What is IST's flavor? It's Death By Chocolate! - No, it's Peachy Paterno!

All fun and games aside, Penn State's College of IST is an iSchool, and no one seems to really understand what a iSchools are.  The question about what is IST's flavor is really valid.  It's hard, because no two iSchools are the same.  See, many iSchools come from a history in some other field.  Library Science seems to be a popular place for iSchools to grow from, but some come from a Computer Science background.  So, what kind of iSchool is Penn State's College of IST?

It's important to note a little history.  Penn State's Computer Science program changed in the late 1980's and early 1990's into a program heavy in operating systems and computer architecture.  Because Penn State also had a Computer Engineering department that did similar work, it made sense (to some) to consolidate the two programs, which was completed in 1993.  However, that left the high-level languages, databases and AI folks without a true home.  There was a vacuum at Penn State for these types of interests.

When IST was created, it filled this void.  Some wondered if IST was really going to be "Compsci-lite".  It could have been, but there was a significant addition to these technical programs.  Penn State identified that there was more than just a need for a "technical" iSchool, but more of a merger of all components of the I-T-P triangle.  The addition of faculty with expertise in sociology and social psychology balance the other side of the triangle - on the people side.  Faculty from the College of Business added a perspective on the information and the organizations.  Faculty with an interest in society and policy balanced on the people/society side of the triangle.

So, one could say that IST was born out of "Death by Chocolate".  I'd say that it's more "Peachy Paterno" now.

 

P.S.  I personally prefer Death by Chocolate.  Give it a try sometime.