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/Data Management: The Analytics and Data Management concentration will give you a strong foundation in analytical techniques and tools including data mining, data visualization, and applied statistics. You will gain expertise with Python based tools and may gain experience with R software. Additional electives in data governance and text mining are available.
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.
Full-time students generally complete the program in three academic semesters with summer work; part-time students complete it in three to four years. Students gain hands-on experience as part of their degree through the school's required internship. Students may choose internship settings based on their career goals.
Students interested in the Master of Science in Information should refer to one of the named options:
Admissions
Students apply to the Master of Science in Information through one of the named options:
- Campus Program
- Online Program
- Admission to the named option in Research is only available to students currently enrolled in the PhD in Information.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
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.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| 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. Students receiving a BC or C move into probationary status. A second grade of BC or C or any grade of D or F will normally result in the student being dropped from the program. In addition, a student's graduate-program cumulative grade point average must be maintained at 3.00 or above. |
| Assessments and Examinations | No formal examination is required. |
| Language Requirements | None. |
Required Courses
Select a Named Option for courses required.
Named Options
A named option is a formally documented sub-major within an academic major program. Named options appear on the transcript with degree conferral. Students pursuing the Master of Science in Information must select one of the following named options:
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Learning Outcomes
- Integrate concepts from information/data management, digital technologies and human behavioral and cultural practices to help solve organizational, community or social challenges
- Use legal or ethical principles to critique data and information management practices
- Apply principles of information science to organizational data and information management endeavors
- Use quantitative analysis methodologies and tools to inform decision making
- Demonstrate professional communications, teamwork, and awareness of culture competencies