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University of Washington Information School

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Informatics

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Degree Planning

  1. Programs
  2. Informatics
  3. Academics
  4. Degree Planning

Steps to completing your degree

Once students have been admitted to the major, they typically follow the steps below to complete their degree:

  • Attend iWelcome Week and Informatics New Student Orientation in September
  • Take junior level core courses: CSE 123, 143 or CSE 163; choose one of CSE 373, INFO 442 or INFO 443; INFO 300; INFO 330; INFO 340; INFO 360; INFO 380; and INFO 350
  • Begin applying for internships in autumn quarter (recommended)
  • Declare your major option by spring of junior year (recommended)
  • Begin taking major electives/degree option classes spring of junior year
  • Complete a summer internship (recommended)
  • Apply to graduate in autumn of senior year
  • Take the Capstone course sequence: INFO 490 & INFO 491 and present at spring Capstone event. Alternatively, you can complete a research Capstone. See the Informatics Capstone page for details.
  • Sign up for graduation ceremonies (iSchool Convocation and UW Commencement) and order graduation materials

Students must earn a numerical grade of 2.0 or above in each class used to meet major requirements.

Declaring and completing an option

Students can specialize their expertise by completing 4-5 courses in an option beyond the prerequisites and core. An option is an area of study recognized by the UW that appears on the transcript. The Informatics major allows students to choose one of the following options:

  • Biomedical & Health Informatics
  • Data Science
  • Human-computer interaction
  • Information architecture
  • Information assurance and cybersecurity

Choosing a degree option is not required. Students may change their degree option at any time but typically file the necessary change of major forms after their spring quarter, so that they are correctly listed in the system prior to applying for graduation the following autumn.

Sample course plans

The curriculum plans below can be used to help you plan the remainder of your time in the major. The course schedule reflected on this page is typical of the path students will follow to complete their degree, but individuals may choose to pursue their own path to degree completion.

Current UW Students: Junior year course schedule example

Autumn Winter Spring
INFO 300
Research Methods in Informatics (5 credits)
INFO 330
Databases & Data Modeling (5 cr)
INFO 350
Information Ethics & Policy (5 cr)
INFO 201
Technical Foundations of Informatics (5 cr)
Choose between CSE 123: Introduction to Computer Programming III (4 cr), CSE 143:
Computer Programming II (5 cr) and CSE 163: Intermediate Data Programming (4 cr)
INFO 340
Client-Side Development (5 cr)
INFO 360
Design Methods (4 cr)

INFO 380
Information Systems Analysis & Design (5 cr)  

INFO Elective

Current UW students: senior year course schedule example

Autumn Winter Spring
Choose between CSE 373, INFO 442 or INFO 443 (4-5 cr) **

INFO 490 *
Capstone (4 cr)

INFO 491 *
Capstone (4 cr)

INFO Elective INFO Elective INFO Elective
Elective Elective Elective

* These courses are only offered during the quarters noted above.

** Choose one of these three options:

  • CSE 373: Data Structures & Algorithms (4 credits)
  • INFO 442: Cooperative Software Development (5 credits), not offered every quarter
  • INFO 443: Software Architecture (5 credits), not offered every quarter

Transfer students: junior year course schedule example

Autumn Winter Spring
INFO 200
Intellectual Foundations of Informatics (5 cr)
INFO 300
Research Methods in Informatics (5 cr)
INFO 350
Information Ethics & Policy (5 cr)
INFO 201
Technical Foundations of Informatics (5 cr)
INFO 330
Databases & Data Modeling (5 cr)
INFO 340
Client-Side Development (5 cr)
INFO 360
Design Methods (4 cr)
Choose between CSE 123: Introduction to Computer Programming III (4 cr), CSE 143
Computer Programming II (5 cr) and CSE 163: Intermediate Data Programming (4 cr)
INFO Elective

Transfer students: senior year course schedule example

Autumn Winter Spring
INFO 380 *
Information Systems Analysis & Design (5 cr)

INFO 490 *

Capstone (4 cr)

INFO 491 *

Capstone (4 cr)

Choose between CSE 373, INFO 442 or INFO 443 (4-5 cr) ** INFO Elective INFO Elective
INFO Elective Elective Elective

* These courses are only offered during the quarters noted above.

** Choose one of these three options:

  • CSE 373: Data Structures & Algorithms (4 credits)
  • INFO 442: Cooperative Software Development (5 credits), not offered every quarter
  • INFO 443: Software Architecture (5 credits), not offered every quarter

More info

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News

Heather Whiteman

Fulbright fellowship backs Heather Whiteman's work in Guatemala

Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Guatemala is one of the few countries in Latin America that have recently gained strong exposure to the use of information systems and people data processes. Information School Assistant Teaching Professor Heather Whiteman recently...
Read more

IMLS awards $1.3 million to support iSchool-led research projects

Thursday, August 11, 2022
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently awarded a total of more than $1.3 million in funding for research projects led by faculty at the University of Washington Information School. The projects include efforts to help...
Read more

Events

Aug 25
 
5:00-6:00PM

Ph.D. in Information Science Information Session 

Zoom
Sep 1
 
3:00-4:00PM

Informatics Program Overview

online
Sep 12
 
6:00-7:00PM

MLIS Prospective Student Information Session

Zoom
Sep 20
 
5:30-6:30PM

FearLess, Tech More Innovation Challenge Information Session

Zoom
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