Informationsarkitekt (Diploma in Information Architecture)

The field is growing all the time, making an IA education more relevant than ever. Students who complete this program are going to be highly marketable on an international scale. It is still a relatively new area of expertise, which simply means that graduates will have the chance to build their profession the way they see fit. Possible job titles include business analyst, system designer, service developer, interactive designer, project manager, web programmer, or software developer.

This IA program is a project-driven course, meaning specific, goal-oriented projects are to be expected in order to motivate the student and build experience and expertise. A wide variety of topics will be covered, allowing for an overall understanding of information architecture as a whole. This program is intertwined with business, allowing students to connect with the real-world market and network with businesses they might later work for.

Students will take courses in the areas of web design, information technology, information design, programming, cognitive science, human-computer interaction, information security, project management, and more. In addition to various projects, students can expect to learn via lectures, exercises, laboratory work, consultation, and more.

The course is six semesters long (3 years) and is a full-time program. During the first year, students will take introductory courses in computer science, web development, interactive design, and programming, and then will begin learning about system development, database engineering, and information architecture.

During the second year of study, the previous topics will be combined and expanded, allowing students to dive in deeper and make connections between the various areas that make up information architecture. The third year involves a degree project in Information Architecture and a master's thesis in Computer and Information Science.

Students must be proficient in Swedish and English. The language of instruction for the information architecture classes is in Swedish, but most of the literature is in English, meaning a working language of both is crucial. The entire course is six semesters (3 years) long will give students a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science, which is worth 180 credits total.

This IA program's main strength is its recognition of the interconnectedness within the field of Information Architecture. It addresses the fact that students not only need to have a depth of knowledge, but also a wide breadth of knowledge to reach their full potential as information architects. The type of work also varies; group projects and independent projects are both commonly found in the curriculum of the various courses.

Application deadlines are generally between March 15th and April 15th for the fall term and between September 15th and October 15th for the spring term. Applicants must have graduated high school and be proficient in Swedish and English. Prospective students must pay 900 SEK ($107 USD) to apply, and tuition costs will range between 70,000 and 160,000 SEK ($8400 - $19,000 USD) per year.

Malmö University is located in Sweden's third largest city (called Malmö), making the school large without being too huge. It is only a 30-minute train ride away from Copenhagen, Denmark. 24,000 students attend the institution. The university is relatively young for a European university, having been founded in 1998.