Information Science Minor
Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, College of Engineering
Program Description
A minor in information science is available to students in the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art, and Planning; Arts and Sciences; Engineering; Human Ecology; and the Schools of Hotel Administration, Industrial and Labor Relations, and Public Policy. Because of small differences in regulations between the colleges, the requirements may vary slightly, depending on a student’s college and, in a few cases, a student’s major. Students interested in pursuing the information science minor must initiate the process by sending an e-mail message with their name, college, year of study (e.g., second-semester sophomore), expected graduation date, (intended) major, and minor concentration selection to ISadvising@cornell.edu.
When all minor courses are finished, or during the final semester of study, students must complete the IS Minor Certification Form. Once the form has been processed, the IS Advising office will contact students to confirm certification.
Submission Deadline: If graduating in May or August, the form is due by 5/31. If graduating in December, the form is due by 12/31. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Minor Requirements
- A grade of C or higher is required for all classes counting towards the minor. S/U graded courses are not allowed.
- No class substitutions or petitions are allowed.
- No transfer credit or study abroad credits are accepted for the minor.
- Courses cannot count more than once within the minor.
- Due to high demand for courses among Bowers CIS majors (CS, IS/ISST, Stats), enrollment cannot be guaranteed for students pursuing the minor. Please see the Information Science Enrollment & Waitlist page for additional details regarding course enrollment.
- The IS minor is available to all students, in every undergraduate college at Cornell except those majoring in Information Science (IS) or Information Science, Systems, and Technology (ISST).
- Given the overlap of INFO courses in the IS Minor (Data Science concentration) and the Data Science Minor, students cannot declare both.
Program Requirements by College
Students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; College of Arts and Sciences; School of Brooks Public Policy; College of Human Ecology; and the Industrial and Labor Relation School must fulfill the below requirements to successfully complete the IS Minor.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | 1 Course | |
Concentration Courses | 3 Courses | |
Elective 1 | 2 Courses |
- 1
Elective courses can be from any concentration, including core requirements. INFO 1300 may count as an elective.
Students in the College of Engineering must fulfill the below requirements to successfully complete the IS Minor.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | 1 Course | |
Concentration Courses | 3 Courses | |
Elective 1 | 2 Courses |
- 1
Elective courses can be from any concentration, including core requirements. INFO 1300 Introductory Design and Programming for the Web may count as an elective.
Students in the Nolan School must fulfill the below requirements to successfully complete the IS Minor.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | 1 Course | |
Concentration Courses | 2 Courses | |
HADM 3740 | Fundamentals of Database Management and Data Analysis | 3 |
Elective 1 | 1 Course | |
Digital Business Strategy | ||
or HADM 4890 | The Law of the Internet and E-Commerce |
- 1
Elective courses can be from any concentration, including core requirements. INFO 1300 may count as an elective.
Program Requirements by Concentration
Behavioral Science
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 2450 | Communication and Technology | 3 |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
COMM 4380 | Communication in Virtual Worlds | 3 |
COMM 4940 | Special Topics in Communication | 1-3 |
CS 3780 | Introduction to Machine Learning | 4 |
CS 4740 | Natural Language Processing | 4 |
INFO 3200 | Technology, Behavior and Society | 3 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 3450 | Human-Computer Interaction Design | 3 |
INFO 3950 | Data Analytics for Information Science | 3 |
INFO 4100 | Learning Analytics | 3 |
INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4300 | Language and Information | 3 |
INFO 4350 | Conversations and Information | 3 |
INFO 4360 | Communication Networks and Social Capital | 3 |
INFO 4400 | Qualitative User Research and Design Methods | 3 |
INFO 4430 | Teams and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4450 | Computer-Mediated Communication | 3 |
INFO 4490 | Social Behavior and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4500 | Language and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4505 | Computing and Global Development | 3 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Applied Machine Learning: Methods and Applications | ||
How LLMs Work, Their Potential, and Limitations | ||
Law, Policy, and Politics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
Building Inclusive Computing Organizations | ||
PSYCH 3800 | Social Cognition | 3 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
Data Science
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 2950 | Introduction to Data Science | 4 |
or INFO 2951 | Introduction to Data Science with R | |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
COMM 3150 | Organizational Communication: Theory and Practice | 3 |
COMM 4860 | Risk Communication | 3 |
COMM 4940 | Special Topics in Communication | 1-3 |
Data and Technology for Organizing | ||
CS 3780 | Introduction to Machine Learning | 4 |
CS 4740 | Natural Language Processing | 4 |
ENGL 3778 | Free Speech, Censorship, and the Age of Global Media | 4 |
GOVT 3189 | Taking America's Pulse: Creating and Conducting a National Opinion Poll | 3-4 |
INFO 2770 | Excursions in Computational Sustainability | 3 |
INFO 3130 | Data and the State: How Governments See People and Places | 4 |
INFO 3200 | Technology, Behavior and Society | 3 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 3312 | Data Communication | 3 |
INFO 3350 | Text Mining History and Literature | 3 |
INFO 3370 | Studying Social Inequality Using Data Science | 3 |
INFO 3900 | Causal Inference | 3 |
INFO 3950 | Data Analytics for Information Science | 3 |
INFO 4100 | Learning Analytics | 3 |
INFO 4120 | Ubiquitous Computing | 3 |
INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | 3 |
INFO 4145 | Privacy and Security in the Data Economy | 3 |
INFO 4200 | Information Policy: Applied Research and Analysis | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4250 | Surveillance and Privacy | 3 |
INFO 4260 | Computing On Earth: Planetary Dimensions and Consequence of Computing | 3 |
INFO 4300 | Language and Information | 3 |
INFO 4310 | Interactive Information Visualization | 3 |
INFO 4350 | Conversations and Information | 3 |
INFO 4390 | Practical Principles for Designing Fair Algorithms | 3 |
INFO 4561 | Evaluation and Society | 4 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Advanced NLP for Humanities Research | ||
Applied Machine Learning: Methods and Applications | ||
Building Inclusive Computing Organizations | ||
How LLMs Work, Their Potential, and Limitations | ||
Law, Policy, and Politics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
U.S. Copyright Law | ||
ORIE 3120 | Practical Tools for Operations Research, Machine Learning and Data Science | 4 |
ORIE 3741 | Learning with Big Messy Data | 4 |
ORIE 4740 | Statistical Data Mining I | 4 |
PUBPOL 3460 | Culture, Law, and Politics of Information Policy | 3 |
SOC 3580 | Big Data on the Social World | 3 |
STSCI 3740 | Data Mining and Machine Learning | 4 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
Digital Culture and Production
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 3561 | Computing Cultures 1 | 4 |
or INFO 2921 | Inventing an Information Society | |
or INFO 3200 | Technology, Behavior and Society | |
or INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | |
or INFO 4260 | Computing On Earth: Planetary Dimensions and Consequence of Computing | |
or INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
ART 3705 | Media Arts, Performance, and Sound: Sound | 4 |
ARTH 4151 | Topics in Media Arts | 3 |
COML 3115 | 3 | |
CS 4620 | Introduction to Computer Graphics | 3 |
CS 4758 | Autonomous Mobile Robots | 3 |
INFO 2300 | Server-Side Web Development | 4 |
INFO 2310 | Interactive Web Development | 4 |
INFO 2921 | Inventing an Information Society | 3 |
INFO 3152 | Introduction to Computer Game Design | 4 |
INFO 3200 | Technology, Behavior and Society | 3 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 3450 | Human-Computer Interaction Design | 3 |
INFO 3660 | History and Theory of Digital Art | 3 |
INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | 3 |
INFO 4152 | Advanced Topics in Computer Game Design | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4260 | Computing On Earth: Planetary Dimensions and Consequence of Computing | 3 |
INFO 4320 | Introduction to Rapid Prototyping and Physical Computing | 4 |
INFO 4400 | Qualitative User Research and Design Methods | 3 |
INFO 4420 | Human Computer Interaction Studio | 4 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Clockwork: Infrastructure, Work, and Time | ||
Design Thinking, Media, and Community | ||
Human Centered Design and Engaged Media | ||
Law, Policy, and Politics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | ||
Producing Culture About, With, and Through Tech | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
U.S. Copyright Law | ||
STS 4040 | Digital Due Process Clinic | 4 |
- *
Number of required concentration courses is dependent on the student's college.
- 1
The below INFO 4940 topics can be used to fulfill the Core Requirement:
- Clockwork: Infrastructure
- Work, and Time
- Law, Policy, and Politics of AI
- U.S. Copyright Law
Information Ethics, Law, and Policy
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 1200 | Information Ethics, Law, and Policy | 3 |
or INFO 1260 | Choices and Consequences in Computing | |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
COMM 4940 | Special Topics in Communication | 1-3 |
Human-Algorithm Behavior | ||
HADM 4890 | The Law of the Internet and E-Commerce | 3 |
INFO 2921 | Inventing an Information Society | 3 |
INFO 3200 | Technology, Behavior and Society | 3 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 3350 | Text Mining History and Literature | 3 |
INFO 3370 | Studying Social Inequality Using Data Science | 3 |
INFO 4100 | Learning Analytics | 3 |
INFO 4113 | Technology and Law Colloquium | 3 |
INFO 4120 | Ubiquitous Computing | 3 |
INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | 3 |
INFO 4145 | Privacy and Security in the Data Economy | 3 |
INFO 4200 | Information Policy: Applied Research and Analysis | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4250 | Surveillance and Privacy | 3 |
INFO 4260 | Computing On Earth: Planetary Dimensions and Consequence of Computing | 3 |
INFO 4300 | Language and Information | 3 |
INFO 4301 | Ethics in New Media, Technology, and Communication | 3 |
INFO 4350 | Conversations and Information | 3 |
INFO 4390 | Practical Principles for Designing Fair Algorithms | 3 |
INFO 4561 | Evaluation and Society | 4 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Clockwork: Infrastructure, Work, and Time | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
U.S. Copyright Law | ||
Law, Policy, and Politics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | ||
PUBPOL 2300 | Introduction to Policy Analysis | 4 |
or PUBPOL 2301 | Introduction to Public Policy | |
PUBPOL 3460 | Culture, Law, and Politics of Information Policy | 3 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
Interactive Technologies
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 4120 | Ubiquitous Computing | 3 |
or INFO 4320 | Introduction to Rapid Prototyping and Physical Computing | |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
CS 3780 | Introduction to Machine Learning | 4 |
CS 4620 | Introduction to Computer Graphics | 3 |
CS 4758 | Autonomous Mobile Robots | 3 |
CS 5150 | Software Engineering | 4 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 4120 | Ubiquitous Computing | 3 |
INFO 4152 | Advanced Topics in Computer Game Design | 3 |
INFO 4310 | Interactive Information Visualization | 3 |
INFO 4320 | Introduction to Rapid Prototyping and Physical Computing | 4 |
INFO 4340 | App Design and Prototyping | 3 |
INFO 4410 | Re-Designing Robots | 3 |
INFO 4430 | Teams and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4505 | Computing and Global Development | 3 |
INFO 4555 | Business Intelligence Systems | 4 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Human-AI Interaction Design Research | ||
Producing Culture About, With, and Through Tech | ||
ORIE 3120 | Practical Tools for Operations Research, Machine Learning and Data Science | 4 |
ORIE 3741 | Learning with Big Messy Data | 4 |
ORIE 4740 | Statistical Data Mining I | 4 |
STSCI 3740 | Data Mining and Machine Learning | 4 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
Networks, Crowds, and Markets
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 2024 | ||
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
COMM 3150 | Organizational Communication: Theory and Practice | 3 |
COMM 4940 | Special Topics in Communication | 1-3 |
Human-Algorithm Behavior | ||
CS 3780 | Introduction to Machine Learning | 4 |
CS 4740 | Natural Language Processing | 4 |
ECON 3120 | Applied Econometrics | 4 |
ECON 3140 | Econometrics | 4 |
ECON 3810 | Decision Theory I | 3 |
ECON 4020 | Game Theory I | 3 |
ECON 4022 | 3 | |
ECON 4022 | 3 | |
ECON 4610 | Industrial Organization I | 3 |
ECON 4660 | Behavioral Economics | 4 |
INFO 3300 | Visual Data Analytics for the Web | 3 |
INFO 3950 | Data Analytics for Information Science | 3 |
INFO 4140 | Law, Policy, and Politics of Cybersecurity | 3 |
INFO 4145 | Privacy and Security in the Data Economy | 3 |
INFO 4200 | Information Policy: Applied Research and Analysis | 3 |
INFO 4220 | Networks II: Market Design | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4250 | Surveillance and Privacy | 3 |
INFO 4300 | Language and Information | 3 |
INFO 4350 | Conversations and Information | 3 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Applied Machine Learning: Methods and Applications | ||
Law, Policy, and Politics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) | ||
Social Dynamics and Network Analytics | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
U.S. Copyright Law | ||
INFO 4360 | Communication Networks and Social Capital | 3 |
ORIE 4350 | Introduction to Game Theory | 4 |
PUBPOL 3460 | Culture, Law, and Politics of Information Policy | 3 |
SOC 3080 | Social Networks and Power | 3 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
User Experience
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Requirement | ||
INFO 2450 | Communication and Technology | 3 |
Concentration Courses * | 2-3 Courses | |
COMM 4380 | Communication in Virtual Worlds | 3 |
CS 5150 | Software Engineering | 4 |
INFO 2921 | Inventing an Information Society | 3 |
INFO 3152 | Introduction to Computer Game Design 1 | 4 |
INFO 3450 | Human-Computer Interaction Design | 3 |
INFO 4125 | Project Management | 3 |
INFO 4152 | Advanced Topics in Computer Game Design 1 | 3 |
INFO 4240 | Designing Technology for Social Impact | 4 |
INFO 4310 | Interactive Information Visualization | 3 |
INFO 4320 | Introduction to Rapid Prototyping and Physical Computing | 4 |
INFO 4340 | App Design and Prototyping | 3 |
INFO 4400 | Qualitative User Research and Design Methods | 3 |
INFO 4410 | Re-Designing Robots | 3 |
INFO 4420 | Human Computer Interaction Studio | 4 |
INFO 4430 | Teams and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4450 | Computer-Mediated Communication | 3 |
INFO 4490 | Social Behavior and Technology | 3 |
INFO 4505 | Computing and Global Development | 3 |
INFO 4940 | Special Topics in Information Science | 1-4 |
Clockwork: Infrastructure, Work, and Time | ||
Design Thinking, Media, and Community | ||
Designing AI Products & Services | ||
Human-AI Interaction Design Research | ||
Technology and Social Change Practicum | ||
PSYCH 3420 | Human Perception: Application to Computer Graphics, Art, and Visual Display | 3 |
- *
Number of required Concentration Courses is dependent on the student's college.
- 1
Cross-listed courses may count towards the IS Minor with the exception of INFO 3152 Introduction to Computer Game Design and INFO 4152 Advanced Topics in Computer Game Design. The INFO listing of those two courses must be taken in order to be applied towards the minor.
Graduation Requirements for Engineering Minor Degree Programs
Requirements
Students may pursue minors in any department in any college that offers them, subject to limitations placed by the department offering the minor or by the students' major. Completed minors will appear on the student's transcript. Not all departments offer minors. Additional information on specific minors can be found above, in the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook, in the undergraduate major office of the department or school offering the minor, and in Engineering Advising.
An engineering minor recognizes formal study of a particular subject area in engineering normally outside the major. Students undertaking a minor are expected to complete the requirements during the time of their continuous undergraduate enrollment at Cornell. Completing the requirements for an engineering minor (along with a major) may require more than the traditional eight semesters at Cornell. However, courses that fulfill minor requirements may also satisfy other degree requirements (e.g., distribution courses, advisor-approved, or major-approved electives), and completion within eight semesters is possible.
An engineering minor requires:
- successful completion of all requirements for an undergraduate degree.
- enrollment in a major that approves participation in the minor.
- satisfactory completion of six courses (at least 18 credits) in a college-approved minor.
Students may apply for certification of a minor at any time after the required course work has been completed in accordance with published standards. An official notation of certification of a minor appears on the Cornell transcript following graduation.