PhD in Information Studies - Smart Cities and Connected Communities in College Park United States | University of Maryland, College Park

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (PhD) program equips students to tackle the most challenging social and technological issues facing society today and in the future. Collaborating closely with distinguished faculty and working within globally recognized research centers, students investigate critical information challenges that frequently blend social and technical advancements. Grounded in the fundamental principles of information studies—such as equity, diversity, and accessibility—we employ these values to drive the exploration of novel insights. Doctoral candidates develop expertise in research methods/design, cross-disciplinary theory, comprehensive literature reviews, synthesizing and applying existing knowledge, and producing and sharing groundbreaking research. With faculty specializing in varied domains including digital communities, information infrastructure, policy analysis, user experience design, and digital preservation, the UMD INFO College welcomes doctoral candidates from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. The most pressing societal and technological challenges of our time are fundamentally information-centric. We invite PhD applicants who are driven by complex, unresolved inquiries about information-related issues.