Information and Library Science : Academic Bulletin

Undergraduate Programs

ILS-L 150 Information Sources in Telecommunications (1 cr.) Designed specifically for undergraduates who are premajors or majors in telecommunications and who are required to complete a research project or term paper. Training in use of computerized database systems, as well as selection and use of advanced reference sources. Graded on S/F basis.

ILS-L 161 Library Skills and Resources (1 cr.) Techniques and skills for researching term papers, speeches, and other library projects.

ILS-L 416 Individual in the Information Age (3 cr.) Focuses on emerging information and communication technologies, identifying political, social, and economic trends that have major impact on information sources and access. Students are encouraged to explore individual approaches to the information concepts and issues, understood in a social context.

ILS-Z 115 From James Bond To Zombie Apocalypse and NSA Leaks: Evaluating Information And Intelligence (3 cr.) Using the collection, assessment, analysis, and presentation skills of the intelligence community students will explore important, current policy issues including international relations, privacy, cyber security, war, and humanitarian issues. Students will become familiar with all basic intelligence functions such as the different types of INT: human intelligence, signals intelligence, etc. as well as counterintelligence, hacking, and encryption.

ILS-Z 221 Intelligence Analytics (3 cr.) Intelligence analysis takes information from different sources, considers its deficiencies and biases, combines it with historical, political, technical, social, ideological, economic, and religious knowledge, and uses analytic methods to create background and recommendations for decision makers. Analytic techniques involve qualitative methods used in business for project management and problem solving.

ILS-Z 311 Spy Tech for Non-Technical Spies (3 cr.) Information is collected by sensors and analyzed by computers for decision making. Satellites and drones are examples of platforms developed for gathering technical information. This course is designed for non-technical students to explore powerful reconnaissance and surveillance technologies as they are used for spying and for business and government functions.

ILS-Z 321 Introduction to Metadata (3 cr.) This course introduces students to principles underlying the development and implementation of metadata schemes and issues of interoperability, standardization, and evaluation of metadata schemes. The course provides extensive opportunities for hands-on application of metadata principles and practices in the development, implementation and evaluation of metadata records.

ILS-Z 331 Strategic Intelligence (3 cr.) This class introduces concepts and methods of identifying, collecting, analyzing, and presenting strategic intelligence from perspectives including competitive and strategic military intelligence, globalized crime, government policy, and natural disasters. We examine disruption, networks, systems theory, asymmetric warfare, organizational structure, and information warfare that have impacted modern strategy and strategic intelligence.

ILS-Z 341 Information Visualization (3 cr.) The visual representation of information requires a deep understanding of human perceptual and cognitive capabilities, computer graphics, interface and interaction design, and creativity. This course provides an overview of state-of-the-art information visualization. Students learn to produce effective temporal, geospatial, topical and network visualization, empowering them to render data into insights.

ILS-Z 351 Moles, Deception, and Counterintelligence (3 cr.) Counterintelligence involves disrupting adversaries' information flow or disseminating disinformation to make them act contrary to their interests. In this class, students explore concepts and techniques of counterintelligence. Assignments allow students to apply course content to real-world threats with a focus on U.S. perspectives in concise papers designed for busy decision-makers.

ILS-Z 362 Communication in Electronic Environments: Online Trolling (3 cr.) This course examines online trolling exploring why people engage in online deviant behaviors, and how others respond to and manage trolls. Conceptualizations and examples of trolling from scholarly literature, popular media, and online communities are critically examined. Assignments allow students to develop informed understandings about trolling and its social impacts.

ILS-Z 399 Topics in Information and Library Science (1-4 cr.) Study of specific topics in information and library science. May be repeated five times (24 credit hours) when topic varies.

ILS-Z 401 Computer-Based Information Tools (3 cr.)
This skills-based course introduces basic applications that will be used throughout the student's course work and beyond. Students' experiences in this course should be seen as a basis for further skill development and learning throughout their careers. The course covers computing platforms, access tools, and management tools. Z 401 does not count toward graduate degree requirements. Graded on S/F basis.
Master of Library Science degree students are required to complete ILS-Z 401 within their first 9 credit hours.

ILS-Z 410 Social and Ethical Impacts of Big Data (3 cr.) This course introduces students to new social and ethical challenges arising from the use of data in a broad sense, and the technical and societal approaches to address such challenges. More specifically, this course provides a survey of the social, political, legal, and organizational issues that surround the creation, dissemination, and use of big data from the perspective of social informatics.