Spring 2027 Informatics Electives
These courses are offered Spring 2027 and fulfill the Informatics Electives requirements. Please check your Academic Requirements Report (ARR) on SPIRE or speak with your Academic Advisor if you have questions.
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++ New elective option approved between 2024-2026
** New elective option as of Spring 2026. May require an Academic Requirements Report (ARR) fix.
^ Elective removed from curriculum for Informatics majors with requirement term of Fall 2025 and forward
# Posted prerequisites are waived for Informatics majors. Most require Junior status.
(HLS) Particularly appropriate for Health & Life Sciences concentration, but all Informatics students who meet the eligibility requirements may count them as electives.
| Spring 2027 Electives | Prerequisites | Eligibility/Enrollment Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 379H: Genomics and Bioinformatics (HLS) | BIOLOGY/BIOCHEM/ANIMLSCI 285 or 311 or BIOCHEM 275 with a grade of 'C' or better. | Open to Biology majors in Commonwealth Honors College. |
| BIOL 476: Evolutionary Genomics & Bioinformatics (formerly BIOL 597GE) (HLS) | BIOL 151 or 161H with a grade of 'C' or better AND BIOL 152 or 162H with a grade of 'C' or better. | BIOL majors only. |
| CLASSICS 390STA: Visualizing Archaeological Data | N/A | N/A |
| COMM 408: Survey of Digital Behavioral Data (formerly COMM 497DB) | N/A | Open to Senior and Junior Communication majors only. All others by permission of instructor. This course was formerly numbered as 497DB. If you have already taken 497DB, you cannot take this course. |
| COMM 540: Internet Governance & Information Policy (formerly COMM 497GP) | N/A | Open to seniors and graduate students. Other students, with permission of instructor mfuentes [at] umass [dot] edu (mfuentes[at]umass[dot]edu). This course was formerly numbered as 497GP. If you have already taken 497GP, you cannot take this course. |
| COMPSCI 311: Introduction to Algorithms ^ | COMPSCI 187 (or CICS 210) and either COMPSCI 250 or MATH 455, all with a grade of C or better. | Open to junior and senior COMPSCI students or Math majors in the MATHCMPTNG subplan. Seats are being saved for incoming transfer students until the end of New Student Orientation and Transfer (NSOT) enrollment period. After junior and senior CS majors or MATH majors in the MATHCMPTNG subplan register, will open to sophomores. Sophomore, junior and senior CS, INFORM, COMP LING or MATH MAJORS in the MATHCMPTNG subplan should wait for the eligibility restriction to be removed to self-enroll and should not request an override. remaining seats will be released prior to class start. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 320: Software Engineering | COMPSCI 220 with a grade of 'C' or better. | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. No option for pass/fail. Meets with COMPSCI 429. Seats are being saved for incoming transfer students until the end of New Student Orientation and Transfer (NSOT) enrollment period. After junior and senior CS majors register, will open to sophomores. Sophomore CS majors should wait for the eligibility restriction to be removed to self-enroll and should not request an override. Remaining seats will be released prior to class start. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 326: Web Programming | COMPSCI 220 with a grade of C or better or INFO 248 and CICS 210 (or COMPSCI 187) with a grade of C or better. | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. |
| COMPSCI 349: Harnessing Data Science for Societal Good ++ (previously COMPSCI 390B) | A grade of C or better in CICS 210 (or COMPSCI 187) and COMPSCI 220 (or 230 or INFO 248), and either COMPSCI 240, STATISTC 240, PSYCH 240, OIM 240, RES-ECON 212, SOCIOL 212, or STATISTC 315. | Open to junior and senior Computer Science and Informatics majors. No option for pass/fail. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 383: Artificial Intelligence | A grade of C or better in CICS 210 (or COMPSCI 187) and COMPSCI 240 (or STATISTC 315, previously 515), or a grade of C or better in INFO 348 and STATISTC 315. Some knowledge of Python is assumed for eligible students to use COMPSCI 187 in place of the CICS 210 prerequisite via override. | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 389: Introduction to Machine Learning ++ | A grade of C or better in CICS 210 (or COMPSCI 187), COMPSCI 240 (or STATISTC 315, PSYCH 240, STATSTC 240, OIM 240, RES-ECON 212, or SOCIOL 212 ), and MATH 132. | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. Students who have completed COMPSCI 589 are not eligible for this course and should not enroll. Students with prior experience in machine learning or who are already passionate about the subject are encouraged to take COMPSCI 589 instead. Students needing special permission must request overrides via on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 420: Software Entrepreneurship | COMPSCI 320 (or COMPSCI 325 or 326) with a grade of C or better. | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. This course qualifies as a 'capstone course' for the undergraduate Certificate in Public Interest Technology, assuming the student work produced is deemed suitable by the instructor. Make sure to discuss using this course for this purpose with the instructor at the beginning of the course. More information on the certificate. Students enrolled in the undergraduate Certificate in Public Interest Technology are eligible via override. If you have questions about the PIT certificate, email the PIT certificate program director, Professor Charlie Schweik at cschweik [at] umass [dot] edu (cschweik[at]umass[dot]edu). Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 426: Scalable Web Systems (formerly COMPSCI 490STA/497S) | COMPSCI 320 or 326 with a grade of C or better. It is recommended to have completed COMPSCI 220 (programming methodology) and COMPSCI 230 (computer systems principles), or COMPSCI 377 (operating systems), however, this is not required but will make your experience more rich (e.g., background in web app deployment, basic security, network protocols, processes, client server architecture, and general operating systems concepts). | Open to juniors and seniors in Computer Science or Informatics. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 485: Applications of NLP | COMPSCI 220 and 240 with a grade of C or better, or LINGUIST 429H (previously 492B) with a grade of C or better. Previously COMPSCI 490A. | Open to junior and senior Computer Science or Computational Linguistics students. Students from other disciplines will be considered as well if available seats. Students needing instructor permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| COMPSCI 508: Ethical Considerations in CS | A grade of C or better in CICS 305 | Open to junior and senior Computer Science or Informatics majors. LEC 01 for undergrads; LEC 02 for grads. This course fulfills the Ethics requirement for HLS. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| ECE 579: Math Tools for Data Science and Machine Learning ++ | N/A | N/A |
| ECON 309 or 309H: Game Theory | ECON 103 or RES-ECON 102, and one of the following - MATH 127, MATH 128, MATH 131, MATH 132, ECON 151, or ECON 152. | Open only to SBS Primary majors first until November 20, then open to all. |
| ECON 337: Economics in the Age of Big Data | ECON 103 (or RES-ECON 102) and ECON 104 | Open to students whose primary major is in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Open only to SBS Primary majors first until November 20, then open to all. |
| ENGLISH 381: Professional Writing courses (only one of these courses will count as an elective) | ENGLISH 380 | Open to Undergraduate Seniors & Juniors, who have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA |
| ENGLISH 382: Professional Writing courses (only one of these courses will count as an elective) | ENGLISH 380 | Open to Undergraduate Seniors & Juniors, who have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA. |
| ENGLISH 391C: Web Design (email instructor to join the waiting list) # | ENGLISH 379 | Open to Undergraduate Seniors & Juniors, who have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA. |
| INFO 348: Data Analytics with Python | INFO 248 and CICS 160 (or INFO 190T or COMPSCI 186 or 187), both with a grade of C or better. Previously CICS 397A. Linear algebra (MATH 235) is helpful but not required. Students with alternate programming or statistics background may request override for consideration. A prerequisite change has been approved by the Faculty Senate to replace CICS 210 with CICS 160. | Open to INFORM majors After INFORM majors register, will open to all undergraduates, if available seats. Students meeting prerequisite should wait for the major eligibility restriction to be removed to self-enroll or add to the waitlist (if available) and should not request an override. Students needing special permission must request override via the on-line form. |
| INFO 494PI: Personal Health Informatics (HLS) (previously INFO 490PI) | INFO 248 (or COMPSCI 240) with a grade of C or better, and CICS 210 (or COMPSCI 186 or 187) with a grade of C or better. | Open to junior and senior INFORM students. |
| MARKETNG 301: Fundamentals Of Marketing ^ | N/A | Open to sophomore, junior, and senior Isenberg School of Management majors, Business Minor students, Contracting Departments-1, Resource Economics majors, Managerial Economics majors, and STOCKSCH students. Enrollment in this class is managed by the Isenberg Undergraduate Programs Office. Please do not contact the instructor with enrollment inquiries. Please direct questions to the Isenberg Undergraduate Programs Office at undergrad [at] isenberg [dot] umass [dot] edu (undergrad[at]isenberg[dot]umass[dot]edu). |
| MARKETNG 413: Social Media and Marketing Analytics | MARKETNG 301 | Open to undergraduate Isenberg School of Management students only. |
| MARKETNG 455: Internet Marketing | MARKETNG 301 | Marketing Majors only. |
| Math 456: Mathematical Modeling (or MATH 494RI: Statistics of Risk Management, not offered Spring 2027 **) | MATH 233 and 235. | Some seats reserved for Math majors or Stat and DS majors. Submit an override request |
| MATH 551: Introduction to Scientific Computing | MATH 233 & 235 and either COMPSCI 121, CICS 110, CICS 160, E&C-ENG 122, PHYSICS 281, or E&C-ENG 242. | Some seats reserved for Math majors or Stat and DS majors. Submit an override request |
| NRC 585: Intro to Geographic Information Systems | N/A | Open to seniors and juniors in NRC, BCT, ENVIRSCI, GEOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, or Earth Systems. |
| NRC 588: Web GIS ^ | N/A | Meets with GEOGRAPH 493W/693W. Desktop computers are available on the Amherst Campus in Holdsworth Hall Room 302 and on the Charles River campus. If you join the class from Holdsworth 302, please bring your own headphones. The instructor will be based at the Charles River Campus. |
| OIM 350: Business Intelligence and Analytics # | N/A | INFO Majors who want to be enrolled, complete preference form (priority deadline 11/3/2026) |
| OIM 454: Advanced Business Analytics | OIM 350 | INFO Majors who want to be enrolled, complete preference form (priority deadline 11/3/2026) |
| PUBHLTH 345: Public Health Data Science: Data Exploration and Visualization ++ | N/A | Open to sophomore, junior, and senior Public Health majors only. This course has reserved seating for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Public Health Sciences major. If you are unable to self-enroll and wish to be placed on a waitlist for this course, please submit a request |
| PUBLHLTH 413: Introduction to Epidemiologic Management and Analysis (formerly PUBHLTH 490KR) (HLS) | PUBHLTH 223 or 224 | Open to sophomore, junior, and senior Public Health majors only. This course has reserved seating for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Public Health Sciences major. If you are unable to self-enroll and wish to be placed on a waitlist for this course, please submit a request |
| RES-ECON 313: Decision Analysis ** | RES-ECON 211 or 212 or STATISTC 240 | Open to ENRE (previously RES-ECON) and MGRECON majors. Students who are unable to enroll in this course because all sections are full can submit a RES-ECON waitlist request. Once the semester begins, students must contact the instructor to request permission to enroll. |
| RES-ECON 315: Economics of Contemporary Information Technology ** | RES-ECON 102 or ECON 103 | Students who are unable to enroll in this course because all sections are full can submit a RES-ECON waitlist request. Once the semester begins, students must contact the instructor to request permission to enroll. |
| RES-ECON 440: Experimental Economics ** | ECON 203 or RES-ECON 202 | Students who are unable to enroll in this course because all sections are full can submit a RES-ECON waitlist request. Once the semester begins, students must contact the instructor to request permission to enroll. |
| SOCIOL 351: Social Network Analysis | N/A | N/A |
| STATISTC 315: Statistics I (formerly STATISTC 515) | MATH 132 with a grade of 'C' or better. | Some seats reserved for Math, Stat and DS, CompSci, or BME and Informatics majors. Submit an override request. |
| STATISTC 416: Mathematical Foundations of Statistics and Data Science (formerly STATISTC 516: Statistics II or STATISTC 490S) ++ | STATISTC 315 (or 515) with a grade of C or better. | If you have already completed either Stat 490S or Stat 516 in a previous semester, you may not take Stat 416 in any future semester. Some seats reserved for Math majors or Stat and DS majors. |
| STATISTC 501: Methods of Applied Stats | N/A | Open to seniors, Juniors and graduate students only. Some seats reserved for Math majors. |
| STATISTC 525: Regression and Analysis of Variants | STATISTC 310 or 416 (or 490S) | Open to junior and senior MATH and STATDS students |
| STATISTC 526: Design of Experiments | STATISTC 516 (or 490S) and COMPSCI 121, CICS 110, CICS 160, PHYSICS 281, E&C-ENG 122, or E&C-ENG 242 | This class meets at the Charles River Campus of UMass Amherst. Open to graduate BIOSTAT, MATH, and STATISITC students, and COMPSCI majors, MATH majors, and STAT and DS majors. |
| STATISTC 535: Statistical Computing ++ | STATISTC 516 (or 490S) and STATISTC 310, COMPSCI 121, CICS 110, CICS 160, PHYSICS 281, E&C-ENG 122, or E&C-ENG 242 | Some seats reserved for Stat and DS majors |
| SUSTCOMM 281: Visual Communication ^ | N/A | N/A |
Last updated: Wed, Oct 28, 2026