Information Science Ph.D. Program

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D.  is a research degree. It is awarded in recognition of original scholarship and the generation of new knowledge by immersion in a topic, analysis, synthesis and creativity. When a Ph.D. is awarded, the degree carries and bestows certain rights and responsibilities that relate in large measures to serving society by exploring, shedding light upon, and resolving fundamental problems.

Ph.D. with Data Science Concentration now offered at Frisco!
Learn more about UNT at Frisco program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is said to be fundamentally interdisciplinary. All those who pursue the degree, in one sense or another, seek to clarify some portion of our best possible image of the world. Each of those who pursue the Ph.D. seek to provide the most robust understanding and appropriate tools for enabling each member of society to live well, to make the best life decisions—to become most fully human. Doctoral pursuits follow many paths, use different toolsets, invoke different mindsets, and continue testing assumptions by different means. Over the centuries, many of these paths have clustered into discrete departments or schools. An interdisciplinary program attempts to return to an era of broader assumptions, linking paths and cross-fertilizing research. Such an approach provides resources across boundaries.

Each discipline has its foundational notions of what constitutes doctoral studies. Likewise, each institution sets administrative guidelines and constraints for doctoral studies. The goal is to ensure that society is provided with the most capable people and that each person pursuing doctoral studies has every opportunity and resource to flourish.

The University of North Texas Information Science Ph.D. Program, responds to the varied and changing needs of an information age, increasing recognition of the central role of information and information technologies in individual, social, economic, and cultural affairs. Graduates of the program are prepared to contribute to the advancement and evolution of the information society in a variety of roles and settings as administrators, researchers, and educators

UNT IS Ph.D. Program offers

  • excellent research faculty across UNT serving as instructors and advisors;
  • a variety of course delivery formats, including online and blended;
  • a residential experience with a high level of faculty-student interaction;
  • a flexible degree plan tailored to individual interests;
  • a culturally and ethnically diverse community of faculty and students;
  • competitive scholarship, grant, fellowship, and assistantship opportunities;
  • extensive research library resources on campus and online. 

Important Note

To receive timely notifications about upcoming deadlines, defenses, teacher-assistant and research-assistant position opportunities, conferences, new courses etc., subscribe to UNT-ISDOC-L mailing list. To subscribe  to the list, please visit the UNT-ISDOC-L listserv website. To unsubscribe or change your options (e.g., switch to or from digest mode, change your password, etc.), visit your subscription page. All IS PhD Program students, both continuing and incoming, and applicants strongly are encouraged to subscribe.

Handbook for Doctoral Students