College of Communication and Information | School of Information
Master of Science in Knowledge Management
Master of Science in Knowledge Management
Course Delivery
100% online
Total Credits
30
Approximate Tuition Cost
$21,800
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Graduate in as few as 2 years or 6 semesters
Program Overview
The Master of Science degree in Knowledge Management prepares professionals to serve as leaders in all types of organizations who can assess and evaluate organizations on knowledge management principles, including culture, learning, communities, and maturity. Graduates will be able to build strategies for effective knowledge management for organizations.
The skills and tools required to manage a knowledge organization build upon, but are different from, those required to manage an industrial-era organization. These new skills and tools are found in the emerging domain of knowledge management. Knowledge management organizations of all types, in all sectors of the economy, face a growing need for knowledge management professionals. In fact, knowledge organizations are created and sustained by knowledge management professionals working side-by-side with corporate executives, and business and subject matter experts. A knowledge organization works smarter at the organizational, community, and individual levels because knowledge management professionals envision and strategically manage the organization's knowledge, design knowledge architectures, and build technologies that enable the organization to work smarter and facilitate knowledge management on a daily basis.
Students in the program learn principles, values, assessments, and best practices from their instructors and fellow students, many of whom are also professionals working in knowledge management. Through courses and internships, students are provided with real-world, practical experience.
Knowledge management is a discipline that takes a comprehensive, systematic approach to the information assets of an organization by identifying, capturing, collecting, organizing, indexing, storing, integrating, retrieving, and sharing them. Such assets include intellectual capital, employee expertise, business, and competitive intelligence, and organizational memory. It strives to make the collective knowledge, information, and experiences of the organization available to individual employees or organizational groups for their use and to motivate them to contribute their knowledge to the collective assets. It seeks to create or identify communities of practice or interest, especially to identify lessons learned and best practices.
Program Goals:
- Invest in the knowledge economy and knowledge organizations by providing top-notch graduates and by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas for all KM professionals.
- Promote the development of knowledge professionals to lead knowledge organizations.
- Provide students with opportunities for real-world experience through internships, class projects, and other opportunities.
Program Structure
- 30 minimum credit hours
- Graduate in as few as 2 years or 6 semesters
Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale1
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 587 TOEFL PBT (paper-based version)
- Minimum 94 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 82 MELAB score
- Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 65 PTE score
- Minimum 120 Duolingo English Test score
1In calculating total GPA, all grades from all courses taken at relevant level (bachelor's or master's) from all institutions are counted.
2Applicants who do not meet the minimum 2.750 GPA requirement must submit a statement that addresses the circumstances that contributed to the GPA and preparation for success in graduate study. Applicants should include recent professional achievements that indicate an ability to perform at a higher academic level to be considered for conditional admission to the program.
For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.
Important Dates
Courses
Courses for the online MS in Knowledge Management prepare students to effectively build and maintain knowledge management strategy in all organizations. Core course subjects include foundations of knowledge management; knowledge assessment and evaluation; the information economy; organizational learning; and knowledge organization structures, systems and services. Students select 15 credit hours of electives in pertinent topics, 6 credits of which may be drawn from the disciplines of health informatics, library and information science, or user experience design. They must also complete an internship, master’s project, master’s research paper or thesis as a 3-6 credit culminating requirement.
Tuition and Fees
| Ohio Residents | Non-Ohio Residents | ||||
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost | Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $725 | $2,175 | $21,800 | $735 | $2,205 | $22,000 |
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs please contact the One Stop for Student Services at 330-672-6000, or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
*Out-of-state/International tuition includes a surcharge of $10 per credit hour for all students enrolled in an online program.