Informatics concentration

May be elected as an interdepartmental concentration program

Effective Winter 2010 | Previous requirements

What is Informatics?

Informatics is the study of human and computer information processing systems from a socio-technical perspective. Michigan’s unique interdisciplinary approach to this growing field of research and teaching emphasizes a solid grounding in contemporary computer programming, mathematics, and statistics, combined with study of the ethical and social science aspects of complex information systems. Experts in the field help design new information technology tools informed by scientific, business, and cultural contexts.

Informatics is where the technical accomplishments of computer science, mathematics, and statistics become embedded in the ways we interact, imagine, and produce in richer and more thoughtful ways. Students will obtain software development skills and learn a formal framework for making inferences from experimental and observational data, focusing on the manner and purpose in which people interact with information and information systems.

The concentration in Informatics is appropriate for students with varied interests and a range of background knowledge in information systems engineering, information analysis, and/or the use of information processing in biological, societal and emerging application areas. Students who complete the concentration are equipped to participate fully in important emerging areas such as bioinformatics, information analysis, large-scale information management, and human-centered information systems design. In addition, depending on which track a student selects, he or she develops the intellectual skills to analyze enormous quantities of information (Information Analysis Track); to reason systematically about the social impacts of and on information systems (Social Computing Track); to design computing solutions focused on human factors (Computational Informatics Track); or to apply information technology to large-scale, cutting-edge problems in the life sciences (Life Science Informatics Track).

Students concentrating in Informatics have many opportunities available to them after graduation. The concentration provides excellent preparation for jobs in the IT industry as product managers, human factors engineers, usability specialists, information analysts in sciences and science related industries, and designers working with large software development teams. Recruiters visiting the university frequently are seeking students with the ideals and skill sets that are provided by this program. Combined with work in specific knowledge domains, from nursing to economics, graduates of Michigan's Informatics concentration are vital in leading organizations to harness emerging technologies. The deep understanding of the connections between information technology, data analysis, and organizations and society is also excellent background for students seeking to enter law school, business school, medical school, or schools of public policy. And, depending on the track they complete, students are well prepared for graduate study in a range of quantitatively based fields, including statistics, computer science, information, bioinformatics, chemoinformatics, and various life sciences disciplines.

Summary of Course Requirements and Prerequisites

The concentration in Informatics requires 44 credit hours for completion, including core courses, concentration track requirements, and electives. The concentration consists of a core curriculum of four tightly integrated and often team-taught courses, a sequence of required courses in one of four flexible program tracks, plus electives selected from a list of recommended courses.

The core serves as a tour of critical perspectives and investigative methodologies, an introduction to tools and techniques, and an entry point for further study. The four core courses provide grounding in discrete mathematics, computer programs and models, research methods in applied statistics, and the ethical issues posed by new and emerging technologies. Each of the four core courses helps establish a foundation for the advanced study of informatics issues pursued through the specific informatics tracks. There are no overall prerequisites for the concentration. Instead, each core course carries one prerequisite course that serves as an introduction to some of the core academic aspects of the associated core course. Discrete Mathematics (EECS/MATH 203) requires entry-level calculus (MATH 115) or an equivalent. Computer Programs and Models (EECS 282) requires an exploratory course on building computer applications (EEC 182/SI 182). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (STATS 403) builds on the basic principles of statistics and data analysis introduced in a popular survey course (STATS 350). Advanced study of ethics and information technology (SI 410) follows the exploration of the broader issues of information studies (SI 110). The core courses can be taken in any order and are required for completion of the concentration. Students may enroll in courses for the individual program tracks before they have completed the entire core curriculum.

In pursuing the concentration in Informatics, students have the flexibility to specialize in one of four tracks: Information Analysis, Social Computing, Computational Informatics, or Life Science Informatics. Each of the four tracks requires three to five courses, some of which will have associated prerequisite courses enforced at registration. The tracks consist of a set of carefully chosen existing or new courses from multiple departments that together convey the necessary intellectual perspectives and foundational skills of the informatics track.

In addition to the concentration's core and track requirements, students will choose from a list of Informatics elective courses. The breadth of electives will allow students to add intellectual depth to their selected track studies or to broaden their perspective on other aspects of the informatics field. The Faculty Steering Group for the concentration will entertain appeals from students to substitute elective courses other than those listed in the proposal

A. Computational Informatics Track

In the 21st century, computing and information are ubiquitous and an understanding of computer technology and information systems is important for students with a wide variety of long-term goals-not just those who want to go into the more traditional sectors of the computing industry. The Computational Informatics track provides students with a solid technical foundation in computing and in the ways in which information is represented and manipulated by computers to solve complex and large-scale problems in a variety of domains. It complements this with a broad focus on information technology assessment and evaluation and on the factors affecting the "usability" of systems by individuals and organizations. The track emphasizes the issues involved in the design of computing solutions, rather than focusing on the underlying computing infrastructure.

B. Data Mining & Information Analysis Track

Massive amounts of data are now being collected routinely in many areas such as business, public health, science, and engineering. Just as students in the humanities learn to think critically about texts, bodies of literature, and verbal arguments, students in the sciences and engineering must learn about the important issues with collecting, managing, analyzing, and visualizing data. Such a requirement was not so important several decades ago. Now, with the explosion in computing and data capture technologies, expertise in dealing with large datasets is increasingly important in the job market and for graduate school in many disciplines. No single academic program can provide students with expertise in collecting, evaluating, managing, analyzing, visualizing, and making sense of these data and using the information to make decisions in the presence of varying degrees of uncertainty. The fields of Statistics, Computer Science, Information, and Mathematics all play fundamental roles in this educational process as they provide the tools, language, the modes of critical thought, and the rigorous analytical methods.

C. Life Science Informatics Track

The advent of superior data collection systems and high throughput experimental methods have resulted in a deluge of data for a broad range of life science disciplines. It is not hard to find a life scientist making statements such as "biology has now become an information science," as computational techniques have become an important means to developing and evaluating biological hypotheses. This track prepares students fur careers and/or advanced study in the life sciences, including medical school, by providing them with an understanding of both the fundamentals of biology and the principles of computation and statistics that are key to a great deal of life sciences research

D. Social Computing Track

In the Social Computing track, undergraduates will learn a set of perspectives and analytic techniques, derived from the core social science disciplines of cognitive psychology, economics, and sociology, that will allow them to craft, evaluate and refine social software computer applications to meet the needs of different social contexts. Advances in computing have opened new opportunities both for understanding patterns of social interaction and for supporting new patterns. As more interactions are mediated through computers and computer networks, there are new opportunities to capture and analyze data about those interactions. Formal representations such as social network graphs of who communicates with whom and game-theoretic models of strategic choices individuals can make when interacting with each other can offer useful insights. Computation can also support new forms of social relations. Systems can facilitate remote and asynchronous communication, and act as introducers, recommenders, coordinators, and record-keepers. Applications such as email groups, buddy lists, and shared calendars are now embedded into the fabric of everyday life, but countless more such applications remain to be discovered and perfected.

Field of Concentration.

For purposes of calculating grade point average, the term “field of concentration” means the following:

  1. All STATS courses.
  2. All courses used to meet concentration requirements.
  3. All mandatory prerequisites (Prerequisites to the Core Courses).

Informatics concentrators may not use any STATS courses toward the Area Distribution requirement.

Prerequisites to Core Courses:

  1. SI 110 / SOC 110;
  2. MATH 115;
  3. EECS 182 / SI 182;
  4. STATS 350 or STATS 400.

Concentration Program.

A minimum of 12 courses and 44 credits.

  1. Common Core: EECS 203, EECS 282, STATS 403 , and SI 410.
  2. Subplans: Completion of one of the following tracks:
    1. Computational Informatics track :
      1. EECS 382
      2. EECS 280
      3. Two of the following Computational courses: EECS 281, 376, 476, 477, 481, 484, 485, 492, 493, 494.

      4. Electives*: 8 credits must be elected at the 300-level or higher, and all electives must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.  In addition to the courses listed below, students may choose SI 422.

    2. Data Mining & Information Analysis track :
      1. STATS 406.
      2. STATS 415.
      3. One of the following Quantitative courses:
        • MATH 425, 471, 561, 562, 571
        • STATS 425, 500
        • IOE 310, 510, 511, 512

      4. Electives*: 8 credits must be elected at the 300-level or higher, and all electives must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. 

    3. Life Science Informatics track :

      1. BIOINF 527.

      2. One of the following Life Sciences courses

        • BIOLOGY 305
        • MCDB 310
        • EEB 485

      3. two of the following Quantitative/Computational courses:

        • EECS 376, 382, 485
        • STATS 401, 449, 470
        • BIOSTAT 449

      4. Electives*: 4 credits must be elected at the 300-level or higher, and all electives must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. 

    4. Social Computing track :

      1. PSYCH 280

      2. SI 301
      3. SI 422
      4. SI 529
      5. Electives* to bring concentration credits to 44.
  3. Electives : Additional Informatics electives to bring concentration credits to 44 credits.

    • BIOLCHEM 551

    • BIOMEDE 551

    • BIOINF 527, 545, 547, 551

    • BIOSTAT 449, 503, 553, 646

    • CHEM 551

    • CMPLXSYS 510

    • EECS 281, 376, 382, 476, 477, 481, 484, 485, 487, 489, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496

    • MATH 416, 425, 433, 451, 462, 463, 471, 513, 525, 526, 547, 548, 550

    • MCDB 408, 411

    • PATH 551

    • PSYCH 280

    • SI 301, 422, 508, 529, 532, 583, 631, 679, 683, 689

    • STATS 401, 406, 408, 415, 425, 426, 430, 449, 470, 480, 500, 525, 526, 545, 547, 548

Electives must be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor. Alternative courses may be considered for elective credit.

Advising.

The Academic Program Manager and the six-member Faculty Steering Group that designed the concentration will share responsibility for concentration advising. Students who are interested in the Informatics concentration should consult with an Academic Advisor in the Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center during their freshman year and are strongly encouraged to meet with a concentration advisor early in their academic career. To make an appointment with a concentration advisor, please contact informatics@umich.edu.

Note. It is not necessary to complete all prerequisite courses prior to declaring an Informatics concentration.