Undergraduate Programs

BS in Informatics

Course Requirements

Required Informatics Core Courses (35 cr.)

Equivalent honors versions of regular informatics courses may substitute throughout the major.

  • INFO-I 101 Introduction to Informatics (4 cr.)
  • INFO-I 201 Mathematical Foundations of Informatics (4 cr.)
  • INFO-I 202 Social Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 210 Information Infrastructure I (4 cr.)
  • INFO-I 211 Information Infrastructure II (4 cr.)
  • INFO-I 300 Human-Computer Interaction (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 308 Information Representation (3 cr.)
  • INFO-Y 395 Career Development for Informatics Majors (1 cr.)

Select two of the following:

  • INFO-I 303 Organization Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 310 Multimedia Arts and Technology (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 320 Distributed Systems and Collaborative Computing (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 330 Legal and Social Informatics of Security (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 356 Globalization, Where We Fit In (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 399 Current Topics in Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 400 Topics in Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 421 Applications of Data Mining (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 427 Search Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 430 Security for Networked Systems (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 433 Protocol Design and Analysis (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 441 Human-Computer Interaction Design I (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 453 Computer and Information Ethics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 485 Bioinspired Computing (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 486 Artificial Life (3 cr.)
Informatics Electives (3 cr.)

All courses listed below are subject to the successful completion of prerequisites or approval of the instructor.

Note that informatics elective courses cannot count as informatics core courses.

One additional course may be selected from the following:

  • INFO-I 303 Organizational Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 310 Multimedia Arts and Technology (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 320 Distributed Systems and Collaborative Computing (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 330 Legal and Social Informatics of Security (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 356 Globalization, Where We Fit In (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 399 Current Topics in Informatics (1-3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 400 Topics in Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 421 Applications of Data Mining (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 427 Search Informatics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 430 Security for Networked Systems (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 433 Protocol Design and Analysis (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 441 Human-Computer Interaction Design I (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 453 Computer and Information Ethics (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 485 Bioinspired Computing (3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 486 Artificial Life (3cr.)
  • BUS-S 305 Business Telecommunications (3 cr.)
  • BUS-S 307 Data Management (3 cr.)
  • BUS-S 308 Business Application Development (3 cr.)
  • BUS-S 310 Systems Analysis and Design (3 cr.)
  • BUS-S 410 Systems Implementation (3 cr.)
  • BUS-S 433 Information Systems Security (3 cr.)
  • COGS-Q 351/ B 351 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Computer Simulation (3 cr.)
  • CSCI- Any course at the 300-level or above
  • JOUR-J 300 Journalism/Communications Law (3 cr.)
  • JOUR-J 414 Globalization of Information (also International Newsgathering Systems) (3 cr.)
  • SOC-S 319 Science, Technology & Society (3 cr.)
  • SPEA-V 369 Managing Information Technology (3 cr.)
  • TEL-T 321 Telecommunications Policymaking (3 cr.)
  • TEL-T 421 Economics of Communications (3 cr.)
  • TEL-T 427 International Telecommunications (3 cr.)

Students may also count other courses with informatics content at a 300-level upon approval of the associate dean of undergraduate studies.

Capstone

Select one of the following capstone options for a total of 6 hours

  • INFO-I 494/I 495 Design and Development of an Information System (3/3 cr.)
  • INFO-I 491 Capstone Project Internship (3-6 cr.)
  • INFO-I 492/I 493 Senior Thesis (3/3 cr.)
Cognate Area Courses (15-18 cr.)

Departments offering informatics cognate courses are listed in the cognate area of this bulletin. Students should, in consultation with their academic advisors, choose cognate areas before their sophomore year. Students must receive a grade of C– or higher in each course and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students should contact the School of Informatics and Computing Student Services Office or refer to our Web site at informatics.indiana.edu for the most current list of cognate areas.

General-Education Requirements (38-41 cr.)

English Composition (3 cr.)
This part of the writing requirement may be fulfilled in any one of the following ways:

  1. Exemption without credit. Students scoring 670 or higher on the SAT Critical Reading test, or 32 or above on the ACT English Composition section, or 4 to 5 on the Advanced Placement English Composition section, are exempt from English composition.
  2. Exemption with credit. A student will be granted 2 credit hours of ENG-W 143 if the student has:
    • a score of 670 or above on the SAT Critical Reading test, or 32 or above on the ACT English Composition section, or 4 to 5 on the Advanced Placement English Composition section, plus
    • a score of 660 or higher on the SAT Writing Test, and if the student applies to the Department of English in Ballantine Hall 442. Students should also see “Special Note” under “Credit by Examination” in this Bulletin.
  3. Completion of any of the following options with a grade of C or higher:
    • ENG-W 131 (3 cr.)
    • ENG-W 170 (3 cr.)
    • ENG-L 141 and L 142 (4/4 cr.)
    • AAAD-A 141 and A 142 (4/4 cr.)
    • Two semesters of ENG-W 143 (1 cr.), combined with two introductory courses, CMLT-C 145, C 146 (3/3 cr.)
    • A combination of any two course options from (c), (d), and (e) above.

Note: Courses taken under these options, except for ENG-W 131, W 143, and W 170, may, if they are so designated, be applied toward distribution requirements.

Writing (3 cr.)
ENG-W 231 Professional Writing Skills, an approved substitute (3 cr.), or completion of one intensive writing course at the 200 level or above after completing the English composition requirement. Intensive writing courses at IUB are defined by the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must check the listings for courses in the online enrollment system each semester to make certain that the course section they have chosen fulfills the requirement.

Oral Communication (3 cr.)
CMCL-C 121 Public Speaking, or approved substitute (3 cr.)

Quantitative and Analytical Skills (6 cr.)

  • Select one of the following: MATH-A 118 Finite Mathematics for the Social and Biological Sciences; MATH-D 116-D 117 Introduction to Finite Mathematics I-II; Math-M 118 Finite Mathematics; or Math-S 118 Honors Finite Mathematics. Students must receive a minimum grade of C in each course to meet the School of Informatics admission requirements.
  • Select one of the following statistics courses: ANTH-A 306 Anthropological Statistics; CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis; ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics; ECON-S 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics: Honors; MATH-K 300 Statistical Techniques Health Professions; MATH-K 310 Statistical Techniques; MATH-M 365 Introduction to Probability and Statistics; POLS-Y 395 Quantitative Political Analysis; PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques; PSY-K 310 Statistical Techniques; SOC-S 371 Statistics for Sociology; SPEA-K 300 Statistical Techniques; STAT-K 310 Statistical Techniques; STAT-S 300 Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods; STAT-S 301 Applied Statistical Methods for Business; STAT-S 320 Introduction to Statistics

Natural Sciences (8 cr.)
A minimum of 8 credit hours of natural science courses selected from the following list. One of the courses must be a laboratory course or have an associated laboratory section.

  • Anthropology: ANTH-B 200 Bioanthropology (3 cr.), ANTH-B 301 Laboratory in Bioanthropology (3 cr.), ANTH-B 368 Evolution of Primate Social Behavior (3 cr.), and ANTH-B 370 Human Variation (3 cr.).
  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Geography: GEOG-G 107 Physical Systems (3 cr.), GEOG-G 109 Weather and Climate (3 cr.), GEOG-G 185 Global Environmental Change (3 cr.), GEOG-G 208 Human/Environment Interactions (3 cr.), GEOG-G 304 Physical Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 305 Environmental Change (3 cr.), GEOG-G 336 Environmental Remote Sensing (3 cr.), GEOG-G 350 Atmospheric Science (3 cr.), GEOG-G 362 Dynamic Meteorology: Boundary-Layer Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 431 Dynamic Meteorology: Synoptic to Global Scales (3 cr.), GEOG-G 433 Synoptic Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 434 Air Pollution Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 471 Boundary Layer Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 473 Mesoscale Meteorology (3 cr.), GEOG-G 475 Climate Change (3 cr.), and GEOG-G 477 Atmospheric Science (3 cr.).
  • Geological Sciences
  • Human Biology: HUBI-B 101 The Human Organism (3 cr.); HUBI-B 201 Human Dilemmas (3 cr.); HUBI-B 301 The Intricate Human (3 cr.); HUBI-B 401 Complex Problems of Humanity (3 cr.).
  • Medical Sciences: MSCI-M 131 Disease & the Human Body (3 cr.); MSCI-M 216 Med Sci of Psychoactive Drugs (3 cr.).
  • Physics
  • Psychology (excluding courses that are considered mathematical science and social and historical studies courses), PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I (3 cr.), PSY-P 106 General Psychology, Honors (4 cr.), PSY-P 151 Introduction to Psychology I for Majors (4 cr.), PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences, PSY-P 201 Biological Bases of Behavior (3 cr.), PSY-P 204 Psychological and Biological Bases of Human Sexuality (3 cr.), PSY-P 211 Methods of Experimental Psychology (3 cr.), PSY-P 325 Psychology of Learning (3 cr.), PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation (3 cr.), PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception (3 cr.), PSY-P 330 Perception/Action (3 cr.), PSY-P 336 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences (3 cr.), PSY-P 350 Human Factors/Ergonomics (3 cr.), and PSY-P 417 Animal Behavior (3 cr.).

Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (15 cr.)
Informatics students must have basic training in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, which will assist them in their lives and give them a broader perspective from which to approach the applications of information technology. The requirements are as follows:
(15 cr.):

  • Five courses in arts and humanities and social and historical studies, as defined by the College of Arts and Sciences. Topics courses will count as one of the required courses in each area. At least two courses must be taken in each area.
  • One of the five courses must be a course in ethics:
    • PHIL-P 140 Introduction to Ethics (3 cr.)
    • PHIL-P 242 Applied Ethics (3 cr.)
    • PHIL-P 340 Classics in Ethics (3 cr.)
    • PHIL-P 342 Problems of Ethics (3 cr.)
    • REL-R 170 Religion, Ethics, and Public Life (3 cr.) or an approved professional ethics course

General Electives
Courses for the remaining credits will be decided by the individual student, in consultation with an advisor, to fulfill additional career and/or personal interests. Students may take a maximum of 4 HPER-E credit hours and 10 MUS-X credit hours below the 100 level to count towards the total hour requirement.

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