Informatics develops new uses for information technology; it is the study of how
people transform technology, and how technology transforms us. In many ways,
informatics is a bridge connecting IT to a particular field of study such as
biology, chemistry, fine arts, telecommunications, geography, business,
economics, journalism, medical sciences etc. This certificate prepares students
to work in their area of specialization as Business Analysts, Technology
Specialists, Technical Trainers, Technology Managers, etc.
Program Prerequisites: 2 year or 4
year degree from an accredited college, CSC110 Intro to
Computers 3 cr. or equivalent, MAT141 4 cr. or equivalent. Students may enroll any term.
The
Certificate in Informatics requires 24 credit hours from the following list:
·
INF310
Informatics Security (3 cr.)
·
INF320 Legal Informatics Issues (3
cr.)
Total credits,
including prerequisites, required to
complete the certificate: 31
INF Course Descriptions
:
INF110 Fundamental
Informatics (3 cr.) Pre-requisite: none
Students explore the core principles of informatics and the
rapidly changing role of today's informatics professional. Students will gain a
strong understanding of the changing role of today's informatics professional
through current examples and informatics references. No matter what their major,
students can use the principles learned in this course to function more
effectively as workers, managers, decision makers, and organizational leaders
applying today’s technology.
INF130 Social Informatics (3
cr.) Pre-requisite: none
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. Outlines
research methodologies for social informatics.
INF220 Human-Computer
Interaction (3 cr.) Pre-requisite: INF110 & CIS125
The analysis of human factors and the design of computer
application interfaces. A survey of current Human Computer Interaction designs
with an eye toward what future technologies will allow. The course will
emphasize learning HCI based on implementation and testing interfaces.
INF230 Organization Informatics
(3 cr.) Pre-requisite: INF110 & INF130
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 global
information-based industries.
INF310 Informatics Security
(3 cr.) Pre-requisite: INF110
This course will enable students to evaluate and
conceptualize an area of specialization to consider the topics from their
perspective of security. 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.
INF320 Legal Informatics Issues
(3 cr.) Pre-requisite: INF110 & INF130
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.