The Master of Science in Information Quality degree is offered through the Department of Information Science and is designed to prepare students for careers in industry and government as well as advanced graduate studies. The curriculum is designed to balance information quality theory with industry best practices using state-of-the-art tools and technology. The curriculum is based on the Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems endorsed by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and Association for Information Systems (AIS). The course content has been developed with the support of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Information Quality Program, based at the MIT Center for Technology, Policy, and Industrial Development, and with additional help from leading practitioners and researchers within the information quality community. The program is accessible to both day and evening students and both full-time and part-time students. In addition, a distance education option allows students to participate in the program via live webcasting.

For more information, please visit the program’s website and the LinkedIn Group “UALR Information Quality Graduate Program”, and Facebook page with the same name. The program also sponsors an active student chapter of the International Association for Information and Data Quality (IAIDQ).

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree in information science, computer science, computer information systems, management, or a related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test section or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores. For regular admission, applicants should have a minimum GRE Verbal Reasoning score of 142, a minimum GRE Quantitative Reasoning score of 142, (minimum total Score of 290),and the GRE Analytical Writing score of at least 3.0 or a GMAT Score of at least 420. The GRE/GMAT requirement is waived for applicants who have completed the UALR Information Quality graduate certificate program with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Statement of interest
• Resume
• Completion of any remedial course work that may be specified by the department; in particular, all students seeking regular admission to the program are expected to have completed (with a grade of B or better in each course) undergraduate course work equivalent to the following UALR undergraduate courses:
  • IFSC 2300 Object-oriented Software
  • IFSC 3320 Database Concepts
  • STAT 2350 Introduction to Statistical Methods
• Waiver of any or all of these prerequisite courses is at the discretion of the Information Quality Graduate Committee.

Early Entry Program Admission

The Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program is intended for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in Information Quality following completion of an undergraduate degree in Information Science, condensing what would normally be about six years of study into five years. The B.S. in Information Science (IFSC) is 120 credits. The M.S. in Information Quality is 33 credits. Under the Accelerated Program, students are allowed to double count 12 credits of graduate courses so they can complete both their B.S. and desired M.S. program in five years. These 12 credits would satisfy their IFSC undergraduate elective requirements as well as satisfying course requirements in their MSIQ graduate degree. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for the B.S. to M.S. program before the end of their junior year to help ensure that they have the full subsequent year to begin taking appropriate courses for graduate credit, lessening the course load they need to carry in their fifth year. Faculty advisors for undergraduate students will help promote the program and to identify eligible students who show good potential for the program.

• Undergraduate students may apply and be accepted any time after completing 75 hours or more of undergraduate course work. Students must have completed MATH 1451 Calculus I (or acceptable transfer work) with a C or better.
• All applicants must have at least an overall GPA of 3.5. Students who have transferred to our program can participate in the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program provided their relevant transfer course work (i.e., courses taken at other institutions that are being used to meet our IFSC degree requirements) also meets the 3.5 minimum GPA criteria. The GRE requirement for the M.S. program is waived for students with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Students with an overall GPA between 3.2 and 3.5 may be admitted to the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program provided they take the GRE and demonstrate that they can score in the 50th percentile or higher in the Verbal and Quantitative sections. Applicants with an overall GPA lower than a 3.2 are not eligible to participate in the Accelerated B.S. to M.S. program.

To apply, students must submit the following:

• Completed UALR Graduate School application
• Completed Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program application
• A written statement of career goals and reasons for applying to the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program
• Two letters of recommendation are required, one of which must be from a university faculty member (letters are to be submitted directly by recommenders).

Applications should be submitted to the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program coordinator. Submissions should be sent to Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, Information Science Chair, 550 EIT Building, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 S. University, Little Rock, AR 72204. Applications may be submitted by email to expierce@ualr.edu as a single Word or PDF document.

The application for the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program must be approved by the Information Quality graduate coordinator and the Graduate School before the student begins graduate course work. Failure to option prior approval negates the ability to “double count” courses.

After Acceptance

• Once accepted into the program, students need to maintain at least a 3.0 overall average in their undergraduate course work and, per UALR Graduate School guidelines, a 3.0 overall average in their graduate course work. If, at the end of his/her baccalaureate degree, an Early Entry B.S. to M.S. student has failed to meet the Graduate School admission requirement of at least a 3.0 overall average in their course work, she/he will be dismissed from the graduate program.
• To ensure that they follow the proper degree plan for completing both degrees, students must meet with the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program coordinator upon acceptance to the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program to map out the graduate courses they will take. Students accepted in the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. program will be allowed to enroll in four graduate courses in the MSIQ program and “double count” these courses towards both their Information Science undergraduate degree’s major electives and their MSIQ degree. We particularly encourage students to complete the four courses that make up the Graduate Certificate in Information Quality during their senior year.
• Students may request a break of up to two semesters between the completion of their B.S. and the start of their MSIQ courses per the UALR Graduate Student Leave of Absence Policy (Policy #509.12). However, if a student does not resume their graduate studies after their approved leave time expires, the student will then be released from the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. Program. The student is then welcome to apply to the MSIQ program using the regular admission process and to be advised accordingly.