Department of Information Studies - University at Albany-SUNY

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# Department of Information Studies

#### Faculty

Professor
Philip B. Eppard, Ph.D.
Brown University

Associate Professors
Deborah Lines Anderson, Ph.D.
University at Albany
Hemalata Iyer, Ph.D.
University of Mysore, India
Abebe Rorissa, Ph.D.
University of North Texas
Joette Stefl-Mabry, Ph.D.
Long Island University
Özlem Uzuner, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Assistant Professors
Donghee Sinn, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Xiaojun (Jenny) Yuan Ph.D.
Rutgers University

Service Professor
Frank D’Andraia, M.S.
Simmons College

Adjuncts (estimated): 21
Teaching Assistants (estimated): 0

The Department of Information Studies offers a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of information and information technologies in society and in organizations. Students are exposed to working with information in a wide variety of formats in order to gain conceptual and practical knowledge of how information is created, organized, represented, stored, accessed, retrieved, managed, and protected in both traditional and non-traditional media. In addition, students investigate the uses and impacts of information and technology on individuals, organizations, and society, including formal and informal communities, libraries, government, and business.

Students seeking careers as information professionals, archivists, librarians, or school library media specialists should pursue a graduate degree in Information Science. Undergraduate students with advanced standing (3.20 GPA) have the opportunity to apply to the Combined B.A./M.S.I.S. Program or Combined B.S./M.S.I.S. Program.

#### Combined B.A./M.S.I.S. or B.S./M.S.I.S. Program

The combined B.A./M.S.I.S. or B.S./M.S.I.S. program in Information Science provides a unique opportunity for capable, highly motivated students to pursue any undergraduate liberal arts major while at the same time beginning their professional preparation for a career in the rapidly expanding information management fields. The emphasis of the program is on the planning, provision and administration of information systems and services in libraries, archives and information organizations. A distinctive feature of the curriculum is the stress placed upon user and human as well as technological factors. Toward the end of their program of study, students will be expected to combine academic study with internship experience in locations such as corporations; New York State government agencies; archives; K-12 school libraries; or academic, public or special libraries.

Graduates will be prepared for employment in a wide variety of public and private sector settings within business, industry, law, humanities, health and human services, and education where they will function as librarians, archivists, records managers, school library media specialists, information systems specialists, information analysts or information officers and managers.

The department is especially strong in six areas: (1) information and public policy, (2) library and information services, (3) archives/records administration, (4) school media, (5) human computer interaction and (6) information organization and retrieval.

Students may be admitted to the combined program at the beginning of their junior year or after successful completion of 56 credits. A carefully designed program can enable the student to earn the B.A. or B.S. and M.S.I.S. within 10 semesters. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation are required. The Graduate Record Exam is not required for admission. In qualifying for the baccalaureate, students will meet all University and school requirements, including existing major and minor requirements, general education requirements, minimum liberal arts and sciences requirements, and residency requirements.

Additionally, students will complete a minor in Library and Information Science including, as a minimum, the following courses: I CSI 105; I INF 201; I IST 523; I IST 601; I IST 602, and one additional I IST course at the 500 level or above.

In qualifying for the master’s degree, students will meet all University and school requirements, including completing a minimum of 42 graduate credits, and any conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, or other professional experience, and residency requirements. The combined program allows students to complete 12 graduate credits as an undergraduate that are applied to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Students will be considered as undergraduates until completion of 120 graduation credits and satisfactory completion of all B.A. or B.S. requirements. Upon meeting the baccalaureate requirements, students will automatically be considered as graduate students.

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### Schools & Colleges

- College of Arts & Sciences
- School of Business
- College of Computing & Information
- School of Criminal Justice
- School of Education
- Nanoscale Science & Engineering
- School of Public Health
- Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy
- School of Social Welfare