Founded in 1987, the Master of Communication and Information Studies (M.C.I.S.) degree program prepares students for the demands and responsibilities of the new and dramatic transformations of the information age. The program provides the knowledge and skills necessary to balance and understand the complex relationships among communication and information processes, technology, and human behavior. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to critically evaluate results and anticipate unforeseen by-products of communication and information processes and technologies.

The M.C.I.S. degree requires 36 credits of course work, and includes an 18-credit core, a 3-credit capstone seminar that requires students to apply core concepts and competencies by conducting an in-depth project, and 15 elective credits. The first M.C.I.S. degree was granted May 1989. As of May 2005, 406 students have graduated from the program. The program admits full-time and part-time students. Nonmatriculated study is offered during the Rutgers University Summer Session. During the academic year, nonmatriculated study is available on a limited basis to qualified students and it is contingent on current enrollment.

The M.C.I.S. program is offered by the Department of Communication, one of three departments within the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies (SCILS), in collaboration with the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, and the Department of Library and Information Science.

The program's defining focus is concern with communication theory and practice in organizations. Course work prepares students for a wide range of professional career paths across multiple industries and economic sectors. Applicants who wish to pursue doctoral study following completion of the M.C.I.S. program also are encouraged to apply.

The office of the M.C.I.S. program is located in the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Room 302, 4 Huntington Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1071.