Department of Informatics

Faculty

Associate Professors
 George Berg, Ph.D.
  Northwestern University
 Peter Bloniarz, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
 Mei Chen, Ph.D.
  Carnegie Mellon University
 Kevin Knuth, Ph.D.
  University of Minnesota
 Luis Luna-Reyes, Ph.D.
  University at Albany
 Peter Shea, Ph.D.
  University at Albany

Assistant Professor
 Amirreza Masoumzadeh, Ph.D.
  University of Pittsburgh

Lecturers
 Lenore Horowitz, Ph.D.
  University at Albany
 Jonathan Muckell, Ph.D.
  University at Albany
 Norman Gervais, M.A.
  University at Albany

Service Assistant Professor
 Jennifer J. Goodall, Ph.D.
  University at Albany

Adjuncts (estimated): 20
Affiliated Faculty (estimated): 25
Teaching Assistants (estimated): 6

Effective Spring 2015, The Department of Informatics offers a new B.S. degree in Informatics with several concentrations, including a fully online Information Technology concentration. Continuing students who are declared in the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a faculty-initiated concentration in Information Science can refer to previous Undergraduate Bulletins for degree requirements as well as to their degree audits.       

The Department of Informatics also offers an Informatics minor. There are multiple options. One can be combined with any major and the other nine are coupled with specific majors to enhance the informatics perspective within that discipline. Currently, the options linked to a major are for Art, Communication, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Economics, Geography, Journalism, Physics, Sociology, and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies majors. See the "Minors" section of this bulletin for details.

The Department of Informatics also offers a doctoral degree in information science.

Bachelor of Science in Informatics

The B.S in Informatics is a unique opportunity for students to study the application of technology across disciplines. The degree is a combined major and minor, requiring a total of 54 credits. This includes 42 credits of required core courses that focus on the relationship between technology and society, the use of various technologies across platforms, and programming fundamentals. Emphasis is also placed on providing students with various opportunities to gain real-world experience. In addition, students are required to complete 12 credits in a concentration. This gives students the opportunity to deepen their experience and knowledge in a particular area of Informatics. The concentrations are:

• Interactive User Experience
• Cybersecurity
• Social Media
• Data Analytics
• Software Development
• Information Technology (offered fully online)

The B.S in Informatics prepares students for a wide array of careers. Some potential career options for each concentration are:

• Interactive User Experience: Web Designer, User Experience Analyst, and Information Architect
• Cybersecurity: Information Security Analyst, Data Security Administrator, Data Security Administrator, and Computer Security Specialist
• Social Media: Social Media Community Manager, Social Media Strategist, and Public Information Officer
• Data Analytics: Data Analyst, Data Mining Specialist, and Data Visualization Specialist
• Software Development: Application Developer, Software Architect, Software Design Analyst, Systems Programmer
• Information Technology: IT Project Manager, Computer Support Specialist, and Technical Support Specialist

Degree Requirements for the B.S. in Informatics

Informatics is a combined major and minor sequence, consisting of a minimum of 42 core credits and selection of a 12 credit concentration (54 credits total).

Core courses (42 credits)

Information and Society (9 credits)
I INF 100X Information in the 21st Century
I INF 301 Emerging Trends in Information and Technology
I INF 499 Senior Seminar in Informatics
Practical Applications (15 credits)
I INF 108 Programming for Problem Solving or I CSI 105 Computing and Information (or substitute I CSI 201 Introduction to Computer Science)
I INF 201 Introduction to Web Technologies
I INF 202 Introduction to Data and Databases
I INF 203 Introduction to Networks and Systems
I INF 305 Digital Project Management
Math (3 credits)
Any A MAT course between 100-299 (except A MAT 108 Elementary Statistics)
Research (6 credits)
I INF 200 Research Methods for Informatics (or substitute A SOC 220 Introduction to Social Research)
A MAT 108 Elementary Statistics (or substitute A SOC 221 Statistics for Sociologists)
Experiential Learning (9 credits)
Students will be advised into course-related experiences that complement their chosen concentration. Some classes may be repeated twice for a total of 6 credits but Online IT students only may complete INF 469 (9 credits) to fulfill this requirement.
I INF 463 Professional Innovations I
I INF 464 Professional Innovations II
I INF 465 Senior Capstone in Informatics (repeatable)
I INF 466 Independent Research (repeatable)
I INF 467 Technology-Based Community Support (repeatable)
I INF 468 Undergraduate Internship (repeatable)
I INF 469 Undergraduate Internship for Fully Online Students
E APS 487 or E APS 456, E APS 457 Peer Education

Concentrations (at least 12 credits)
Select one concentration.

Interactive User Experience
I INF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design
I INF 362 Intermediate Interactive Design
Select two courses from:
I INF 308 Programming for Informatics
I INF 363 Digital Design
I INF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship
I INF 462 Current Technologies in Interactive Design
I INF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as appropriate, repeatable)
I CSI 107 Web Programming
I CSI 124X Computer Security Basics
A DOC/A JRL 324 Introduction to Documentary Photography
A DOC/A HIS 330 Foundations of Documentary Web/Hypermedia Production
A DOC/A HIS 406 Practicum in Historical Documentary Filmmaking
A DOC/A HIS 407 Readings and Practicum in Digital History and Hypermedia

Cybersecurity
I INF 306 Information Security and Assurance
I CSI 124X Computer Security Basics
Select two courses from:
I INF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship
I INF 452 Computer and Network Security
I INF 453 Information Security and Privacy
I INF 454 Human Aspects of Cybersecurity
I INF 455 Prevention and Protection Strategies in Cybersecurity
I INF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as appropriate, repeatable)
I CSI 300Z Social, Security, and Privacy Implications of Computing
I CSI 424 Information Security
I CSI 426 Cryptography

Social Media
I INF 307 Current Topics in Social Media
I CSI 131 Introduction to Data Analytics: Seeking Information in Data with Computation
Select two courses from:
I INF 308 Programming for Informatics
I INF 363 Digital Design
I INF 401 Case Studies in Digital Citizenship
I INF 496 Intermediate Special Topics in Informatics (as appropriate, repeatable)
I CSI 432 Network Science
A DOC/A HIS 224 Nonfiction Media Storytelling
A SOC 210 Sociology of Culture
A SOC 255 Mass Media
A SOC 270 Social and Demographic Change

Data Analytics
I INF 300 Probability and Statistics for Data Analytics
I CSI 131 Introduction to Data Analytics: Seeking Information in Data with Computation
Select two courses from:
I INF 407 Modern Issues in Databases
I INF 428 Analysis, Visualization, and Prediction in Analytics
I INF 451 Bayesian Data Analysis and Signal Processing
I IST 433 Information Storage and Retrieval
I CSI 431 Data Mining
I CSI 432 Network Science
I CSI 436 Machine Learning

Software Development
I CSI 201 Introduction to Computer Science
I CSI 310 Data Structures
I CSI 418Y Software Engineering
Select one course from:
I INF 455 Prevention and Protection Strategies in Cybersecurity
I CSI 405 Object Oriented Programming Principles and Practice

Information Technology (online only)
I INF 302 Human-Computer Interactive Design
I INF 303 Intermediate Networking
I INF 306 Information Security and Assurance
I INF 308 Programming for Informatics

Self-Designed (with Departmental Approval only)
Student must provide a proposal of courses to take to support the proposed self-designed concentration that includes at least four courses. At least 9 credits of a self-designed concentration should be taken while enrolled in the INF B.S. program. Proposal must be approved by INF faculty before the student can declare it.