Useful Advising Information

What is Information Science?

Information science is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information. Information science studies the application and usage of knowledge in organizations, and the interaction between people, organizations and information systems (technology).

Information science focuses on understanding problems from the perspective of the stakeholders involved and then applying information (and other) technology as needed. In other words, it tackles the problem first rather than the technology first.

Why study Information Science?

Information Science meets the need for an applied science that encompasses the human, cognitive and management aspects of computers and information.

Modern Information Science, existing almost entirely in the digital realm, teaches students to develop high performance applications that operate in global networks by: 
   -- learning how people seek and create electronic information
   -- building, designing and evaluating effective information systems
   -- understanding how people ultimately transform information into useful knowledge

How can I study Information Science at Pitt?

The undergraduate IS program at Pitt is an upper level two-year program that normally begins in the junior year.  

Students may also pursue graduate IS studies leading to Masters and Ph.D. degrees.

What kinds of students are interested in Information Science?

Because Information Science is, itself, interdisciplinary, it attracts students from diverse backgrounds and with eclectic interests.

The field has always been popular among students with strong analytical skills (especially in math), but technology has advanced to the stage and has become so ubiquitous in society that students with interests in many non-technical disciplines such as business, psychology, media arts, and communications and design find the field particularly attractive.

Students who are interested in where the action is—in terms of opportunities provided by an emerging field which can help to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare, government, education and the environment—find this field compelling.

Students who are motivated by interesting careers in incredibly diverse fields, from health care to national security are information science majors.

Those excited about a new and promising field gravitate to information science.

What are Pitt’s strengths in Information Science?

The University’s program has been designed with input from corporate leaders and alumni.

The program provides a strong base of knowledge about programming principles, database systems, networks, systems analysis and human-computer interaction.

Studies can then be tailored by choosing one of three industry-centered concentrations:  information systems, user-centered design, or networks and security. 

The faculty is young and vigorous and multidisciplinary.

Because Pitt is in a major urban environment and SIS has relationships with many companies and organizations, many IS students receive internships and placement rates routinely exceed 92%.

What is the job market for information sciences?

Demand is outstripping supply.  Already companies in Pittsburgh (Alcoa, PPG, U.S.Steel, and Highmark) and nationally (Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Freddie Mac and others) are demanding IS graduates faster than we can supply them.

Monster.com predicts that of the 10 fastest-growing occupations up to 2010, eight will be computer-related.

In a "Pennsylvanian Workforce 2010" report, the fastest growing sector is expected to be computing and data processing services, projected to grow by almost 24%.

As the global reliance on networked, digital information continues to grow, employers will increasingly be interested in employees who can develop systems to handle their information needs and problems.