Informatics

Informatics is the study of digital information and how we manage and use it. It often involves computers and other electronic devices, but informatics focuses on the way human beings interact with them. It's about understanding these interactions – in all kinds of organisational and social contexts – and making them better.

From 3G to the electronic patient record, from enterprise content management systems to the semantic web, from e-books to digital library resources, from social networking applications to open source software, digital information empowers decision-making and enriches lives.

Informatics develops expertise in using, managing and designing digital information interfaces, products, services and systems of different kinds. These skills and knowledge are essential to all areas of human endeavour and well-being – science and engineering, medicine and healthcare, education, business, and culture and the arts. And they're highly prized by employers across all sectors.

More about the Information School

What sort of projects do informatics students do? Here's a selection of final-year projects by some of our recent undergraduate students. Study with us and you'll soon be on your way to designing and conducting research like this.   Information management at NASA. After the Columbia space shuttle crash in 2003, NASA acknowledged that its own information systems were inadequate. In what ways did the organisation rebuild its 'knowledge management' to avoid future disasters? Speech recognition systems. How well does speech recognition software work? Is it effective with all regional accents in the UK? Does this discriminate against disabled users in certain geographical areas of the country? Internet censorship in China. How and why does the Chinese government restrict citizens' access to the web? What do Chinese students feel about this? What are the long-term implications of this policy in the world's second largest economy? More about studying informatics at Sheffield

Why study informatics?

In the digital era, good information management and use is crucial to improving the way businesses and services work. Our programmes are carefully designed to equip you for a successful career in any of a huge range of organisations.

The skills you develop as an information student at Sheffield are highly transferable. You'll develop an analytical mind with powers of practical problem-solving and the ability to see the bigger picture. So your learning at the Information School will form a solid bedrock for your career whatever line of work you choose.

And there's nowhere better than the University of Sheffield to study informatics. We have a track record of excellence in teaching, and we've been ranked the number one information school in the UK for research for 25 years. Check out our outstanding ratings in the university league tables and see for yourself.

More about our graduates' careers