LIS
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Red: department · Gray: UW–Madison
GPA and percentages are weighted by recorded letter grades. UW comparisons use the same terms. Cross-listed courses count once within this department and once across UW; department totals should not be added together. Grade counts are not unique students. Offering counts reflect captured records, not a complete historical schedule.
Grades have not been recorded for this term. Historical results remain in the overview above.
Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Grade sorting prioritizes courses with at least 100 letter grades.
TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA AND BEYOND surveys digital technology and communications culture in Africa and the developing world through development studies.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sampleIntroduction to tribal libraries, archives, and museums with emphasis on Indigenous Knowledge and Wisconsin Native Nations.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
Introduction to Computing provides a broad overview of computing topics like security, robotics, and AI, and algorithmic problem solving.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The workload involves daily in-person attendance and completing assignments posted after lectures, often requiring students to bring fully charged computers. Some reviewers note that outside work can be long and that the Canvas page is disorganized.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2026USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN 1 introduces the user experience design process, ethics, methods, and tools, including formative research and design proposals.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Undergraduate Cooperative Education providing full-time work experience that combines classroom theory with practical knowledge in Computer Sciences, Data Science, Statistics, or Information Science.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2025–Fall 2025 · limited sampleA field project analyzing library and information agency experiences through seminars, conferences, and consultations with specialists.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Allison Kaplan: Reviewer:1 characterizes the workload as busywork under Allison Kaplan, noting delayed feedback and contradictory syllabus materials.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026A fieldwork practicum exploring the cultural, political, and ethical dimensions of documenting and presenting folklore publicly.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Weekly homework is described as straightforward, and lectures are not overwhelming, contributing to a low difficulty rating.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2024–Fall 2024 · limited sampleIntroduction to the archives profession, covering theory and practice of archives and records administration including appraisal, access, and preservation.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025JOURN/LIS 677 introduces concepts and tools for data analysis and visualization through instruction and a final project.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Cyberlaw focuses on critical thinking about legal and policy problems arising from information and communication technologies.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Papers are not hard for confident writers, and the difficulty rating is low, suggesting manageable workload for those with strong writing skills.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Fall 2025 · limited sampleExamines the social, legal, and historical contexts of information technologies and the moral questions surrounding them.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The workload involves weekly reading and writing, including 3-4 one-page papers and two presentations. While some find the reading fascinating and papers easy, others suggest skimming is sufficient, and staying on top of readings is key to success.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 202 explores information access barriers for low-income ethnic/racial minority communities and introduces the contemporary information society from a sociological perspective.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Assignments and exams are generally described as easy. Historical reviews note varying formats, with some instructors requiring no exams while others mandate essay exams.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 220 explores digital footprints, examining the technologies, ownership, and societal impacts of digital information tracking and privacy.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2024–Spring 2026Explores contemporary issues related to information in society, covering topics like information ethics, digital and print culture, and global information flows.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2026 · limited sampleExamines the book as an active technology and site of debate across history, digital humanities, media studies, and industry contexts.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Heather Wacha: Reviewers describe the course as potentially easy but made difficult by unclear grading criteria, or as tough grading that requires attending office hours for specific feedback.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Digital Information teaches students to implement information infrastructures and analyze their social and policy impacts.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Dorothea Salo: Exams are open-note on Canvas and assess lecture attendance rather than memory. Projects are fun and easily graded.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 399 is an independent reading and research course focused on concentrated work on a subject or problem of interest.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sampleLIS 407 introduces data storytelling through visualization, teaching students to summarize, analyze, and communicate data effectively using software tools while addressing bias and limitations.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Xiang Zheng: Workload is manageable if students complete homework on time and attend class to follow demonstrations, though understanding concepts requires effort.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026LIS 408 explores generative AI from a strategic information studies perspective, covering ethical, legal, and policy issues while teaching students to evaluate and implement AI tools.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
LIS 440 introduces data science concepts, covering statistical tests, data management, programming, ethics, and visualization through real-world projects.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Assignments are repetitive with minor variable changes, and the course offers grace points, making it easy to achieve high grades with minimal effort.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026LIS 461 introduces ethical, legal, and policy issues in analytics and algorithms, teaching students to critically analyze debates and apply moral reasoning to case studies.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Alan Rubel, Clinton Castro: The course is typically graded on three short papers and in-class assignments, which reviewers describe as easy to manage. However, writing can be time-consuming for those new to philosophical analysis, and dense readings require careful attention to grasp the core arguments.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to ethical, legal, and policy issues in analytics and algorithms, focusing on moral reasoning and communication.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
APPLIED DATABASE DESIGN introduces database applications, design principles, and SQL for real-world data problems.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviewers found the workload light, noting that assignments were straightforward and often completed during class. Exams were described as lecture-heavy, requiring preparation based on lecture content.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduces human-centered interaction design for digital information systems, exploring core principles, cognition, and information science to develop new products and services.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of David McHugh: The course relies on one large group project, but reviewers report no plan to check on groups or ensure work is divided evenly.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 500: CODE AND POWER prepares students to analyze media portrayals of race, gender, and computing while developing PHP web scripting skills.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students report heavy self-study requirements, including watching extensive LinkedIn Learning videos and documentaries, with minimal direct instruction. The workload involves significant readings and films for short discussion posts, often accompanied by confusing module structures.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 501 introduces computational methods for processing and analyzing text data, covering preparation, analytics, and NLP applications.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Aaron Enright: The workload consists of four major homeworks with flexible programming or essay options, but reviewers report a lack of grading feedback and unclear evaluation criteria.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 510 introduces personal, social, and organizational concepts and skills for enhancing information security and privacy.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Dorothea Salo: The course is characterized as fairly easy with video lectures and heavy reading requirements. Some assignments and readings were perceived as disconnected from the main course material.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026LIS 601 introduces information studies, covering the language, literature, and professional contexts of information agencies and dissemination.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Students report a heavy reading load, but assignments are reasonable and practical with clear career relevance.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025LIS 602 introduces information organization and online searching, covering retrieval theories, database structures, and system evaluation.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
A group project constitutes 40% of the final grade, and students report receiving activities for systems the instructor spends little time covering.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025LIS 603 introduces research, evaluation, and assessment practices for information professionals, covering project design and data analysis.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026No released grades for this term.
Offering snapshots currently cover Fall 2026. Earlier grade records do not provide a complete offering history.