Informatics
Join the information revolution! This cutting-edge and interdisciplinary major gives you all the skills, knowledge and insights you need to provide strong, thoughtful, intelligent leadership in today鈥檚 intensely data-driven world.
Explore the human side of information technology
This innovative major will give you a deep dive into the rapidly changing ways people and organizations employ technologies to find, create and deploy information鈥攁n indispensable resource to individuals and society. You鈥檒l learn how people use technology to solve real-world problems. You鈥檒l study artificial intelligence, computer programming, data science, data visualization, database management, health informatics, information privacy and security, and user experience. You鈥檒l examine the subtleties of project management and learn to lead in today鈥檚 information-driven workplace. This powerful, relevant, fascinating major will prepare you to help the organizations of today and tomorrow manage information effectively and turn data into an invaluable asset. SOIS Learning Goals and Outcomes (pdf)
Prepare to thrive in a fast-growing field
This major will place you on a highly promising career path. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs at the intersection of information and technology are growing briskly and steadily across the economy. What鈥檚 more, the informatics curriculum is designed to prepare you for lifelong intellectual and professional competence. In the workplace, you鈥檒l know what they鈥檙e doing. You鈥檒l be open to new ideas, comfortable leading teams, proficient with emerging technologies, and able to adapt and thrive through a long and meaningful career. You will have earned your way into a rewarding and fascinating field.
As an informatics major, you鈥檒l learn in a flexible, hybrid course format. It combines the personal interaction of small classes with the easy access and rapid response of online learning. You鈥檒l learn to manage projects, work collaboratively in teams, think critically about the ways people access and use technology, and explain how ethical problems, legal concerns and social issues are affected by information technology. You鈥檒l be fully prepared for a career in high demand today.
As you select your electives, you can create your own learning plan or choose to specialize in one of seven high-demand areas:
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- User Experience
- Web Designing and Development
- Health Informatics
- Organizational Informatics
- Community Informatics
Hassan Zamir
Director, Informatics, School of Information Studies
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to be a big 鈥榯echie鈥 to study informatics. You just need to see the value of helping people use technology to connect effectively with the information they need. If you鈥檙e just a little bit 鈥榯echie鈥 and also smart, curious and creative, then this major is for you."
More ways to learn鈥攐n campus and beyond
Hands-on experience is built into our informatics curriculum. Our internships, research and capstone experiences draw imaginatively on Chicago鈥檚 amazing technological, educational, cultural and corporate resources. You鈥檒l identify data problems in actual workplaces and develop effective ways to solve them. You鈥檒l get a chance to test-drive your dream job and gain invaluable real-world experience. Through our Community-based Learning Program, you鈥檒l combine academic study with compassionate service to people in need, in the Chicago area and beyond. To add a global perspective to your learning experience, we suggest that you consider a semester of study abroad; you can choose from among programs on four continents.
Don Hamerly
Director, School of Information Studies
鈥淲e have a 90-year tradition of inspiring learners and producing leaders who understand that access to information is essential to success and a basic human right. At the iSchool, you鈥檒l gain not only knowledge and skills but also a deep understanding of the ethics of information and technology.鈥