Previously known as 502 - Organization of Recorded Knowledge

3 credits

This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of information bibliographic control. The main topics covered include standards, schemes, tools and utilities used for information organization with a particular emphasis on resource description, subject analysis, and categorization and classification of information materials. This course is conducted with a practical orientation aimed at teaching frequently used bibliographic tools such as International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD), Resource Description and Access (RDA), Machine-readable Cataloging (MARC), Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC).

Previously known as 507 - Research Methods in Library and Information Science

Credits: 3

This course provides an introduction to quantitative and qualitative foundations of research in information studies. Main topics covered include

concept of research process (scientific method, problem identification, methodological design, data collection and analysis); study of selected research methods (survey, experimental and other methods relevant to the discipline of information studies), research design for conducting and implementing research studies and projects, methods of statistical analysis, ethical issues in research, development of research proposals and writing of research reports.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of the information needs and practices of researchers and practitioners in the fields of science and technology. Main topics covered include examination of the process of communication and information requirements of/in the scientific community, study of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources of information in the physical, biological, and applied sciences. The course also covers application of new information technologies and in particular the World Wide Web as used in scientific and technical communication.

Previously known as 523 - Information Resources & Services in Business

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of information sources in the area of business, management and industry. Companies and the nature of various business functions within a company are also discussed in an attempt to understand what business information is needed and how it may be used by individuals within an organization. Students also develop understanding of nature of business information, information needs and use, types of business information, competitive intelligence, information resources collections to support business, business information systems, sources and services, finding business information from print, electronic and web-based sources.

Credits: 3

This course investigates the structure of knowledge in the humanities and social sciences and their constituent disciplines in order to understand how information and knowledge in these fields is created, organized, communicated and retrieved.Main topics covered include disciplinary literature in print and electronic materials and disciplinary communication structure, information needs & seeking behavior of social scientists and humanists, development of information resources and services to provide support for research, teaching and practice in respective fields.

Credits: 3

This course introduces to the provision and use of health information and end user information searching in library and bibliographical services, consumer health information services, and patients’ health records. The emphasis is on using high-quality sources of health information in print and electronic formats and evaluation of these sources. Major topics to be covered include types of health information; health information sources; use and evaluation of sources; controlled vocabularies & bibliographic database searching in health; evidence-based medicine & informatics; and consumer health information sources.

Credits: 3

This course introduces students to the role and functions of public libraries in building and sustaining communities. Main topics covered include environmental scanning, community analysis, collection development policies, and management of resources and services of public libraries with a special focus on strategic planning, marketing, evaluation and measurement, physical setup, and networking. The public library as a center for community information service is discussed and delivery of services regarding health, education, employment, agriculture, and daily life activities are also covered.

Previously known as 532 - Management of Academic Libraries

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of role of information services to support teaching and research in higher education institutions. Main topics covered include collection development policies for building collections of information resources; management of resources and services with a special focus on standards, planning, organizing, financial management, human resources management, evaluation and measurement, and technological capabilities. The course also covers special measures for enhancing faculty liaison with information services staff for determining information needs and delivering services accordingly.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of fundamental concepts related to defining and articulating the need for information. Main topics covered include identifying a variety of types and formats of potential sources of information; understanding how information is produced, organized, and disseminated; locating and accessing information from a variety of formal, informal, print, and electronic information sources; developing abilities to analyze, evaluate, interpret, and synthesize information; The course also covers how to communicate information effectively using a variety of methods directed at a range of audiences; and introduces the principles of legal, ethical, and social issues that surrounds the use of information.

Previously known as 533 - Management of Corporate Libraries and Information Centers

Credits: 3

This course provides the students with knowledge of the scope and function of special libraries and information centers in the corporate environment. It also provides an understanding about the core concepts of information services as they apply to the essential techniques of selection, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information resources to meet individual and collective needs. The course addresses the analysis of information environments and information flows. Design, management, and evaluation of information services and products are also introduced.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of role and functions of library media programs and learning resource centers in schools. Main topics covered include development and provision of children and young adult materials and services to meet their educational, cultural and recreational needs. The course also covers planning, organizing, and operating media resources programs, impact of technology on instruction and library service, instructional functions of the media specialist in terms of integrating information processing skills in the curriculum through the instructional design process by working in partnership with teachers and applying the principles of teaching and learning theories.

Credits: 3

The Information Literacy Competency Standards for professions such as nursing, journalism, science and technology etc… The course is based on the information literacy needs of students who are preparing for a profession in which evidence-based practice and translational research are fundamental values. This process included an extensive review of library and the required profession’s literature, study standards that directly address the information skills needed in different academic settings. The purpose of the Information Literacy Standards is to provide a framework for faculty and students in the developing information literacy skills for evidence-based practice in the different professions.

Credits: 3

The Information Literacy Competency Standards for professions such as nursing, journalism, science and technology etc… The course is based on the information literacy needs of students who are preparing for a profession in which evidence-based practice and translational research are fundamental values. This process included an extensive review of library and the required profession’s literature, study standards that directly address the information skills needed in different academic settings. The purpose of the Information Literacy Standards is to provide a framework for faculty and students in the developing information literacy skills for evidence-based practice in the different professions.

Credits: 3

This course introduces the students to information applications in electronic government. It reviews the use of information technology in e-government functions and discusses the challenges in the delivery of services and information in the electronic environment. Main topics covered in the course include models of information applications of e-government; e-government services and benefits to citizens; smart cities; adoption of e-services by public; use of web portals and social media in e-services; change management needed; and issues of privacy and security.

Credits: 3

This course is an introduction to the history, theory and use of educational technologies for learning and teaching. Main topics covered include issues of how to select, use and effectively integrate technology in support of learning and problem solving in educational environments. The focus is on changing roles of professionals as a result of technological integration and issues of empowerment, leadership and collaboration. The course also covers design and development of instructional materials for use in educational and information institutions.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of needs assessments: analysis, specifications, and designs involved in developing formal information systems. Main topics covered include application of structured systems modeling and analysis tools, and use of software modeling tools. The emphasis is on managing projects related to information systems used in the daily operation of libraries and information centers used by technical staff and the information consumers. The course focuses on information as a product and its role in the operation of an organization as a whole and the impact of change.

Credits: 3

This course explores the structures, processes and implications of information networks with an emphasis on networking applications in information organizations. Main topics covered include network protocol types and models, methods for designing and evaluating networks for library and information organizations, overview of modern data networks with emphasis on local area networks; connectivity, and management and information security and privacy issues. The course also covers foundations for understanding these networks and relationships between network structures, information content, community needs, and styles of network growth, and network impacts.

Credits: 3

This course explores the potential of Internet and web technologies to support information services. Main topics covered include using Internet as medium for information access, search, and communication, and development of awareness and understanding of the Internet from the perspective of technology, standards, content, organization, and users. The course also covers issues related to Internet applications in Arabic and social contexts and policies related to the Internet.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of social media (i.e. blogs, tagging, wikis, social networking, etc.) in information organizations. The course explores the effective use as well as management of social media technologies in order to address information problems in library and information organizations. The emphasis of the course is on use of social media sites for service development, outreach, access and marketing of information services. Other topics include social media as a set of digital tools to raise awareness and promote services in information organizations and application of social media to the management of emerging challenges in service delivery and strategies for their effective implementation information professionals.

Previously known as 541 - Knowledge Management

Credits: 3

The course provides an overview of the concepts, development, and practices of knowledge management (KM). It examines key issues related to the various enablers of managing knowledge. The course also introduces the students to a variety of applications that can assist in the management of knowledge in organizations. Strategies that can be employed to implement knowledge management projects in organizations are discussed and practices prevalent in leading knowledge in organizations locally and internationally are reviewed.

Previously known as 547 - Digital Libraries

Credits: 3

This course examines the critical issues surrounding the development of digital libraries and their contents. Main topics covered include processing materials and working with digital library systems, theoretical principles and practical aspects of digital archiving and preservation within libraries, museums, archives and other institutions administering digital content. Other topics include technical infrastructure, network information resources, utilities, role and application of standards and protocols for building archives and digital repositories and managing digital collections and archives.

Previously known as 548 - Knowledge Sharing in Communities of Practice

Credits: 3

Communities of practice are an effective mean of creating and leveraging the collective knowledge of organizational groups. The course introduces the students to the core concepts associated with communities of practice and it illustrates how they can facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across the enterprise. In addition, students learn about best practices of building communities of practice that fit within organizational knowledge strategies, including a look at the role of leadership, culture, and technology that facilitate the emergence of communities practice an interest.

Credits: 3

This course covers records management concepts and methods that apply to electronic records and their storage as digital documents. This course also surveys the history and practice of records management in corporate, non-profit, government and education environments. It also considers issues related to the records life-cycle, the records continuum, the concept of document authenticity and the role this concept has played in the development of digital preservation standards. The course focuses on systems and standards used for managing electronic records and documents and their long-term preservation in different formats.

Credits: 3

This course addresses the theoretical and practical principles of metadata. Students examine, develop and apply metadata for specific domains and settings. The course focuses on principles and theories of metadata development in the digital environment. Combining with extensive hands-on practices, the course covers the design and applications of metadata standards for distinct domains and information communities, issues in metadata interoperability, vocabulary control, quality control and evaluation. It examines international standards, activities, and projects, including trends and practices in metadata creation and encoding to support information and knowledge discovery.

Credits: 3

This course is an introduction to ethical issues of importance to information professionals and provides an overview of applications of moral theories in the information field. The emphasis is on the ethical deliberation process and its ramifications on information practices, and effect of these issues on designing and delivering information services. The course focuses on developing skills in reasoning about issues and topics such as ethical considerations in using information, data and software; intellectual property; data integrity and accuracy; privacy, access to information, and censorship.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of how technology can support knowledge management (KM) applications in organizations. Main topics covered include frameworks for study of KM tools, assessing organizational and technological readiness, developing a KM infrastructure and architecture, selection and evaluation of KM tools for content management, business intelligence, mind mapping and idea generation, knowledge creation and capturing, taxonomy building, knowledge repositories, collaboration systems.

Credits: 3

This course is meant to develop students’ understanding of IT components and their availability and how it can be utilized and applied appropriately for success. The course covers the terminology used in the field of IT and how IT principles can apply to businesses. The course stresses the competitive advantage of using IT and its return on investment. It focuses on the basic principles of Information Technology: hardware and software components, database technology, telecommunications and networking, e-commerce and e-business, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Expert Systems (ES), systems development and implementation, and the ethical and societal issues involved in IT.

Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of policy development in areas of information systems, communications, and media. Main topics covered include ownership of information and intellectual property rights in light of the increasing access to information and how information policies improve or hinder the goals and objectives of information organizations. The course covers information policy concepts with which library, archival, and information science practitioners need to be familiar. In addition, it covers ethical issues including the role of government and the private sector in providing access to information at personal, institutional and national level.

Credits: 3

This course examines the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on identity, community, behavior and society. The course is general in nature and stems from the orientation that text is only one modality of information transfer and communication. Students will be provided an overview of the major themes, methods, analysis, and practical implication related to the impact of ICT on social behavior. Topics related to privacy, community building, collaboration and communication, digital divide, Technology democracy and politics, censorship, and digital storytelling will be covered in his course. Ability to critically recognize and appreciate the meaning in a visual content and to communicate a message effectively, strengthen the message or substitute for its content.

Previously known as 542 - Automation in library and information organizations

Credits: 3

This course surveys the evolution of automation and integrated information systems relevant to information organizations. Main topics covered include principles associated with the planning, procurement, implementation, and management of automated systems. Selection and evaluation of automated solutions for information management functions are discussed and guidelines for management of operations of automated systems are covered with an emphasis on supporting acquiring and organizing information materials and provision of user services.

Credits: 3

This courses covers database concepts and practice as these apply to information storage and retrieval systems. Main topics covered include fundamentals of the database development process with emphasis on user needs assessment, data integrity, data models, and record structure; principles and concepts of database systems. Other topics include data modeling, the entity-relationship model, database design, relational models, normalization techniques, and query languages, database applications in information organizations, the integration of databases on the Web.

Credits: 3

Methodologies and concepts that apply for user-centered design. A variety of usability research methods/techniques including developing scenario, profiling users, analyzing tasks, and usability tests. This is different from a Web or interface design course, actually it is a research and evaluation course on usability and user experience. It assumes that the results of user and usability research feed directly into the interface design cycle.

Credits: 3

The course covers how individuals and organizations create, communicate, use and mange digital collections for learning, work and entertainment. It also covers the role of ICT in digital content creation and management and how strategies can be developed to use ICT effectively and responsibly to benefit individuals, organizations and society. The roles of social media, web applications and mobile technology are also introduced in order to understand their impact on content creation and management behavior.

Credits: 3

This course covers how virtual (electronic) libraries and electronic services are developed and built. It also covers how to link users with library catalogs, licensed journal databases, electronic book collections, selected Internet resources, electronic reserves, tutorials, and to forums for communication and interaction with librarians. A library web site is also covered in this course which can function as an information gateway, an entry point to a range of online resources, with key components of library catalog and journal databases. User service, such as the ability to check due dates, renew materials, e-reserves, and request materials online, are also discussed. Other related topics include: various forms of interaction and communication with users; the changing technologies; and investment in human capital.

Credits: 3

This courses introduces students to methods of measurement and evaluation of information sources and services. It covers theory and practice of the design, collection, and analysis of systematic data for managerial decision-making, planning, and quality assurance. The course focuses on a range of information organizations (libraries, information centers, and other information agencies with a focus on their resources and functions). People-oriented tools such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observation are discussed with a focus on information resources and collections.

Credits: 3

Issues of application of scientific research in the field of information studies are discussed with a practical orientation. Steps in the conduct of research by following standard steps are covered. The course focuses on topics such as formulating a research problem, developing conceptual frame, formulating hypothesis, choosing appropriate or research methods, designing and carrying out research projects, presenting results, writing research report, and publishing findings. This course covers both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

Credits: 3

A capstone project gives students the ability to merge both knowledge and theory of the field. The student needs to formulate an idea for a capstone proposal and classes should prepare students for that. A capstone project is usually unique to the student’s program, objectives and career. It could include a variety of options; case studies, program evaluations, outcomes-based evaluations, surveys, focus groups, etc. Students can take a capstone project course that lasts around a semester or two.

Credits: 3

A capstone project gives students the ability to merge both knowledge and theory of the field. The student needs to formulate an idea for a capstone proposal and classes should prepare students for that. A capstone project is usually unique to the student’s program, objectives and career. It could include a variety of options; case studies, program evaluations, outcomes-based evaluations, surveys, focus groups, etc. Students can take a capstone project course that lasts around a semester or two.

Previously known as 594 - Special Topics in Libraries & Information Science

Credits: 3

These course is offered in emerging areas and specific topics will be chosen keeping in view the availability of resource persons and student interests. Some examples include E-Government and Information Services; Online and Virtual Communities; Marketing of Information Services; and Information Architecture. New topics/courses can be added with the approval of the Program Committee as and when needed and based on availability of faculty. Courses Outside the Department Students can take up to six credit hour courses in other academic departments of Kuwait University based on the approval of the MISt Program Committee.

Previously known as 594 - Special Topics in Libraries & Information Science

Credits: 3

These course is offered in emerging areas and specific topics will be chosen keeping in view the availability of resource persons and student interests. Some examples include E-Government and Information Services; Online and Virtual Communities; Marketing of Information Services; and Information Architecture. New topics/courses can be added with the approval of the Program Committee as and when needed and based on availability of faculty. Courses Outside the Department Students can take up to six credit hour courses in other academic departments of Kuwait University based on the approval of the MISt Program Committee.

Credits: 0

Credits: 0

Credits: 9