Courses

Undergraduate Course Descriptions

The abbreviation “P” refers to the course prerequisite or prerequisites. The number of credit hours granted by a course is indicated in parentheses following the course title. Equivalent honors versions of regular informatics courses may substitute throughout.

I101 Introduction to Informatics (4 cr.): Problem solving with information technology; introductions to information representation, relational databases, system design, propositional logic, cutting-edge technologies: CPU, operation systems, networks; laboratory emphasizing information technology including Web page design, word processing, databases, using tools available on campus. Credit given for only one of INFO I101 or H101.
H101 Introduction to Informatics, Honors (4 cr.): Honors version of INFO I101. Credit given for only one of INFO H101 or I101.
I110 Basic Tools of Informatics I—Programming Concepts (1.5 cr.): P: CSCI A110, CSCI A111, or equivalent computing experience
Introduction to programming for users of computer systems. Emphasis on problem-solving techniques. An eight-week lecture and laboratory course. Cross-listed with CSCI A112. Credit given for only one of the following: INFO I110, CSCI A112.
I111 Basic Tools of Informatics II—Introduction to Databases (1.5 cr.): P: CSCI A110, CSCI A111, or equivalent computing experience
Introduction to database design concepts. Entering and modifying data, accessing data using visual tools and SQL, and building database applications using forms and application development tools. Emphasis on problem-solving techniques. An eight-week lecture and laboratory course. Cross-listed with CSCI A114. Credit given for only one of the following: INFO I111, CSCI A114.
I130 Introduction to Cybersecurity (1 cr.): P or C: INFO I101
This course introduces students to cybersecurity. The course will primarily focus on introduction to three core areas (technical aspects of security, organizational aspects of security, and legal aspects of security). Through examples of security problems in real life, this course will illuminate fundamental ideas and concepts of information security. An eight-week course.
I201 Mathematical Foundations of Informatics (4 cr.): P: INFO I101 and MATH M118, MATH A118, MATH S118, or MATH D116-117
An introduction to methods of analytical, abstract, and critical thinking; deductive reasoning; and logical and mathematical tools used in information sciences. The topics include propositional and predicate logic, natural deduction proof system, sets, functions and relations, proof methods in mathematics, mathematical induction, and graph theory. Cross-listed with COGS Q250. Credit given for only one INFO I201, INFO H201, or COGS Q250.
H201 Mathematical Foundations of Informatics, Honors (4 cr.): P: INFO I101, and MATH M118, MATH A118, or MATH S118
Honors version of INFO I201. Credit given for only one of INFO H201 or I201.
I202 Social Informatics (3 cr.): P: INFO I101
Introduction to key social research perspectives and literatures on the use of information and communication technologies. Discusses current topics such as information ethics, relevant legal frameworks, popular and controversial uses of technology (for example, peer-to-peer file sharing), digital divides, and so on. Outlines research methodologies for social informatics. Credit given for only one of INFO I202 or H202.
H202 Social Informatics, Honors (3 cr.): P: INFO I101
Honors version of INFO I202. Credit given for only one of INFO H202 or I202.
I210 Information Infrastructure I (4 cr.): Recommended P or C: INFO I101
The software architecture of information systems. Basic concepts of systems and applications programming. Credit given for only one of the following: INFO I210 or H210.
H210 Information Infrastructure I, Honors (4 cr.): Recommended P or C: INFO I101
Honors version of INFO I210. Credit given for only one of INFO H210 or I210.
I211 Information Infrastructure II (4 cr.): P: INFO I210
The systems architecture of distributed applications. Advanced programming, including an introduction to the programming of graphical systems. Credit given for only one of the following: INFO I211 or H211.
H211 Information Infrastructure II, Honors (4 cr.): P: INFO I210
Honors version of INFO I211. Credit given for only one of INFO H211 or I211.
I230 Analytical Foundations of Security (3 cr.): This course will enable students to reevaluate and conceptualize material learned in discrete courses to consider the topics from their perspective of security. For example, computer system basics such as hardware (CPUs, memory) and software are reconsidered from the perspective of how their interactions create vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities that combine standard hardware and software configurations will be examined because they illuminate both security and computer networks. Operating systems and file systems are examined from the perspective of access control, permissions, and availability of system services.
I231 Computational Foundations of Cybersecurity (3 cr.): The goal of this course is for students to be introduced to the basic mathematical tools used in modern cybersecurity. The course covers introductory mathematical material from a number of disparate fields including probability theory, analysis of algorithms, complexity theory, number theory, and group theory.
I300 Human-Computer Interaction Design and Programming (3 cr.): P: INFO I101, I201, I210
The analysis of human factors and the design of computer application interfaces. A survey of current HCI designs with an eye toward what future technologies will allow. The course will emphasize learning HCI based on implementation and testing interfaces. Credit given for only one of INFO I300 or H300.
H300 Human-Computer Interaction Design and Programming, Honors (3 cr.): P: INFO I101, INFO I201, and INFO I210
Honors version of INFO I300. Credit given for only one of INFO H300 or I300.
I303 Organizational Informatics (3 cr.): P: INFO I101
Examines the various needs, uses, and consequences of information in organizational contexts. Topics include organizational types and characteristics, functional areas and business processes, information-based products and services, the use of and redefining the role of information technology, the changing character of work life and organizational practices, sociotechnical structures, and the rise and transformation of information-based industries.
I308 Information Representation (3 cr.): P: INFO I101, INFO I201, and INFO I210
The basic structure of information representation in digital information systems. Begins with low-level computer representations such as common character and numeric encodings. Introduces formal design and query languages through Entity Relationship Modeling, the Relational Model, XML, and XHTML. Laboratory topics include SQL and XPath querying. Credit given for only one of INFO I308 or H308.
H308 Information Representation, Honors (3 cr.): P: INFO H101 or I101, I201, and INFO I210
Honors version of INFO I308. Credit given for only one of INFO H308 or I308.
I310 Multimedia Arts and Technology (3 cr.): P: INFO I308
The study of the evolution of media arts and underlying principles of communication. Application development paradigms in current practice.
I320 Distributed Systems and Collaborative Computing (3 cr.): P: INFO I211
An introductory treatment of distributed systems and programming. Topics range from the distributed and object models of computation to advanced concepts such as remote method invocations, object brokers, object services, open systems, and future trends for distributed information systems.
I330 Legal and Social Informatics of Security (3 cr.): P: INFO I230, or consent of instructor
This course examines that set of ethical and legal problems most tightly bound to the issues of information control. The interaction and technology changes, but the core issues have remained: privacy, intellectual property, Internet law, concepts of jurisdiction, speech anonymity versus accountability, and ethical decision making in the network environment.
I356 Globalization, Where We Fit In (3 cr.): Globalization changes how we work, what we buy, and who we know. Globalization involves people working eighty hour weeks in China and receiving free state-of-the-art drugs in Africa. Learn about the past, present and future of globalization, and what it means for you, your job, and your community.
I371 Chemical Informatics I (1 cr.): Presents basic concepts of information representation, storage, and retrieval as they pertain to chemistry. The course is designed to give an overview of the techniques that make modern chemical informatics systems work. Looks at some of the coding techniques that form the basis for chemical information retrieval by structures, nomenclature, and molecular formulas. Examines various methods of coding for visualization of chemical structures and chemical data. In addition, some of the major algorithms and techniques used in the modern pharmaceutical industry to enhance their research efforts are presented in INFO I371.
I372 Molecular Modeling (2 cr.): P: CHEM C341
Molecular modeling and computational chemistry; application of quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics to drive structural and energetic information about molecules; conformational analysis; quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) and related methods for drug design.
I391 Internship in Informatics Professional Practice (1-3 cr.): P: Approval of dean and completion of 100- and 200-level requirements in informatics
Students gain professional work experience in an industry or research organization setting, using skills and knowledge acquired in informatics course work. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours. S/F grading.
I399 Current Topics in Informatics (1-3 cr.): Variable topic course. Emphasis is on new developments and research in informatics. May be repeated twice with different topic.
I400 Topics in Informatics (3 cr.): P: At least junior standing or permission of instructor
Variable topic. Emphasis is on new developments and research in informatics. May be repeated twice for credit for any combination of INFO I400 and H400 when topic varies. Subject to approval of the dean.
H400 Topics in Informatics, Honors (3 cr.): P: At least junior standing or permission of instructor
Honors version of INFO I400. Variable topic. Emphasis is on development and research in informatics. May be repeated twice for credit for any combination of INFO H400 and I400 when topic varies. Subject to approval of the dean.
I421 Applications of Data Mining (3 cr.): P: INFO I308
The course explores the use of data mining techniques in different settings, including business and scientific domains. The emphasis will be on using techniques instead of developing new techniques or algorithms. Students will select, prepare, visualize, analyze, and present data that leads to the discovery of novel and actionable information.
I427 Search Informatics (3 cr.): Techniques and tools to automatically crawl, parse, index, store, and search Web information, organizing knowledge that can help meet the needs of organizations, communities and individual users. Social and business impact of search engine technology. As a project, students will build a real search engine and compare it with Google.
I430 Security for Networked Systems (3 cr.): P: INFO I230, or permission of instructor
This course is an extensive survey of network security. The course materials cover threats to information confidentiality, integrity, and availability in different Internet layers, and defense mechanisms that control these threats. The course also provides a necessary foundation on network security, such as cryptographic, primitives/protocols, authentication, authorization and access control technologies; and hands-on experiences through programming assignments and course projects.
I433 Protocol Design and Analysis (3 cr.): This class covers the fundamentals of computer security by looking at how things can go wrong, and how people can abuse the system. This is a matter of creative cheating; to find loopholes and exploit them. After students learn how to attack the system, it is possible to propose ways to make the system secure. Students will gain a basic overview of existing security problems and be exposed to methods that can be used to secure against such problems. The course should be taken by any one designing, selecting, or using applications in which security or privacy plays a role.
I441 Human-Computer Interaction Design I (3 cr.): Human-computer interaction design (HCID) describes the way a person or group accomplishes tasks with a computer—what the individual or group does and how the computer responds; what the computer does and how the individual or group responds. This course is organized around a collection of readings and three design projects applying human-computer interaction principles to the design, selection, and evaluation of interactive systems.
I453 Computer and Information Ethics (3 cr.): Ethical and professionalization issues that arise in the context of designing and using networked information technologies and information resources. Examines frameworks for making ethical decisions, emergent technologies and their ethical implications, information/computer professionalism. Topics include privacy, intellectual property, cybercrime, games, social justice, and codes of professional ethics.
I485 Bioinspired Computing (3 cr.): Biological organisms cope with the demands of their environments using solutions quite unlike the traditional human-engineered approaches to problem solving. Biological systems tend to be adaptive, reactive, and distributed. Bio-inspired computing is a field devoted to tackling complex problems using computational methods modeled after design principles encountered in nature.
I486 Artificial Life (3 cr.): Artificial Life is a broad discipline encompassing the origins, modeling, and synthesis of natural and artificial living entities and systems. Artificial Intelligence, as a discipline, tries to model and understand intelligent systems and behavior, typically at the human level.
I490 Professional Practicum/Internship for Undergraduates (0 cr.): P: Approval of the dean
Provides for participation in professional training and internship experience.
I491 Capstone Project Internship (3-6 cr.): P: Approval of dean and completion of all required core informatics courses
Students put their informatics education in practice through the development of a substantial project while working in a professional information technology environment. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
I492/I493 Senior Thesis (3/3 cr.): P: Senior standing and approval of the dean
The senior student prepares and presents a thesis: a substantial, typically multichapter paper based on a well-planned research or scholarly project, as determined by the student and a sponsoring faculty member.
I494/I495 Design and Development of an Information System (3/3 cr.): P: Approval of the dean and completion of required core informatics courses
Students work on capstone projects in supervised teams. They select an appropriate project (preferably based on cognate) and then learn to develop a plan that leads to success. Teamwork, communication, and organizational skills are emphasized in a real-world-style environment. Credit given for only one of INFO I494 or H494.
H494/H495 Design and Development of an Information System, Honors (3/3 cr.): P: Approval of the dean and completion of required core informatics courses
Honors version of INFO I494/I495. Credit given for only one of INFO H494 or I494.
H498 Honors seminar (1-3 cr.): P: Junior or senior major in INFO with GPA at least 3.3 or permission of instructor
A survey of faculty research in computer related fields with different professors discussing their research each week. May be repeated up to a total of 6 credit hours.
I499 Readings and Research in Informatics (1-3 cr.): P: Consent of instructor and completion of 100- and 200-level requirements in informatics
Independent readings and research related to a topic of special interest to the student. Written report required. May be repeated up to a total of 6 credit hours for any combination of INFO I499 and H499.
H499 Readings and Research in Informatics, Honors (1-3 cr.): P: Consent of instructor and completion of 100- and 200-level requirements in informatics
Honors version of INFO I499. Independent readings and research related to a topic of special interest to the student. Written report required. May be repeated up to a total of 6 credit hours for any combination of INFO H499 and I499.
T100 Topics in Informatics Technology (1-3 cr.): Variable topic. The course serves as an introduction to a specific information technology in a hands-on setting. Emphasis is on problem solving techniques using technology. Credit hours may not be applied toward satisfying major requirements in the School of Informatics.
Y100 Exploring Informatics and Computer Science (1 cr.): Technology is everywhere and how it relates to the world today is very important to the future. The objective of this course is to offer students an opportunity to explore the many tracks within the fields of Informatics and Computer Science, while also learning about the multiple careers available to students majoring in the fields. Emphasis will be placed on the various ways technology affects the work world and how students can tailor a major to their individual interests. The course will promote a hands-on, interactive and self-reflective course environment. An eight-week course.
Y395 Career Development for Informatics Majors (1 cr.): Helps students develop skills and knowledge to successfully pursue a career search, both at the time of graduation and as they progress through their careers. The course covers techniques and strategies to make the job search more efficient and effective. An eight-week course.

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School of Informatics and Computing

Undergraduate Course Descriptions