Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, Second Edition

But Do I Need a Degree?

You absolutely don’t need a specialized degree to become an information architect these days. In our young field, standard educational credentials and certification requirements simply don’t exist. We don’t mean to suggest it’s easy to get a job or that a relevant graduate degree won’t help. But it’s not required.

However, we expect things to change as our field matures. While we’re not wedded to any particular label, we do believe that the Masters in Information Architecture (MIA) will become to information architects what the MBA is to business managers and administrators. The degree will not be essential to success nor a guarantee, but it will become an accepted credential, providing a valuable stepping stone on the path to a rewarding career.

At present, only a couple of schools offer this specialized degree. Kent State University now offers a Master of Science in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (IAKM). Kent State explains that the program will “provide graduates with a broad-based understanding of knowledge organization and access, information systems and networks, and information management and research,” and will “prepare Information Architects and Knowledge Managers to function as change agents in an organization.”

The University of Baltimore offers a Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information Architecture (IDIA). The core sequence of classes includes Information Architecture; Interaction and Interface Design; Research ...