Curriculum & Courses

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Tailor your Courses, Modality, and Pace of Study to your Interests and Needs   

  • Master of Science degree (STEM), part-time or full-time (incl. F-1 Visa students for CPT and OPT)
  • Holistic and interdisciplinary approach to information science, providing analytics and people skills with immediate applicability to all industry sectors as well as non-profits and NGOs
  • Flexible curriculum, modality, and pace of study
  • Degree requirements:
    - 36 credits for completion (typically 12 courses, 3 credits each)
    - 6 required courses (18 credits), one of which is the Capstone Project Seminar
    - 6 elective courses of your choice (18 credits), satisfying the following criteria:
                - 3 elective courses must be from Curriculum Area 1: Data & Analytics       
                - 1 elective course must be from Curriculum Area 2: People & Networks
                - 2 elective courses be from Curriculum Area 3: Integration & Strategy​​​
  • ​​​A wide choice of electives from across Columbia University allows you to customize the curriculum to your individual intellectual interests and career objectives. Tailor your degree with courses from Columbia's Data Science Institute, Business School, Engineering School, Journalism School, School of Arts and Sciences, School of International Public and Affairs (SIPA), School of Public Health, and the School of Professional Studies
  • Hybrid study: Choose a combination of on-campus and online instruction, according to your preference and professional commitments: Tailor your experience from mostly online to mostly on-campus
    - Note to F1-Visa students: All 6 of your electives must be taught on-campus 
  • Adjust the pace of your studies to graduate within anywhere from 3 semesters to 3 years. Need to slow things down to pursue an exciting opportunity at work? No problem
  • Apply year-round for fall admission

On-Campus Residencies in New York City

Our students come from all over the world and therefore tailor their IKNS experience to their individual needs – ranging from a mostly online to a mostly on-campus experience. The 6 required courses are taught as live, synchronous instruction but online to allow for remote participation. To provide opportunities for networking and community building as part of your studies, all students come together on Columbia’s campus for in-person Residencies. For example, a Residency as part of the Foundations course (1st semester) or during the final Capstone Project. These 2-3 day Residencies offer curated block instruction to apply theory to practice and to maximize networking opportunities among students, faculty, alums, and capstone sponsors.

Welcoming International Students

International students are welcome and can complete the IKNS degree as a full time student on an F-1 Visa. Students are responsible for ensuring they have read and understood the University’s student visa application eligibility and requirements. You can customize your course selection to meet the in person course requirements for F-1 students. Internship courses for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) are available as an IKNS elective to engage in company internships during your course of study. The IKNS Master of Science degree is STEM-accredited, enabling you to automatically gain practical work experience in the US for up to 3 years following your degree (OPT). Find out more about the international student experience and relevant resources here.

Important Dates*

  • Spring 2023:
    • January 9, 2023 - January 13, 2023: Navigating the Future of Work On-Campus Block Week (elective course)
    • March 30, 2023 - March 31, 2023: Digital Workplace & Digital Transformation On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5303)
  • Fall 2023:
    • August 23, 2023 - August 25, 2023:  Foundations On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5300)
    • December 14, 2023 - December 15, 2023: Capstone On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5351)
  • Spring 2024:
    • January 8, 2024 - January 12, 2024: Navigating the Future of Work On-Campus Block Week (elective course)
    • April 4, 2024 - April 5, 2024: Digital Workplace & Digital Transformation On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5303)
  • Fall 2024:
    • August 21, 2024 - August 23, 2024: Foundations On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5300)
    • December 12, 2024 - December 13, 2024: Capstone On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5351)
  • Spring 2025 (tentative):
    • January 2025 (Dates TBC): Navigating the Future of Work On-Campus Block Week (elective course)
    • March 2025 (Dates TBC): Digital Workplace & Digital Transformation On-Campus Residency (required component of IKNS 5303)

*  Information regarding future terms is subject to change.

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