Graduate Information Programs

and Accreditation: Landscape

Survey and Analysis
ASIS&T Information Professions Accreditation Meeting
September 9, 2008
Washington, D.C.

Samantha Becker
MLIS Candidate | The Information School
MPA Candidate | Evans School of Public Affairs
University of Washington
 Methodology
• 2008 Peterson’s Graduate and Professional
Programs
– surveyed annually
– accredited by USDE or CHEA
– 6 volumes, 491 disciplinary fields
• Looked for programs with keywords
– information
– informatics
– human-computer interaction
– knowledge management
 Methodology
• Visited websites of about ½ of the programs
• Built database with
– institution name
– administrative unit
– degree(s) offered
– title of major or concentration area
 Example
University of Oklahoma, Graduate College,
College of Arts and Sciences, School of Library
and Information Studies, Program in Library
and Information Studies, Norman, OK 73019-
0390. Offers knowledge management (MS);
library and information studies (MLIS); school
library media specialist (certificate); M
Ed/MLIS; MBA/MLIS.
 Key Findings
• Approximately 900 information-related
master’s degrees
• Offered in 468 colleges and universities
• 220 distinct majors or concentration areas
• Most frequent majors
– information systems (93)
– management information systems (93)
– information technology (57)
– bioinformatics (51)
– library and information science (43)
 Key Findings
– 1/3 of academic units on the
computerinformation science spectrum
– 1/3 bio- and health sciences, library science,
public administration, communications, &
education
– 1/3 in academic units focused on business
 Academic Units
• Found programs spread across 500 academic
units
• The highest administrative unit for 85% of
programs was a school, college, or faculty
• 30% of colleges and universities have
information programs in more than one unit
 Academic Units
• Larger institutions tend to have stand-alone
departments concerned with information
– Graduate schools have mostly an administrative
function
• Medium sized institutions tend to have
information programs in 2nd level departments,
mostly within colleges of arts & science
• Smaller institutions often have graduate schools
that encompass all master’s level programs
Major Disciplinary Areas
 Information Disciplines

Bates, M.J. (2007). "Defining the information disciplines in encyclopedia development" Information
Research, 12(4) paper colis29. [Available at http://InformationR.net/ir/12-4/colis/colis29.html]
 Computer Information Science
Spectrum

• 350 programs in computer technology fields

– Engineering
– Computer science
– Information science
 Program Types
• 220 majors or concentration areas
• Top 17 account for 60% of programs
• Split professional degrees/master of science
• 12-24 month completion
• Internships or professional experience often
required
• Capstone projects emphasized; fewer w/thesis
requirements
 Program Types
• 4 major categories
– information systems
– Informatics
– Information technology
– Information science
 Information Systems
• 205 colleges and universities
• 305 programs
• Majors/concentrations include
– information systems (93)
– management information systems (93)
– computer information systems (34)
– information systems management (12)
 Information Systems
• Program focus
– analysis, design, and implementation of
information systems
– data management
– project management
– strategic management and use of information
technology
• Differences mostly in level of technical
preparation
 Informatics
• 106 programs
• Focused on the use of information within
specific disciplines
– biology/genetics
– health/medical sciences
– chemistry
– media
 Informatics
• Bioinformatics/biomedical informatics
– 53 programs
– 15 in academic units with biology focus
– 11 in medical schools
– curricula includes
• advanced life sciences
• design and implementation of information systems
• statistical modeling and analysis
• many interested in managing and analyzing data from
genetic research
 Informatics
• Health informatics
– 30 colleges and universities
– 2/3 in medical, nursing, or health sciences units
– 34 programs
• health informatics
• medical informatics
• nursing informatics
– emphasizing use of information for evaluation of
patient outcomes
 Information Technology

• 95 colleges and universities

• 118 programs
– 45% in business schools
• Majors/concentrations include
– information technology (57)
– information technology management (22)
• 59 master of science degrees
• 35 MBA
 Information Technology
• Program focus
– managing technology projects
• databases
• e-commerce systems
• computer networks
– decision support
– also business topics
• accounting, organizational development
 Information Science
• 84 colleges/universities
• 98 programs
• Majors/concentrations include
– library and information science (43)
– computer and information science (26)
– information science (11)
– information studies (6)
 Information Science
• Library and information science
– ALA accredited
– those within iCaucus schools have less emphasis
on traditional library subjects (cataloging,
reference services, collection development)
• Computer and information science
– more emphasis on infrastructure
• architecture, networking, software engineering
 Information Science
• Information science/information studies
– more general or theoretical approach
– emphasize human-computer interaction,
information organization, information behavior
– relatively small portion of information graduate
school universe
 Other Program Areas
• Information security
– 30 programs
– some designated as National Center of Academic
Excellence in Information Assurance by the NSA
– emphasize cryptography, digital forensics, risk analysis
• E-Business/E-Commerce
– 23 programs
– 18 MBA
– emphasize design and implementation of electronic
commerce applications
 Accreditation Agencies
• Two types of accrediting agencies
– regional and national
• accredit entire institutions
– specialized agencies
• accredit particular programs
 Relevant Specialized Agencies
• American Library Association (ALA)
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB)
• Association of Collegiate Business Schools and
Programs (ACBSP)
• Accrediting Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET)
 Recommendations
• Clarify the need for and purpose of a new
accrediting agency
• Complement existing accrediting agencies
• Define the scope along the
computerinformation spectrum
• Focus on domain-specific programs, especially
business programs