The University of Michigan School of Information will expand its undergraduate degree program, the Bachelor of Science in Information (BSI), to welcome sophomores starting in fall 2025.

The BSI was established in 2014 as an upper-level program at U-M, with undergraduates entering UMSI in their junior year. The move to earlier entry comes after a decade of sustained growth for the program and is designed to meet the evolving needs of students. 

“The expanded BSI will enable us to better prepare students to work with information technology in an increasingly complex world,” says Cliff Lampe, associate dean for academic affairs at UMSI. “Our students have developed into technology leaders and innovators, and giving them more opportunities to learn will even further increase their impact on the field.”

Sophomore entry to the BSI program will provide students with earlier and deeper engagement with the UMSI community and curriculum. 

“This expansion marks a significant milestone for our community and brings us into the next phase of the BSI program,” says Katy Peters, director of student success and residential programs. “It not only strengthens our curricular offerings but also enriches the student life experience for our undergraduate students.”

Benefits of sophomore entry include:

• Earlier access to UMSI resources, including career and internship advising 
• More opportunities to pursue advanced coursework in specialized areas of interest
• Additional flexibility to study abroad with UMSI 
• Time to explore minors and dual degrees

Graduates of the BSI program emerge with a robust understanding of the intersection between people and technology. The curriculum equips students with expertise in analyzing information, designing solutions and building technology — skills that are in demand in today’s job market. Notably, 97% of recent BSI graduates secured positions in their chosen fields, earning an average starting salary of $88,000.

Sophomore entry to the BSI program will begin in the fall of 2025 for students who apply during the upcoming admissions cycle. 

What has changed

• Students now have the opportunity to enter the BSI program as sophomores, with a minimum of 24 transferable credits. 
• The courses STATS 250 (Introduction to Statistics) and SI 110 (Introduction to Information Studies) are no longer required prerequisites for admission to the BSI program and can instead be taken after joining the program. However, students are still encouraged to take SI 110 prior to joining to better prepare for the program.
• The BSI program will now consist of 54 credits of UMSI coursework, an increase from 45. 

What remains the same

• The BSI program will continue to allow students to enter in their junior year. This includes students in the class of 2027, for whom sophomore entry was not an option. 
• The overall structure of the BSI program will remain the same, consisting of a set of core courses, an individual pathway in information analysis or user experience design, and a pair of capstone courses in the final year. 

“This is an exciting new option for prospective BSI students, whether they are current U-M students or students transferring from other institutions,” says Rachael Wiener, senior associate director of recruiting and admissions at UMSI. “At any stage in the process, students can engage with our team to learn more about the BSI program, the field of information and how to prepare for submitting an application.” 

For more details about the structure of the BSI program and requirements for admission, visit the UMSI website.

LEARN MORE

How to apply to the Bachelor of Science in Information program