PhD in Information Studies | Long Island University (2024)

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies prepares individuals to assume leadership positions in a broad range of careers. Nine credits of “co-related electives” may be taken in the area of your dissertation topic. The program is structured to accommodate both full-time students and part-time students. On campus courses are held in the evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Program Structure

LIU’s Ph.D. in Information Studies is taught out of the prestigious Palmer School, a preeminent i-school. The 60-credit doctorate provides the flexibility to pursue elective credits in any topic of research, including international relations, and to apply it to the field of information systems, sources and services. The Palmer School faculty members have a broad background of practice and experience. Our aim is to mentor students from multiple disciplines in achieving academic mastery of their chosen research topic.

The Ph.D. program requires 48 credits of course work, plus a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research. A minimum of six credits of course work must be taken in each of the first two semesters of study. The remaining 36 credits of course work may be completed at a varying pace. In addition to the course work, students must successfully pass a comprehensive examination, defend a dissertation proposal and, upon completion of the approved research, defend the dissertation.

Upon completion of 48 credits of coursework and passing of the comprehensive exam, student may apply for the degree of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.). Students must earn a master’s degree prior to applying to the doctoral program.

A typical program is as follows:

Required first-year doctoral level courses (12 credits)
Elective course work (36 credits):

Elective doctoral level courses (18 credits minimum)
Elective advanced Palmer School master’s level courses or independent studies (0–9 credits)
Elective co-related courses (9 credits)

Comprehensive examination
Awarding of the degree of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)
Dissertation proposal preparation
Dissertation proposal defense
Dissertation research
Dissertation defense
Graduation

Admissions Requirements

Incoming students are admitted to the Ph.D. in Information Studies each Fall semester

There will be a maximum of 20 students accepted each semester. After the required first-year courses, students may take courses at either campus.Applicants must hold a master’s degree, which can be in any discipline. Work experience is an asset but is not required. The program is structured to accommodate those who are already working in the information field or in related professions.

Admission decisions will be based on the following factors: academic proficiency, professional accomplishments, proposed intellectual focus, and potential for completing a rigorous program. Applicants whose master’s degrees are not from English-language institutions must provide proof of a TOEFL examination score of 100 or more.

For priority admission, please apply by March 1 for the following Fall term.

All of the following application materials must be received by the deadline date:

Application Information

For priority admission, please apply by March 1 for the following Fall term.

Applicants to the Ph.D. Program must complete the Long Island University Online Application for Admission. International applicants should refer to the special application instructions, below.

The application can be obtained by clicking on the above link or selecting the Apply Now button in the upper right-hand corner of this page. In order to finish your application, you will need to submit a non-refundable application fee of $50.

For the field “Campus,” select “LIU Post"
For the field “Admit Type,” select “Graduate” or “International Graduate” as appropriate
For the field “Admit Term,” select the desired semester
For the field “I’ll be applying as,” select “full time” or “part-time” (full-time is 9 or more credits; part-time is fewer than 9 credits)
For the field “Intended major,” select “Information Studies PhD”
Please note that Fall Semester starts are located at LIU Post campus in Brookville, Long Island and Spring Semester starts are located at Palmer’s Manhattan campus in NYU Bobst Library

Submitting your supplement materials

Within 24 hours of your online application submission you will receive an application acknowledgement email directing you upload your supporting documents to a supplemental application. Please be sure to check your inbox and spam folder for this email. You may upload unofficial transcripts, so we may begin a review of your application. Official transcripts or credential evaluation must be sent to:
LIU Post
720 Northern Blvd
Brookville, NY 11548

Transcripts

Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended from both your undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The preferred method of submission for all of the below materials is electronically, by uploading your documents to the online supplemental application.

Letters of Recommendation

Submit Three letters of recommendation from a professional or academic source. Once your application is submitted you may be directed to post-enroll@liu.edu or send by mail to LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd, Brookville, NY 11548.

Personal Statement

Submit a statement describing your educational and professional goals and discuss what you hope to gain from doctoral study at LIU Post. The statement should be one to three pages in length.

Statement of Research/Inquiry

Submit a statement describing your primary areas of research or inquiry interest. The statement should be at least 500 words in length. Be sure to include your full name and page numbers in the upper-right-hand corner of each additional sheet.

Writing Sample

Submit a copy of a publication or a sample of other scholarly writing, no more than 10-20 pages in length.

Curriculum Vitae/Résumé

Submit a curriculum vitae or résumé. This document should include:

• All of the educational institutions you have attended beginning with undergraduate study – giving name of the school, location, dates, major field, and degree conferred.
• All of the full-time jobs you have held, including position title, name of employer and the dates during which you held the positions.
• Honors and grants earned
• Professional organizational memberships and offices held
• Publications
• Professional presentations, seminars and workshops, including the names and dates of the events

International Students – Application Instructions

International applicants must complete the Long Island University Online Application for Admission.
• For the field “Campus,” select “LIU Post”
• For the field “Admit Type,” select “Graduate” or “International Graduate” as appropriate
• For the field “Admit Term,” select the desired semester
• For the field “I’ll be applying as,” select “full time” or “part-time” (full-time is 9 or more credits; part-time is fewer than 9 credits)
• For the field “Intended major,” select “Information Studies PhD”

Applicants whose degrees were earned outside of the US are required to submit one of the following:
TOEFL- required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 100
IELTS- required minimum acceptable IELTS score is: 7.5
TOEFL and IELTS will be waived for applicants who have received a degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S.
Within 24 hours of your application submission you will receive an email directing you upload you supporting document to a supplemental application. Please be sure to check your inbox and spam folder for this email.

The preferred method of submission for all of materials is electronically, by uploading your documents to the online supplemental application.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. program requires 48 credits of course work beyond a master’s degree, plus a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research. In addition, students must successfully pass a comprehensive examination, a dissertation proposal defense and a dissertation defense. Experience indicates that it takes 4-7 years to complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree. The curriculum is subject to change at the discretion of the Doctoral Committee.

Normal progression through the program will be as follows:
1. 48 Credits of Course Work:
a. Required first-year doctoral-level courses (12 credits)
b. Elective course work (36 credits)
i. Elective doctoral-level courses (18 credits minimum)
ii. Elective related Palmer School master’s-level courses or independent study (0-9 credits)
iii. Elective co-related courses (9 credits)
2. Comprehensive examination
3. Awarding of the degree of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)
4. Dissertation research (12 credits minimum)
a. Dissertation proposal preparation
b. Dissertation proposal defense
c. Dissertation research and writing
d. Dissertation defense
Additional information about the distribution of credits follows below.

Required First-year Doctoral Level Courses (12 credits)

There are two required area/content courses:
• DIS 801: Knowledge Organization and Access (3 credits)
• DIS 803: Information Studies and Services (3 credits)

There also are two required research methods courses:
• DIS 805: Research Methods I (3 credits)
• DIS 807: Research Methods II (3 credits)

These four courses must be taken in the first year of study with two courses being required in the Fall Semester and two courses being required in the Spring semester.

Elective Courses (36 credits)

Students will choose elective courses in consultation with the Major Advisor and possibly the External Advisor. Prior education, experience and research plans will be considered in making decisions about what is to be taken in the field of Information Studies and in co-related areas.
Doctoral-Level Electives (Minimum of 18 Credits)

Students must complete a minimum of 18 credits from the following courses:
• DIS 810: Knowledge Organization
• DIS 812: Information Retrieval
• DIS 815: Information Systems: Theories, Paradigms, and Methods
• DIS 816: Human-Computer Interaction
• DIS 820: Information Policy and Services
• DIS 822: Information and Society
• DIS 824: Information Services
• DIS 826: Organization Information Management

Prerequisite for all doctoral-level electives: DIS 801, 803, 805, and 807

There are no distribution requirements between the two major areas of study (Knowledge Organization and Access; Information Studies and Services). Doctoral students may take any of the above as doctoral-level electives but students must pass the comprehensive examinations in both major areas, since one of the objectives of the program is to produce individuals with a broad understanding of the field. It is expected that students will take electives that complement their own strengths and experience.

Electives from Related Master's-Level Courses or Independent Study (0-9 Credits)

Advanced master's courses at the 700 level in the Palmer School may be used as electives. Courses numbered LIS 901 may or may not be used as electives in the Ph.D. Program, depending upon the subject of the course. LIS 901 courses require the prior approval of the Director of the Ph.D. Program.
DIS 899 (Independent Study) requires an application that is approved by the Major Advisor, the faculty member who will supervise the independent study, the Director of the Ph.D. Program, and the Director of the Palmer School. DIS 899 may only be applied to this area of the curriculum.

Electives from Co-related Field of Study (9 credits)

Students must identify a co-related field of study outside of Information Studies. Students will incorporate knowledge from their co-related fields of study in answers to questions on the comprehensive examinations and in the dissertation. These courses must be graduate courses at the doctoral level or master's courses approved as appropriate for doctoral-level study. They may be taken at LIU Post or at other institutions. The selection of courses in the co-related area must be approved by the Major Advisor prior to registration.