An ethically-focused, strategic approach
Information is more than data points and statistics — information drives strategic advantage and social empowerment. In the right hands, information can create innovation and productivity built on more inclusive systems that drive society forward and create opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful difference. Infused with elements of equity, inclusion and social consciousness, the MSIM program will give you a foundational knowledge of the many facets of information management and teach you to consider the human implications and impacts of information systems.
You will gain a holistic knowledge of systems thinking, data-driven strategic planning, ethics and social responsibility that will help you solve organizational problems and critically analyze procedures across all areas of information management. You will graduate ready to become an innovative leader actively taking the information field in a new direction — one who not only solves organizational challenges, but also has a positive impact on society.
Key deadlines
*Merit-based scholarships may be available. All students who apply to the MSIM program will be considered for merit-based scholarships, also called the Dean’s Scholarship, for up to $3,000. There is no additional application for these scholarships. Submit a completed application by the final deadline for consideration.
Contact our enrollment team at 206-686-7756 or msimonline@uw.edu for more details.
How can an iSchool MSIM advance your career?
Being an expert in a single field is not enough to lead in the complex information age. Good information leaders need to understand the complexities of people, technology, and processes in the context of their organization and society. We will provide you with a holistic perspective of information management that will enable you to understand and develop innovative solutions to advance organizational strategy across industry sectors.
You will take a set of foundational core courses that cover six key elements:
- Strategic leadership
- Information management
- Professionalism
- Information technology
- Ethics and policy
- System thinking and problem-solving
These courses will give you a comprehensive understanding of information management practices that, combined with demonstrated and applied expertise, will make you a highly sought-after information management leader and help set you apart in the job market.
Top information management careers
MSIM students gain the critical, analytical and management skills necessary to lead complex, information-intensive initiatives. Graduates often see professional benefits such as new positions, promotions or larger leadership roles in their organizations.
Typical job categories for recent graduates specializing in Business Intelligence, Data Science or Program/Product Management & Consulting include:
ANALYSTS AND CONSULTANTS
- Senior Data Analyst
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- IT Advisory Risk Consultant
- Senior Information Consultant
- Senior Systems Analyst
- Senior Technical Consultant
- Professional Services Consultant
MANAGERS
- Manager of Data Science/Analytics
- Project Manager
- Program Manager
- Product Manager
- IT Service Manager
- Manager of Business Systems
STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
The longer-term career trajectory of many of our graduates is toward strategic oversight roles such as:
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Information Officer
- Director, Strategic Execution
- Director, Strategic Technology Initiatives
Degree tracks
You can tailor the MSIM program to suit your goals and your life, whether you choose to join the online or residential program we offer three degree path options: Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated and Mid-Career.
Early-Career
Are you a recent college graduate? Ever look at an entry-level job description requiring two to three years of experience and do a double take?
We’ve designed our Early-Career MSIM track with you in mind. Through this track, you’ll gain actual work experience and have a significant opportunity to apply and showcase your skills to potential employers* through your Capstone project.
The Early-Career MSIM track entails:
- Planning and implementing your Capstone project over a three quarter, 30-week course sequence in partnership with a faculty member or outside organization sponsor.*
- Exploring a wider range of courses and topics.
- Engaging in immersive learning experiences, including internships and research projects.
You’ll graduate with tangible skills and valuable experience, ready to enter the job market with confidence.
*Previous partners include the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, MSR Global Health and CoCA Seattle.
OVERVIEW
- 65 credits.
- Option to complete two specializations (Business Intelligence, Data Science or Program/Product Management & Consulting), or use electives to customize your learning.
- Address a real-world information problem as part of a required Capstone project.
- Opportunity to complete one or more internships or applied experiences (in addition to Capstone), including faculty-directed research.
- Access to iSchool resources, including the Career Services team and iCareers database, for the full duration of their program—at least two years.
- Finish in as few as six terms if enrolled full-time and taking three courses per term.
Early-Career Accelerated
The Early-Career Accelerated MSIM track suits students who have focused academic goals. This program is designed to maximize learning across a minimum of four terms and is suitable for recent college graduates or early-career professionals. Compare with Early-Career.
OVERVIEW
- 40-credit program.
- Option to complete one or two specializations (Business Intelligence, Data Science and Program/Product Management & Consulting are offered online), or take electives to customize your learning. Additional specializations require added credits.
- Opportunity to gain hands-on experience through a required practicum, which includes three options: internship, faculty-directed research project or sponsored project.
- Complete the program in one year if enrolled full time and taking three courses per term.
Mid-Career
The Mid-Career MSIM track works well for mid-career professionals with at least five years of professional experience.
OVERVIEW
- 36-credit program.
- Option to complete one or more specializations (Business Intelligence, Data Science and Program/Product Management & Consulting are offered online), or take electives to customize your learning. Additional specializations require added credits.
- Complete the program in under one year if enrolled full time and taking three courses per term.
Choose your specialization
MSIM students are encouraged to tailor their coursework to their career goals, with the option to complete up to two specializations depending on their program track and interests. Students pursuing their coursework online currently have access to three in-demand specializations, with additional specializations available for students enrolled in residential degree options.
For the Business Intelligence and Data Science specializations, there is a single, optional bridge course that provides the prerequisite skills. This enables students to select either specialization regardless of their background. These bridge courses are IMT 511 (Data Science) and IMT 543 (Business Intelligence).
Business Intelligence (BI)
Building analytical, managerial and baseline technical skills will help you learn to manage the process of transforming data into insight. This specialization has a managerial/strategic focus but also incorporates modern analytics and data warehousing toolsets to provide foundational exposure to key technologies. Courses for this specialization are not sequential.
Technical Skills:
- Design, implement and leverage business intelligence systems from a managerial and strategic lens.
- Develop relational database and SQL knowledge and be exposed to key concepts, such as dimensional data modeling; extracting, transforming and loading data (ETL); machine learning; online analytical processing (OLAP); data warehouse architecture; and developing data visualizations for strategic management.
Data Science (DS)
In this specialization, you will study the computational and quantitative analysis of large datasets to transform data into information. This track will teach you to use methods, tools and frameworks for analyzing and deriving insight from large-scale, heterogeneous data. Courses in this track are sequenced and cannot be taken out of order.
Technical Skills:
- Perform data science using R and Python.
- Learn the theoretical and practical foundations of data science through key concepts such as exploratory data analysis, statistical inference, supervised and unsupervised machine learning, scaling and distributed computing, and network analysis.
Program/Product Management & Consulting (PPMC)
This specialization prepares current and aspiring program and product managers, and consultants to lead organizations of all sizes and sectors in developing and managing strategic and operational information-related initiatives. Courses for this specialization are not sequential.
Technical Skills:
- Transform organizations through systems and design thinking, problem-solving and change management by engaging stakeholders to align on new techniques and initiatives.
- Apply industry methods and techniques to analyze and design enterprise systems to organize, plan, control, and implement projects while developing product and project value proposition and success metrics.
- Lead product management teams throughout the product lifecycle while enabling cross-organizational integration and strategic alignment.
MSIM curriculum
Core courses
Examines the role and function of information and information management in individual, organizational, community and social contexts. Topics include information and information management concepts; methods of managing information and information flows within organizations; and internal and external communication in professional settings.
Explores a range of information issues in the social and organizational context of information professionals, including professional ethics, privacy, freedom of expression and intellectual property. Gives students tools for analysis of the kinds of social and ethical issues that will arise in their lives as information professionals.
Provides students with skills and methods to solve complex problems related to information management and business. Introduces students to a variety of data-gathering and analysis techniques using a project model, culminating in the development of effective, data-driven recommendations specific to information management, systems and product development.
Introduction to internal and external management issues and practices in information organizations. Examines key topics drawn from the fields of organizational theory and behavior, including planning and decision-making, organizational structure, leadership and motivation. Reviews strategic and operational issues including human and organizational issues related to technology introduction, use and management.
Specialization bridge courses
Introduces fundamentals of computer programming as used for data science. Covers foundational skills necessary for writing stand-alone computer scripts, including programming syntax, data structuring and procedural definition (functions). Includes programming environments (command-line) and version control. Emphasizes skills in algorithmic thinking, abstraction, debugging and code reuse. Assumes no previous programming background.
Introduces relational database design, implementation and management, with a focus on using relational database management systems (DBMS) to manage data in an organization. Covers data modeling tools and techniques, conceptual and logical database design, physical implementation, SQL, data management and database administration.
Specialization courses
Theoretical and practical examination of information systems analysis and design processes as they apply in the workplace. Explores techniques for assessing system and technology needs, defining information and work specifications, process and data modeling, and stakeholder analysis process; and input and output design, database design, test plans and implantation strategies in the design process.
Introduces a broad, non-technical overview of key concepts, skills and technologies used in data science. Provides a high-level introduction to common data science pipelines, such as experimental design, data collection and storage, basic analytics, machine learning, and data visualization, focusing on analyzing real-world datasets using industry-standard statistical packages.
Introduces technically focused theoretical foundations of data science. Provides an overview of key concepts, focusing on foundational concepts such as exploratory data analysis and statistical inference. Includes data-intensive assignments that require significant programming and statistical analysis. Assumes students have college-level statistics and programming experience (R and python preferred). Prerequisite: IMT 570.
Provides a theoretical and practical introduction to modern techniques for the analysis of large-scale, heterogeneous data. Covers key concepts in inferential statistics, supervised and unsupervised machine learning, and network analysis. Teaches functional, procedural and statistical programming techniques for working with real-world data. Prerequisite: IMT 573.
Focuses on utilizing advanced skills for analyzing and deriving insights from large-scale, heterogeneous data. Provides methods, tools and frameworks for analyzing large-scale data, with topics including scaling and distributed computing, as well as network analysis. Pays special attention to ethical considerations in modern data science. Prerequisite: IMT 574.
Provides a broad overview of business intelligence (BI), including foundational BI concepts, strategies, techniques and technologies. Places a primary emphasis on the strategic and managerial perspective, focusing on how one designs, implements and leverages business intelligence systems and strategies in management and leadership roles.
Introduces fundamentals of how to architect and develop business intelligence systems for decision-making. Covers dimensional data modeling; extracting, transforming and loading data (ETL); online analytical processing (OLAP); data warehouse architecture; and developing data visualizations to answer key business questions. Recommended: Prior basic relational database and SQL knowledge.
Provides an overview of information consulting practices including consulting concepts, methodologies, approaches to consultative analysis and problem solving. Emphasizes a systems-thinking approach to practicing effective technical and interpersonal consulting behaviors as well as processes for internal and external consulting. Interpersonal/communication skills, client relationship management and change management are strongly emphasized. Prerequisite: IMT 580.
Introduces project management principles within information-related business contexts. Provides knowledge that managers need to implement information systems on time and within budget. Concentrates on methods and issues in organizing, planning, and controlling projects and their use of computer-based project management tools.
Electives
Provides a theoretical and practical examination of information systems analysis and design processes as they apply in the workplace. Explores techniques for assessing system and technology needs, defining information and work specifications, process and data modeling, and stakeholder analysis process, as well as input and output design, database design, test plans and implantation strategies in the design process.
Examines information security challenges and solutions, which information management professionals contend with when providing technology services and applications based on premises and cloud platforms. Allows students to solidify the terminology and security architecture via hands-on labs using open-source and cloud-based tools. Covers security topics based on relevant attack vectors.
Provides an overview of information consulting practices including consulting concepts, methodologies, approaches to consultative analysis and problem solving. Emphasizes a systems-thinking approach to practicing effective technical and interpersonal consulting behaviors as well as processes for internal and external consulting. Interpersonal/communication skills, client relationship management and change management are strongly emphasized. Prerequisite: IMT 580.
Introduces project management principles within information-related business contexts. Provides knowledge that managers need to implement information systems on time and within budget. Concentrates on methods and issues in organizing, planning and controlling projects, as well as their use of computer-based project management tools.
Internship in the private or public sector, jointly supervised by a faculty member and an on-site work sponsor. Credit/no-credit only.
Culminating courses
Capstone refers to the three-course sequence required for Early-Career track students. Capstone includes one of the following projects:
- Organization-sponsored applied project
- Faculty-sponsored research project
Practicum refers to a single course required for Early-Career Accelerated track students and optional for Mid-Career and Early-Career track students. Practicum includes one of the following:
- Organization-sponsored applied project
- Faculty-sponsored research project
- Internship
Preparation for implementing a capstone project. Topics include choosing a project, team formation, professional communication with a project sponsor, identifying the scope of the project, assessing feasibility, developing a project charter and sponsor agreement. Credit/no-credit only.
Required for Early-Career students only.
Analysis and preliminary design of an approved individual or group research or implementation project demonstrating professional-level knowledge and skills. Prerequisite: IMT 569. Credit/no-credit only.
Required for Early-Career students only.
Implementation of a project demonstrating professional-level knowledge and skills based on a project charter and plan developed in IMT 596. Prerequisite: IMT 596. Credit/no-credit only.
Required for Early-Career students only.
Internship, organization- or faculty-sponsored research project related to information management. Prerequisite: IMT 500; IMT 550; IMT 570; and IMT 580. Credit/no-credit only.
Required for Early-Career Accelerated students only.
Sample track course plans
Below represents sample course plans depending on which track you intend to pursue. The MSIM online program follows a quarter term schedule. The quarters are winter, spring, summer and autumn. Each term is 10 weeks long with one week for exams, finals or final projects.
Early-Career Track
| Term | EARLY CAREER COURSE PLAN* |
| Term 1 | IMT 500 (4) IMT 580 (4) |
| Term 2 | IMT 550 (4) Optional: Bridge course or Specialization #1 (4) |
| Term 3 | IMT 570 (4) Specialization #1 (4) |
| Term 4 | Specialization #1 (4) Capstone I (1) Elective (4) |
| Term 5 | Specialization #1 or Elective (4) IMT 596 Capstone II (2) |
| Term 6 | Optional: Bridge course or Elective (4) IMT 597 Capstone III (2) |
| Term 7 | Specialization #2 (4) Internship (5) |
| Term 8 | Specialization #2 (4) Elective (4) |
| Term 9 | Specialization #2 (4) |
| Total | ~18 courses (65 credits) |
* Students can complete the program in as few as six terms if enrolled full time and taking three courses per term.
Early-Career Accelerated Track
| Term | EARLY CAREER ACCELERATED COURSE PLAN** |
| Term 1 | IMT 500 (4) IMT 580 (4) |
| Term 2 | IMT 550 (4) Optional: Bridge course or Specialization (4) |
| Term 3 | IMT 570 (4) Specialization (4) |
| Term 4 | Specialization (4) Practicum (6) |
| Term 5 | Specialization or Elective (4) Elective (3) |
| Total | ~10 courses (40 credits) |
** Students can complete the program in as few as four terms if enrolled full time and taking three courses per term.
Mid-Career Track
| Term | MID CAREER COURSE PLAN*** |
| Term 1 | IMT 580 (4) Optional: Bridge course (4) or IMT 500**** (4) |
| Term 2 | IMT 550 (4) Specialization (4) |
| Term 3 | IMT 570 (4) Specialization (4) |
| Term 4 | Specialization (4) Elective (4) |
| Term 5 | Elective (4) |
| Total | ~9 courses (36 credits) |
*** Students can complete the program in as few as three terms if enrolled full time and taking three courses per term. For students wishing to broaden their MSIM degree, it is possible to extend your time at the iSchool to complete a second specialization or additional experiential learning projects.
**** IMT 500 is required for Mid-Career track students beginning in autumn 2022 or later.
UW MSIM: Online vs. residential comparison
| Online | Residential | |
| Degree | Residential and online students earn the same MSIM degree. | |
| Course Delivery | Complete your coursework from anywhere, in the U.S. or internationally.
Complete most coursework asynchronously, with live online classes scheduled for 90 minutes each week. |
Courses take place on the UW campus in Seattle, Washington.
Attend in-person classes at specific dates and times (3-4 hours a week); complete reading and assignments asynchronously. |
| Enrollment Dates and Application Processes | Start in any quarter you choose.
Enrollment takes place each winter, spring, summer and autumn. There are three review periods each enrollment cycle. |
One start date per year.
Enrollment takes place each autumn. Application processes and timelines vary and candidates are advised to pay careful attention to the dates and details associated with their chosen program track. |
| To Apply | Apply Now | |
| Application Requirements | Application (same application elements and requirements for both modes) $85 Application Fee Statement of Purpose Two Recommendations Resume or CV Transcripts GRE/GMAT (waived for qualified students) English Language Proficiency (for non-native English speakers) |
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| Specializations | Three available: Data Science Business Intelligence Program/Product Management & Consulting |
Six available: Data Science Business Intelligence Program/Product Management & Consulting User Experience Information Architecture Information & Cyber Security |
| Tracks / Options | Students choose from Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated and Mid-Career options. | |
| Curriculum | Residential and online students have the same requirements and take the same courses. | |
| Part Time / Full Time | All students can complete their studies part time or full time. | Mid-Career students can complete their studies part time or full time.
Early-Career and Early-Career Accelerated students are expected to be enrolled full time. |
| Student Support | Resources such as career services and academic advising are available.
All MSIM students, regardless of their program mode, also have access to career events and programming offered through the iSchool and the University of Washington Career and Internship Center. A dedicated student success coach supports students throughout the program. |
Resources such as career services and academic advising are available.
All MSIM students, regardless of their program mode, also have access to career events and programming offered through the iSchool and the University of Washington Career and Internship Center. |
| Campus Resources | All UW students (online or residential) have access to campus resources (UW libraries, disability services, mental health support, student employment, athletic facilities, etc.) though some campus resources cannot be delivered remotely. | |
| Tuition & Fees | Tuition and fees are the same for all students, regardless of citizenship or Washington state resident status.
Residential and online modes share the same tuition rates, subject to change at the start of each academic year for both new and continuing students. A $250 non-refundable deposit is required to accept the offer of admission. |
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| Scholarships | Applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships upon admission review.
Applicants are able to apply for supplemental scholarship awards for their first quarter. Graduate assistantships and student employment opportunities are available. |
Applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships upon admission review.
Endowed scholarships are available in the second year of the MSIM program. Graduate assistantships and student employment opportunities are available. |
Meet our faculty
ANDREW REIFERS
HEATHER WHITEMAN
Compare programs
| MSIM: Master of Science in Information Management (Information School) | MBA: Master of Business Administration (Foster School of Business)* | MSDS: Master of Science in Data Science (Interdisciplinary, UW Graduate School) | |
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Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need any prior industry or technology experience to enroll. The program’s interdisciplinary nature makes it accessible to students from all backgrounds, regardless of whether they have tech or information management experience.
The online degree options are available to students everywhere. While online students benefit from the UW’s location, students do not need to be in Seattle to experience these benefits.
Any online student in any track can work while taking the program if they are taking it part time. We do not recommend students take any of the program tracks full time if also working full time. The program does require you to attend synchronous sessions (1.5 hours a week per course) which take place from 5:30-7 p.m. PT on weekdays.
Yes. Admissions and graduation requirements for residential and online students are identical and all graduates earn the same Master of Science in Information Management degree.
All MSIM degree options (Early-Career, Early-Career Accelerated and Mid-Career) are offered in two modes, residential and online. The courses, credits and requirements are all the same.
Key differences:
Program start dates: Students who pursue online options have four opportunities to begin the program each year (September, January, March or June). Conversely, all new residential students matriculate in autumn.
Application process: Application processes and timelines vary by degree option and modality, and candidates are advised to pay careful attention to the dates and details associated with their chosen program track and mode of study.
Part time vs. full time: All online and Mid-Career students can complete their studies part time. Residential students in the Early-Career and Early-Career Accelerated degree options are expected to be enrolled full time.
Specializations: The residential options offer six specializations while the online options currently offer three of these six specializations.
No. We are working to develop several optional on-campus immersion programs to enhance the learning experience for online students, but there are no graduation requirements that require in-person participation.
Course materials, labs, readings and discussion posts are delivered online asynchronously in online classes. All online classes also require one weekly synchronous session that will take place in the evening, 5:30-7 p.m. PT on a weekday, subject to course scheduling.
For a 4-credit course, you can expect to spend about 12-16 hours per week on coursework. This breaks down to around 1-2 synchronous hours and about 12 hours of asynchronous learning each week. You can expect the total time commitment to increase or decrease depending on the number of credit units per course.
Every course will have 60-90 minute synchronous sessions and one 60-minute office hour scheduled every week. Note that bridge courses IMT 511, IMT 543 are fully asynchronous and self-guided. IMT 589 is a synchronous course with scheduled class sessions.
Online courses are designed and developed by core full-time faculty to ensure a world-class academic experience and will be delivered primarily by industry experts who infuse the courses with real-world case studies, practical know-how and cutting-edge technical skills.
Yes, international students can apply to the MSIM online degree options. However, online students will not be issued an F-1 visa or be eligible for Curricular Practical Training employment authorization. Depending on an international student’s location, this may impact their ability to seek employment or an internship.
No. Once you are admitted to a program mode, either residential or online, you stay in that mode for the duration of the program.
No. All MSIM students will be required to take 100% of their coursework in their designated program mode, meaning online students will only take online courses. Residential students take most or all of their courses in person on the Seattle campus, with some limited online course offerings.
Online students will be engaged in community building activities with their core class in the online mode and will have access to success coaches who will guide their development and engage them in the life of the iSchool.
The iSchool student experience includes voluntary participation in student groups, the Virtual Student Community and virtual workshops and events delivered by Career Services and the MSIM program faculty and staff. The iSchool hosts many events weekly that are offered in a blended environment, including research talks and guest speakers.
Yes, students in the online degree options are offered virtual one-on-one advising, help with general job search strategies, resume and cover letter workshops, interview advice, and career management modules through the iSchool Career Services office to support their job search activities. All MSIM students, regardless of their program mode, also have access to career events and programming offered through the University of Washington Career and Internship Center.
Yes, as a student at the UW, you will have access to these services though some campus resources cannot be delivered remotely. Online students who live in the Seattle area can also access all available resources in person.
Capstone refers to the three course sequence required for Early-Career students. Capstone includes either an organization-sponsored applied project or a faculty-sponsored research project. These courses include IMT 569, IMT 596 and IMT 597.
Practicum refers to the one course required for Early-Career Accelerated students and can take the form of an organization-sponsored applied project, an internship or a research project sponsored by an iSchool faculty member. This course is IMT 599.
The Capstone project occurs over three quarters (a 30-week experience), whereas the Practicum is a one-term 10-week experience.
The Capstone or Practicum is optional for Mid-Career students.
The UW Graduate School has a minimum GPA requirement. As detailed on their websites, individual programs may consider qualified applicants with a GPA below a 3.0. Applicants with a lower GPA may want to provide additional information in the Extenuating Circumstances part of the application.
You need to select a specialization upon admission, however if you find you would like to shift specializations, you may formally request a change. Please note that a formal request does not guarantee you will be able to switch specializations.
There is no prerequisite knowledge that applicants need to demonstrate to apply for and enroll in this program. Students come from a multitude of backgrounds and can prepare for the more technical courses once they’re admitted.
At this time you are not eligible to take courses outside the MSIM offered online.
You can find electives courses and their descriptions under the Curriculum section.
The Data Science specialization courses need to be taken in a sequence. It is recommended you pass the optional bridge course (IMT 511) before taking IMT 573: Data Science I: Theoretical Foundations.