What can I do with an Information Studies background?
Information Studies programs prepare students for work in multiple areas, including libraries, archives, museums, not-for-profit organizations, private companies, government agencies, universities, and various technology-based fields. Employment prospects are excellent for this area of study. For example, the employment of librarians and library media specialists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. While those students who choose to pair this minor with computer and information research science will see a 15 percent job growth from 2019 to 2029, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations. (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2020).
What majors should consider an Information Studies minor?
The skills information studies minor students will learn can be applied to any major area of study. However, the minor will nicely supplement the following areas of study:
- History
- Mass Communication
- English
- Education
- Management Information Systems
- Data Science
Information Studies Career Areas
Students trained in information studies develop higher-level information literacy skills and are in demand in corporations, government, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions as instructors, librarians, information architects, journalists, information managers, web developers, information scientists, network administrators, intelligence analysts, health information specialists, and support specialists. It’s expected that some graduates of the program will continue their education at the graduate level, seeking advanced degrees in law, library and information studies, knowledge management, journalism, and information technology.
What skills and qualities will the Information Studies program focus on?
- Research
- Organizational
- Persistence
- Oral and Written Communication
- Ethical use of technology and information
- Curiosity
- Collaboration
- Digital Literacy
- Digital Information Management
- Creativity and Innovation
- Analytical reasoning