University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool)

What University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool) does

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool) is an academic department within the public University of Wisconsin-Madison, governed by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Founded in 1906 as the Wisconsin Library School and rebranded to the Information School in 2017, the unit offers a portfolio of degree programs: a BA/BS in Information Science, an ALA-accredited MA in Library and Information Studies, a STEM-designated MS in Information, and a fully funded PhD in Information, plus a User Experience Design Capstone Certificate, non-degree graduate credit courses, and a continuing education series. The iSchool serves prospective undergraduate and graduate students, practicing information professionals pursuing continuing education, and Wisconsin communities through service initiatives such as the Jail Library Group and the Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums (TLAM) project.

The iSchool's core technology footprint is research-oriented rather than product-oriented. Core research areas include Applications of AI/ML/NLP, Bibliometrics/Scientometrics, Book History/Print Culture, Human-Centered Data Systems, Health Informatics, HCI/UX, Information Ethics/Policy/Law, Information Practices/Literacies, Libraries/Librarianship, and Security/Privacy/Disinformation, organized through faculty-led labs such as the Collaborative Computing Group (Mad Collab), Meta Science Research Lab, Ethics, Values and Information Lab (EVI), Digital Youth Group, and the Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture. The department operates from Morgridge Hall as a founding member of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS) and the College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence, and maintains a research library of nearly 60,000 volumes.

The iSchool's business model is a multi-stream academic revenue model with no external investors or venture backing. Revenue is generated from per-credit tuition (e.g., MS Information at $1,100 per credit for 2026-27 with a 30-credit curriculum; MA LIS on-campus and online with separate tuition structures), 5-year fully funded PhD packages (covered internally via the parent university), continuing education fees for short courses, webinars, conferences (Back in Circulation, Lead the Way, Power Up, Upgrade), the WI Public Library Director Certification, and international professional tours, plus donations and endowments channeled through named scholarship funds (Director's Scholarship Fund, John J. and Ruth S. Boll Fund, Rachel K. Schenk Scholarship Fund, Jack A. Clarke Scholarship Fund). Marketing is conducted primarily through the ischool.wisc.edu website, the biannual Jottings newsletter, active social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram), virtual information sessions, and the CDIS Career Fair.

Name

University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool)

Legal name

Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Website

https://ischool.wisc.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool) is a public academic department founded in 1906 that offers BA/BS, MA, MS, and PhD programs in information science to students and practicing information professionals. It is a founding department of UW-Madison's College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence and operates from Morgridge Hall.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Information Science

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALAAAL

Academic Catalog, Curriculum & Policy Administration

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Admissions, Enrollment & Registrar Services

Keywords

• Information science education
• Library science programs
• Continuing education courses
• Data analytics programs
• Doctoral information studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Graduate programs charge per-credit tuition. MS Information is $1100 per credit (2026-27 academic year) with flat rate regardless of residency. MA LIS has separate tuition structures for on-campus and online delivery.
2. Donations and Endowments: Annual Fund and specialized scholarship funds receive donations from alumni and supporters. Named scholarship funds include Director's Scholarship Fund, Prof. John J. and Ruth S. Boll Fund, Rachel K. Schenk Scholarship Fund, Jack A. Clarke Scholarship Fund, and others.
3. Continuing Education Programs: Revenue from short courses, webinars, conferences, professional certificates, and international tours for information professionals. Includes WI Director Certification and online tutorials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The iSchool is an academic department that delivers accredited higher-education degree programs and professional development in information science, including a BA/BS in Information Science, an ALA-accredited MA in Library and Information Studies, a STEM-designated MS in Information, and a PhD in Information, alongside a User Experience Design Capstone Certificate, Non-Degree Graduate Credit Courses, and a continuing education portfolio of webinars, conferences, and international tours for information professionals. It is a founding department of UW-Madison's College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence and the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS).

Product overview

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool) offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs spanning undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional development levels. The core offerings include a BA/BS in Information Science, an ALA-accredited MA in Library and Information Studies, an MS in Information with STEM designation, and a fully-funded PhD in Information. Additional professional offerings include a User Experience Design Capstone Certificate and extensive Continuing Education programs. The iSchool is a founding department of the College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence and the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS), reflecting its interdisciplinary approach to information science education and research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BA/BS in Information Science Interdisciplinary undergraduate major integrating computing, analytics, design, human factors, ethics, and impact on society, preparing students for careers as UX designers, information architects, data analysts, product managers, and database managers; available as a primary or additional major.
• MA in Library and Information Studies 36-credit ALA-accredited master's program (Continued Accreditation, next review fall 2029) preparing information professionals, offered on-campus or fully online with five concentrations including librarianship, digital archives, information technology/UX, data/information management & analytics, and organization of information.
• MS in Information 30-credit STEM-designated master's program providing technical skills for information and data systems plus critical thinking, design, and communications skills; available on-campus or fully online at a flat $1,100 per credit; concentrations in User Experience Design, Data Analytics/Data Management, and Human Factors in Cybersecurity.
• PhD in Information Interdisciplinary doctoral program with 5 years of full funding including tuition, stipend, and health insurance; small cohort with faculty-mentored original research and teaching experience, leading to academic, industry, or information-related careers.
• User Experience Design Capstone Certificate Online professional preparation program in user experience design offered for those seeking to enhance their skills without committing to a complete master's degree.
• Continuing Education Flexible portfolio of short webinars, online courses, in-person conferences (Back in Circulation, Lead the Way, Power Up, Upgrade), the Wisconsin Director Certification, and international professional tours for working information professionals.
• Non-Degree Graduate Credit Courses Graduate-level courses available for professional development or as a pathway toward a master's degree; up to 6 credits may apply toward a future degree under University Special Student status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 5,000 alumni making their mark on the world
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence (CAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe iSchool is a founding department of the College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence at UW-Madison, collaborating on interdisciplinary education and research at the intersection of technology and humanity.
• School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe iSchool is a founding department of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS), connecting technology with humanity by linking science with society and bridging information with people.
• Holz Center for Science and Technology StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on promoting innovative work and fostering interdisciplinary research, education and public outreach in humanistic and social studies of science, technology, biomedicine, engineering and the environment.
• Privacy, Security & Disinformation Group in CDISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research in computer and network security as well as technical public policy within the CDIS ecosystem.
• Wisconsin Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Peter Gottlieb as Adjunct Assistant Professor Emeritus / Wisconsin state archivist for archival education and research.
• Wisconsin Public LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin Director Certification program developed in partnership with public libraries throughout Wisconsin for professional library leadership development.
• Ho-Chunk NationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment-to-government relationship acknowledging inherent sovereignty of the Ho-Chunk Nation and 11 other Native Nations within Wisconsin boundaries. TLAM project builds partnerships with Wisconsin's American Indian communities.
• Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums (TLAM) ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService-learning initiative that informs and engages UW-Madison community on issues in tribal libraries, archives, and museums, building partnerships with Wisconsin's American Indian communities.
• iSchool Library CollectionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly 60,000 volumes in total housed in iSchool Library with collections serving scholars, practitioners, and the public.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Simmons University School of Library and Information Science: A historic ALA-accredited LIS program with both on-campus and fully online master's offerings — comparable on library science heritage and online MS delivery.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science: An ALA-accredited iSchool offering BSIS, MSIS, and PhD programs with strong concentrations in data science and user experience — directly comparable in scope and academic positioning.
• UC Berkeley School of Information: A premier iSchool offering the MIDS and MIMS professional master's degrees and a PhD in information science — comparable on interdisciplinary information/data focus but with a stronger data science orientation.
• University of Washington Information School: A peer iSchool with bachelor's, MSIM, and PhD programs plus a strong research profile in data science and human-centered computing — comparable mission and program architecture.
• University of Michigan School of Information: A top-ranked iSchool offering BS, MSI, and PhD programs with concentrations in data science, HCI, and information economics — directly comparable on academic positioning and STEM-designated technical master's offerings.
• Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering: A larger informatics and information science school with online and on-campus master's options, including ALA-accredited library science tracks — directly comparable in scope and delivery model.
• Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool): One of the original iSchools offering undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs in information science and library science with ALA accreditation and similar interdisciplinary structure — the closest direct competitor in size and program mix.
• Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (iSchool): An iSchool offering BS, MS, and PhD programs in information science and library/information science with both online and on-campus delivery — comparable in delivery mix and ALA-accredited LIS programs.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences: A peer iSchool offering BS, MS, and PhD programs in information science and library science with concentrations in data science, HCI, and UX — closely comparable academic portfolio.

Emerging players

• Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science (Human-Computer Interaction Institute): Adjacent program offering HCI-focused graduate degrees with overlapping UX and human-centered computing curriculum — a partial competitor for the iSchool's UX and data analytics concentrations, especially at the master's level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uwmadischool
• Facebookfacebook.com/UWMadisoniSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/uw-madison-information-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwmadischool

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Wisconsin-Madison Information School (iSchool)