Ph.D. Minor

Students interested in the social informatics minor should email Prof. Pnina Fichman: fichman@indiana.edu.

Ph.D. Minor in Social Informatics

The Ph.D Minor in Social Informatics (SI) at Indiana University consists of four courses (12 credits) from two or more departments, usually selected from a list of courses as described below. Please note that a student minoring in SI cannot include classes from his or her home department in the Minor. Students who complete the Ph.D. Minor in SI at Indiana University must demonstrate proficiency in a set of courses that examine the design, uses, consequences and/or policies of ICT use in social, cultural, or institutional contexts. The SI Ph.D. Minor emphasizes theoretical and methodological issues, as well as substantive issues.

The student must submit the Social Informatics Minor Application form to the Steering Committee describing the course of study. We recommend submitting the form prior to starting courses to ensure that all courses proposed are approved.

Students must complete 12 hours (usually four courses). These courses should be selected from the courses listed on the RKCSI Courses at Indiana page that are specifically identified as approved for the Ph.D. Minor. Some of the courses on this list (marked with an asterisk) require approval to be included, as their content changes regularly. The courses must be taken from at least two departments or schools other than the student’s home academic unit. SI is developing rapidly at IU, and we expect that additional doctoral level courses will be offered each year. Students can propose that their minor include other SI courses that are not included on this list. In this case, the syllabi and other detailed information about the course(s) should be included with the application form.

Specific Course Requirements

Required Foundation Courses (3 credit hours)

Students must take at least one of the following courses:

• I609 or I709 Advanced Seminar I or II in Informatics, Topic: Social Informatics
• Z514 Social Aspects of Information Technology
• MSCH-T 604 Topical Seminar in Media and Society

Students seeking Ph.D. Minor in Social Informatics must complete an additional three courses (9 hours). These additional courses must be selected from the courses listed on the RKCSI Courses at Indiana page that are specifically identified as approved for the Ph.D. Minor. The elective courses should be taken from at least two departments or schools other than the student’s home academic unit. SI is developing rapidly at IU, and we expect that additional doctoral level courses will be offered each year. Students can propose that their minor include other SI courses that are not included on this list or that are on the list, but have not yet been formally approved for the SI minor. Such proposals should include syllabi and other detailed information about the course.

Complete the form for the Ph.D. Minor in Social Informatics. This will be signed by the Director of the Doctoral Minor Program in Social Informatics when it is approved.