Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies offers minor

February 6th, 2025

In today’s world, information shapes every aspect of our lives—from driving technological innovation to fueling the spread of misinformation. Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies is proud to offer an undergraduate minor in Information Studies, providing a unique opportunity to learn how to navigate and critically engage with the complex information landscape.

“The minor focuses on preparing students for the informed workplace,” said Heather Howard, director of undergraduate education at Libraries and School of Information Studies. “It’s designed to complement any major, from business, to engineering, to liberal arts, and more,” she said. 

The Information Studies minor embodies the historical, technical, cultural, and ethical dimensions of information, equipping graduates with the skills to navigate today’s information landscape. The minor welcomed its first students at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.

“Using information is essential in all professions,” said Dr. Clarence Maybee, Libraries and School of Information Studies associate dean for learning. “Basic information literacy skills are not enough anymore. Every company has a unique information and data landscape that students need to be equipped to navigate,” he said.

About the minor

Course requirements for the minor cover trending topics in today’s interconnected, technology-driven world. Specifically, the minor involves coursework that focuses on preparing students to:

• Navigate the information environment to make evidence-based decisions in professional and academic contexts. 
• Examine the role of information in ethical, societal, historical, and cultural contexts to address real-world situations. 
• Determine the significance of information-focused opportunities and challenges such as intellectual property, misinformation and disinformation, artificial intelligence, security, and privacy. 
• Apply various approaches to research using data, including techniques from data management, data science, digital humanities, and other methods.
• Reflect in an informed and critical manner on information infrastructures and practices. 

After completing an introductory course and choosing a required course on either information culture or data tools and applications, students select three courses in topics such as data ethics and management, artificial intelligence (AI), business and technical information, digital humanities, misinformation and conspiracy theories, online culture, and archives and rare books.

Visit the Information Studies website to learn more about the minor and view course requirements. Email infostudies@purdue.edu for minor-related questions and contact your academic advisor to officially enroll in the Information Studies minor.