Information Science Ph.D.

Community engagement research that makes an impact

Learn how to meet the demands of our rapidly evolving information landscape. With a focus on community-engaged scholarship, the Luddy School’s Ph.D. in Information Science prepares graduates for collaborative research in diverse sectors including higher education, archives, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Discover how to research and collaborate with communities for societal progress when you earn your doctorate in information science.

Master's degree in Library and Information Science, Information Science, or a related humanities, social science, computer science field.
GPA of 3.5 or higher (4.0 scale)
Taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing) is optional for candidates.

Advancing new knowledge: Students are expected to synthesize the body of knowledge and research methods in relation to the interdisciplinary study of information science, given the interdisciplinary nature of the Ph.D. program. Students will demonstrate the ability to conduct original, independent, ethical, and interdisciplinary research with theoretical and practical knowledge to advance Information Science.
Leadership and community engagement: Students will learn how to build sustainable relationships with local, national, and global communities through research, outreach, and services, to address social challenges relevant to data, information, and knowledge.

Specific competencies include:

Demonstrate a depth of knowledge in Information Science foundations, as well as the student’s chosen area of study.
Critically analyze published research in the student’s area of study.
Demonstrate an ability to conduct ethically responsible original research in an independent manner on a significant information science problem.
Effectively communicate and defend results of research to interdisciplinary scientific audiences, as well as community stakeholders.

A multi-faceted approach to success

Engage with community partners as you collaborate with faculty on research centered around community and grounded in real-world applications. Offered through the Luddy School’s Department of Library and Information Science, our program features:

Interdisciplinary approach
Gain a holistic understanding of the challenges information professionals encounter. As a member of iSchools, an international consortium of over 120 universities, Luddy Indianapolis embraces interdisciplinary research and teaching.

Flexible coursework
Customize your coursework to align with your research interests and career goals. Seize the opportunity to conduct independent research projects under faculty mentorship, to deepen your expertise.

Collaborative cohorts
Collaborate with your fellow Ph.D. students at the Luddy School. With core courses shared across programs and departments, our program fosters a common grounding in information science, and connections with peers from different disciplines.

View the degree requirements

LIS faculty examines impact of parental knowledge on child’s technology-based early learning

Soo Hyeon Kim, Assistant Professor in the Department of Library and Information Science, is investigating how use of technology might impact a parent’s ability to support home-based engineering design tasks.

Learn more about Soo Hyeon Kim's research

Student data privacy starts with a cooperative spirit, says Luddy professor

Kyle Jones and his team research student privacy issues. They have interviewed students and examined how their data is collected and used in higher education.

Learn more about Kyle Jones' student privacy research