Raj M. Dewan, Dean
ischool.syr.edu

About the School

The Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) is a leading University center in advancing both the theory and practice of the information professions, based on an interdisciplinary view of information phenomenon.

Message From the Dean

Information is part of everything today-and more precisely, every part of our society is being regularly transformed by information and technology, and they are now at the hub of all we do. They have changed the way we get to know each other, the way we interact, how we conduct business, and the means by which we manage politics and government. Even our family lives and social spheres have been affected by the way information and technology impact our lives. We’ve witnessed a pivoting in the ways the world works because of those changes.

The iSchool is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this transformation, to play a central role in how those changes affect what’s happening in society today, and to be an essential part of how information and technology will impact us in our tomorrows.  

The future for this School - and to those who come to study, learn, teach, and work here-is to play a central role in that transformation. Advances in research in Library Information Science, Applied Data Science, Information Systems, Information Management, Telecommunications and Networking, Human-Computer Interaction, Enterprise Data Systems and allied areas that are carried out by the faculty at the School will be essential to that equation. Our futures will not be addressed only by changes in technology, but also by how society understands, reacts to, and formulates responses based on the information it discovers, learns, and shares.

Vision and Values

The School of Information Studies, established in 1896 and renamed as the Original  Information School in 1974, has a long tradition of leading innovation and change. Our ideals and values are the foundation for our success.

Vision

The iSchool is a globally recognized leader in advancing knowledge and developing creative, thoughtful, and technically capable leaders in the information field.

Mission

The mission of the iSchool is to expand human capabilities by connecting people, information, and technology. The faculty and staff of the iSchool are committed to preparing students to be leaders in the information field, advancing knowledge and using information to solve problems faced by individuals and organizations. Together, the faculty, staff and students of the iSchool impact research and the information profession through our scholarship, rigorous education opportunities, and commitment to service that advances science, improves professional practice, and contributes both to communities in which we live and more broadly to society.

iSchool of One. We are a unified school. The faculty, staff, and students work together, not as individuals or groups who represent a specific area in which they work or affiliate. We challenge ourselves to benefit from the paradox of a single information field that is manifested in many professional expressions.

Values

Excellence: We are a student-centered institution committed to learning and intellectual diversity. As a community of scholars and practitioners, we pursue research and teaching excellence through the development, integration, and application of knowledge.

Discovery and Innovation:  We value discovery and innovation to advance the information fields. We identify new opportunities, respond creatively to emerging issues, and lead our fields through partnerships and learning communities.

Integrity: As information professionals, we uphold intellectual honesty and responsibility. We carefully consider the implications of our actions, taking fairness and equity into consideration. We contribute to, and promote, the highest standards for the ethical use of information and technology.

Diversity and Inclusion: We strive for diversity in our community and celebrate difference. We embrace a multiplicity of voices to address social and technical challenges through interdisciplinary analysis and solutions.

Global Citizenship and Engagement: We enable our iSchool community to participate actively as global citizens working to advance the common good. We have a responsibility to inform and improve society, and to influence policy through pedagogy, research, and advocacy.

The School of Information Studies, established in 1896 and renamed as the Original Information School in 1974, has a long tradition of leading innovation and change. Our ideals and values are the foundation for our success.

Research Centers

Many of the faculty conduct their research individually and in small, flexible, interdisciplinary teams. For certain specialized areas and cross-unit collaborations, however, research centers and laboratories provide a venue that supports long-term commitment to a particular research area. The following research centers and laboratories are located in the school:

• Behavior, Information, Technology and Society (BITS) Lab is the home of an inter-disciplinary team of researchers who develop cutting-edge applications, tools, and software, and engage in innovative studies of how people use information and communication technologies and how their use of these technologies affect society.
• Center for Computational and Data Sciences (CCDS). CCDS is committed to advancing important and practical research in the social sciences using advanced computational approaches. The Center builds on the iSchool’s historic strengths in human language technologies, such as Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning, and the School’s current emphasis on Data Science research.
• Center for Emerging Network Technologies (CENT). The mission of CCENT is to understand the future of networking technologies, and to engage students, faculty and industry in the process of defining and shaping that future. CCENT currently has setup four testbeds for studying emerging network technologies, including wireless networking, network security, unified communication systems, and Internet protocol version 6.
• iSchool Public Libraries Initiative (IPLI).This new center’s efforts are originating a discovery zone for public library innovation, create a hub for student research on librarianship topics and provide a means to circulate new ideas and findings to public library professionals.The initiative is designed to assess needs, collect and catalog existing materials and develop new pods of informational resources for the librarian staff members who work in America’s 17,000 public-library outlets.
• Smart Grid Project Center. Smart Grid  researchers seek to understand the impact of merging information technologies with the electric grid. Integration of these technologies creates a smarter grid, providing opportunities for the energy industry to improve its reliability and efficiency.

Our faculty members embrace innovation and entrepreneurial thinking in their research. The iSchool supports the Syracuse Student Sandbox incubator, and works closely with the Blackstone Launchpad, a campus-based experiential entrepreneurship program open to students, alumni, staff, and faculty, offering coaching, ideation and venture creation support.

Hinds Hall - Academic Facilities

Hinds Hall, located on the Main Campus Quad, is the home of the School of Information Studies. This four-story, 48,000 square-foot building showcases the latest in technology and design, including collaborative work rooms, state-of-the-art classrooms, research centers, and a student lounge and cafe.

Equipped with high-performance wireless networking, the facility supports virtual collaborations with global partners and includes an enhanced computer laboratory infrastructure with four main labs:

• The iLab: Accommodating up to 40 students, this is our signature computer lab, featuring dual display screens for increased productivity in a variety of computer applications.
• iTELL (Information Technology Experiential Learning Lab): Students get hands-on experience working with the latest telecommunications equipment on their own servers and networking devices in the iTELL Data Center.
• iSysLab (Information Systems Lab): Dedicated to the iSchool’s more technical classes, this lab features a variety of hardware and software for students to use.
• Innovation Studio: This multi-purpose, highly reconfigurable 1,000-square-foot space is modeled after an artist’s studio to promote collaboration, idea generation, and rapid prototype development for student and faculty teams. A video studio with editing bays is attached.
• The ICE Box: The ICE Box stands for innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. This space has become a model for blending creative design and technology within a community environment. The ICE Box merges physical space for co-working and hosting events, and a resource hub supporting entrepreneurship opportunities both on- and off-campus.

The iSchool’s home in Hinds Hall received a 2008 American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter Citation Award for the redesign and renovations conducted by Ashley McGraw Architects of Syracuse.

Graduate Education

At the School of Information Studies (iSchool), we view information as a resource that can and should be managed. We seek ways to use existing and emerging technologies to facilitate the efficient transfer of information from corporate files, libraries, or digital storage devices to the people and organizations needing it. As a professional school, the iSchool prepares graduates for careers as managers and information professionals who will oversee the development and use of this resource.

Information studies must also consider the rapid changes in computer and telecommunications technologies that have profoundly affected the way information is stored, processed, transmitted and consumed. And, because we believe that information is to be used, information studies must include aspects of the social sciences in order to temper technical knowledge with a thorough understanding of how people and organizations seek and use information.

The Syracuse University iSchool is committed to preparing technically sophisticated information managers who understand that information is an essential resource for people and organizations that must be used and managed effectively. As the first school in the country to offer a master’s degree in information management, Syracuse University is a leading center in defining both the theory and practice of information management.

Online Course Delivery

• Online Student Immersions. A weekend Immersion experience at Syracuse University will replace our week-long Summer Residency. Online students will be able to choose from three different weekends to immerse themselves in the campus iSchool culture and learn from the iSchool community in person.
• Your own virtual campus. This will be your online hub to access and manage your coursework, enter live classes, view grades, keep track of your iSchool contacts - and more.
• A combination of synchronous and asynchronous work. Our online classes will include weekly, face-to-face, live classes to create an engaging and exciting learning environment.
• A quarterly structure. iSchool online classes will be offered in 4 12-week quarters, which includes 11 weeks of live online classes, throughout the year.
• A mobile application. We understand that our online students are busy - so we will have our online classes available to you on-the-go.

Accreditation

Syracuse University is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and all programs are registered with the New York State Education Department. The MSCHE is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that has been dedicated to quality assurance and improvement through accreditation via peer evaluation, since 1919.

The Master of Science in Library and Information Science within Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool) is accredited by the American Library Association. ALA accreditation indicates that the program has undergone a self-evaluation process, been reviewed by peers, and meets the standards established by the American Library Association and Committee on Accreditation.

The iSchool is also a registered Project Management Institute Education Provider, meaning that the school’s curriculum meets an international standard of best practice in the field of project management.

iSchools Organization

We are a founding member of the iSchools Organization an educational organization consisting of deans from over 90 leading information schools across the globe who have joined together to build awareness of, support for, and involvement with the information field. The organization holds a yearly gathering, the iConference, to provide a forum in which information scholars, researchers and professionals share their insights on critical information issues in contemporary society. 

Programs

• Applied Data Science, MS
• Enterprise Data Systems, MS
• Information Management for Executives, MS
• Information Management, MS
• Library and Information Science, MS
• Library and Information Science: School Media, MS

• Information Science and Technology, PhD

• Library and Information Science, JD/MS

• Cultural Heritage Preservation, CAS
• Data Science, CAS
• E-Government Management and Leadership, CAS
• Enterprise Technology Leadership, CAS
• Information Security Management, CAS
• Information Technology Management, CAS
• School Media, CAS