IS Ph.D. Program Goal

To educate future scholars to conduct cutting-edge and high-impact research at leading universities and research labs.

Program Focus

The field of Information Systems builds upon fundamental knowledge concerning the design, use and evaluation of interconnected human, computing and organizational systems. Information Systems support and can be studied within many domains, including business, science, engineering, community, social and education activities, in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Across all these areas, Information Systems is broadly concerned with the effective use and integration of computing technologies into human endeavors.

The Ph.D. program in Information Systems is designed to produce scholars who possess a commanding knowledge of the nature of Information Systems. The program seeks to develop individuals who can expand both the theory and practice of information systems for complex applications and environments. The program is designed to attract scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of information and human-centered system requirements, analysis, design, implementation, user acceptance, deployment, management and the evaluation of their effectiveness and consequences.

Currently the IS Department supports two research tracks: Human-Centered Computing (HCC) and Information Integration and Informatics (III). IS Ph.D. dissertations must produce a substantial scientific contribution to their particular area.

Human-Centered Computing (HCC) research centers on people (individuals, teams, organizations or societies) in all stages of information and communication technology development and use. The HCC faculty's current projects include studies on collaboration and technology design in areas such as social networking through web and pervasive (mobile) applications, game design, cognitive-based decision support, emergency management, and educational innovation.

Information Integration and Informatics (III) is centered on the science of information or automatic information processing. It focuses on the exploitation and utilization of digital content, including the relevant processes, technologies, and human involvement in creation, storage, querying, representation, presentation, organization, integration, management, analysis, security, privacy, interaction and preservation at each stage of the information life-cycle. The III faculty's current projects include text mining, search engines and recommender systems, security and pattern matching analysis, knowledge engineering, and digital library integration.

While the current focus of the IS Ph.D. program is on HCC and III, we do allow a limited number of students to pursue dissertations in the areas of Business Informatics / Management Information Systems (MIS). The dissertation committee for students with this focus must include an appropriate chair or co-chair from NJIT's School of Management.

The design of the IS Ph.D. program has the following aims to ensure proper preparation of students to become top-quality researchers and teachers:

• The qualifying exam and research proposition ensure ability and readiness to conduct research.
• The Ph.D. program immerses its students in all types of research activities throughout their doctoral study.
• The Ph.D. program mentors its students to be capable teachers.

The design of the Ph.D. program has the following aims to ensure a high-quality mentoring process:

• Ensure all aspects of the program can be managed adequately.
• Ensure steady, satisfactory progress of students, from admission to graduation.
• Ensure high quality mentoring and advising of students.
• Ensure that students research in areas where they have adequate faculty guidance and oversight.