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Electives and Suggested Concentrations

Electives and Suggested Concentrations

Approved Electives

Below are the UNC courses that have been approved as electives for the undergraduate program. BSIS students are encouraged to take a diversity of elective courses in data, technology, and people.

Please note: Some courses may be restricted by department and reserved for students in those programs. Students not in those programs should seek unrestricted courses.

Approved Electives

 

Elective Courses

  • Any INLS course above 200 that is not a core requirement or prerequisite.
  • APPL 101 – Exploring Engineering
  • BIOS 511 – Introduction to Statistical Computing and Data Management
  • BUSI 410 – Business Analytics
  • BUSI 520 – Advanced Spreadsheet Modeling for Business
  • COMM 120 – Introduction to Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
  • COMM 140 – Introduction to Media History, Theory, and Criticism
  • COMM 150 – Introduction to New Media
  • COMM 431 – Advanced Audio Production
  • COMM 450 – Media and Popular Culture
  • COMM 544 – Electronically Mediated Communication and Information Machines
  • COMM 636 – Interactive Media
  • COMP 126 – Practical Web Design and Development for Everyone
  • COMP 210 (410) – Data Structures
  • COMP 211 – Systems Fundamentals
  • COMP 283 – Discrete Structures
  • COMP 301 (401) – Foundation of Programming
  • COMP 311 (411) – Computer Organization
  • COMP 380 – Computers and Society
  • COMP 416 – Intro to WWW Programming
  • COMP 421 – Files and Databases
  • COMP 426 – Advanced WWW Programming
  • COMP 431 – Internet Services and Protocols
  • ECON 400 – Introduction to Statistics and Econometrics
  • ECON 470 – Econometrics
  • ENGL 117 – Arguing on the Internet: Rhetoric in the Age of Social Media
  • ENGL 482 – Metadata, Mark-up, and Mapping: Understanding the Rhetoric of Digital Humanities
  • GEOG 215 – Introduction to Spatial Data Science
  • GEOG 370 – Introduction to Geographic Information
  • GEOG 477 – Introduction to Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing
  • GEOG 491 – Introduction to GIS
  • GEOG 591 – Applied Issues in Geographic Information Systems
  • MATH 381 – Discrete Mathematics
  • MEJO 182 – Foundations of Graphic Design
  • MEJO 187 – Foundations of Interactive Media
  • MEJO 433 – UX Strategy and Design
  • MEJO 445 – Process and Effects of Mass Communication
  • MEJO 482 – Media Design
  • MEJO 484 – Information Graphics
  • MEJO 487 – Intermediate Interactive Media
  • MEJO 581 – User Experience Design and Usability
  • MEJO 582 – Advanced Documentary Video Storytelling
  • MEJO 583 – Advanced Interactive Media
  • MEJO 585 – 3D Design Studio
  • MUSC 239 – Introduction to Music Technology
  • PHIL 143 – AI and the Future of Humanity: Philosophical Issues about Technology and Human Survival
  • PHYS 633 – Scientific Programming
  • PLCY 460 – Quantitative Analysis for Public Policy
  • POLI 281 – Data in Politics I: An Introduction
  • PSYC 180 – Social Media, Technology, and the Adolescent Brain
  • PSYC 210 – Statistical Principles of Psychological Research
  • PSYC 230 – Cognitive Psychology
  • PSYC 330 – Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • SOCI 318 – Computational Sociology
  • STOR 120 – Foundations of Statistics and Data Science
  • STOR 151 – Introduction to Data Analysis
  • STOR 155 – Introduction to Data Models and Inference
  • STOR 215 – Foundations of Decision Analytics
  • STOR 305 – Decision Making Using Spreadsheet Models
  • STOR 320 – Introduction to Data Science
  • STOR 435 – Introduction to Probability
  • STOR 455 – Methods of Data Analysis
  • STOR 565 – Machine Learning

 

Elective Petition
The above electives have already been approved by the SILS Undergraduate Committee. Any course offering in any department related to the study of information science can be considered as a potential elective subject to be reviewed by the Undergraduate Program Director. If you would like to petition for an elective, please fill out the elective petition

Suggested Concentrations

The SILS Undergraduate Committee has devised several concentrations for Bachelor of Science in Information Science (BSIS) students based on clusters of electives in particular areas.

Please remember these are only suggestions, not requirements. They are meant to serve as a guide.

Data Analysis

Focusing on techniques for gathering and analyzing data to observe trends and make decisions.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 202 – Retrieval and Organizing Systems
  • INLS 384 – Information and Computer Ethics
  • INLS 625 – Information Analytics
  • INLS 641 – Visual Analytics

Related SILS Courses

  • INLS 512 – Applications of Natural Language Processing
  • INLS 541 – Information Visualization
  • INLS 613 – Text Mining

Related External Courses

  • STOR 215 – Foundations of Decision Sciences
  • STOR 435 – Introduction to Probability
  • STOR 565 – Machine Learning
Data Storage & Retrieval

Focusing on the design, development, and administration of systems for storing and retrieving data.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 202 – Retrieval and Organizing Systems
  • INLS 572 – Web Development I
  • INLS 623 – Database Systems II: Intermediate Databases (strongly recommended)
  • INLS 625 – Information Analytics

Related SILS Courses

  • INLS 509 – Information Retrieval
  • INLS 520 – Organization of Information
  • INLS 566 – Information Assurance
  • INLS 576 – Distributed Systems and Administration
  • INLS 620 – Web Information Organization
  • INLS 626 – Introduction to Big Data and NoSQL
  • INLS 760 – Web Databases

Related External Courses

  • COMP 401 – Foundation of Programming
  • COMP 410 – Data Structures
Digital Cultural Heritage

Focusing on collecting, preserving, and providing access to digitized and born-digital culture heritage. A minor in a humanities discipline or double major is strongly recommended.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 202 – Retrieval and Organizing Systems
  • INLS 465 – Understanding Information Technology for Managing Digital Collections
  • INLS 541 – Information Visualization
  • INLS 620 – Web Information Organization

Related SILS Courses

  • INLS 512 – Applications of Natural Language Processing
  • INLS 520 – Organization of Information
  • INLS 554 – Cultural Institutions
  • INLS 561 – Digital Forensics for Curation of Digital Collections
  • INLS 572 – Web Development
  • INLS 700 – Scholarly Communication
  • INLS 720 – Metadata Architectures and Applications
  • INLS 740 – Digital Libraries

Related External Courses

  • HIST 671 – Introduction to Public History
  • ENGL 674 – Digital Literature
  • ENGL 676 – Digital Editing & Curation
Geographic Information Systems

Focusing on the collection, management, and use of geospatial data, such as satellite imagery or recordings made by environmental sensor networks.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 202 – Retrieval and Organizing Systems
  • INLS 623 – Database Systems II: Intermediate Databases
  • GEOG 491 – Introduction to GIS
  • GEOG 591 – Applied Issues in Geographic Information Systems
Human-Computer Interaction Design

Focusing on the design, implementation, and evaluation of interfaces for computer systems.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 203 – Human Information Behavior
  • INLS 418 – Human Factors in System Design
  • INLS 572 – Web Development
  • PSYC 210 – Statistical Principles of Psychological Research

Related SILS Courses

  • INLS 520 – Organization of Information
  • INLS 582 – Systems Analysis
  • INLS 718 – User Interface Design
  • INLS 719 – Usability Testing and Evaluation

Related External Courses

  • PSYC 230, Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
  • PSYC 330, Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • COMP 401, Foundation of Programming
Web Design

Focusing on the design and implementation of communicative media for the Web. Students interested in this concentration should consider the minor in media and journalism with a specialization in visual communication.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 418 – Human Factors in System Design
  • INLS 541 – Information Visualization
  • INLS 572 – Web Development
  • INLS 718 – User Interface Design

Related SILS Courses

  • MEJO 182 – Introduction to Graphic Design
  • MEJO 187 – Introduction to Interactive Media
  • MEJO 484 – Information Graphics
  • MEJO 581 – Multimedia Design
  • MEJO 583, Multimedia Programming and Production
  • MEJO 585, 3D Design Studio
  • MEJO 586, Intermediate Interactive Media
  • COMM 150, Introduction to New Media
  • COMM 636, Interactive Media
Preparation for Graduate Study

Focusing on preparation for a graduate program in information science or related areas. Graduate admissions committees tend to look more favorably on applicants who have knowledge of an area in addition to information science. Therefore, a minor in another discipline or a double major is highly recommended.

Suggested Elective Courses

  • INLS 202 – Retrieval and Organizing Systems
  • INLS 203 – Human Information Behavior
  • INLS 393 – Information Science Internship
  • INLS 418 – Human Factors in System Design
  • INLS 691H – Honors Research Methods in Information Science
  • INLS 692H – Honors Thesis

Benjamin LevineQuestions?

Contact Assistant Director of Programs and Advising Benjamin Levine at bjlevine@unc.edu or 919-962-8366.