Skip banner and search formSkip to main navigationSkip to secondary navigationSkip to main contentSkip to footer links
 more options
ENG_header_graphic_1

Information Science, Systems, and Technology

[ Return to Contents ]

Major: Information Science, Systems, and Technology


Offered by: Department of Computer Science
(Information Science Option)
303 Upson Hall, 255.9837, www.infosci.cornell.edu/ugrad
and
School of Operations Research and Information Engineering
(Management Science Option)
202 Rhodes Hall, 255.5088, www.infosci.cornell.edu/ugrad

Program Objectives

The ISST Major studies the design and management of complex information systems. Rather than focusing on the computing and communication technologies that underlie digital information systems, the ISST Major emphasizes information systems engineering in broad application contexts, where issues at the confluence of information science, technology, and management are the primary concerns. The core courses in the field provide students with grounding in operations research modeling techniques of probability, statistics, and optimization; computer science; economics; and the social and organizational contexts in which transformative information systems exist. Students then choose one of two options: Management Science (MS) or Information Science (IS).

The Management Science option educates students in methods for quantitative decision-making and their application to information technology, as well as the broader role that information technology plays in making these methods effective. Management Science students take advanced courses in mathematical models in management science, information systems, mathematical modeling in IT, and information technology management solutions.

The Information Science option educates students in methods for the creation, representation, organization, access, and analysis of information in digital form. Students who choose the Information Science option take classes in information systems, mathematical modeling in IT, human-centered systems, and social systems.

Note: All courses used toward the ISST Major must be taken for a letter grade.

The Major requires ENGRD 270: Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics as an Engineering Distribution course. CS 211 is required by the Major and it is recommended that it be taken as an engineering distribution course.

The Major has seven (7) additional required courses in three areas: probability, statistics, optimization (two courses); information systems (three courses); and economic, organizational, and social context (two courses).

Students then complete the Major by specializing in either the Management Science option or the Information Science option (seven advanced courses); and by taking two Major-approved courses (The set of Major-approved elective courses is the same for both specialization options, and contains all the courses listed in the six areas below. In addition, students may choose to take INFO 490: Independent Reading and Research, as one of their Major-approved elective courses.)

Engineering Distributions

ENGRD 211: Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structures (required by the Major; recommended as a distribution course)

ENGRD 270: Basic Engineering Probability and Statistics (required)

Required Major Courses

OR&IE 320: Optimization I

OR&IE 360: Engineering Probability and Statistics II

INFO 230: Intermediate Design and Programming for the Web

OR&IE 311: Information Systems and Analysis

INFO 330: Data-Driven Web Applications

ECON 301: Microeconomics
or
ECON 313: Intermediate Microeconomic Theory

ILROB 175: Behaviors, Values, and Performance
or
INFO 245: Psychology of Social Computing
or
ENGRC 335: Communications for Engineering Managers

Information Science Option

Three courses from Information Systems (Area II below)

One course from Mathematical Modeling in Information Technology (Area III below)

Three elective courses: Students must choose either Human-Centered Systems (Area V) or Social Systems (Area VI) and take all elective courses from that area.

Management Science Option

The four courses in Mathematical Models in Management Science (Area I)

Three elective courses, one from each of

•    Information Systems (Area II)
•    Mathematical Modeling in Information Technology (Area III)
•    Information Technology Management Solutions (Area IV)

Area I. Mathematical Models in Management Science

OR&IE 350: Financial and Managerial Accounting

OR&IE 361: Introductory Engineering Stochastic Processes I

OR&IE 480: Information Technology

OR&IE 580: Monte Carlo Simulation

Area II. Information Systems

CS 419: Computer Networks

INFO 430: Information Retrieval

INFO 431: Web Information Systems

CS 432: Introduction to Database Systems

CS 465: Introduction to Computer Graphics

CS 472: Foundations of Artificial Intelligence

CS 474: Introduction to Natural Language Processing

CS 501: Software Engineering

CS 513: System Security

INFO 530: The Architecture of Large-Scale Information Systems

CS 578: Empirical Methods in Machine Learning and Data Mining

Area III. Mathematical Modeling in Information Technology

INFO 372: Explorations in Artificial Intelligence

OR&IE 431: Discrete Models

OR&IE 474: Statistical Data Mining I

CS 478: Machine Learning

OR&IE 483: Applications of Operations Research and Game Theory to Information Technology

ECE 562: Fundamental Information Theory

Area IV. Information Technology Management Solutions

OR&IE 481: Delivering OR Solutions with Information Technology

OR&IE 518: Supply Chain Management

Area V. Human-Centered Systems

PSYCH 342a: Human Perceptions: Applications to Computer Graphics, Art, and Visual Display

INFO 345: Human–Computer Interaction Design

PSYCH 347: Psychology of Visual Communications

PSYCH 380a: Social Cognition

PSYCH 413: Information Processing: Conscious and Nonconscious

PSYCH 416a: Modeling Perception and Cognition

INFO 440: Advanced Human–Computer Interaction Design

INFO 445: Seminar in Computer-Mediated Communication

INFO 450: Language and Technology

DEA 470: Applied Ergonomic Methods

Area VI. Social Systems

SOC 304: Social Networks and Social Processes

AEM 322b: Information Technology Strategy

INFO 320: New Media and Society

INFO 349: Media Technologies

INFO 366: History and Theory of Digital Art

INFO 355: Computers: From the 17th Century to the Dot.com Boom

INFO 356: Computing Cultures

ECON 368b: Game Theory

INFO 387: The Automatic Lifestyle: Consumer Culture and Technology

S&TS 411: Knowledge, Technology, and Property

INFO 415: Environmental Interventions

ECON 419: Economic Decisions Under Uncertainty

INFO 429: Copyright in the Digital Age

INFO 435: Seminar on Applications of Information Science

OR&IE 435b: Introduction to Game Theory

INFO 444: Responsive Environments

INFO 447: Social and Economic Data

H ADM 474b: Strategic Information Systems

H ADM 489: The Law of the Internet and e-Commerce

INFO 515: Culture, Law, and Politics of the Internet

undefined

Information Science, Systems, and Technology Check List

 Minimum Credit Hours √ When Done
MATH 1914
MATH 1924
MATH 2944
MATH 293 or 304 or CS 2803 or 4
CHEM 209 or 2154
PHYS 112 (or 116)4
PHYS 213 (or 217)4
PHYS 214 (or 218 or CHEM 208 or 216)4
CS 100 and 1015
Introduction to Engineering: (ENGRI 1XX)3
Engineering Distribution 1: ENGRD 2703
Engineering Distribution 2: CS 211c3
First-Year Writing Seminar 1d3
First-Year Writing Seminar 23❑ 
Liberal Studies Distributione—six courses (18-credit minimum)  
     Liberal Studies 1 
     Liberal Studies 2
 
     Liberal Studies 3 
     Liberal Studies 4
 
     Liberal Studies 5
 
     Liberal Studies 6 
Advisor Approved Elective (two courses; 6-credit minimum) 
Advisor Approved Elective 
Physical Education (two semesters) and swim test





Required Major Courses (52-credit minimum)f  



OR&IE 3203
OR&IE 3604
INFO 2303
OR&IE 3114
INFO 3303
ECON 301 or ECON 3133
INFO 245 or ILROB 175 or ENGRC 3353
Information Science/Management Science
  Option (nine course, 27-credit minimum)
  
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Specialization Elective3/4
     Major-approved Elective3/4
     Major-approved Elective3/4
Total Required Credits128 minimum
 

Notes

a.    Students who take PSYCH 342 or 416 may also count their prerequisite, PSYCH 205: Perception or PSYCH 214: Cognitive Psychology, toward the Human-Centered Systems requirement. Students who take PSYCH 380 may also count PSYCH 280: Introduction to Social Psychology toward the Human-Centered Systems requirement. At most one of these 200-level prerequisites can be counted.

b.    Only one of OR&IE 435 and ECON 368 can be taken for ISST credit. Only one of AEM 322 and H ADM 574 can be taken for ISST credit.

c.    In addition to the first-year writing seminars, a technical writing course must be taken as an engineering distribution, liberal studies, approved elective, or Major course. ENGRC 335 is recommended as a technical writing course for ISST Majors.

d.    CS 211 is required by the Major and it is recommended that this course be counted as an engineering distribution course

e.    The six courses must be chosen from at least three of the following six groups: (1) Cultural Analysis (CA), (2) Historical Analysis (HA), (3) Literature and the Arts (LA), (4) Knowledge, Cognition, and Moral Reasoning (KCM), (5) Social and Behavioral Analysis (SBA), (6) Foreign Languages (not literature courses). At least two of the six courses must be at 200-level or higher.

f.    Nine credits of Major-complementary courses are required to be outside of the INFO rubric. These include one of ECON 301 or 313; one of INFO 245, ILROB 175 or ENGRC 335; and one additional course that is not an INFO course and is listed in the ISST degree requirements web page (www.infosci.cornell.edu/ugrad/ISSTRequirements.htm).

This engineering check list is formatted to conform to the general specifications of the College of Engineering. We strongly recommend that you visit 303 Upson Hall for an official ISST Major check list. This information can also be obtained by visiting the Information Science web site (www.infosci.cornell.edu/ugrad/).

[ Return to Contents ]
Intranet | Library | Site Map | Contact Us