Information Science, B.S.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will describe the techniques and principles for creating, storing, organizing, transforming, and communicating information to various information seekers.
- Students will demonstrate practical skills of information science and the use of information systems.
- Students will demonstrate the comprehension of the valuable role of information and information technology in society as well as the diversity of needs and uses for information.
Admissions
First-Year Students
In order to be admitted to the B.S. in Information Science degree program of study in the School of Library and Information Science, first-year students must meet all University admission requirements. In order to continue in the program, each student must attain a minimum USC GPA of 2.50 upon completion of 30 degree-applicable hours. Credit received for remedial work is not counted toward the 30 hours.
Transfer Students
A student desiring to transfer to the B.S. in Information Science program of the School of Library and Information Science from either another college or school of the University or another institution must have a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.50 on all work attempted. Transfer students from other institutions must take at least half of the information science course work in residence at the University of South Carolina Columbia. Required information science courses from schools taken from other schools must be validated by proficiency tests. No more than 12 semester hours of required information science courses from other schools may be applied toward the B.S. degree in Information Science.
Completion of ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 with grades of C or higher are prerequisites for admission to the B.S. in I.S. upper-division program.
Degree Requirements (121 hours)
Program of Study
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Carolina Core | 31-44 |
| 2. College Requirements | 0 |
| 3. Program Requirements | 48-54 |
| 4. Major Requirements | 36 |
Founding Documents Requirement
All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers. This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.
1. Carolina Core Requirements (31-44 hours)
CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-7 hours)
SCI – Scientific Literacy (7 hours)
- Two approved Carolina Core Scientific Literacy courses from the natural sciences, including one laboratory course
GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language (0-6 hours)
Students in the School of Library and Information Science are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
GHS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)
- any CC-GHS course
GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)
- any CC-GSS course
AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)
- any CC-AIU course
CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course
SLIS recommends one of the following:
INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)
- ENGL 102 - must be passed with a grade of C or higher
Note: SLIS 202 may not be used to fulfill the INF Carolina Core requirement
VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR coursee (SLIS recommends SAEL 200)
| 1 | Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements. |
2. College Requirements (0 hours)
No college-required courses for this program.
3. Program Requirements (48-54 hours)
Supporting Courses (30 hours)
Professional Courses (30 hours)
Complete the required credit hours for each category below.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Technology/Systems | ||
| Select six hours of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Computer Concepts | ||
| General Applications Programming | ||
| Computer Information Systems in Business | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Introduction to Human Computer Interaction | ||
| Business | ||
| Select six hours of the following: | 6 | |
| Survey of Accounting | ||
| Introduction to Financial Accounting | ||
| Introduction to Economics | ||
| Principles of Marketing | ||
| Management/Organizations | ||
| Select three hours of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Management | ||
| Employee Engagement | ||
| Managing Teams in the Workplace | ||
| Entrepreneurship and Small Business | ||
| Media/Visual Design | ||
| Select three hours of the following: | 3 | |
| Media and Society | ||
| Principles of Visual Communications | ||
| Foundations of Media Arts Production | ||
| Advanced Writing | ||
| Select three hours of the following: | 3 | |
| Advanced Writing | ||
| Technical Writing | ||
| Business Writing | ||
| Digital Writing | ||
| Communications | ||
| Select three hours of the following: | 3 | |
| Public Communication | ||
| Argumentation and Debate | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Persuasive Communication | ||
| Ethnography of Communication | ||
| Social Advocacy and Ethical Life | ||
| Introduction to Language Sciences | ||
| Additional Professional Courses | ||
| Select two from any of the courses listed in the categories above 1 | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| 1 | SPCH 140, SPCH 260, or SAEL 200 may not be selected if they were used to satisfy any requirements in the Carolina Core. |
Minor or Cognate (12-18 hours)
A minor is eighteen credit hours or more. BSIS students are encouraged to pursue one of the sanctioned USC minors in over a hundred different subject areas. BSIS students, with an approval from the BSIS committee, may choose to complete a cognate instead of a minor. The cognate is usually twelve hours of course work. Only six hours of lower division class credits can be applied to the cognate. All cognates will be approved by the BSIS sub-committee usually by the second semester of the Junior year of a BSIS student if not earlier.
Electives (0-12 hours)
Choose any course with approval of an academic advisor, to reach hours to graduate.
Note: Courses used to satisfy Carolina Core requirements may not also count as electives.
4. Major Requirements (36 hours)
a minimum grade of C is required in all major courses
Major Courses (30 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SLIS 201 | Introduction to Information Science | 3 |
| SLIS 202 | Introduction to Information Literacy and Technology | 3 |
| SLIS 220 | Using Information Resources | 3 |
| SLIS 301 | Information Storage and Retrieval | 3 |
| SLIS 310 | Research Methods in Information Science | 3 |
| SLIS 330 | Introduction to Computer Technology & Applications for Info Env | 3 |
| SLIS 402 | Introduction to Management Within Information Environments | 3 |
| SLIS 410 | Knowledge Management | 3 |
| SLIS 420 | Communication and Information Transfer | 3 |
| SLIS 494 | Independent Study in Information Science | 3 |
| or SLIS 496 | Internship in Information Science | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Major Electives (6 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Information Policy | ||
| User-Centered Information Architecture | ||
| Introduction to Knowledge Discovery | ||
| Digital Information Infrastructure | ||
| Competitive Intelligence | ||
| Information Issues in Cultural Heritage Institutions | ||
| Emerging Topics in Information Science | ||
| Independent Study in Information Science | ||
| Internship in Information Science | ||
Any other SLIS course | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.