University of Oregon

Applied Information Management Program

Eugene, Oregon

DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

AIM Online provides the same dynamic curriculum as the AIM Onsite Program through a combination of core (seven-week) and short (four-week) courses. Courses run year-round with periodic short breaks in the schedule. It takes approximately 21/2 years to earn the degree.

DELIVERY MEDIA

AIM online offers asynchronous courses over the Web. The Blackboard Internet-learning platform used to deliver AIM courses includes e-mail, chat, threaded discussion, video, audio, and document-sharing functions. Courses are accessible using either a PC or a Mac computer. AIM provides students with an e-mail account to use for course-related messages. Prospective students are encouraged to visit the Web site for specific requirements (http://www.aimdegree.com/tech.html).

PROGRAM OF STUDY

To earn the AIM degree requires 54 credits, 44 from core courses and 10 from short courses. The required core courses are distributed among four content areas. The information management courses include Virtual Learning and Teams (3 credits), Data Management and Communications (3 credits), Information Systems and Management (3 credits), Project Management (3 credits), Creating Business Solutions (3 credits), and Information and Society (3 credits). The business management courses consist of Management of Organizations (3 credits) and Marketing Management and Planning (3 credits). The information design courses consist of Information Design and Communications (3 credits) and Information Design Trends (3 credits). The applied research courses consist of Writing for Research (2 credits), Electronic Information and Research (2 credits), Research Methods (4 credits), and AIM capstone (6 credits).

The short-course online options include information architecture, conflict resolution, information emergency management, knowledge management, enterprise content management, systems analysis, and tools for systems thinking.

AIM provides an online orientation to students.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Students admitted to the online program may take on-site courses with permission. Students in the AIM Onsite Program may take online courses after taking the Virtual Learning and Teams course.

STUDENT SERVICES

Academic advising is available from the AIM Program Coordinator via telephone or e-mail, listed below.

It is the student's responsibility to obtain all equipment and software necessary to access the courses.

Admitted students have access to University of Oregon electronic library resources and may visit any Oregon University System library.

CREDIT OPTIONS

Students earn credit by successfully completing offered courses. AIM offers all 3-credit core courses on a graded basis. Short courses and AIM Capstone are offered on a pass/no-pass basis. Although rarely done, AIM may accept transfer credits with approval of the AIM Academic Director. AIM offers courses for graduate credit only.

The interdisciplinary master's degree Applied Information Management (AIM) Program is designed to respond to rapid developments in information technologies and the resulting impact on organizations. Faculty members from both academic and professional settings teach AIM courses. AIM is a fully accredited degree offered by the University of Oregon (UO).

This degree, specifically designed to serve midcareer professionals, was first offered in 1986. The AIM Program is based on the belief that information managers must have more than an understanding of new technologies. They must combine knowledge in management, business, and visual communications with an awareness of high technology and its global context in order to meet the challenges of the future. The AIM Program offers innovative graduate study in management education as an alternative to the traditional Master of Business Administration or a master's degree in information systems.

FACULTY

AIM primarily employs tenure-track faculty members with doctoral degrees to teach core courses. Tenure-track faculty members, as well as practitioners from the field with at least a master's degree, teach short courses.

ADMISSION

Requirements for admission to the AIM Program include an application form; a $50 application fee; official transcripts; a statement of purpose; an autobiographical essay; a resume; three letters of recommendation; and, if the applicant does not have a degree from an English-speaking institution, results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

TUITION AND FEES

The total cost for the AIM online program is $26,000, which includes $24,300 for tuition, a $1500 technology fee, a $50 application fee, and a $150 matriculation fee.

Tuition is $450 per credit (in state or out of state).

Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.

FINANCIAL AID

Students may receive consideration for financial assistance through Federal Perkins Loans and the Stafford/Ford Loan programs. To be eligible, a student must enroll for at least 5 credits per academic quarter (half-time). Students pursuing the AIM degree may meet this minimum standard. Recipients of financial aid must be U.S. citizens or in the United States for other than temporary purposes.

For more information, prospective students should contact the UO Office of Financial Aid by telephone at 541-346-3221 or 800-760-6953 (toll-free) or via the Web (http://financialaid.uoregon.edu/).

CONTACT

AIM Program Coordinator
University of Oregon
722 SW Second Avenue, Suite 230
Portland, Oregon 97204
Telephone: 800-824-2714 (toll-free)
Fax: 503-725-3067
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.aimdegree.com/

APPLYING

The entire application may be completed online by visiting the Web site, http://www.aimdegree.com/materials.html. There are no set application deadlines. Applications are considered after all materials are received.