A master's in MySpace
School of Information creates graduate program to study networking sites
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Sameer Halai, a student in the School of Information, said he checks his Facebook.com account between seven and eight times each day.
Halai is a first-year graduate student who plans to join the School of Information's social computing program. For Halai, Facebook isn't just a way to keep in touch with friends. It's also his homework.
With social networking websites like Facebook, myspace.com and secondlife.com growing in popularity, the School of Information has created a master's program in social computing for students to study the social impact and technological design of the sites.
The University is one of the first colleges in the country to create such a program.
Students in the program will study the social trends that have led to the popularity of the websites, their design features and what makes them successful, said Judy Lawson, the School of Information's director of academic services.
School of Information prof. Paul Resnick said the School of Information is trying to create an interdisciplinary undergraduate major that would include social computing.
Although no official announcement has been made, the school hopes to have a program ready by fall of 2008, he said.
The school already offers several classes about social computing, Lawson said.
"We feel like it's an important statement," she said. "It exemplifies the school as being out on the forefront."
Halai said he's interested in learning how people use the Internet to express themselves and interact in part because of the differences he sees between communities in India and the United States.
Halai was raised in India where community is based largely on family and religious beliefs, he said.
American society is becoming increasingly centered on online communities, he said.
Halai said social networking sites are important to understand because an increase in online communication will lead to a decrease in personal interaction. He said that's not necessarily a bad thing, though.
Halai is a first-year graduate student who plans to join the School of Information's social computing program. For Halai, Facebook isn't just a way to keep in touch with friends. It's also his homework.
With social networking websites like Facebook, myspace.com and secondlife.com growing in popularity, the School of Information has created a master's program in social computing for students to study the social impact and technological design of the sites.
The University is one of the first colleges in the country to create such a program.
Students in the program will study the social trends that have led to the popularity of the websites, their design features and what makes them successful, said Judy Lawson, the School of Information's director of academic services.
School of Information prof. Paul Resnick said the School of Information is trying to create an interdisciplinary undergraduate major that would include social computing.
Although no official announcement has been made, the school hopes to have a program ready by fall of 2008, he said.
The school already offers several classes about social computing, Lawson said.
"We feel like it's an important statement," she said. "It exemplifies the school as being out on the forefront."
Halai said he's interested in learning how people use the Internet to express themselves and interact in part because of the differences he sees between communities in India and the United States.
Halai was raised in India where community is based largely on family and religious beliefs, he said.
American society is becoming increasingly centered on online communities, he said.
Halai said social networking sites are important to understand because an increase in online communication will lead to a decrease in personal interaction. He said that's not necessarily a bad thing, though.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Rob
posted 3/30/07 @ 4:05 PM EST
Well, instead of wondering if it will be "fluff", why don't you just go to the specialization's website and see for yourself?
http://www.si.umich.edu/msi/sc. (Continued…)
asalinger
posted 4/01/07 @ 1:47 AM EST
Intelligent, observant, and critically-thinking undergraduates are capable enough to be the experts to which you refer.
asalinger
posted 3/30/07 @ 1:42 PM EST
This degree could be useful if there is a component to it that fosters lucrativeness. It is not enough to consider that digital social networking
decreases interpersonal interaction. (Continued…)