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The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.
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The School of Information offers four degrees:
The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program educates information professionals to provide leadership for an information-driven world.
The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) is an online degree preparing data science professionals to solve real-world problems. The 5th Year MIDS program is a streamlined path to a MIDS degree for Cal undergraduates.
The Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) is an online degree preparing cybersecurity leaders for complex cybersecurity challenges.
Our Ph.D. in Information Science is a research program for next-generation scholars of the information age.
- Fall 2024 Course Schedule
- Spring 2025 Course Schedule
The School of Information's courses bridge the disciplines of information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. We welcome interest in our graduate-level Information classes from current UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students and community members. More information about signing up for classes.
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- Ph.D. Students
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- Computer-mediated Communication
- Data Science
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- Human-computer Interaction (HCI)
- Information Economics
- Information Organization
- Information Policy
- Information Retrieval & Search
- Information Visualization
- Social & Cultural Studies
- Technology for Developing Regions
- User Experience Research
Research by faculty members and doctoral students keeps the I School on the vanguard of contemporary information needs and solutions.
The I School is also home to several active centers and labs, including the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) , the Center for Technology, Society & Policy , and the BioSENSE Lab .
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I School graduate students and alumni have expertise in data science, user experience design & research, product management, engineering, information policy, cybersecurity, and more — learn more about hiring I School students and alumni .
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Ph.D. in Information Science
Ph.d. community.
Ph.D. students are knowledge architects and respected contributors to our information society, with a vision of expanding access to quality information, an appreciation for diverse perspectives, and the spirit of collaboration.
You Belong at Berkeley
The I School is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds, nations, cultures, and experiences.
The doctoral program is a research-oriented program in which the student chooses specific fields of specialization, prepares sufficiently in the literature and the research of those fields to pass a qualifying examination, and completes original research culminating in the written dissertation. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of a candidate's grasp of a broad field of learning and distinguished accomplishment in that field through contribution of an original piece of research revealing high critical ability and powers of imagination and synthesis.
The Ideal Place for Breakthrough Thinking
School of Information offers an ideal environment for information scholars , on the campus of a preeminent, forward-thinking research institution .
Dedicated to cross-disciplinary research, breakthrough thinking, and creative collaboration, the I School actively shapes the information frontier and has a track record of scholarly ideas, solutions, and policy counsel that make information more accessible, manageable, and useful.
Rigorous academics instill the theoretical and research capabilities required to advance diverse interests — from information design, architecture, and assurance, to human-computer interaction and the social, economic, and public policy implications of information. Ph.D. students work closely with faculty recognized as information pioneers.
Interdisciplinary thinking and partnership are central to the I School approach, so doctoral research often engages exceptional UC Berkeley schools and departments beyond the I School, from journalism, business, and law to computing, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.
On average, I School students complete the Ph.D. degree in 6 years.
- Semester 1–4 : Breadth, major, & minor coursework
- Semester 4–5 : Prelim research paper & exam
- Semester 6–8 : Qualifying exam
- Semester 10–12 : Complete & present dissertation
Detailed degree requirements & timeline
Areas of Study
Major and minor areas include:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Information Economics and Policy
- Information Law and Policy
- Information Organization and Retrieval
- Information Systems Design
- Social Aspects of Information
- Information and Communication Technologies and Development
Your Career
I School Ph.D. graduates go on to careers in academia, industry, or the public sector.
Recent Ph.D. graduates hold tenure-track faculty positions at the world’s leading universities, as well as leading research positions in industry, academia, and public-interest organizations.
More about Ph.D. career outcomes
“I think we can do a better job of using the Internet to tap into how people are doing, how they’re feeling, and what matters to them — online democracy, in a way, but minus the hype.”
—Galen Panger Ph.D. 2017
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