Related Master's Degrees

The following is a comparison of degree programs offered at the iSchool and elsewhere at the University of Washington.
(Jump to information about the HCDE, MSIS and MSDS programs.)

Degree earned	Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM)	Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)	Master of Human-Computer Interaction + Design (MHCI+D)
Career impact
Career possibilities	• Information Architect • User Experience Designer • Data Visualization Specialist • Systems Analyst • Data Scientist • Software Design Engineer • Risk Consultant • Web Computing Specialist • Network Administrator • Database Developer • Cybersecurity Professional • Project Manager	• Reference Librarian • Youth Services Librarian • Academic Librarian • Archives and Special Collections Librarian • Library Director • Taxonomist • Information Architect • Content Strategist • Data Scientist • Health Information Specialist • User Experience Researcher • Law Librarian	• User Experience Researcher • User Experience Designer • Usability Researcher • Interaction Designer • Product Designer • Developer • Prototyper • Project or Program Manager • User Experience Manager
Focus	• Information and information technologies management	• Core areas of strength in digital youth, knowledge organization, information services, data science, information architecture, and user experience • Choice of on-campus or online learning • Law Librarianship program for students with a JD	• Usability and user research • Design of interactive computing technologies • Prototyping interactive digital systems
Capstone or thesis project	Full-Time 2-year: • Capstone project • Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed • Research or design oriented Full-Time 1-year and Mid-Career: • Practicum experiential learning • Either Capstone project, internship, faculty-sponsored research project, or other approved experiential learning project	• Capstone project • Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed	• Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Projects form the spine of studio work for first 3 quarters • Culminates in a full time studio during final summer quarter
Internship	• Full-time: Recommended • Mid-career: Recommended	• Elective	NA
Courses	MSIM	MLIS	MHCI+D
Curriculum	• Core courses plus specializations in: Business Intelligence* Data Science* User Experience Information Consulting Information Architecture Information Security* • Culminates in Capstone project or Experiential Learning (dependent on choice of MSIM program track) *Offered in evening/weekend format	• Core courses are foundational and theory-based • Electives focus on areas of interest • Culminates in Capstone project	• Prescribed sequence of core courses • Electives from sponsoring departments and UW • Culminates in a Capstone project
Instructional style	• Lectures and project-based courses	• Lectures and project-based courses	• Design studio, lectures, individual, and group projects • Tightly integrated, project-based curriculum • Sequenced schedule
Number of credits by course type	Core: • Full-Time (2 yr): 15 • Full-Time (1 yr): 15 • Mid-Career (1 yr): 12 Electives: • Full-Time (2 yr): 45 • Full-Time (1 yr): 19 • Mid-Career (1 yr): 24, or more if desired Experiential Learning/ Captsone: • Full-Time (2 yr): 5 • Full-Time (1 yr): 6 • Mid-Career (1yr): optional	• Residential and Online: Core: 29 Electives: 29 Capstone: 5 • Law: 43 credits	• Core: 30 • Electives: 7 • Capstone Project: 9
Course scheduling	• Full-time Core: Day; Electives: Day, Evening, Saturday morning • Mid-career Core: Evening; Electives: Evenings and Saturday mornings	• Primarily daytime and online	• Primarily daytime
UW affiliation	MSIM	MLIS	MHCI+D
College / school / department / division	• Information School (iSchool)	• Information School (iSchool)	• Graduate School interdisciplinary program • Jointly sponsored by the Information School, Computer Science and Engineering and HCDE (College of Engineering), and Art, Art History + Design (College of Arts & Sciences)
Faculty	• Dedicated iSchool faculty plus external industry lecturers	• Dedicated iSchool faculty plus external industry lecturers	• Interdisciplinary faculty from CSE, HCDE, iSchool, division of Design, plus external industry lecturers
Facilities	• iSchool classrooms • Shared computing labs • Group work spaces	• iSchool classrooms • Shared computing labs • Group work spaces	• Dedicated design studio for the cohort
Contacts	• Sean McGann, MSIM Program Chair • Shasta Jennings, MSIM Academic Adviser • Kari Brothers, iSchool Admissions Counselor • iask@uw.edu • Program website	• Michelle Martin, MLIS Program Chair • Joe Eckert, MLIS Academic Adviser • Kari Brothers, iSchool Admissions Counselor • iask@uw.edu • Program website	• Michael Smith, Program Director • Matt Bartels, Graduate Academic Adviser & Career Advisor • mhcid@uw.edu • Program website
Time and money	MSIM	MLIS	MHCI+D
Duration	• Full-time: 2 years or 1 year • Mid-career: 1-2 years (Fri./Sat. courses)	• Residential: 2 years • Online: 2.5-3 years • Law: 1 year	• 1 year (4 quarters), full-time, immersive experience • Students are members of a cohort of peers
Option for full-time work while in school	• Full-time: No • Mid-career: Yes	• Residential: No • Online: Yes • Law: No	• No
Application deadline	• Full-time MSIM: Jan. 15 • Mid-career MSIM: Incremental deadlines All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.	• Early decision: December 1 • Priority deadline: February 1 All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.	• January 15 All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.
Number of students enrolled annually	• Full-time 2-year: 70-75 • Full-time 1-year: 35 • Mid-career: 35	• Residential and Law: 70-75 • Online: 75-80	• 30-40
Required number of credits	• Full-time: 65 (2-year), 40 (1-year) • Mid-career: 36	• Residential: 63 • Online: 63 • Law: 43	• 46
Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken)	• Full-time: $52,585 (2-year), $32,360 (1-year) • Mid-career: $29,124 • $809/credit (both programs)	• Residential and Online: $49,455 • Law: $33,755 • $785 / credit	• $47,610 • $1,035/credit
Financial aid, Funding and Assistantships	• All applicants are eligible to receive a limited number of iSchool merit-based scholarships. • U.S. citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA in order to receive federal loans. • The iSchool typically hires 2-3 graduate assistants (GAs) each year. • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit.	• All applicants are eligible to receive a limited number of iSchool merit-based scholarships. • U.S. citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA in order to receive federal loans. • The iSchool typically hires 2-3 graduate assistants (GAs) each year. • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit.	• Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit.

Degree earned	Master of Science in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE)	Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS)	Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)
Career impact
Career possibilities	• User Experience Designer • User Researcher • Information Architect • Interaction Designer • Product Designer • Product Manager • User Interface Developer • Web Developer • Business Analyst	• IT Project Manager • IT Consultant • Business Analyst • Information Security Professional • Entrepreneurship • Data Analyst • Design and Integration Specialist • Systems Analyst • Business Intelligence Consultant • Software Engineer	• Business Analyst • Data Analyst • Data Architect • Data Engineer • Data Scientist • Machine Learning Engineer • Marketing Analyst • Quantitative Analyst • Researcher • Systems Engineer • Statistician
Focus	• User-centered research and design • Use of communication, design, and visualization methods • Design and prototyping of interactive products, services, platforms, and systems • Applies to all domains, including technology and engineering	• Management of information technologies to solve complex business problems and take advantage of new business opportunities	• Interdiscriplinary approach to manipulating large data sets, analyzing data, and communicating the results to a variety of stakeholders.
Capstone or thesis project	• Capstone project • Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-driven format and topic • 1 credit planning course followed by a 4 credit studio course	NA	• Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed • Research or design oriented, with a technical emphasis
Internship	• Elective	NA	NA
Courses	HCDE	MSIS	MSDS
Curriculum	• Individualized program • Select core courses and electives in three specialized content areas: Research Design Engineering • Culminates in a Capstone project	• Lockstep curriculum • Topics include data analysis, information security, data mining, and IT project management	• Core courses, partially sequenced • Culminates in a capstone project
Instructional style	• Project-based, lecture, and studio courses • Core courses in sequenced format • Flexible elective schedule	• Lecture, case study, and project based classes	• World-class interdisciplinary expertise from 6 UW departments • Team-based and individual projects and assignments building on technically rigorous material
Number of credits by course type	• Core: 22 • Electives: 26	• Core: 40 • Electives: 4	• Core: 40 • Capstone: 5
Course scheduling	• Primarily evening • Each course meets one night/week • Full-time or part-time students studying in the evening	• Monday and Wednesday evening and Saturday daytime	• Evenings
UW affiliation	HCDE	MSIS	MSDS
College / school / department / division	• College of Engineering • Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) • Students earn Engineering/STEM degree with OPT extension	• Foster School of Business	• Graduate School interdisciplinary program • Departments of Applied Mathematics, Biostatistics, Computer Science & Engineering, Human Centered Design & Engineering, Statistics, and the Information School, in partnership with the eScience Institute
Faculty	• Interdisciplinary tenure track HCDE faculty plus outside industry lecturers	• Dedicated Business School faculty plus external industry lecturers	• Interdisciplinary tenure track faculty
Facilities	• Design Lab with shared access for all HCDE students • UW campus classrooms	• Foster Business Library • Group work spaces	• UW campus classrooms
Contacts	• Kathleen Rascon, Graduate Advisor, khorenst@uw.edu • Program website	• Allison Shults, Admissions and Recruitment Specialist • msis@uw.edu • Program website	• Samantha Turner, Admissions and Recruitment Specialist • datasciencemasters@uw.edu • Program website
Time and money	HCDE	MSIS	MSDS
Duration	• Self-paced, 2-3 academic years • Full-time and part-time students; many are working professionals	• 12 months	• Full-time: 18 months (5 quarters) Part-time: 2.5 years
Option for full-time work while in school	• Yes	• Yes	• Yes
Application deadline	• January 15	• February 1	• January 18
Number of students enrolled annually	• 100	• Up to 90	• 40-45
Required number of credits	• 48	• 44	• 45
Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken)	• $40,000 • $796/credit	• $38,000 • Quarterly Tuition: $9,500	• $46,575 • $1035/credit
Financial aid, Funding and Assistantships	• Occasionally tuition may be reduced through teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit.	• Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. Limited scholarships are available and are largely based on need and merit.	• Financial aid is not provided through this program, but UW Graduate Funding Information Service can help find funding.

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Master of Library and Information Science

Related Master's Degrees