Getting Started
College: CICS
Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.
How to Explore the Major
Current students in the university interested in pursuing a BS in informatics are encouraged to explore the requirements for transferring into the major. Students interested in Informatics may develop competency by taking entry-level informatics courses of INFO 101, CICS 110, and INFO 150.
Suggested General Education Courses
All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience. Informatics majors exploring the Health and Life Sciences concentration are required to take an ethics course. Some acceptable ethics courses also fulfill gen ed requirements.
Suggested Major and Pre-Requisite Courses
Students can start to gain familiarity with informatics by taking INFO 101, and CICS 110. Further, they can gain a foundation in the math and statistics required for informatics by taking INFO 150 and STATS 240 (or equivalent).
How to Declare/Change into the Major
For current & admitted students: This major is restricted, which means students must apply through an on-campus process to be accepted into the major. The majors may have criteria for admission/acceptance into the major (e.g., specific courses, GPA)
Current students can apply to enter the BS informatics major. More details about the program can be found on the website: https://www.cics.umass.edu/informatics. Successful applicants demonstrate competency in entry-level informatics courses: INFO 150 and CICS 110. Further, the applicant must submit a personal statement of no more than 500 words on how they propose to combine their interest in computing with a different (non-computing) domain.
Students are welcome to reapply in subsequent semesters, keeping in mind that applications may be denied if there will not be adequate time for completion of the major. At all points in the application process, students should register for courses that contribute to their case for competency---consult with the Informatics Program Professional Advisor, Peer Advisors, or Directors with questions (informatics@cics.umass.edu).
Deadlines and application forms are available on the website: https://www.cics.umass.edu/ugrad-education/joining-informatics-major.
Summary of Requirements for the Major
Minimum total # of credits or range of credits required: 83-86 as follows:
Nine core courses, three or four concentration courses, six required electives, an ethics requirement for the HLS concentration, courses to satisfy the general education requirements, Integrative Experience, and Junior Year Writing. Refer to the Major page in the left menu bar to learn more.
Is there a minor?
No. Currently there is no Informatics minor.
For further information, contact:
Michelle Trim, Informatics Program Director
Computer Science Building, Main Office: Rm. 100; 545-2744
Email: informatics@cics.umass.edu
Web: https://www.cics.umass.edu/informatics