Informatics and Modeling Minor
Minor Description
The Minor in Informatics and Modeling offers students two distinct pathways to develop computational, analytical, and quantitative reasoning skills that are becoming increasingly important in many fields of study: Computational Science and Quantitative World Modeling (CSM), and Integrative Genomic Sciences (IGS).
The CSM pathway introduces students to modeling techniques, providing them with a solid foundation in the quantitative simulation, evaluation, and prediction of natural and social phenomena such as the collision of galaxies, protein folding, and the behavior of markets.
The IGS pathway introduces students to the emerging interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics and its relationships to molecular genomics, evolution, structural biology, and bioethics.
Each pathway requires five or six courses including courses that introduce computational thinking and modeling applied in several disciplines.
Admission to the Minor
There are no admission requirements for this program.
Minor Requirements
The CSM pathway requires the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS113 | General Physics I | 1 |
| or PHYS116 | General Physics II | |
| COMP112 | Introduction to Programming | 1 |
| or COMP211 | Computer Science I | |
| Select one of the following advanced computer science courses: | 1 | |
| Computer Science II | ||
| Computer Structure and Organization | ||
| Algorithms and Complexity | ||
| PHYS221 | 1 | |
| or PHYS340 | Computational Physics | |
| Select one course from the list of applied modeling courses in chemistry, computer science, economics, or science. | 1 | |
The IGS pathway requires the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL/MB&B181 | Principles of Biology I: Cell Biology and Molecular Basis of Heredity | 1 |
| Select one of the following introductory computer science courses | 1 | |
| Introduction to Programming | ||
| Computer Science I | ||
| Bioinformatics Programming | ||
an approved alternative | ||
| Select one of the following advanced computer science courses or three 0.5 credit QAC courses: | 1 or 1.5 | |
| Computer Science II | ||
| Computer Structure and Organization | ||
| Algorithms and Complexity | ||
| Working with SQL and Databases | ||
| Working with Excel and VBA | ||
| Working with MATLAB | ||
| Working with R | ||
| Working with SAS | ||
| Working with Stata | ||
an approved alternative | ||
| Select one upper-level bioinformatics course (from a list of approved courses) | 1 | |
| Select one course in each of two of the following categories (from a list of approved courses): | 2 | |
Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology | ||
Evolutionary Biology | ||
Structural Biology | ||
Bioethics and Philosophy of Biology | ||
Applied Quantitative Reasoning | ||
Additional Information
Contact
- Students interested in the CSM pathway should contact Reinhold Blumel (rblumel@wesleyan.edu).
- Students interested in the IGS pathway should contact Michael Weir (mweir@wesleyan.edu) or Danny Krizanc (dkrizanc@wesleyan.edu).