University of Pittsburgh

School of Information Sciences

Contact

Email:

Degrees/Certificates Offered

Programs Offered

Program Philosophy

At the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, our curriculum and research activities are focused on people, their information needs, and the technology to manage such information. We offer a Master’s of Library & Information Science Degree, accredited by the American Library Association, with a specialization in Archives, Preservation & Records Management.  This specialization looks upon recordkeeping, from governmental to organizational to personal, as one of the most ancient and essential human and institutional functions. Students learn that records are created and maintained for purposes of evidence; accountability; and personal, social and corporate memory. They come to understand that archives and other record-keeping institutions serve a crucial cultural function, providing society with a sense of identity and memory.

The Master’s program, offered on-campus and online, provides theoretical knowledge and practical skills in:

·        records and recordkeeping systems

·        electronic records management

·        archival appraisal and access

·        archival ethics

·        the history and evolution of recordkeeping systems

·        digital preservation

·        preservation management of library and archives collections.

The Master’s program is designed to provide students with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills for managing and making decisions concerning records in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings requiring archival, preservation, and records management expertise.

The PhD program enables candidates to develop an understanding of library and information science beyond the master's degree, with particular emphasis on the conduct of original research, the production of significant and generalizable research findings, and the contribution of such findings to public knowledge. As there is a critical shortage of individuals qualified to fill graduate archives and records management faculty positions, the doctoral program is a major focus of the Archives, Preservation and Records Management faculty. There is a new emphasis in the PhD program, Working Memory, with a strong emphasis on archives and recordkeeping issues in the broader context of individual, societal, and organizational memory.

Graduates of this specialization have found successful and challenging careers in government, higher education, corporations, and cultural organizations including: the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, The Parliamentary Archives, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College, Greenpeace USA, the American Theological Library Association, History Associates Inc., and Health Corporation of America. 

Facilities

The School is located in its own facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.  Home to more than 900 students and faculty, the iSchool has a dedicated student computing lab, the Information Science Library supporting both teaching and learning in the Information Sciences, and a flexible teaching/learning studio for online classes.  The entire facility offers wireless and classrooms are appropriately outfitted with technology to support learning. 

The University of Pittsburgh is one of the top US public research universities, with substantial research projects or institutes supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and more.  The University is located in the City of Pittsburgh, which provides outstanding access to a significant number of information-based organizations -- many of which offer field experience opportunities to archives students.  Pittsburgh is home to over 65 major corporations, many of which make the Forbes Top 1000 list, and more than 100 libraries and cultural institutions.

This vibrant city offers a fun and affordable lifestyle with amenities including nationally-recognized sports teams, a world-class symphony and numerous live performance venues, many culturally-diverse neighborhoods, and the opportunity to enjoy more than 100 miles of biking and walking trails.

Practicum/Internships/Assistantships Offered?

Students take a three-credit fieldwork course: LIS 2924 - FIELD EXPERIENCE IN ARCHIVES PRESERVATION AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT. This course offers supervised work in a library or other information service environment that provides a frame of reference for understanding and an opportunity to apply the skills, methodologies, and theories presented in other courses. Agreement of faculty sponsor and fieldwork supervisor is required. In addition, students in this specialization may participate in the “Partners Program,” which provides MLIS students with a partial tuition scholarship as part of a practical work experience in Pittsburgh-area libraries, archives, cultural and other types of institutions. PhD students may be eligible for Graduate Student Researcher and Teaching Fellow positions within the Library & Information Science Program, thereby gaining invaluable skills in research and teaching.

Research

The School of Information Sciences has a long tradition of excellent research programs and laboratories. As part of a major research university, the school is dedicated to expanding the body of knowledge and creating the next generation of information technologies through its research. The School is home to more than a dozen research labs.  Faculty members have strong publication and research records, having been funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and published in Library & Archival Security, American Archivist, and the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology.  The lead faculty member has published fifteen books in the field. Students in both the Master’s and PhD programs are required to produce research papers for most of the courses.  Many students have published papers from their coursework, including recent special issues of Library & Archival Security (2009) and the Journal of Information Ethics (2010).

Faculty Information

Faculty Listing

Courses Offered