Welcome from the
Program Chair

What are you looking for in an undergraduate degree program? Challenging and interesting classes? Hands-on experience? Internship opportunities that will better prepare you for a career? A degree that will allow you to find challenging jobs in incredibly diverse fields, from health care to high-tech?

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh offers an undergraduate degree program that will give you the practical knowledge and skills to use today’s information technology. You’ll also gain the theoretical knowledge that will allow you to design and manage the technologies that will be part of our future. Information, and the technology to manage it, will be a critical factor in solving many of the world’s most pressing problems in health care, government, education, and the environment.

At the iSchool, you will gain the knowledge and skills to build information systems, design user interfaces, and provide security in the digital environment. Our program is designed, based on input from corporate leaders and alumni, to give you a strong base of knowledge in programming principles, database systems, networks, systems analysis, and human-computer interaction. You’ll be able to tailor your studies by taking a series of in-depth courses in one of the information science specializations: information systems, user-centered design, and networks and security. Your program of study will include a capstone experience: perhaps an internship with a regional industry, an assistantship for graduate-level research, or a self-designed project.

Society needs professionals to effectively and efficiently manage a key resource—information. You will find a successful career as an information professional if you have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to manage and process information to best suit the ever-changing needs of employers. The undergraduate program in information science will give you the tools to be a success today and in the future.

Pittsburgh is a great place to live while earning your degree. This vibrant city offers a fun and affordable lifestyle with amenities including nationally-recognized sports teams, a world-class symphony and numerous live performance venues, many culturally-diverse neighborhoods, and the opportunity to enjoy more than 100 miles of biking and walking trails.

Thank you for your interest in the Undergraduate Program in Information Science. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or if you’d like to schedule an appointment to learn more about the opportunities in this exciting profession.

Sincerely,
Robert Perkoski
Chair, Undergraduate Program in Information Science
University of Pittsburgh
412-624-5143
perks@pitt.edu