2018-2019 Graduate Course Catalog 
    
    Dec 11, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Information Management, MS


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Contact:

Carsten Oesterlund, Program Director, (for fall 2018) 309 Hinds Hall, 315-443-2911, igrad@syr.edu

Murali Venkatesh, Program Director, (for spring 2019) 210 Hinds Hall, 315-443-2911, igrad@syr.edu

Website:

https://ischool.syr.edu/academics/graduate/masters-degrees/ms-in-information-management/

Overview:

Information has a fundamental effect on the structure, process and success of all organizations. Those who can manage the tools of information acquisition, use, retention and transfer can enable their organizations to develop and leverage strategic advantages based upon information. Along with these advantages comes also the responsibility to set forth and manage policies for the use and protection of information resources at all levels across the enterprise.  The Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) is designed to prepare students to respond to four basic challenges confronting organizations today:

  • Increasing the effectiveness of managers and executives who work with information resources;
  • Designing and managing mission-critical information technologies within organizations;
  • Developing corporate and government policies to maximize the benefits resulting from the widespread use of these technologies; and
  • Leveraging information resources to achieve strategic advantage for business, government, and nonprofit organizations.

The iSchool at Syracuse University is a leading center for defining both the theory and the practice of information management. Like the school itself, the MSIM program is interdisciplinary in focus, combining expertise in the strategic management of information resources, organizational psychology, human-computer interaction, information economics, information policy, e-business, information technology, as well as data management.

Professional Values and Competencies:

MSIM graduates acquire skills in management and organizational change, solution analysis and design, communication and collaboration, business process improvement, and applied information technology. Our graduates learn to approach challenges with strategic vision, while ensuring that technology solutions integrate with enterprise goals.

Learning Outcomes:

As an MSIM student, you will graduate with a diverse set of skills that enables you to participate at all levels of information technology management. You will build the following foundational competencies:

  1. Management of Technology: Integrate technical and solution development concepts with the principles of management, strategy, and financial analysis; apply these concepts in the analysis of management case studies and problems; analyze, compare, evaluate, and clearly articulate the relative value of IT investment alternatives.
  2. Management of Solution Development: Apply disciplines used in the development of information system solutions, to solve organizational and business problems.
  3. Technical Knowledge: Apply information and computing technologies to solve information problems at the individual and organizational levels.
  4. Environmental Context of IM: Explain how demographic, social, economic and ethical factors, as well as local, national and international information policy and regulation affect Information Technology solutions
  5. Professional Communication Skills: Develop and deliver professional communications in the field.
  6. Leadership and Teamwork Development: Demonstrate leadership, ethics, and effective collaboration skills.
  7. Information Literacy, Analysis, and Problem-Solving: Find, organize, manage, evaluate, and use information resources critically and effectively for the solution of professional problems.

Curriculum


The MSIM program requires the completion of 42 credit hours. The 42 credit hours include a primary core composed of 9 required course credits, 12 secondary core credits, 12-18 elective credits, a non-credit, required graduate immersion milestone event, and 3-9 exit requirement credits. All courses are three credits unless specified otherwise.

The master’s degree program must be completed within seven years although most students complete the degree in two years. The program is available to part-time and online students and can be completed at the student’s own pace through evening, short courses, and online delivery.

II. Secondary Core (12 credits)


Students need to choose two courses, or six credits, from each track in the secondary core.

Because Information Management is such a dynamically changing field, the MSIM program committee (which includes the Program Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs) will maintain two lists of approved electives.  These lists will be kept online in a publically viewable location (i.e.: the course catalog and our own website), and will be updated by May 1 each year.

III. Electives (12-18 credits)


All graduate-level iSchool IST courses are acceptable electives towards the MSIM program.  Every semester, the iSchool offers “Selected Topics” courses, listed as IST 600 or IST 700, which can count towards the program.  These courses are offered based on sufficient interest of a topic and not covered by standard curriculum but of interest to faculty and students in a particular semester.  In addition, students can to take up to six elective credits from other schools at Syracuse University, such as the Whitman School of Management and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. 

IV. Graduate Immersion Milestone Event (non-credit, required)


This 2-to-3 day residency workshop, offered twice per calendar year, presents emerging topics in the information studies field, and is organized and coordinated by a lead faculty member at the iSchool.  Designed to bring together students from all graduate programs, workshop topics and presentations feature guest speakers from commercial, government, community and educational organizations. Students in the MSIM program, including those designated as executive-status must complete one residency workshop during the duration of their program of study.  You can find more information by visiting https://ischool.syr.edu/seminar

IV. Exit Requirement (3 to 9 credits)


Students register for IST 755, the MSIM Capstone course, after the successful completion of IST 614 and at least 24 credits in the degree program.

Guidelines for Credit Reductions and Substitutions


Students with one to three years of full-time professional experience in the information technology field may substitute the internship requirement for another 3-credit course.  Your resume is required, and we may request joining-leaving letters, that may be audited.  Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about this process.

Students with a minimum of three years of full-time professional experience in the information technology field may reduce the credit requirement of the program by three credits, substituted by work experience.  Your resume is required, and we may request joining-leaving letters that may be audited.  Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about this process.

Students with a minimum of six years of full-time professional experience in the information technology field may reduce the credit requirement of the program by six credits, substituted by work experience.  Your resume is required, and we may request joining-leaving letters that may be audited.  Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about this process.

Students with a minimum of six years of full-time professional experience in the information technology field, have a record of continuously increasing job responsibilities, and have demonstrated leadership growth, will be eligible for Executive-status.  Executive-Status students may reduce the credit requirement of the program by 12 credits substituted by work experience, and are eligible to use the EXIM advising guidelines. Your resume is required, and we may request joining-leaving letters that may be audited.  Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about this process.

Executive-Status Students


Courses recommended for our executive-status students, students with a minimum of six years of full-time professional experience in the information technology field, have a record of continuously increasing job responsibilities, and have demonstrated leadership growth, can be selected from the following initial list, and may be individually determined in collaboration with the program director and/or a faculty advisor. The list includes advising recommendations for a 9-credit primary core across two core areas, a 9-credit secondary core across four core areas, 9 credits of electives, a non-credit, required graduate immersion milestone event and a 5-credit exit requirement. 

I. Recommended Primary Core Courses for Executive-Status Students (9 credits)


Executive-status students can choose nine credits in one track, or a mix of both.

II. Recommended Secondary Core Courses for Executive-Status Students (9 credits)


The following advising lists show several possible tracks that can be appropriate for MSIM executive-status students, and these tracks represent domains in the field that might be of interest as specific areas of emphasis depending upon the student’s prior work experience.  Executive-status students can choose nine (9) credits from the lists below, selecting all credits from one track, or from a mix of all four.

Courses other than those listed below may apply to the secondary core. A formal petition is required for executive-status students who want to count a course towards their MSIM program not listed below.  Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about the petition process.

Because Information Management is such a dynamically changing field, the MSIM program committee (which includes the Program Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs) will maintain two lists of approved electives.  These lists will be kept online in a publically viewable location (ie: the course catalog and our own website), and will be updated by May 1 each year.

III. Recommended Elective Courses for Executive-Status Students (9 credits)


All iSchool courses are acceptable electives towards the MSIM program for executive-status students, including “Selected Topics” courses, listed as IST 600 or IST 700.  These courses are offered based on sufficient interest of a topic and not covered by standard curriculum but of interest to faculty and students in a particular semester.  All MSIM Students, including those designated as executive-status, are allowed to take up to six elective credits from other schools at Syracuse University, such as the Whitman School of Management or the College of Engineering and Computer Science.  In addition to formal courses, students may fashion an independent study by collaborating with a faculty member. 

IV. Graduate Immersion Milestone Event: (non-credit/required)


This 2-to-3 day residency workshop, offered twice per calendar year, presents emerging topics in the information studies field, and is organized and coordinated by a lead faculty member at the iSchool.  Designed to bring together students from all graduate programs, workshop topics and presentations feature guest speakers from commercial, government, community and educational organizations. Students in the MSIM program, including those designated as executive-status must complete one residency workshop during the duration of their program of study. You can find more information by visiting https://ischool.syr.edu/seminar

V. Clarification of IM Exit Requirement for Executive-Status Students (5 credits)


The following MSIM exit requirement applies only to students designated as executive-status students, and takes account of the overall 12-credit MSIM program reduction for work experience:

IST755 Strategic Management of Information Resources

  • Students register for IST 755, the MSIM Capstone course, after the completion of at least 24 credits in the degree program.

IST 971 Internship in Info Studies (2 credits)

  • Executive-status students who, based on their prior work experience or their present work status, do not feel it is appropriate for them to complete the two-credit internship requirement, can request by petition to substitute other course credits. Please email iAdvising@syr.edu to learn more about this process.

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