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Master of Science in Information Management

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MSIM Specializations

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Meadow Rodriguez Jr., '16: Meadow Rodriguez Jr., MSIM '16: "What's really nice is that my passion for helping people works out well in my profession." Read more.

The MSIM program offers six areas of specialization that are in high demand among employers: Business Intelligence, Data Science, User Experience, Program/Product Management and Consulting, Information Architecture, and Information and Cyber Security. You may decide to select one of the specializations or you may combine electives that fit your career goals. Each specialization requires completion of three distinct courses, and availability varies based on program track and mode of delivery. Students will want to consult their appropriate degree plans as they explore specializations.

The Business Intelligence Specialization

Availability: All program tracks, residential or online 

Building analytical, managerial and baseline technical skills will help you learn to manage the process of transforming data into information. This specialization has a managerial/strategic focus, but also incorporates modern analytics and data warehousing toolsets to provide a foundational exposure to key technologies. For this specialization, students take the following three courses:

Please be aware that those entering the MSIM program without prior knowledge in Database Management and SQL will be asked to take a single bridge course (IMT 543) to develop the necessary prerequisite skills to succeed in the BI specialization.

The Data Science Specialization

Availability: All program tracks, residential or online

Students study the computational and quantitative analysis of large datasets to create information. Students completing this track will be able to use methods, tools and frameworks for analyzing and deriving insight from large-scale, heterogeneous data. For this specialization, students take the following three courses:

Please be aware that those entering the MSIM program without prior Data Science or Analytics programming experience will be asked to take a single bridge course (IMT 511) to develop the necessary prerequisite skills to succeed in the Data Science specialization. Likewise, students will want to have obtained a background in Statistics and may do so through various UW courses.

The User Experience Specialization

Availability: Early-Career or Early-Career Accelerated*; residential only

Courses consider design, creation and evaluation of interactive information systems. You will be able to design, prototype and formally evaluate interactive information interfaces, systems and experiences from a user-centered perspective. Students interested in this specialization take the following three courses:

After completion of the above courses, MSIM students will also have the opportunity in their second year to explore iSchool doctoral level courses in the field, such as INSC 543 Value Sensitive Design (winter).

Students are also encouraged to take electives from the participating DUB units (design: use: build:), of which the Information School is one.  DUB is the cross-campus alliance of units, faculty, and students working in the field of user experience, human-computer interaction, and design. Appropriate electives will be found especially in the following programs:

Students should be aware that academic departments may limit the number of seats available to students outside their own programs. As such, space may be limited and the iSchool has no means to help students obtain seats in coursework taught in other programs.

* Residential students in the Mid-Career program track who are able to take weekday classes on-campus on a traditional schedule can enroll in this specialization.

The Program/Product Management & Consulting Specialization

Availability: Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated or Mid-Career; residential only

This specialization prepares current and aspiring program and product managers, and consultants to lead organizations of all sizes and sectors in developing and managing strategic and operational information-related initiatives. Students in this specialization will take the following three courses:

Students are also encouraged to choose courses from these recommended electives:

The Information Architecture Specialization

Availability: Early-Career or Early-Career Accelerated*; residential only

Focusing on the analysis and design of information structures for organizations and systems, you will gain skills in assessing existing information structures and creating new systems to effectively structure information. Students interested in this area should take the following three courses:

Students are also encouraged to choose courses from these recommended electives:

* Residential students in the Mid-Career program track who are able to take weekday classes on-campus on a traditional schedule can enroll in this specialization.

The Information & Cyber Security Specialization

Availability: Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated or Mid-Career; residential only

With a strong foundation in information/cyber security, focusing on the management and protection of information, students who complete this track will be able to effectively promote the quality, security and appropriate use of information assets. Currently, courses are listed as IMT 589 - Special Topics in Information Management until approval of course numbers. Students interested in this field should take the following three courses:

Students are also encouraged to choose courses from these recommended electives:

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