Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites

A.4. Formal Education

As discussed in Chapter 13, academia is still struggling with where to fit and how to teach information architecture, not to mention the many other emergent fields under the collective umbrella of user experience design. While many more courses are offered today than when this book was last published, programs focusing specifically on information architecture are still few and far between. If you are interested in formal education in IA, it's still a good plan to consider graduate-level programs in established fields related to information architecture (such as library science, cognitive psychology, and humancomputer interaction) and augment your studies with cognate courses from other fields.

A.4.1. IA Institute Education

http://iainstitute.org/pg/schools_teaching_ia.php

In 2003, the IA Institute published a very detailed and well-organized list of institutions worldwide that offer courses and full degree programs dedicated to information architecture.

A.4.2. Educators Survey

http://iainstitute.org/documents/research/results/polar_bear_survey_4.html

In 2006, an extensive but less-detailed list of educational institutions offering courses or programs related to IA was compiled as part of one of the surveys conducted to inform this book. This list includes all programs mentioned by any survey respondent. This is also available on the IA Institute web site. (See question 5.)

A.4.3. IxDA Education Resources

http://resources.ixda.org/archive/category/education

IxDA has begun a list of education resources for interaction designers.

A.4.4. Human Factors International

http://www.humanfactors.com/downloads/degrees.asp

Human Factors International has published a list of graduate humancomputer interaction programs.

A.4.5. IAwiki Degree in IA Page

http://www.iawiki.net/DegreeInIA

The most up-to-date collection of resources on the topic; includes listings of programs and discussion of syllabi.

A.4.6. U.S. News and World Report

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/lib/libindex_brief.php

U.S. News and World Report publishes the "Complete Guide to Library and Information Studies Programs."

A.4.7. HCI Bibliography

http://www.hcibib.org/education/#PROGRAMS

This HCI Education Survey Report lists 76 HCI programs.

A.4.8. University of Texas on Information Architecture

http://www.gslis.utexas.edu/~l38613dw/readings/InfoArchitecture.html

R.E. Wyllis's excellent article on IA education. It "discusses ideas associated with the phrase 'information architecture' and relates them to aspects of the library- and information-science (LIS) professions." Published in 2000.