
Be a Bridge to Information
Employers seek information savvy individuals, and an information sciences minor equips students with the skills to connect people, information, and technology in many settings. The minor can provide a competitive edge when job seeking after graduation.
Minors

Data Science Minor
The intercollegiate Data Science minor, which has one prerequisite course, consists of six courses and 17-18 hours. Four core courses give students a broad background in the foundations of Data Science. The fifth course is a directed elective that allows a student to apply Data Science techniques to a specific field, to deepen their understanding of Data Science methodologies, or to gain further background in the ethical and policy considerations of Data Science. In the sixth course, students pursue an interdisciplinary, team-based capstone experience.
Minor Requirements
1. Complete four core courses:
- DATA 201 – Data Knowledge and Discovery 3 Credit Hours *
- DATA 202 – Data Management and Visualization 3 Credit Hours
- DATA 301 – Data Stewardship and Ethics 3 Credit Hours
- DATA 302 – Analytical Methods of Data Science 3 Credit Hours
- Note: Students must obtain additional programming background before taking DATA 202. Suggested courses include COSC 111; INSC 260; BAS 320; MATH 171; GEOG 312; IARC 321.
2. Complete one course chosen from any of the five lists below:
Mathematical and Statistical Foundations of Data Science:
- BAS 320 – Regression Modeling 3 Credit Hours
- BAS 471 – Statistical Methods 3 Credit Hours
- MATH 323 – Probability and Statistics 3 Credit Hours
- MATH 371 – Numerical Algorithms 3 Credit Hours
- MATH 423 – Probability 3 Credit Hours
- MATH 424 – Stochastic Processes 3 Credit Hours
- MATH 425 – Statistics 3 Credit Hours
Methods of Data Science:
- BAS 474 – Data Mining and Business Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- COSC 425 – Introduction to Machine Learning 3 Credit Hours
- COSC 453 – Data Visualization 3 Credit Hours
- IE 301 – Operations Research I: Deterministic Models 3 Credit Hours
- IE 310 – Operations Research II: Probabilistic Models 3 Credit Hours
- IE 340 – Design of Experiments 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 486 – Data Analytics 3 Credit Hours
Data Management and Visualization:
- ARCH 321 – Representation IV: Information Modeling 2 Credit Hours
- BAS 476 – Data Engineering and Visualization 3 Credit Hours
- COSC 465 – Databases and Scripting Languages 3 Credit Hours
- GEOG 311 – Geovisualization and Geographic Information Science 3 Credit Hours
- IARC 321 – Advanced Representation 2 Credit Hours
- INDS 321 – Digital Representation and Fabrication for Industrial Design 2 Credit Hours
- INSC 384 – Database Design 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 484 – Database Applications 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 489 – Information Visualization 3 Credit Hours
Ethics and Policy in Data Science:
- INSC 305 – Internet and Society 3 Credit Hours
- ACCT 481 – Accounting Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- ANTH 446 – Archaeological Statistics 3 Credit Hours *
- ANTH 449 – Big-data Social Sciences 3 Credit Hours
- BAS 475 – Applied Time Series and Forecasting 3 Credit Hours
- BCMB 422 – Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 3 Credit Hours *
- CLAS 446 – Archaeological Statistics 3 Credit Hours *
- COSC 445 – Fundamentals of Digital Archeology 3 Credit Hours
- EEB 411 – Biostatistics 3 Credit Hours *
- ECON 381 – Introduction to Econometrics 3 Credit Hours
- ECON 481 – Elements of Economic Forecasting 3 Credit Hours
- FWF 313 – Measurements and Sampling 3 Credit Hours
- FWF 430 – Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources 3 Credit Hours
- GEOG 414 – Spatial Data Management 3 Credit Hours
- IE 465 – Applied Data Science 3 Credit Hours
- MGT 462 – Managerial Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- MGT 465 – Workforce Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- PLSC 461 – Statistics for Biological Research 3 Credit Hours
- PSYC 385 – Statistics in Psychology 3 Credit Hours *
3. Complete one course:
- DATA 499 – Data Science Capstone 3 Credit Hours
- * Meets Volunteer Core Requirements.

Information Sciences Minor
The information sciences minor consists of 18 hours. Prerequisite requirements and registration restrictions may apply for some courses.
Complete 9 hours of the following:
- INSC 201 – Foundations of Information Sciences 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 210 – Foundations of Information Technology 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 311 – User-Centered Design 3 Credit Hours
Complete 9 additional hours from the following courses, with at least six of the hours completed at the 400-level:
- CCI 150 – Communication in an Information Age 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 102 – Introduction to Computers 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 220 – Information Search 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 260 – Programming for Information Applications 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 305 – Internet and Society 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 380 – Information Management in Organizations 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 384 – Database Design 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 430 – Foundations of User Experience 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 435 – Usability Testing and Methods 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 436 – Analytics and Metrics for User Experience 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 439 – Interfaces and Interaction Design 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 450 – Writing About Science and Medicine 3 Credit Hours *
- INSC 484 – Database Applications 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 486 – Data Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 489 – Information Visualization 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 491 – Global Study 1-15 Credit Hours
- INSC 493 – Independent Project or Research 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 495 – Special Topics 3 Credit Hours
- *Meets Volunteer Core Requirements.

Social Media Analytics Minor
The Social Media Analytics (SMA) Minor is open to undergraduate students interested in incorporating social mediaanalytical skills and knowledge into their studies. Students will develop and apply skills to effectively collect, evaluate, analyze, visualize, and communicate social media analytics regardless of disciplinary or professional setting. The minor is open to students pursuing an undergraduate degree in any major at the University of Tennessee. The minor consists of 15 credit hours from the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations, the School of Information Sciences, and the School of Journalism and Media.
Complete 6 hours from ADPR:
- ADPR 365 – Social Media Strategy 3 Credit Hours
- ADPR 415 – Social Media Analytics 3 Credit Hours
Complete 9 hours from SIS and JEM
- INSC 260 – Programming for Information Applications 3 Credit Hours
- INSC 489 – Information Visualization 3 Credit Hours
- JREM 416 – Audience Analytics 3 Credit Hours
- JREM 419 – Communicating with Data 3 Credit Hours

User Experience Minor
The User Experience Minor is open to undergraduate students interested in incorporating user-centered design skills and knowledge into their studies. Students will learn about user experience research, and develop skills to conduct usability tests, analyze usability metrics, and design effective user-centered interfaces. The minor is open to students pursuing an undergraduate degree in any major at the University of Tennessee. The minor consists of 15 credit hours.
Complete:
- INSC 311 – User-Centered Design
- INSC 430 – Foundations of User Experience
- INSC 435 – Usability Testing and Methods
- INSC 436 – Analytics and Metrics for User Experience
- INSC 439 – Interfaces and Interaction Design