Master of Information Studies, Specialization in Information Architecture

Information Management is critical to many industries, and those who understand how to do it are in high demand. The Master of Information Studies degree provides industry-recognized training for those in academia, government, and corporations. Many graduates work with libraries, or as leaders of information management in large organizations.

Charles Sturt University's Master of Information Studies Degree is entirely online. To complete the information architecture program, students must complete 13 courses for a total of 96 subject points. Most classes are worth 8 subject points and require a 12-hour per week time commitment. Working at a steady pace, students can earn their masters degree in three years studying part-time.

There are nine core courses for this information architecture degree. Five of the courses focus on the mastery of information management, while the other four provide valuable career readiness skills. Because information management impacts a variety of industries, the degree program also features multiple specializations. The specializations add the remaining 5 courses. Those interested in mastering information management on the internet should select the information architecture specialization.

The Information Architecture specialization includes eight courses, of which students must complete four. The required courses for this specialization are: Information Architecture for the Web, Information Retrieval Systems and Practice and Web Usability. Students may also choose from Web Publishing for Organisations, Social Networking for Information Professionals, Project Management in Information Agencies, IT Infrastructure Management and Web-based Info Sci Ed for their remaining course.

This IA degree program is offered entirely online; however, on-campus classes are available at a partner University, Hong Kong University. New students may begin at the start of any session and sessions last approximately 4 months. Charles Sturt University is an accredited Australian educational institution; however, international students are welcomed, as long as they demonstrate English proficiency. All applicants must already hold a bachelor's degree or have valid work experience.

Although the IA degree program is online based, some classes require offline work for completion. Two of the core courses, Professional Placement and Professional Study Visit are part of the university's workplace learning requirement. In these courses, students apply some of what they have learned in a workplace setting. Additionally, Australian University graduates, as well as graduates of Hong Kong University, may transfer credits for equivalent courses.

In addition to providing an advanced degree, the program is also recognized by the Australian Library and Information Association, Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia, American Library Association (ALA), Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) and the UK Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

The Charles Sturt University's Master of Information Studies Degree is payable per eight-hour points or per year. Tuition for 8 hours is AUD 2,760. Both Australian and international students can apply online, with classes starting approximately every three months.

Charles Sturt University is an Australian university with three faculties (colleges), five campuses and numerous research facilities. Their popular online program teaches more than 20,000 students worldwide in over 350 courses but is not solely online. Australian-based online learners also have access to an outreach team that provides in-person support.