INFORMATION SCIENCES
Interdisciplinary Major or Minor - www.uwgb.edu/infosci
OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM:
The central organizing concept of this major is information, its structures in verbal, visual, and quantitative forms; its storage, processing, and communication by both machines and people.
The curriculum for Information Science ranges across several disciplines, all of which are represented in the core requirements: computing, linguistics, communication theory, mathematics, data and information technologies, organizational communication and management, and language. A goal of the program is to train students to conceptualize and solve information problems.
Career paths for Information Sciences graduates are changing rapidly and UW-Green Bay graduates report that the breadth of this program has been important to them. Some have essentially created their own positions. Graduates have pursued advanced studies in areas such as computer science and artificial intelligence. Others have entered a wide variety of jobs directly after graduation in the computing, management, and communications fields. Programming, advertising, marketing, sales, and systems analysis are some of their career areas.
WHO SHOULD HAVE THIS MAJOR:
- THE CHIC GEEK. Students must have a tolerance or enjoyment for working with computers and sorting through large amounts of information.
- THE SHERLOCK IN YOU. This field is heavily grounded in research and investigation. Students must therefore have a certain curiosity and determination for discovering information.
- BE A TEAM PLAYER. Good communication skills (oral, written, and visual) are a must for this field, as often people work within a team environment within the work setting.
- FALL DOWN & GET UP. Students must be persistent in this field, and willing to encounter trial and error. Failure to find the information you need is common, and students must get back up and keep trying!
WHO SHOULD HAVE THIS MINOR:
The minor in Information Sciences focuses on information problems, information technologies, and information structures. It can be structured with or without programming skills. Some common majors that minor in Information Sciences are Computer Science and Business Administration.
WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS MAJOR AT UWGB:
- THE REAL WORLD. Many of the courses in Information Sciences are project oriented, where students work toward a specific goal. There are also opportunities for internships and practica (mini-internship), where students gain valuable practical experience. Employers highly value real experience (beyond the classroom) in candidates!
- CUSTOM FIT. In addition, each student negotiates an individual area of application. This requirement is an opportunity to apply information principles to a particular problem area or to gain further tools for some specific career direction. These emphases include Information Systems, Organizational Communications, Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations.
- COME TOGETHER. Students complete an advanced information problems capstone course which integrates knowledge and skills acquired in the major
- SHOW, DON’T TELL. To assist in their career pursuits, students build a portfolio of their work examples to show prospective employers or as part of graduate school admissions.
- THE ONE & ONLY. The Information Sciences program at UW-Green Bay is the only one like it in the state of Wisconsin. This is the only place to get this education!
SKILLS & ABILITIES GAINED WITH THIS MAJOR:
Computers represent a significant dimension of this major, but students also are expected to be thoroughly grounded in human language, cognition, and communication. This insures against narrow technical preparation, which leads to rapid obsolescence in a rapidly changing field, and it prepares students to make the most creative and useful applications of information technologies.
Students also gain many skills handling, compiling, and manipulating data and information. Many analytical skills are demonstrated by students, as they learn to interpret and evaluate the information the compile. Finally, students learn to package and present the information, which is perhaps the most important aspect of the process.
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS MAJOR :
The following list represents a few of the kinds of career titles for Information Science majors:
Systems Analyst, Creative Director on a multimedia team, Information Processing Specialist, Programmer/Analyst, Software Engineer, Product Marketing Manager, Quality Assurance Engineer, Reliability Engineer, Test Engineer, Computer Animator, Local Area Network (LAN) Administrator, Network Manager, Web Designer, Professor, Teacher...
The following list represents a few of the businesses and institutions that employ Information Science majors:
Banks, Colleges and Universities, Computer Manufacturers, Transportation Agencies, Research Laboratories, Accounting Firms, Legal Firms, Consulting Agencies, Aerospace Industry, Insurance Companies, Software Developers, Local/State/Federal Government, Manufacturing Plants, Retail Stores...
Want to know more about the nature of the work, working conditions, earnings, training, and job outlook? Then check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook @ http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm
LINKS TO GRAD PROGRAMS:
- Graduate School Guide. The comprehensive on-line guide to doctoral, masters, and professional programs. http://www.schoolguides.com
- Gradschools.com. The most comprehensive online source of Graduate School Information. http://www.gradschools.com/
- Peterson’s.com. The most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resource on the web. http://www.petersons.com/
Or you can try any of the popular search engine sites for information on the graduate school program of your choice! LINKS TO WEB SITES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- IEEE Computer Society , Headquarters Office, 1730 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036-1992. Homepage @ http://www.computer.org/
- Association for Women in Computing. Promoting the advancement of women in the computing professions. Homepage @ http://www.awc-hq.org/
- ComputerWorld Careers. Homepage @ http://www.computerworld.com/careers
- Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP), 2200 East Devon Ave., Suite 268, Des Plaines, IL 60018. Homepage @ http://www.iccp.org
LINKS FOR MORE HELP:
- For course listings and descriptions for INFORMATION SCIENCES and other disciplines, check out UW-Green Bay’s Programs of Study page @ http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/programs.htm
- More help is available on-campus at the Career Services Office at SS 1600, 465-2163. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/careers
- Contact Academic Advising at SS 1600, 465-2362. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/advising
- Another service for UW System students on the Web is UW HELP On-Line. This service provides in-depth information on the programs of the UW System. You can find them at @ http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu