Curriculum – Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (PhD) program at Maryland’s iSchool offers an interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching provided by faculty at this leading public research university. Small classes and wide-ranging research projects enable students to work closely with faculty mentors to gain experience in identifying knowledge gaps, investigating both theoretical and practical solutions, evaluating results, and creating and disseminating new knowledge. A range of required research courses, two foundational doctoral seminars, and electives chosen by the students and their faculty mentors provide both the structure necessary for individuals to become successful researchers and the flexibility that allows them to pursue the research areas about which they are most passionate. Students have opportunities to work on research projects that lead to published papers, as well as benefit from one-on-one mentoring relationships with faculty members.

Enrolled Students: be sure to consult the PhD handbooks, policies, and forms.

PhD - Program Courses

INST 800 – The Engaged Intellectual: An Introduction to Research and Academic Work (3 credit hours)

This course explores a series of issues that confront academics who work in research universities. The course is an “Introduction to Research,” but the process of research is more than a recipe of rote analytical procedures. The course examines academic life with a particular focus on what it means to undertake research, teaching, and service. By the conclusion of the course, students will have a better understanding of what tenure-track faculty do and how they work in academia, and of how they intend to structure their own professional careers.

INST 801 – Theoretical and Epistemological Foundations in Information Studies (3 credits hours)

Pursuing a doctorate in information studies involves the scholarly examination of the interaction between people, information, technology, and society. There are, however, as many ways to examine the interaction of people, information, technology, and society as there are researchers and ways of understanding what counts as evidence and knowledge in different components of the field. Students will be introduced to the diverse scholarly traditions that comprise information studies. Students will explore why there are so many ways of knowing and methods of discovery within the field, in order to help them identify the social theory and methods that will support their path through information scholarship.

INST 802 – Pragmatic and Methodological Foundations for Information Studies (3 credits)

Information Studies’ eclectic interdisciplinary is both its greatest strength and its most significant weakness. As an increasingly multi/inter/trans/non-disciplinary intellectual community, Information Studies embraces a wide variety of conceptual frameworks, theories, methodological approaches, and intellectual traditions. As such, it is able to bring many different intellectual perspectives to bear on the complex, nuanced, phenomena that are its focus. The variety in the intellectual toolbox of Information Studies is central to its ability to avoid reduction of its focal topics to trite, simplistic characterizations. However, Information Studies’ paradigmatic richness places particular burdens on the individual researcher. Framing research agendas, motivating research questions, conducting literature reviews, selecting methods, and even arguing for particular conclusions is complicated by the number of alternative approaches available to the Information Studies scholar. Faced with this complexity, it is tempting to select a single paradigm and “be done with it” – and in doing so forego a primary strength of the interdisciplinary field.

PhD - Sample Schedule

Below is a sample schedule for PhD students. This is meant purely as an example and is not a replacement for advising. Students must work closely with their advisors to develop a course program that best addresses their needs and interests.

Fall Semester, Year 1
INST 800 – The Engaged Intellectual: An Introduction to Research and Academic Work 3 credit hours
INST 801 – Theoretical and Epistemological Foundations in Information Studies 3 credit hours
Relevant graduate course for specialized area 3 credit hours
Spring Semester, Year 1
INST 802 – Pragmatic and Methodological Foundations for Information Studies 3 credit hours
Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods course 3 credit hours
Relevant graduate course for specialized area 3 credit hours
FIRST YEAR REVIEW
Fall Semester, Year 2
INST 810 – Individualized Research Experience 3 credit hours
Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods course 3 credit hours
Relevant graduate course for specialized area 3 credit hours
Spring Semester, Year 2
INST 898 – Pre-Candidacy Research 6 credit hours
INTEGRATIVE PAPER & ADVANCE TO CANDIDACY
Fall Semester, Year 3
INST 899 – Doctoral Dissertation Research 6 credit hours
Spring Semester, Year 3
INST 899 – Doctoral Dissertation Research 6 credit hours
DISSERTATION PROPOSAL DEFENSE
Fall Semester, Year 4
INST 899 – Doctoral Dissertation Research 6 credit hours
Spring Semester, Year 4
INST 899 – Doctoral Dissertation Research 6 credit hours
DISSERTATION DEFENSE
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