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 | |||
| Common job titles | • Analyst: Business, Business Intelligence, Data, Security or Technology • Consultant: Advisory, Security or Technology • Data Scientist • Engineer/Developer: Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Data or Systems • Manager: Product, Program or Project • User Experience Designer/Researcher |
• Adult Services Librarian |
• User Experience Designer |
| Focus | • Information and information technologies management • Core areas in leadership, professionalism, ethics and policy |
• 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 |
• Design of interactive computing technologies • Usability and user research • Prototyping interactive digital systems |
| Capstone or thesis project |
Early-Career: |
• 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 capstone studio during final summer quarter |
| Internship | • Recommended | • Elective | NA |
| Courses | MSIM | MLIS | MHCI+D |
| Curriculum | • Core courses plus specializations in:
• Culminates in Capstone project or Experiential Learning (dependent on choice of MSIM program track) *Offered to all program tracks/modes |
• 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 |
| Course scheduling | • Early-Career Residential: core, weekdays; electives offered weekdays, evenings, Saturday mornings • Mid-Career Residential: core: evenings; electives offered evenings and Saturday mornings • Online (all tracks): Asynchronous classes with some synchronous elements, adaptable to your schedule |
• 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 |
• Hala Annabi, MSIM Program Chair |
• Michelle Martin, MLIS Program Chair |
• Matt Bartels, Graduate Academic Advisor & Career Advisor, mhcid@uw.edu • Program website |
| Time and money | MSIM | MLIS | MHCI+D |
| Duration | • Early-Career: 2 years • Early-Career Accelerated: 1 year or more • Mid-Career: 1-2 years |
• 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 | • Early-Career residential: No • Early-Career online: Yes, if going at a slower pace • Mid-Career: Yes |
• Residential: No • Online: Yes • Law: No |
• No |
| Application deadline |
• Residential modes: Incremental deadlines. All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only. |
• Early decision: December 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 |
• Early-Career Residential: 70-75 |
• Residential and Law: 70-75 • Online: 75-80 |
• 30-40 |
| Required number of credits | • Early-Career: 65 • Early-Career Accelerated: 40 • Mid-Career: 36 |
• Residential: 63 • Online: 63 • Law: 43 |
• 46 |
| Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken) | • Early-Career: $55,445 • Early-Career Accelerated: $34,120 • Mid-Career: $30,708 • $853/credit (all tracks) |
• Residential and Online: $53,235 • Law: $36,335 • $845/credit |
• $52, 704 • $1,098/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 | |||
| Common job titles |
• User Experience Designer
|
• IT Project Manager/Director |
• Business Analyst |
| 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. Students are equipped with broad technical skills to be at the forefront of technological innovation, and approach technology as a disruptive force to manage the complexities of digital transformation. | • Interdisciplinary 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 | • Two-course capstone project • Team-based project offers students the opportunity to work on a data science challenge facing a sponsoring organization |
| Internship | • Elective | NA | • Optional • Most full-time students complete a summer internship |
| Courses | HCDE | MSIS | MSDS |
| Curriculum | • Individualized program • Select core courses and electives in three specialized content areas:
|
• Lockstep curriculum • Topics include data mining and analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and executive leadership |
• 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 |
| 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, Director of Student Services • hcdegrad@uw.edu |
• Allison Shults, Assistant Director, Admissions and Alumni Relations • 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: 1.5 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 | • 44-60 |
| Required number of credits | • 48 | • 44 | • 45 |
| Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken) | • $41,280 • $860/credit |
• $40,000 • Quarterly Tuition: $9,970 |
• $47,520 • $1,056/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. |
• Partial scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. • UW Graduate Funding Information Service can help find funding. |