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 often pair this specialization with Business Intelligence, Data Science or with User Experience.

Availability: Residential, daytime classes only

Skills you will develop

• Design, implement, and critically evaluate information structures, including taxonomies, ontologies, and metadata schemas for a variety of contexts.
• Learn to apply user-centered design principles to information architecture, focusing on understanding user needs, behaviors, and preferences.
• Learn to apply information governance, information modeling, and information lifecycle management.

Elective courses in the Information Architecture specialization

This specialization consists of three courses that will help you master the theoretical and practical foundations of information architecture and hone your technical and systems-thinking skills.

Learn more about the core, elective and Capstone/practicum courses in the UW MSIM curriculum. 

• IMT 530 Organization of Information Resources (4 credits) Discover issues related to information organization including analysis of intellectual and physical characteristics of information objects; use of metadata and metadata standards; theory of classification; creation of controlled vocabularies; and display and arrangement.
• IMT 535 Introduction to Information Architecture (4 credits) Learn concepts and methods of front- and back-end information architecture. The course covers topics including data and content modeling, taxonomy, controlled vocabulary, and SEO. Front-end topics include design-thinking, design process, design patterns, navigation, and workflow.
• IMT 542 Portable Information Structures (4 credits) Focus on concepts and methods used to analyze, store, manage, and present information. Topics include information analysis and organizational methods as well as XML, JSON, and metadata concepts and application.

Career outcomes

Students who specialize in information architecture frequently find roles with titles including information architect, data architect, senior SEO manager, enterprise taxonomist, and metadata strategy program manager.