Doctor of Professional Studies
In Information Management

Earn Your Doctor of Professional Studies In Information Management at iSchool

The Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management program offered by the Syracuse University School of Information Studies is specifically designed for experienced professionals eager to deepen their expertise in the field of information management.

With a well-planned curriculum, you’ll gain the tools to innovate, lead, and drive meaningful change within your organization and industry. You’ll be given the chance to study alongside a diverse group of experts who will broaden your thinking and strengthen your network.

Program Benefits

  • Limited residency, distance-learning format
  • Practice-focused curriculum
  • Doctoral level research
  • Customizable areas of study
Program Info
Clock

Next Term Starts:

May 2026

51

Total Credit Hours

Graduate

Program Duration:

36 months

Laptop

Program Delivery: 

Combination of online and brief residency

16

Courses

 
Admissions Requirements

To apply for the Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management program at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, please follow these steps:

Submit your application through the Graduate Program Application portal. Select “PART TIME” to access the appropriate program options.

After submission, you’ll receive an email confirmation from Syracuse University.

A non-refundable fee of $75 is required. If applying to multiple programs, each requires a separate application and fee.

Post-9/11 veterans may qualify for a fee waiver; contact the Veterans Resource Center at veterans@syr.edu for details.

Provide one copy of transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended. A master’s degree is not required to apply.

Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial review; however, official transcripts confirming a U.S. bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are necessary upon admission. Failure to provide official transcripts may result in revocation of admission.

In 1,000 words or fewer, address the following:

  • A) Describe your area of study interest, its significance, your knowledge from both practitioner and academic perspectives, and why the Syracuse University iSchool is the ideal place for this inquiry.
  • B) Discuss what you bring to and seek from a cohort-based thesis-writing enterprise.

Upload this document through the online application.

Request two letters from individuals who can assess your qualifications. Such recommendations can be submitted electronically via the application system.

If electronic submission isn’t possible, mail sealed letters, signed across the seal by the recommender, to the Graduate Enrollment Management Center.

Choose one of the ten specified articles provided in the application checklist.

Write a 1,000 to 1,500-word response summarizing and critiquing the article’s core argument. 

Apply the insights or research question to your organizational experience and/or previous reading.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required. You may submit the test results if you desire.

For more detailed information related to the application process, please visit the DPS Application Checklist.

Additional admissions requirements for international students:

If you’re not a native English speaker and do not have a degree from a U.S. institution, you’re required to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam. Successful applicants typically have a TOEFL score of 100 or above (or IELTS 7.0).

If you’ve completed an advanced degree taught at an accredited U.S. educational institution based in the United States, you do not need to provide an English Language Assessment.

International applicants whose native language is English or citizens of English-speaking countries are not required to submit an English Language Assessment.

Financial documents are not required for admission review and can be submitted after receiving admission. The U.S. government requires international students to show proof of funding for the first year of graduate study to issue the I-20 visa eligibility document.

If you are a :

  • Privately Sponsored Applicant

Submit a certified bank statement or official letter indicating sufficient funds for first-year expenses in U.S. dollars. Documents must be on official letterhead, signed by a bank official, and valid within one year of the semester’s start.

  • Government-Sponsored Applicant

Provide an original or certified copy of an award letter stating the annual award amount in U.S. dollars.

All financial documents must be in English. For questions, contact Graduate Admissions at Grad@syr.edu. 

Financial documents do not affect scholarship or award consideration.

Program Learning Outcomes

The primary learning outcome of the DPS program is to develop applied research expertise, culminating in the writing and defense of a thesis. 

The official learning outcomes include:

  • Developing research questions.
  • Reading and synthesizing relevant literature.
  • Identifying and using theory to support professionally relevant research efforts.
  • Selecting and applying appropriate research approaches.
  • Collecting data.
  • Analyzing and synthesizing data.
  • Developing skills in scholarly writing.
 

What Can I Do With a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Information Management?

A Doctorate of Professional Studies in Information Management provides you with a deep and comprehensive understanding of how to address complex data challenges, implement innovative technology solutions, lead transformative projects, and beyond.

This advanced degree positions you to take on high-level leadership roles across a diverse range of industries, all of which rely heavily on the strategic management of information as a critical asset.

Career opportunities
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO)
  • Data Governance Director
  • Information Systems Strategist
  • Knowledge Management Specialist
  • Cybersecurity Executive
  • Digital Transformation Consultant
  • Analytics and Insights Leader
  • IT Innovation Manager
TOP 0
CAREERS IN TECH LISTED
BEST FOR JOB SATISFACTION
Forbes
Median Salary
For Tech Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics
$0
0%
Expected Growth of
tech jobs
Much faster than average, BLS

Find Your Cohort.

Your cohort of mid-career professionals will learn alongside you throughout the program, which means you’ll experience a diversity of perspective, and gain a lifelong network.

Learn More

man presenting in class

Expand Your Network.

Connect with leaders in the tech field, forge friendships and connections with peers in your industry, and gain a lifelong network. Life here is active in and outside of the classroom.

Meet Our Community

Join Our Ranks.

If you embrace the interdisciplinary nature of information, invite alternative views and approaches to research, and commit yourself to pursuing your career at the highest level, then the iSchool is the place for you. Explore some of our recent thesis topics to get a sense of what you could pursue here.

Below are some examples of research our current DPS students are engaged in:

  • Visually Displaying Uncertainty in Climate Model Outcomes
  • Words Matter: Ensuring the inclusion of marginalized populations in the digital surveillance of depression and suicidal ideation
  • The Impact of Sociocultural Barriers on Information Seeking Behaviors of First-Generation Haitian Americans’ Financial Literacy
  • A Novel Framework to Improve the Findability of Research Open Datasets
  • What factors Influenced the degree to which U.S. Army Signal Brigades adopted and accepted videoconferencing groupware technologies during the Covid-19 lockdown?
  • Enhancing Teacher Training in Rural Ghana Using the Internet Backpack
  • Measuring Completeness of County-level Cybersecurity Compliance with Election Security Mandates
  • What We Will Believe Tomorrow Based Only on Today: Assessing Transition Probability Estimation Methods for Social Media Beliefs
  • How the democratization of design education is changing the practices in design: A case study looking at the Do-It-Yourself Designer
  • How Disruptions in Indirect Procurement Impact an Organization’s Adoption of Technology: An Applied Research Thesis

Syracuse University is accredited by
the Middle States Commission
on Higher Education Accreditation.

Courses & Curriculum

The Doctorate of Professional Studies in Information Management is a 51-credit program completed over 36 months.  The curriculum involves coursework in methods and theory, a thesis proposal, and thesis research and writing.

View Full Course Catalog

Thesis – 39 credits

IST 997 | 1-6 CREDITS

Students will devote 39 credits to the thesis, IST 997, the culminating and critical component of the DPS program. Specific semesters cover: topic selection, literature review, methods chapter, data collection/analysis, thesis proposal defense, thesis proposal public presentations, findings/implications chapter, Introduction, and thesis defense.

Methods and Theory: 9 Credits

IST 776 | 3 CREDITS
Philosophies, approaches, and practices of research in information transfer. Statistics as a tool and as a framework for understanding the research process.

IST 777 | 3 CREDITS
Classical statistical procedures used in information transfer research. Emphasis on underlying rationale for each procedure and on criteria for selecting procedures in a given research situation.

IST 790 | 1-3 CREDITS
May include the organization of bibliographic information in libraries, information centers, and retrieval systems; vocabulary control in information retrieval systems, classification theory; problems in the organization of media.

Residency: 3 credits

Students will be required to complete a 3 credit in-person residency at the beginning of the summer semester for the year in which the student is admitted.

IST 801 | 3 CREDITS

This course defines what it means to be a scientist (Ph.D.) or practitioner/researcher (DPS), what is meant by science, and what are some of the core concepts in the broad intellectual spaces represented by faculty at this (and other) iSchool(s). As such, this overview is very directed towards concepts, perspectives, and issues that are relevant to the doing of science by researchers in iSchools.

Intensive Seminars: 0 credits, required

Students are required to complete IST 880 in-person, five times for zero credits. The seminars take place in semesters 2, 4, 5, 7, & 8.

IST 880 | 0 CREDITS
Residential seminar for Doctorate of Professional Studies distance students. Skill building and mentoring for doctoral coursework and dissertation preparation. Portfolio evaluation of work accumulated during the semester.
Repeatable 7 time(s)

Student Success Stories
Meet Our Alumni

The success of the Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management program at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies is reflected in the remarkable achievements of our alumni.

Their accomplishments span across industries, with many holding executive roles in leading organizations or driving transformative change in academia, government, and the private sector.

Visit our Alumni & Friends page to discover more about their inspiring stories and connect with fellow alumni.

Rachel Rutkoski smiles proudly, representing a student success story after earning her Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management.
Supply Chain Architect Found Flexibility in iSchool’s Doctorate Program

Rachel Rutkoski G’24 earned her doctorate in information management. She is a Technology Solution Architect at Accenture and wanted to get a degree with a flexible schedule.

Read More

 

Meet Our Experts

The Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies is guided by a distinguished team of experts and accomplished faculty members. With extensive professional experience and academic excellence, they bring cutting-edge insights and real-world knowledge to the program. 

Committed to your success, they foster both academic and career development, equipping you with the tools and strategies needed to excel in the ever-evolving field of information management.

Get to know some of them:

Steven Sawyer

Steve Sawyer

John Jordan

John Jordan

Scott A. Bernard

Scott Bernard

 
How to Apply

If you’re interested in taking the big step, then we encourage you to follow the steps below to ensure a smooth and successful application:

  1. Gather Required Documents
  2. Complete the Graduate Program Application:
    • Visit the Graduate Program Application portal on the Syracuse University website.
    • Create an account and fill out your personal information, educational background, and program-specific details.
  3. Submit Supporting Documents (listed on the Doctor of Professional Studies Application Checklist)
  4. Pay the Application Fee
  5. Track Your Application

If you have any questions or need assistance throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our Enrollment Management team at iGrad@syr.edu. A member of our team will be happy to assist you.

We look forward to receiving your application!

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete the DPS in Information Management program?

The Doctor of Professional Studies in Information Management program is designed to be completed in 36 months. 

Is earning a DPS in Information Management worth it?

Absolutely. Earning a DPS in Information Management can open doors to advanced leadership opportunities, equip you with cutting-edge knowledge, and empower you to make strategic decisions in any of your chosen careers in the field. 

Can I pursue this program part-time?

Yes, The Doctorate of Professional Studies in Information Management is a 51-credit, part-time degree program.

Meet us in Syracuse, or virtually.

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