The Master programme Information Sciences educates a new generation of IT academic professionals who create inclusive and sustainable socio-technical systems to support the needs of modern society and organizations. Our education specializes in the creative exploration of complex multidisciplinary problems and a broad understanding of the role of IT in creating a sustainable digital society.
The programme has a unique multidisciplinary focus on digitalization and sustainability: it addresses a modern notion of information systems as socio-technical systems that combine competencies for a digital society (in line with the VU research theme Connected World) and Digital Sustainability (in line with the VU research theme Science for Sustainability).
Courses on offer cover topics like digitalization and sustainability, digital architecture, the disruption of eco-systems by IT, questions of ethics and privacy, and a digital transition and sustainability portfolio course.
Research is also an important component of the programme – especially when it comes to writing your Master’s thesis. You’ll therefore take an academic research course that teaches you both qualitative and quantitative methodologies for performing academic research. And you’ll apply these methods directly to the design of your thesis.
Based on your thesis design, you’ll carry out your Master Project Information Sciences, which takes the form of either an internship or a research project.
Student journeys
You can tailor the curriculum of the Information Sciences programme to meet your career goals. There are three suggested student journeys that can help you to prepare for various career paths:
- IT Consultant/Data Analyst
This role bridges context-driven needs and constraints, and technical solutions, often using data visualization, reporting tools, and statistical analysis to uncover insights and optimize performance. They involve analyzing data to help organizations make informed decisions and improve their IT systems.
- Digital Architect
A digital architect designs and oversees the development of digital systems and platforms, ensuring they align with business goals, societal demands and technological trends. They create scalable, sustainability-aware, secure, and efficient digital solutions, often integrating cloud services and enterprise software.
- Digital Sustainability Officer
A DSO focuses on ensuring that digital transformation efforts are environmentally and socially sustainable. They assess the carbon footprint of IT operations, promote green technologies, and develop strategies to align digital initiatives also with financial and social sustainability goals and regulatory standards.
See also the study guide for a complete overview of the study programme. Or download the year schedule directly.
