PhD in Information

Unleash your research prowess and shape the future of information as you work with top data and information science faculty.

Find out how the University of Arizona PhD in Information is the right program for you:

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Admissions & Funding

Curriculum & Degree Requirements

Recent Dissertations

Career Outcomes

Student Resources

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PhD Students

Frequently Asked Questions

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The University of Arizona PhD in Information prepares students to excel as researchers and thought leaders in academia, government and industry.

Offered at our main campus in Tucson, Arizona, the PhD in Information is typically completed in five years, requiring 54 units for primary work plus 9-15 units for the PhD minor.

The College of Information Science is committed to creating an inclusive intellectual space for all, irrespective of background or characteristics, and we seek a wide range of students with diverse research interests and experiences, including machine learning, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, virtual/mixed reality, game development, immersive technologies, new media and internet studies, human-computer interaction, digital curation, archival studies and the future of work.

As the state's only member of the iSchools consortium, we foster interdisciplinary understanding, preparing students for advanced information and data careers as professors, scientists, consultants, directors and more.

"The PhD in Information at the University of Arizona offers the perfect union of history, mathematics, programming, causal inference, formalizing language, teaching and logic."
Salena Torres Ashton, PhD in Information '25

ADMISSIONS & FUNDING

The next application deadline for all students is:

Fall 2026: December 5, 2025

Applications are currently closed.

The College of Information Science successfully supports all PhD students in securing funding, including full tuition plus a stipend for living expenses, through at least four years of the program.

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CURRICULUM & DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Offered at the U of A main campus, the PhD in Information consists of:

36 credits of major coursework
9 to 15 credits of minor coursework
18 dissertation credits

The program includes research methods, graduate seminars, directed research, elective courses, dissertation research, comprehensive exams and dissertation proposal and defense.

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RESEARCH AT THE COLLEGE OF INFORMATION SCIENCE

Our faculty and PhD students are engaged in research around all aspects of the information sciences without regard for disciplinary boundaries.

RESEARCH AREAS

Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Communication and society
Cultural heritage, humanities and archives
Data management, analysis and visualization
Environmental, heath and biological sciences
Gaming and virtual worlds
Human-computer interaction / human-centered computing
Policy and ethics
Social sciences and behavior

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RESEARCH CENTERS & LABS

Center for Digital Society and Data Studies
Biosemantic Research Group
co/lab: Critical Archives and Curation Collaborative
Computational Language Understanding Laboratory
Data Diversity Lab
DS|OH: Digital Storytelling and Oral History Laboratory
ML4AI Lab: Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Metadata Analytics Lab
XRG Lab: Extended Reality and Games Lab

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CAREER OUTCOMES

Our innovative, interdisciplinary doctoral program prepares students for positions in research-intensive institutions in academic, corporate, nonprofit and governmental fields.

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