"What does the term 'Informatics' mean?"

This is one of the most common questions about the Informatics major at the UW Information School. The term “informatics” broadly describes the study and practice of creating, storing, finding, manipulating and sharing information. The focus of the major is on teaching students to design and build information systems and technology that meet the needs of people in all types of organizations.

When the iSchool chose "Informatics" as the name of its bachelor of science degree in 2001, the term was not widely used in the US — the name was chosen because it spoke to the opportunities that were available to students with the strong technical background needed to develop solutions to the world’s information challenges. The vision remains intact: the Informatics major at the University of Washington speaks directly to the need for trained and skilled professionals in every sector of society who can turn information into actionable knowledge.

Informatics alums can be found designing and building the tools that drive start-ups, novel applications for social networking and productivity, and helping non-profits and other organizations make better use of their resources. The major pulls together disciplines like information architecture, usability, human-computer interaction, user interface design, information assurance, and web development to name but a few. Majors learn how to use technology to help people find the tools and resources they need to:

• Connect with the right information at the right time
• Use information to achieve their goals and potential
• Harness information’s capacity as an agent for positive change