School of Informatics turns 10, offers high career prospects

The School of Informatics and Computing began admitting students in fall 2000.

The school is celebrating the anniversary 10 years later and the progress that has been made in the department.

Dennis Groth, the associate dean for undergraduate studies, said the school has experienced tremendous growth in students, faculty, space and services throughout the past 10 years.

But this year, career prospects for students in the school have reached the highest levels of interest in its history.

“Technology job opportunities dominate the lists of hot prospects, and the majority of our students have jobs lined up before they graduate,” Groth said.

With majors and minors ranging from computers science, informatics, security and the
newest minor, human centered computing, the school seeks to prepare students to solve problems by means of technology.

“Information technology has become an integral part of our society and contributes to advances in science, business, health care, entertainment and arts,” Groth said.

Brad Becker, a senior majoring in informatics, was initially a business major.
Becker switched to informatics after learning more about the programs and what the school had to offer.

“A technical degree made sense for trying to find a job right out of college,” Becker said.

Becker has already had multiple job interviews and said he hopes to have a career in information technology consulting or as a business systems analyst working in the Indianapolis or Chicago area.

He has always had an interest in computers and said he found his niche in using technology.

“The informatics school did a really good job of helping to find jobs as compared to my friends with other majors. I’ve already heard back from a lot of people,” Becker said.

Groth said the average salary for undergraduates last year was $53,000, the median
salary was $55,000 for informatics majors and $58,000 for computer science majors.
Careers in this field are “dynamic, exciting, engaging and importantly, will make real differences in our lives,” Groth said.

Groth encourages all students at IU-Bloomington to think of adding information technology to their set of skills, as it is a growing industry with technology rapidly becoming a more popular medium.

“Our first 10 years has been amazing, but just wait for the next 10,” Goth said.