Through coursework and practica, Ph.D. candidates develop a strong foundation in information science, learning to identify critical problems and rigorously researching their solutions. Students become well versed in the scope, origins, methods, issues and theoretical framework that define the iSchool's uniquely interdisciplinary approach to the study of information. Ph.D. students at the iSchool come from a variety of professional experiences and academic backgrounds, such as information science, social sciences, computer science, library services, law, and information technology.
In the Information and Society research area at the iSchool, we ask questions about the practices, discourses, and institutions which make information, data, and digital technology meaningful. Using a sociotechnical lens and humanistic, participatory, and qualitative research approaches, we work to understand how data, information, and ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies) are co-constructed within and across peoples, communities, and societies. Accordingly, we investigate a range of complex phenomena from development, marginalization, and risk to disaster, design, and education with specific attention to questions of justice, personal well-being, epistemic cultures, privacy, and intellectual property.