Curriculum and Learning Outcomes

The School of Information Studies prides itself on its cutting-edge and historically strong program in information management. The iSchool at Syracuse is ranked No. 1 in information systems among library and information studies schools by U.S. News & World Report. Our comprehensive curriculum is continually updated to ensure our graduates are well prepared to enter the ever-evolving information field, and our curriculum meets the specifications of the Association of Information Systems and the Society for Information Professionals.

Curriculum

1. Core Courses (10 credits)
2. Secondary Core (15 credits across three areas)
3. Electives (8-14 credits)
4. Exit Requirement (3 - 9 credits)

Some requirements can be waived on the basis of a student's professional full-time work experience (see Waiver Policy below). IST 601 and IST 621 must be taken the first semester of the student's program.

All courses are three credits unless specified otherwise.

IST 601 Information and Information Environments (1 credit)
IST 621 Introduction to Information Management: Concepts, Contexts, and Career Options (gateway course)
IST 614 Management Principles for Information Professionals
IST 618 Survey of Telecommunications and Information Policy

Secondary Core: 15 credits

Management Approaches and Strategies Track (6 credits)
IST 552 Information Systems Analysis
IST 619 Applied Economics for Information Managers
IST 645 Managing Information Systems Projects

Technological Infrastructure Track (6 credits)
IST 555 Distributed Computing for Information Professionals
IST 653 Introduction to Telecommunications and Network Management
IST 656 Telecommunications and Information Technology
IST 659 Data Administration Concepts and Database Management

User Information Needs Track
IST 501 Research Techniques for Information Management
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 Behavior of Information Users
IST 649 Human Interaction with Computers
IST 652 Managers as Information Processors
IST 656 Telecommunications and Information Technology
IST 662 Instructional Strategies and Techniques for Information Professionals

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 IST 971 internship or cooperative education credits.

Specializations

Data Management Specialization (DM) provides students with a greater knowledge of best practices for managing and presenting data.

Electronic Business (EB) (offered at the main campus) provides students with in-depth knowledge of private sector strategies and approaches to conducting online commerce.

Electronic Government (EG) (offered at the Washington, D.C. site) provides students with in-depth knowledge of public sector approaches to providing services online.

Information Security Specialization (Info Sec) provides students with a greater knowledge of public and private sector best practices of providing information security.

Information and Telecommunications Policy Specialization provides students with knowledge of best practices for managing telecommunications systems and information network infrastructures, as well as corresponding policy issues.

Project Management and Resource Planning Specialization provides students with a greater knowledge of public and private sector best practices of IT project management, as well as high-level resource planning practices such as capital investment planning, systems development, and enterprise architecture.

Course Descriptions

Syracuse University graduate catalog for course descriptions.

Waiver Policy

Students with more than one year of full-time professional experience in the IM field may waive the internship requirement with no reduction in credits required for the IM degree. Students with 3-5 years of full time professional work experience in IM may waive 3 credits of the exit requirement. Those with 6 or more years of appropriate full-time professional experience may waive 6 credits of the exit requirement. This waiver would reduce the number of credit hours required for the degree.