PhD: Information Science

The PhD in Information Science at CU Boulder is for students who want to not only imagine what today’s technology makes possible, but to invent new things society can do with technology.

Whether conducting empirical investigations of existing technologies and cultures or designing and building new systems and approaches, students will work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment to address real problems and create an impact on our society.  

Our research program is exceptionally strong in human-computer interaction, data science, and social and collaborative computing, and our faculty expertise covers a broad range of areas including interaction design, recommender systems, technology ethics, health informatics, education and learning, marginalization and identity, and more!

PhD Application and Requirements

 

 

 

You belong here.

At CU, students are as important as the problems they solve.

 

 

 

Diverse Students

Information Science is a broad discipline, and our students come from a range of backgrounds. Some have computer science degrees, and come prepared to take on information science with a toolkit of computational and data science methods. Some have little to no experience in computing, but have backgrounds in social science or qualitative research. Some come to us with a rich knowledge of domains (e.g., public health, education, or journalism) to which information science research and techniques can be applied. Some come straight out of undergraduate programs, others have already completed graduate degrees, and others have years of professional experience.

Our program is designed to help Ph.D. students tailor their education towards their own research interests and skill sets while developing a shared body of knowledge around methods, computational techniques, theoretical frameworks, and design practices.

Student Voices: Why CU?

Dylan Thomas Doyle

“As a second career PhD student, the Information Science Program at CU has empowered me to grow in both personal and professional ways. The faculty I have been able to work with are empathetic and brilliant. They push me to be a more effective scholar and give me the freedom to shape my impact on the field.”

 

Erin Robinson

"I looked for a long time to find a graduate program that was the right fit to combine my interest in how science communities collaborate around information. The students and faculty here bring together diverse ways of knowing and expertise. This has been a productive and supportive place for me to learn and grow as researcher. It is also exciting to be in a place that I can apply what I learn so rapidly to my research."

Dipto Das

"I love the interdisciplinary nature of the information science department at CU Boulder! The community is inclusive and open to new ideas. Together we all work on important and interesting topics around people and technology."

 

Samantha Dalal

"The CU Boulder information science department truly embodies the principles of an intersectional education. I have found mentorship in both quantitative data analytics skills and qualitative research methods all within a deeply supportive academic community. This department is an ideal environment to grow as a scholar engaged in applied topical research."

 

Research a mile above ordinary.
 

 

Our Research

Information science faculty and students conduct research that spans topics across the discipline, with a strong focus on human-centered topics such as social computing, data science, ethics and policy, education and learning, accessibility, HCI, and design. (However, note that our department does not have a library science program.)

Learn more about the research groups led by our faculty.

Learn more about the research interests of both our faculty and current PhD students on their profile pages.

In recent years, our PhD students have published and presented work in venues such as CHI (human-computer interaction), AAAI (artificial intelligence), CSCW (collaboration & social computing), FaaCT (fairness and accountability), Ubicomp (ubiquitous computing), AOIR (internet research), DIS (interaction design) and SIGCSE (computer science education). Below is a small selection of student work:

Advisor fit is also a critical part of PhD admissions, so we highly recommend that you look into the research areas of specific faculty and their research labs and consider if there is a good potential match for you. Additionally, depending on capacity and timing, some faculty members might be more actively recruiting than others. You should feel free to reach out to faculty members individually to inquire about research areas and advising capacity.

For Fall 2026 admissions, the following faculty are recruiting PhD students: Jed Brubaker, Casey Fiesler, Ricarose Roque, Stephen Voida, Amy Voida, Jonathan Zong.

Learn more about our faculty and research labs.

 

Application Deadlines

US applicants: 
Dec. 1

International applicants: 
Dec. 1

How to Apply

  Apply Now

PhD Requirements

The PhD in Information Science is for students who want to engage in empirical investigations of interdisciplinary problems. Students in the PhD program will learn a diversity of methods, theoretical frameworks, design practices and computational techniques. A PhD student's scholarly practice will include collaborative research on grant-driven projects.

The scholarly skills required of PhDs in information science are fundamentally analytical, creative, interdisciplinary and in constant interaction with information that is generated, manipulated and transformed within and across domains. The PhD aligns culturally with the grant-driven, collaborative “lab model” of research that characterizes the natural and engineering sciences, but is nevertheless deeply integrative of the social sciences and humanities in its scholarly pursuit and intellectual contributions.

The PhD program in information science requires a minimum of 30 course credit hours and 30 thesis credit hours. Students are encouraged to take courses outside of the department beyond any departmental foundation courses pending approval by their advisor and the graduate committee.  After a written and oral preliminary exam, students go on to specialize in a dissertation area in consultation with their committees. Completion of the PhD will take approximately five years.

Admissions Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
  • We encourage applications from individuals representing the broad range of disciplines that bring fundamental skills and insights to bear on the range of issues related to understanding and shaping a future of information science as envisioned above. However, all students admitted to the program will be expected to develop a breadth of competencies (including empirical, computational and designerly competencies) that are essential to being a researcher in this diverse, interdisciplinary field. One’s ability and willingness to expand skillsets should be demonstrated in the statement of purpose.
  • CV or resume
  • Statement of purpose (maximum of two pages):
    • Your statement of purpose should describe a question, problem or topic in information science that you have a passion to address.
    • Please describe how your previous academic training, professional experience and/or personal passions have led you to this question, problem or topic and have drawn you to this degree program.
    • Identify the faculty members with whom you would be interested in working and why.
  • One unofficial transcript from each college or university attended.
  • Three letters of recommendation from people qualified to judge your potential for success in graduate school.
    • The most compelling letters will provide specific observations about the candidate’s promise in analytical thinking, scientific communication (both oral and written), research and teaching, as well as a demonstration of teamwork and collegiality.
  • GRE scores are not required for students applying to our graduate program. Applicants are welcome to submit a general GRE score but will not be at a disadvantage if they choose not to.
  • Optional: A writing sample in addition to the statement of purpose.
  • International applicants should also have a TOEFL score of 100, or an IELTS score of 7.0, or a DuoLingo of 120.

Faculty member, Casey Fiesler, maintains a playlist of YouTube videos with general advice for PhD applications. Though this advice is not specific to our department, you may find it helpful.

It is also not uncommon for applicants to reach out to specific faculty advisors prior to submitting their application in order to inquire about current research interests and advising capacity. You can find contact information for faculty on their profile pages.

 

1. Is my research interest appropriate for CU Boulder’s Department of Information Science?

 

We welcome applications from students with a broad range of interests in information science—from data science to information visualization to studies of online communities and more. The best candidates will be those who can identify interests that might align with the expertise of current faculty members. Our faculty members have expertise in areas such as machine learning, philanthropic informatics, personal informatics, social media, information visualization, law, ethics, digital humanities and crisis informatics.

2. What kinds of backgrounds should students have?

 

We welcome applications from students with diverse backgrounds and skillsets both technical and non-technical. A degree or background in computing or information science is not required, though prospective students should have a desire to use the tools, concepts and methods of information science. Students in our program will be expected to learn the technical skills required to carry out their research.

3. What are the course and curriculum requirements for the program?

 

As a new program, the courses and program requirements are still being determined. However, classes planned for our core curriculum include information science theory, research methods (both qualitative and quantitative), design and computational skills. As with any PhD program, students will be encouraged, with the guidance of their advisor, to take courses that will be helpful towards their research, both in and outside of our department. We are fortunate to be located within the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI), which includes many communication and media studies classes. We also have close ties with the Department of Computer Science, the ATLAS Institute and the Institute for Cognitive Science.

4. How do I know if I’m a good fit for your program?

 

If you think this may be the right place for you, then please apply! It is impossible for us to know ahead of time who might end up being a perfect fit for such an interdisciplinary department. However, the best indicator is likely having some interest—either with respect to methods or domains—in common with at least one member of our faculty.

5. How do I know that your program is a good fit for me?

 

We know that considering a brand new program may be scary! We invite you to check out the strong research track records of our faculty members who lead research labs. If you are considering multiple programs at CU Boulder (for example, computer science, ATLAS, or communication), we encourage you to apply to all of the programs for which you see a potential overlap with your interests. If you have any specific questions about the Department of Information Science, please feel free to email.

Phone: 303-735-0730

Email: cmcigrad@colorado.edu

Contact the Department of Information Science

Department of Information Science:

General Inquiries:    Email

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  CMDI Department of Information Science (INFO)
1045 18th Street, UCB 315
Boulder, CO 80309

   303-735-7581