Course Offerings

In this class we'll use history and readings to not only understand the current state of the information field, but how we got here. Seeing that, students will understand that they have the power to shape and improve the information field. Students will also work in in-class teams to cement ideas and connect to other students in the class. We work to answer the question of why UX designers, archivists, AI ethicists, and librarians are all in the same graduate program. Ultimately the goal is to connect, understand, and inspire.

As the culminating experience of the MSIS program, INF 388L allows every student to apply their unique skillsets and learnings to a professional project that is focused on a real-world problem or initiative. The course is designed to support your capstone journey throughout the semester as you work on your project with your project Field Supervisor. As an asynchronous course, students and instructors communicate via Canvas and various discussion prompts. Progress in the course is measured through updates and documents submitted directly to Canvas. During the semester, time is allotted for 1-on-1 meetings between student and instructor, and for small group meetings, as needed. Summary of Course Goals 1. Deliver a professional-level project/solution to showcase your knowledge, skills, and abilities. 2. Take direction and feedback from a supervisor working in your applied field of study. 3. Strengthen communication and presentation skills. 4. Manage expectations around project goals, schedule, and deliverables.

Deception is a fundamental feature of human interaction, and contemporary technologies have reshaped how it is produced, spread, and detected. This course examines that shift. We begin by reviewing theories and concepts from psychology and interpersonal communication (e.g., Truth-Default Theory) on how deception works and how people decide what and whom to trust. We then turn to how the affordances of contemporary technologies alter or sustain these dynamics, drawing on cases such as scams, manipulated media, and deceptive online self-presentation. Throughout, the course considers populations that may be especially vulnerable and what can be done to build resilience. Students apply these concepts through in-depth case studies in class and complete an original case study of a form of technologically mediated deception in a domain of their interest.