Curriculum and Learning Outcomes
The 42-credit curriculum includes a 10-credit primary core requirement, a 15-credit secondary core requirement across three core areas, 8 to 14 credits of electives, and a 3 to 9 credit exit requirement. Some requirements can be waived on the basis of the student’s professional full-time work experience (see Waiver Policy below.) The master’s degree program must be completed within seven years although most students complete the degree in two years. The program is available to part-time and distance students and can be completed at the student’s own pace through evening, short courses and online course delivery.
The program includes three components:
(I) Primary Core (10 credits)
IST 601 and 621 must be taken the first semester of the student’s program. IST 601 Information and Information Environments (1 credit)
IST 614 Management Principles for Information Professionals
IST 618 Information Policy
IST 621 Introduction to Information Management: Concepts, Contexts, and Career Options (gateway course)
(2) Secondary Core (15 credits)
Management Approaches and Strategies Track (6 credits)
IST 619 Applied Economics for Information Managers
IST 645 Managing Information Systems Projects
IST 654 Information Systems Analysis
Technological Infrastructure Track (6 credits)
IST 639 Enterprise Technologies
IST 653 Introduction to Telecommunications and Network Management
IST 659 Data Administration Concepts and Database Management
User Information Needs Track (3 credits)
IST 553 Information Architecture for Internet Services
IST 617 Motivational Aspects of Information Use
IST 626 Business Information Resources and Strategic Intelligence
IST 631 Theory of Classification and Subject Representation
IST 641 User-Based Design
IST 649 Human Interaction with Computers
IST 652 Managers as Information Processors
IST 662 Instructional Strategies and Techniques for Information Professionals
(3) Electives (8 to 14 credits)
All iSchool courses are acceptable electives. In addition, with the approval of their academic advisors, students are allowed to take up to 6 credits of certain courses from other schools at Syracuse University (such as the Whitman School of Management and the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science) as electives toward their MS/IM program.
(4) Exit Requirement (3 to 9 credits)
IST 755 is the capstone course and must be taken after the completion of IST 614 and at least 24 credits in the degree program. For students with little or no appropriate experience as information professionals, students must register for at least 3 credits and no more than 6 credits of internship or cooperative education credits.
IST 755 Strategic Management of Information Resources (capstone course)
IST 971 Internship: 3 to 6 credits
Waiver Policy
Students with more than one year of full-time professional experience in the information technology field may waive the internship requirement with no reduction in credits required for the IM degree.
SPECIALIZATIONS OFFERED IN THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
The information management field is continually changing and evolving. The Master of Science in Information Management (IM) program provides well-rounded advanced-level preparation for information management professionals. In order to better serve students’ specific academic and professional interests, focused specializations that complement the degree curriculum are also
offered. The following specializations add value to students’ educational experience by allowing and encouraging them to establish an even more in-depth knowledge base and appreciation as well as concentrate on job market preparation:
Courses required for the specializations are intended to supplement and strengthen students’ knowledge acquired through the existing primary and secondary core courses in the IM program instead of substituting for the latter.