UNLV Informatics

Master of Science in Informatics

The objective of the M.S. in Informatics is to provide graduates with a balanced mix of theoretical and practical knowledge of Informatics.  Graduates will be capable of assisting organizations of all sizes in leveraging information technology in other disciplines.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program may be granted for either the Fall or Spring semester.  Admission requirements include:

1. A completed Application for Admission to the Graduate College.
    
2. Completion of a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, information science or one of the cognate areas.
    
3. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a 3.25 for the last 2 years of undergraduate work is required.


4. A personal "statement of purpose", which should be as specific as possible, and should include the applicants objectives and area(s) of interest, is required.


5. Completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with scores forwarded to UNLV.
    
6. TOEFL minimums of 213 (Computer), 550 (paper), 80 (Internet).  Enrollment is limited and competitive.  Applicants must have excellent command of spoken and written English.
    
7. Three letters of recommendation from former instructors or employers that address the applicant's potential as a graduate student in the informatics area.
    
8. Submission of academic transcript.

Degree Requirements

The degree is comprised of 36 credits of coursework.  Fifteen (15) credits comprise an essential set of core courses.  Fifteen (15) credits address elective topics or pre-approved courses from cognate areas.  Students must complete INF 790 Informatics project and INF 792 Informatics internship.

The informatics core courses include:

• INF 700 Theoretical Foundations of Informatics
• INF 710 Informatics Systems and Networks
• INF 720 Information Security
• INF 730 Human Computer Interaction
• INF 740 Digital Media Design, Technology and Representation

Students must meet a minimum 3.0 GPA for graduation.  Students must also agree to abide by the Association for Computing Machinery's "Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct" for computing professionals.

Sample Curriculum

The following describes a typical course sequence for the Master of Science degree along with their catalog descriptions.

FALL YEAR 1

INF700 Theoretical Foundations of Informatics

Overview of theoretical concepts in informatics, including first-order logic, computability theory, complexity theory, graph theory, sets and relations, combinatorial math, and statistics. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

INF710
Informatics Systems and Networks (core, 3 cr.)
In-depth study of various types of information systems and networks. Topics include: types of information systems; data and knowledge management; computer networks and the Internet; wireless and mobile network; e-business and e-commerce; network management. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

COG7XX
Cognate or Informatics Elective Course 1 (3cr)

SPRING YEAR 1

INF720
Information Security (core, 3 cr.)
Overview of the principles and the technologies behind information security. Topics include: risks and vulnerabilities; principles of information security; encryption; security mechanisms in information systems; administration of information security, information crime, and legal and ethical issues. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

INF730
Human Computer Interaction (core, 3 cr.)
This course covers the fundamental concepts and techniques for design, implementation, and evaluation of human computer interfaces. Topics include Foundations of Human computer interaction, design and implementation techniques for graphical user interfaces, evaluation techniques, and different interface models. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

COG7XX
Cognate or Informatics Elective Course 2 (3 cr.)

FALL YEAR 2

INF740
Digital Media Design, Technology and Representation (core, 3 cr.)
This course covers principles of design to visualize new media concepts in any medium. Students are exposed to new and emerging digital media technologies and applications. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

COG7XX
Cognate or Informatics Elective Course 3 (3 cr.)

COG7XX
Cognate or Informatics Elective Course 4 (3 cr.)

SPRING YEAR 2

INF790
Informatics Project (3 cr)
Advanced project in informatics. May be repeated, but only three credits will be applied to the student's program. Prerequisites: Graduate standing and INF 700.

COG7XX
Cognate or Informatics Elective Course 5 (3 cr)

INF/COG792
Internship (3 cr)
Supervised internship in business, industry, government, or educational institution providing experience to use skills and knowledge acquired in informatics course work. Prerequisites: Graduate standing and INF 700.