MSIS program is designed to prepare students to assume professional responsibilities as system analysts and designers, database developers and managers, software engineers, interactive systems designers, expert system designers, artificial intelligence specialists, information retrieval specialists, and other information-related specialists.

The Master of Science in Information Science requires a minimum of 36 credits. Thirty credits must be in regular course work; an additional six may be a thesis, practicum (a structured, supervised employment situation), or additional course work. A thesis is directed by a committee made up of a faculty advisor and two other faculty members. This option is recommended for students who wish to establish a research record or pursue a PhD degree. Students may choose among specialized track options. (See department Web site for a list of track options.) Because requirements in the tracks do vary, program planning must be done in consultation with a faculty advisor as soon as possible after admission.

A typical plan of study includes two courses in the theoretical and mathematical foundations of information science, two courses in cognitive science, and eight technically oriented courses chosen from a varied and extensive list (e.g., data structures, systems analysis and design, telecommunications and networks, operating systems, interactive graphics, database management, software engineering, and design of artificial languages).

MSIS Admission Prerequisites

Prerequisites for admission to the MSIS program include one three-credit college course in each of the following:

• Structured programming language: a course on data structures and file processing using a modern structured language is optimal. C or C++ is strongly recommended.
• Statistics: a course covering data collection, descriptive and inferential statistics is optimal. It should cover measures of central tendency and variability, regression, correlation, non-parametric analysis, probability and sampling, Bayesian analysis, significance tests, and hypothesis testing.
• Mathematics: a college-level mathematics course, preferably in discrete mathematics or calculus, is required.

Any course work students are asked to meet as a condition of their admission must be completed with a grade of B or better.

MSIS Degree Requirements

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

• Six credits of course work in the foundations area (INFSCI 2000 required unless exempted by advisor)
• 21 credits of course work in the systems and technology areas (either INFSCI 2610 or INFSCI 2630 required)
• Six credits of course work in the cognitive science area

To round out the required 36 credits, students may pursue a thesis, a practicum, or additional coursework as detailed above in the overview of the MSIS degree.

MSIS Statute of Limitations

The MSIS 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 nine 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 six credits per term, which permits part-time students to complete the program in six terms. The DIST faculty, via a student petition, must approve exceptions to the four-year limit due to extenuating circumstances.

Master of Science in Telecommunications (MST) Program

The Master of Science in Telecommunications is a 36-credit program designed to prepare students as telecommunications network designers, analysts, managers, and data, voice, or image specialists with emphasis on the integrated voice, data, and image telecommunications network environments. The program responds to the need for telecommunications professionals who can analyze, plan, design, implement, evaluate, and manage integrated telecommunications networks, especially in an environment in which separate voice, data, video, and image networks are being merged. Doctoral study in telecommunications is available as a concentration in the Information Science PhD program. See Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science Program below.

The MST degree program is designed for both beginning and experienced professionals. Prerequisite and introductory courses provide students with the academic background necessary to pursue course work in areas such as network hardware and software, network design, telecommunications devices, protocols and interfaces, legal and regulatory issues, and project management and control. Laboratory sessions and practical projects supplement classroom work. Introductory courses in computer science, electrical engineering, business, and communication are available for those students without appropriate background in these areas. A series of advanced and specialized courses in the telecommunications field follow the introductory courses and complete the academic program. These advanced courses cover network concepts and systems, communication devices, transmission, switching, protocols, interfaces, project management and control, and legal and regulatory issues. A practicum project in a local organization or a thesis is encouraged as a culminating educational experience.

MST Admission Prerequisites

Prerequisite to the MST program is a four-year undergraduate degree from a recognized college or university, including course work at the undergraduate level or higher with a C or better grade in one three-credit course in calculus and one three-credit course in probability or statistics. Applicants should also demonstrate skill in scientific programming acquired academically or professionally (C, Pascal, FORTRAN, etc.).

MST Requirements

Completion of the Master of Science in Telecommunications degree requires a minimum of 36 credits. Three credits may be in practicum (a structured supervised employment situation) or a thesis. For research-oriented students, the faculty strongly recommends a three-credit thesis in lieu of course work.

The Master of Science in Telecommunications (MST) degree is conferred upon students who have:

• Acquired proficiency in a specialized area of telecommunications
• Obtained a firm understanding of the issues related to the design, implementation, and management of telecommunications systems
• Completed a minimum of 36 credits in approved course work.

The 36-credit minimum of course work should include the following:

• 12 credits of advanced required courses.
• Three credits selected from the management/policy group. (See the department Web site for a listing of these courses.)
• Three credits selected from the human communication group. (See the department Web site for a listing of these courses.)
• 18 credits of elective course work that may include a practicum of three credits or a thesis of three credits.

MST Statute of Limitations

The MST degree program must be completed within five years of the first term in which courses were taken after admission.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science (PhD - IS) Program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in the Department of Information Science and Telecommunications (DIST) 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 telecommunications may pursue a concentration in Telecommunications as part of the PhD degree in Information Science. Students interested in the PhD degree should consult the document, PhD Program in Information Science, which is available from the department.

The candidate for the PhD/IS program should have a broad knowledge of information science as a profession as well as a specialization in the field 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 as early as possible after admission.

PhD - IS Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate study in DIST (or the Master of Science in Telecommunications program for students who plan to pursue the Telecommunications concentration), applicants for admission to the PhD program should have a quality point average (QPA) of 3.30 or better for any graduate studies they have pursued. They must also demonstrate mathematical literacy as follows:

• Satisfactory completion of college-level course work in any two of the following: differential calculus, integral calculus, linear algebra, modern algebra, matrix algebra, or mathematical logic; OR
• Successful completion of an examination arranged with the University of Pittsburgh's Mathematics Department.

PhD - IS Degree Requirements

Students pursuing the PhD degree are first admitted to graduate study in information science. A minimum of 60 credits beyond the master's degree will normally be required for the PhD degree. Minimum credits are distributed as follows:

• 36 credits of course work of which 18 must be doctoral and research seminars and nine must be in statistics/research design
• Six credits outside of the department in a conceptual cluster
• 18 dissertation research credits.

Graduate degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed all courses required for the degree with at least a 3.30 QPA.

In the doctoral program, at least 18 credits must be 3000-level courses and seminars. The student will usually take at least nine credits at the 2000 level and must take INFSCI 2000 (unless previously taken) as well as the PhD orientation session before taking the Preliminary Examination. During the first term of study, all students who have not taken INFSCI 2000 should do so. Courses numbered below 2000 do not meet the minimum requirements for doctoral study, although they may be taken to supplement a doctoral program.

Residence Requirement

The PhD degree can be completed by a combination of full-time and part-time study. Three terms of full-time study are required, two of which must be consecutive, and must be taken after successful completion of the Preliminary Examination. All three terms must be completed before the Comprehensive Examination. 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 three credits in one of three consecutive terms to continue as active students. Doctoral candidates in residence are required to register for a least three credits per term or such greater amount as the department deems appropriate. Doctoral candidates not in residence must be registered for at least one 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.

Preliminary Examination Requirement

The department follows the University policy on preliminary examinations, according to Regulations Governing Graduate Study at the University of Pittsburgh. For more on the University regulations, see http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/regtoc.html and refer in this bulletin to Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees.

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

The Comprehensive Examination has both a written and an oral component. For the written component the student must prepare a written state-of-the-art paper and a written research plan (usually an experimental design) for a problem related to that state-of-the-art paper. The two-hour oral examination is directed at the state-of-the-art paper, the research plan, and the various relationships among the components of information science.

Candidacy and Dissertation Requirements

After the successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, the student shall select a dissertation advisor who may or may not be the student's current academic advisor. The student in consultation with the dissertation advisor selects a dissertation committee of at least five people. A majority of the committee must be members of the DIST Graduate Faculty, and one of the members must hold a primary faculty appointment outside the department. Upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination and approval of the dissertation proposal, the student is admitted to doctoral candidacy. The doctoral committee must unanimously approve the dissertation topic and research plan before the student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Approval of the proposal does not imply either the acceptance of a dissertation prepared in accord with the proposal or the restriction of the dissertation to this original proposal.

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 DIST Committee on Doctoral Studies for a decision.

Telecommunications Concentration

Requirements for the PhD with a concentration in Telecommunications differ from the requirements stated in the preceding section in the following areas:

1. The degree requires a minimum of 84 graduate course and seminar credits beyond the bachelor's degree and at least 18 dissertation credits. These credits include:
   • The required courses (or their equivalents) for the MST degree at the University of Pittsburgh
   • Six credits in graduate-level statistics or probability
   • Three credits in graduate-level research design
   • Nine credits in graduate-level information science courses excluding those courses normally taken for the MST degree
   • Nine credits in doctoral-level seminars in information science or telecommunications
2. During the first or second term of study and in preparation for the Preliminary Examination, students must take and pass with a grade of B or better the Telecommunications Research Project course unless they submit an acceptable master's thesis.
3. For the written component of the Preliminary Examination, the student selects three of the following four areas for a total of three three-hour exams: systems, foundations of transmission, performance analysis, and management policy.
4. To be admitted to the Comprehensive Examination, a student must have completed the minimum of 84 credits of graduate course and seminar work beyond the undergraduate degree.

Certificates - Information Science and Telecommunications

Students in the Department of Information Science and Telecommunications may pursue certificates of advanced study. DIST offers two such certificates: one in Information Science (IS) and another in Telecommunications (TELCOM).

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 and TELCOM certificates 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.

DIST Course Listings

 

INFSCI 2000 Introduction to Information Science

INFSCI 2020 Mathematical Foundations for Information Science

INFSCI 2060 Statistics in Information Science

INFSCI 2065 Scaling Theory

INFSCI 2100 Research Design

INFSCI 2120 Information and Coding Theory

INFSCI 2130 Decision Analysis and Decision Support Systems

INFSCI 2140 Information Storage and Retrieval

INFSCI 2300 Human Information Processing

INFSCI 2330 Foundations of Cognitive Science

INFSCI 2350 Human Factors in Systems

INFSCI 2410 Introduction to Parallel Distributed Processing

INFSCI 2420 Natural Language Processing

INFSCI 2440 Artificial Intelligence

INFSCI 2450 Artificial Intelligence Programming Tools

INFSCI 2470 Interactive System Design

INFSCI 2510 Information Systems

INFSCI 2511 Information Systems Analysis, Design, and Evaluation

INFSCI 2530 Modeling of Information Systems and Processes

INFSCI 2540 Software Engineering and Software Tools

INFSCI 2550 Client-Server and Workstation Systems

INFSCI 2610 Data Structures

INFSCI 2611 Algorithm Design

INFSCI 2630 Architectures and Assembler Language

INFSCI 2640 Programming Languages and Environments

INFSCI 2650 Visual Languages

INFSCI 2670 Operating Systems

INFSCI 2680 Compiler Design

INFSCI 2710 Database Management

INFSCI 2711 Database Analysis and Design

INFSCI 2720 Geographic Information Systems

INFSCI 2770 Document Processing

INFSCI 2780 Interactive Graphics

INFSCI 2781 Advanced Interactive Graphics

INFSCI 2810 Management Information Systems

INFSCI 2870 Information Processing Standards

INFSCI 2901 Introduction to Medical Informatics

INFSCI 2902 Introduction to Clinical Medical Multimedia & The Internet

INFSCI 2904 Evaluation Methods in Medical Informatics

INFSCI 2905 Probabilistic Methods for Computer-Based Decision Support

INFSCI 2906 Knowledge Representation and Clinical Decision Support

INFSCI 2921/ Independent Study: Mathematical and Formal 3921 Foundations

INFSCI 2923/ Independent Study: Cognitive Science 3923

INFSCI 2924/ Independent Study: Cognitive Systems 3924

INFSCI 2925/ Independent Study: Systems & Technology - 3925 Systems Design, Development, and Implementation

INFSCI 2926/ Independent Study: Systems & Technology - 3926 Computing Systems Concepts

INFSCI 2927/ Independent Study: Systems & Technology - 3927 Applications of Information Technology

INFSCI 2928/ Independent Study: Systems & Technology - 3928 Management and Policy

INFSCI 2931 Special Topics: Mathematical and Formal Foundations

INFSCI 2933 Special Topics: Cognitive Science

INFSCI 2934 Special Topics: Cognitive Systems

INFSCI 2935 Special Topics: Systems and Technology -  Systems Design, Development, and Implementation

INFSCI 2936 Special Topics: Systems & Technology -  Computing Systems Concepts

INFSCI 2937 Special Topics: Systems & Technology -  Applications of Information Technology

INFSCI 2938 Special Topics: Systems & Technology -  Management and Policy

INFSCI 2940 Practicum

INFSCI 2950 Thesis

INFSCI 3140 Advanced Information Retrieval

INFSCI 3710 Data Compression

INFSCI 3931 Advanced Topics: Mathematical and Formal Foundations

INFSCI 3933 Advanced Topics: Cognitive Science

INFSCI 3934 Advanced Topics: Cognitive Systems

INFSCI 3935 Advanced Topics: Systems and Technology -  Systems Design, Development, and Implementation

INFSCI 3936 Advanced Topics: Systems & Technology -  Computing Systems Concepts

INFSCI 3937 Advanced Topics: Systems & Technology -  Applications of Information Technology

INFSCI 3938 Advanced Topics: Systems & Technology -  Management and Policy

INFSCI 3951 Doctoral Seminar

INFSCI 3978 Doctoral Seminar

INFSCI 3981 Research Seminar: Mathematical and Formal Foundations

INFSCI 3983 Research Seminar: Cognitive Science

INFSCI 3984 Research Seminar: Cognitive Systems

INFSCI 3985 Research Seminar: Systems & Technology -  Systems Design, Development, and Implementation

INFSCI 3986 Research Seminar: Systems & Technology -  Computing Systems Concepts

INFSCI 3987 Research Seminar: Systems & Technology -  Applications of Information Technology

INFSCI 3988 Research Seminar: Systems & Technology -  Management and Policy

INFSCI 3999 Dissertation

FTDM Full-time Dissertation Study

Graduate Courses in Telecommunications

TELCOM 2000 Introduction to Telecommunications

TELCOM 2100 Fundamentals of Telecommunications

TELCOM 2110 Network Design

TELCOM 2120 Network Performance

TELCOM 2121 Network Management

TELCOM 2122 Telephone System Management

TELCOM 2123 Network Security

TELCOM 2130 Queuing Theory

TELCOM 2200 Electronic Communications 1

TELCOM 2210 Electronic Communications 2

TELCOM 2220 Digital Transmission

TELCOM 2222 Photonic Communications

TELCOM 2225 Switching Systems

TELCOM 2226 Intelligent Networks

TELCOM 2228 Video Applications

TELCOM 2230 Random Signals and Noise

TELCOM 2300 Software Tools and Techniques

TELCOM 2310 Computer Networks

TELCOM 2320 Local Area Networks

TELCOM 2321 Wide Area Networks

TELCOM 2325 Distributed Systems

TELCOM 2326 Distributed Databases

TELCOM 2400 Accounting and Finance for Telecommunications

TELCOM 2411 Information Technology in Organizations

TELCOM 2412 Telecommunications Marketing

TELCOM 2420 Project Management

TELCOM 2430 Case Studies in Telecommunications

TELCOM 2510 U.S. Telecommunications Policy

TELCOM 2511 International Telecommunications Policy

TELCOM 2512 Information Policy

TELCOM 2530 Economics of Networks

TELCOM 2600 Human Communication

TELCOM 2610 Designing Computer and Network Services

TELCOM 2611 Organizational Behavior

TELCOM 2700 Introduction to Wireless Communications

TELCOM 2710 Foundations of Wireless Communications

TELCOM 2720 Cellular Radio and Personal Communications

TELCOM 2721 Mobile Data Networks

TELCOM 2725 Code Division Multiple Access

TELCOM 2229 Digital Wireless Communications: Modulation and Coding

TELCOM 2726 Radio Propagation and Antennas

TELCOM 2730 Capstone  -  Mobile Applications

TELCOM 2921 Independent Study in Networking

TELCOM 2922 Independent Study in Communications

TELCOM 2923 Independent Study in Computer Communications

TELCOM 2924 Independent Study in Telecommunications Administration

TELCOM 2925 Independent Study in Economics and Policy

TELCOM 2931 Special Topics in Networking

TELCOM 2932 Special Topics in Communications

TELCOM 2933 Special Topics in Computer Communications

TELCOM 2934 Special Topics in Telecommunications Administration

TELCOM 2935 Special Topics in Economics and Policy

TELCOM 2936 Special Topics in Wireless Communications

TELCOM 2940 Practicum