PhD in Information
Build a body of work, and a better world.
As a UMSI doctoral student, you will be treated as a colleague from Day One, pursuing scholarship driven by your own interests. You will work alongside world-class faculty, advancing human-centered research in information and technology.
You'll get application tips, deadline reminders and invitations to admissions events.
Program info
Next term:
Fall 2027
Apply by:
Dec. 1
Median time to degree completion:
5.4 years
Program location:
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor North Campus
Minimum requirements:
- Bachelor's degree or international equivalent
- Superior academic record
- No GRE
100% funded
Tuition, stipend and health insurance for 12 months of the year
Research areas
Meet PhD students
What can I do with a PhD in Information?
UMSI PhD graduates have a strong track record of securing tenure-track faculty and postdoctoral positions at institutions across the U.S. and abroad. They also go on to advanced roles in government and in industry, shaping research at companies like Google, Meta and Amazon.
100%
employment rate
62%
employed in tenure-track or postdoctoral positions
38%
employed in industry, government and alternative academia
Learn from leaders
UMSI faculty come from more than 30 academic disciplines, so you will gain exposure to a wide variety of research methods. Many hold leadership roles within major computing and sociotechnical organizations. They are frequently cited, and sought out by the media and government for their expertise.
Space to grow
You'll work and study in the state-of-the-art Leinweber Computer Science and Information Building, with access to offices, modern classrooms, labs and a lounge that enable innovation and collaboration with your peers.
Launch your career
Whether you aspire to an academic or industry career, you will be supported through personalized career coaching, a robust on-campus recruiting program and access to a strong network of UMSI and U-M alumni.
From UMSI to...
Rising star in privacy research
"I have a feeling that UMSI really wants to nurture scholars. I think UMSI wants PhD students to succeed. I felt like I never fit in business or computer science. I felt like I was someone who's not in either discipline. And I think that's why information drew me in: Oh, you're not perceived as a weirdo in a school like this. You can work on anything as long as it's related to information.
JANE IM (PHD '25),
TENURE-TRACK FACULTY AT CISPA HELMHOLTZ CENTER FOR INFORMATION SECURITY
Next steps
Can you see yourself here? Keep exploring, apply and come join us.