Critical Information Studies Minor

The Critical Information Studies Minor is designed for students who want to augment their major with a group of related courses that provide an opportunity for systematic, focused, and critical engagement with the theories and practices of information organization, information ethics, and information literacy. The core courses and electives investigate the racialized sociopolitical power dynamics of information creation, access, and use in all its forms and contexts, but especially in scholarly communication. They address topics such as how knowledge is created, best practices for research, the social and political implications of information creation, access and use, and the importance of active participation in the scholarly conversation. This minor is available to students in all majors and will equip students to become critical thinkers, scholars, and practitioners by applying information literacy across disciplines and fields of study (Institutional Learning Outcome #6 and WASC Standard of Accreditation 2.2a).