New Master's Degree Proposed in Information and Communication

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Informatics has proposed a new and unusual master's-degree program in information and communication.

The program, which will require the approval of the State University of New York and the State Education Department, was developed with input from an extensive survey in which public and private corporations, research facilities, libraries, industrial and business institutions across New York State were asked to identify employee competencies they will require to take full advantage of new information technologies and maintain a competitive edge in their fields.

Neil Yerkey, Ph.D., a professor in the school's Department of Library and Information Studies who will direct the program, said its 36-credit-hour curriculum emphasizes not only information-technology skills, but also competencies in communication, team building, critical thinking, organizational culture and organizational strategy.

Yerkey said the degree will prepare or enhance the ability of graduates to design or manage information systems in a wide variety of settings. Students will be able to specialize in one of several study tracks: information science, information architecture, management of information centers, system design and implementation and organizational development.

The school also offers a doctoral program in communication that offers a tract for library and information science; a master's degree in communication for those interested either in career development or academic research; a master's degree in library science; a bachelor's degree in communication that includes an elective tract in technology or a certificate in public relations and advertising, and an advanced studies certificate for librarians with an master's degree in library science.

The UB School of Informatics was formed in 1999 through a merger of the Department of Communication in UB's College of Arts and Sciences and its School of Information and Library Studies

Individuals interested in the program may call Yerkey at 716-645-6481.