Bulletin 2000-2002

School of Informatics
New Media Program 		Mary Cable Building (SI) Room 115
525 North  Blackford Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
(317) 278-7666
School of Informatics Website

The Master of Science Degrees

Given the rapid and apparently unlimited growth of this new field at all levels of competence, each of the master’s degree programs serves students who need education in the use of information technologies to enhance their job performance or employment prospects.

The School of Informatics offers five master’s degrees:

Master of Science in Bioinformatics
Master of Science in Chemical Informatics
Master of Science in Health Informatics
Master of Science in Human Computer Interaction
Master of Science in Media Arts and Science (see the “Media Arts and Science” section in this bulletin for policies, regulations, and requirements)

Bioinformatics, Chemical Informatics, Health Informatics, and Human Computer Interaction require 36 credits including the completion of two common graduate core courses. Media Arts and Science requires 30 credits including the completion of 18 credit hours of core courses.

Application Procedures

Students holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year collegiate institution are eligible to apply for admission. Admission is selective; the Admission Committee evaluates applicants’ abilities to succeed academically and their potential to contribute to the program.

The master’s degree is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline who seek additional professional education in informatics to complement this knowledge. Most graduates of the School of Informatics will emerge as highly sought-after employees in a burgeoning information industry. The master’s degrees are designed for a population of students with diverse backgrounds in computer science and technology, graphics, visualization, electronic networking and media communication, library and information science, telecommunications, psychology, cognitive science, journalism, medicine, health and nursing, biology, chemistry, and a host of other fields.

The master’s degrees are focused on developing specialized skills and knowledge in information and information technology, with particular application to a specific field of study or practice. Each degree is an interdisciplinary endeavor that combines course work and field experiences from a traditional subject area or discipline with intensive study of information and technology. Because these specialized skills are developed and applied differently in these different fields, specific requirements are established for each degree, and have a content-specific rationale.

Application Procedures for U.S. Citizens

Requests for domestic applications should be directed to the School of Informatics. Completed applications should be sent to:

Indianapolis

Graduate Admissions Committee
School of Informatics
IUPUI
Mary Cable Building, Room 115
525 N. Blackford Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
E-mail: info@informatics.iupui.edu

Application Procedures for International Students

Requests for international applications should be directed to: Office of International Affairs
IUPUI
620 N. Union Drive, 207
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5167
(317) 274-7294
E-mail: oia@iupui.edu
 Completed international applications and all supporting materials should be sent to: Office of International Affairs
IUPUI
620 Union Drive, 207
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5167

Application Deadlines

Applications will not be acted upon until all required documents have been received (including transcripts, letters of recommendation, application fee, GRE scores, and TOEFL scores for all non-native English speakers). Admission to the School of Informatics (excluding the New Media program) is decided on a rolling basis. In order to allow time for processing and making financial aid decisions, applicants must meet the following deadlines for matriculation in fall:

Informatics
  U.S. Citizens International Students
Financial Aid Consideration January 15 January 15

New Media
  Fall Spring
Admission March 15 November 15
Financial aid decisions will be made at the same time that admission decisions are made. Students must submit all application materials by the deadline to be considered for financial support.

Admission to the Master’s Programs

Successful applicants for admission to the master’s programs must demonstrate skills and knowledge in an academic field relevant to the particular master’s program (e.g., biology for bioinformatics). Promising applicants who have deficiencies may, with faculty help, select courses that will provide instruction to overcome deficiencies and meet admissions requirements. However, the courses will not count toward the total number of credits required for the advanced degree.

Each application for admission is carefully evaluated by the admissions committee for the appropriate degree. Applicants to all degree programs must do the following:

  1. Submit applications to the School of Informatics, or, if necessary, to the Office of International Affairs.
  2. Pay a nonrefundable graduate application fee to Indiana University.
  3. Submit three Application Reference Forms completed by individuals familiar with the applicant’s activities and potential to succeed in graduate work. These forms are included in the application packet.
  4. Arrange for official transcripts to be sent from all colleges and universities attended by the applicant. Transcripts indicating “issued to student” are not considered official. An official transcript bears the original signature of the registrar and/or original seal of the issuing institution. Transcripts should be mailed directly by a registrar, or given to the applicant by the registrar in a sealed and signed envelope. International applicants should refer to the guidelines outlined in the International Graduate Application for Admission form. If the student has not completed all undergraduate course work at the time of application, the admission decision will be based on information available at the time of application. However, a final transcript showing graduation must be submitted before enrollment. Students who have taken course work on any Indiana University campus do not need to submit an Indiana University transcript.
  5. Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Only the General Exam is required; however, an appropriate subject exam (e.g., chemistry for chemical informatics) may be helpful in determining the applicant’s potential. The school does not specify minimum scores, preferring instead to use the full information available in the applicant’s dossier. The Media Arts and Science program does not require GRE scores. Information concerning these examinations may be obtained from Graduate Record Examinations
    Educational Testing Service
    CN 6000
    Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
  6. If your native language is not English, you must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required of all non-native English speakers. The TOEFL may be waived if a B.S. or M.S. degree has been earned in the United States. A minimum TOEFL score of 600 is required. Registration information can be requested from: TOEFL/TSE Publications
    P.O. Box 6154
    Princeton, NJ 08541-6154
  7. Submit a personal statement (300-500 words) describing the applicant’s educational background and reasons for pursuing graduate study. In addition, some programs may require a sample of creative work or professional accomplishment, which may include written work, a computer program, multimedia presentation, portfolio, etc. Submitted materials should support the applicant’s career intentions and plans. (Contact the Office of Informatics for further information).

    Financial Assistance

    Graduate Assistantships

    Students may compete for a limited number of graduate assistantship appointments. Assistantships are awarded solely on the basis of merit. These appointments constitute the most common type of financial assistance offered through the School of Informatics. Graduate assistantships include a stipend and a fee scholarship. Students will be assigned to work in areas supporting the mission of the School of Informatics. Students applying for admission to the program should complete the financial aid form if they wish to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship.

    Fellowships and Scholarships

    Although the majority of financial aid is in the form of assistantships, a limited number of fellowships and scholarships are also available. Those receiving fellowships and scholarships are not required to perform any duties in return for the stipend. These awards are also made solely on a merit basis. Students applying for admission to the program are considered for fellowships and scholarships; there is no additional application to complete. Awards are normally granted for an academic year. The school is developing new sources of funding, and students are encouraged to review the informatics web site for up-to-date information or call the School of Informatics.

    Grants

    The GradGrants Center(GGC) is a free service available to all enrolled graduate students on all campuses of Indiana University. The GGC provides information and training to assist graduate students in their search for funding to further graduate study at Indiana University. The Indianapolis campus has a center to provide these services for IUPUI graduate students located in the Union Building, Room 518; (317) 274-4023.

    Loans

    Domestic students who need financial assistance not provided by any of the awards already mentioned are eligible to apply for need-based financial aid. For graduate students, most need-based aid is in the form of student loans. For further information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid
    IUPUI
    Cavanaugh Hall 103
    425 University Blvd.
    Indianapolis, IN 46202
    (317) 274-4162

    Academic Regulations

    Applicability of Degree Requirements

    Students may choose to complete either the specific degree requirements published in the appropriate bulletin at the time of entry into the university or those in the bulletin current at the time of graduation.

    Residency Requirements

    The campus at which a student is admitted will certify and award the degree.

    Intercampus Transfer

    Students enrolled in the School of Informatics at any campus of Indiana University may transfer to the School of Informatics on another campus, provided they are in good standing.

    Transfer of Credit

    A maximum of 8 credit hours of graduate course work with grades of B (3.0) or better may be transferred from other accredited colleges and universities and applied to the School of Informatics degree programs. The transfer must be approved by the dean, and is not an automatic occurrence. (See “Revalidation” section below).

    Revalidation

    Normally, a course may not be counted toward degree requirements if it has been completed more than five years prior to the awarding of the degree for master’s students. The advisor may recommend to the dean that course work taken prior to the deadline be revalidated if it can be demonstrated that the knowledge contained in the course(s) remains current. Currency of knowledge may be demonstrated by
    1. passing an examination specifically on the material covered by the course;
    2. passing a more advanced course in the same subject area;
    3. passing a comprehensive examination in which the student demonstrates substantial knowledge of the content of the course; or
    4. publishing scholarly research demonstrating knowledge of the content of the course.
    Courses taken while an undergraduate and counted toward the requirements of a baccalaureate degree may not also be counted toward a graduate degree.

    Grading System

    The official grading system is as follows:
    A = 4.0 D+ = 1.3
    A– = 3.7 D = 1.0
    B+ = 3.3 D– = 0.7
    B = 3.0 F = Failed
    B– = 2.7 I = Incomplete
    C+ = 2.3 W = Withdrawn
    C = 2.0 R = Deferred
    C– = 1.7 NR = No grade reported
     A minimum of a B (3.0) average in graduate work is required for continuance in graduate study. Courses completed with grades below C (2.0) are not counted toward degree requirements, but such grades will be counted in calculating a student’s grade point average. Note that no work may be transferred from another institution unless the grade is B (3.0) or higher.

    Incomplete

    A grade of Incomplete may be given only if the completed portion of a student’s work is of passing quality. It is the responsibility of the student to satisfy the requirements of that course within one calendar year from the date on which the Incomplete is recorded. The student is expected to finish all necessary work in time for the instructor to assign a regular grade before the expiration of this time period. If the student is unable to do so, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of the course and the graduate advisor within the year to request an extension of time. Every overdue Incomplete will be changed to a grade of F after one calendar year.

    Withdrawals

    Because deadlines for withdrawal from courses may vary by campus and/or school, students should check with the current campus Schedule of Classes to verify deadlines and procedures.

    Course Waivers

    Requests for waiver of specific courses or requirements on the basis of previous course work are to be submitted in writing to the dean.

    Credit Earned in Non-degree Status

    Not more than 9 hours of graduate credit completed as a non-degree student may be credited toward a School of Informatics graduate degree. Deficiency courses do not apply to the 9 credit hours.

    Academic Standing

    Students are considered to be in good standing during any semester in which their academic grade point average is at least 3.0 (B) for both their last semester’s course work and for the cumulative average of all course work completed. Only courses with grades of C (2.0) or above may be counted toward degree requirements. However, grades below C are used in computing the cumulative grade point average, even if a course is repeated and a higher grade is earned.

    Academic Probation

    Students are placed on probation following a semester in which their graduate cumulative or semester grade point average falls below 3.0. Students on probation are required to attain an average of at least 3.0 for all graduate course work completed by the end of the next semester of full-time enrollment or its equivalent (9 credit hours). Failure to do so is cause for dismissal.

    Academic Integrity

    Academic integrity requires that students take credit only for their own ideas and efforts. Misconduct, including cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, interference, or facilitating academic dishonesty, are prohibited because they undermine the bonds of trust and cooperation among members of this community and between us and those who may depend on our knowledge and integrity. Complete details are contained in the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct.

    Thesis

    Depending on particular degree requirements, students will complete either a capstone project or a research-based thesis under the guidance of an advisor. More details are given in the appropriate section for each program.

    Degree Conferral

    For all students seeking a master’s degree, an application for the degree must be filed with the School of Informatics at least 60 days before the date anticipated for degree conferral. All degree requirements must be completed at least 30 days prior to the date of expected degree conferral, including submission of the bound copies of the master’s thesis (if required for degree).

    Time Requirements

    All requirements for the M.S. degrees must be met within five consecutive calendar years from the date of completion of the first credited (i.e., non-deficiency) course.