Undergraduate Programs
Shape the future of information.
Find out how our undergraduate programs are right for you:
The University of Arizona College of Information Science stands at the forefront of undergraduate education in the fields of information science, cybersecurity, data science and visualization, artificial intelligence, game design and development, games and behavior, esports, immersive technologies, extended and virtual reality, computational arts and more.
We are dedicated to your success, delivering a world-class, cross-disciplinary education—through a dynamic range of courses (including featured courses), events like the iShowcase, internships and other professional development, student clubs and other involvement opportunities and more—that empowers you with the skills and knowledge you need to drive the digital revolution.
OUR BACHELOR'S DEGREES

In the STEM-designated BAS in Applied Computing you'll be prepared with the critical skills to lead and innovate in the IT industry, choosing one of six emphasis areas to specialize your degree: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, DevOps, Information Management, Network Operations or Software Development. Offered on main campus and online.

In the STEM-designated BAS in Cyber Operations, which holds the Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) designation from the Department of Defense and National Security Agency, you'll be prepared to become a critical layer of cyber defense through one of three emphasis areas—Cyber Engineering, Defense and Forensics, and Cyber Law and Policy. Offered on main campus and online.

In the STEM-designated BS in Game Design and Development you’ll get the hands-on design and development skills necessary to create interactive, virtual environments that span devices and platforms, whether for games or virtual reality applications in education, business, healthcare and beyond. Offered on main campus and online.

In the BA in Games and Behavior, you’ll gain a hands-on, interdisciplinary understanding of important artistic and design principles and human behavior in games for entertainment, education, public relations and other industries, as well as the implications of gamification in society (including game addiction), without the need for extensive knowledge of computer programming. Offered on main campus.

In the STEM-designated, top-ranked BS in Information Science you’ll explore information systems and computational methods used to transform data and information into knowledge: Data Science or Interactive and Immersive Technologies. Offered on main campus.

In the STEM-designated BA in Information Science and Arts, you’ll explore creative computing, digital media, science and technology conveyed through art, user experience, virtual and extended reality, interactive art including installations, and programming for imaginative, aesthetic or experiential purposes. Offered on main campus.

In the STEM-designated BA in Information Science and eSociety, you’ll explore digital media, digital engagement and storytelling, online behavior, internet studies, social media and social networks, digital life and its impact on human behavior, content creation and more. Offered on main campus and online.

In the BAS in Intelligence and Information Operations you'll gain the skills and expertise needed to thrive in intel-related occupations in defense, law enforcement and private industry through one of three emphasis areas—Operational Intelligence, Information Warfare, Law Enforcement Intelligence or Signals Intelligence and Electronic Warfare. Offered on main campus and online.

In the BAS in Organizational Leadership and Regional Commerce you'll be prepared to lead, innovate and drive growth in businesses and organizations that power local and regional economies. Offered on main campus and online.
COMPARE UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
Regardless of which degree students pursue, all undergraduate majors in the College of Information Science have three goals (or student competencies) in addition to additional degree-specific program goals:
- Students will be able to perform the four fundamental tasks of research: design, data collection, analysis and presentation of results.
- Students will be able to effectively work with diverse groups and people.
- Students will be able to recognize and analyze ethical and policy concerns raised by new technologies and craft effective solutions for real-world cases.
Each College of Information Science degree requires 120 units to graduate and a minor or double major.
View or download comparison matrix in PDF format.
Bachelor of Science in Game Design & Development | Bachelor of Arts in Games & Behavior | Bachelor of Science in Information Science | Bachelor of Arts in Information Science & Arts | Bachelor of Arts in Information Science & eSociety | |
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Areas of Study |
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Campus | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main Online |
Required Emphasis Area? | No | No | Yes: Data Science or Interactive & Immersive Technologies | No | No |
STEM-Designated? | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Math Requirement | Higher (Elements of Calculus) | Lower (Exploring Data) | Higher (Elements of Calculus) | Lower (Exploring Data) | Lower (Exploring Data) |
Second Language Requirement | 2 semesters | 4 semesters | 2 semesters | 4 semesters | 4 semesters |
Accelerated Master’s Program Option | No | No | Yes: MS in Information Science | No | Yes: MA in Library & Information Science |
Career Possibilities Include: |
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Average Salary* | $95,000* | $65,000-$93,000* | $93,000* | $82,000* | $82,000* |
* Average salary data for degree graduates according to Built In, PayScale and Zippia, January 2024. Subject to change and not a guarantee of starting salary or average salary once established in career.
OUR UNDERGRADUATE MINORS
APPLIED COMPUTING
Integrate advanced computing skills into your major field to become a sophisticated user of computing technology with the ability to design systems and solve real-world problems across a variety of platforms and industries.
ENTERPRISE LEADERSHIP
Gain the knowledge, skills and ability to become a leader that positively affect organizational, social, cultural and economic goals and change initiatives.
eSPORTS
Gain a general understanding of esports industries, gaming communities and the social issues related to gaming for sport, including recent gaming trends in society. Offered on campus and online.
GAMES & BEHAVIOR
Gain an understanding of game design and related social and societal factors, including important design principles and human behavior in games, without needing extensive knowledge of programming. Offered on campus and online.
GAME DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Gain an introduction to programming, design and game development fundamentals, learning to develop games both for entertainment, applications and other purposes. Offered on campus and online.
INFORMATION SCIENCE & eSOCIETY
An ideal add-on for virtually any U of A major, this minor provides insight into issues in contemporary digital society from a variety of vantage points. Offered on campus and online.
INFORMATION SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & THE ARTS
Learn about all facets of information, from deriving information to managing information to extracting meaning from information. Offered on main campus.
LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE
Gain an understanding for work related to libraries, archives, special collections, material preservation, health information management and more. Available on campus and online.
OUR UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATES
Although undergraduate academic certificates are not professional certifications, they signal to employers that students have dedicated the time and energy necessary to build fluency with concepts explored in the certificates.
CERTIFICATE IN CLOUD COMPUTING
The Cloud Certificate gives students the skills and confidence to use virtualization and cloud technologies to support businesses and organizations. It covers infrastructure, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure.
CERTIFICATE IN CYBER DEFENSE
This certificate teaches students to design secure network architectures, use defensive technologies, apply cyber threat intelligence, and conduct network security monitoring and threat hunting. Students gain hands-on experience securing Linux and Windows systems, analyzing network traffic, detecting anomalies, blocking cyber attacks, and managing Zero Trust Networks in on-premises and cloud environments.
CERTIFICATE IN CYBER OPERATIONS
This certificate is linked to the Bachelor of Applied Science in Cyber Operations. Completing both the certificate and BAS qualifies students for the UA Cyber Operations Undergraduate Certificate and NSA designation as meeting the NSA Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations standards.
CERTIFICATE IN CYBERSECURITY
This Undergraduate Certificate in Cyber Security is designed to provide students in related fields with the opportunity to earn a certificate in a fast-growing and highly desired career field.
CERTIFICATE IN DATA SCIENCE & VISUALIZATION
Develop the skills and confidence to tackle real-world data problems using modern programming languages.
CERTIFICATE IN DIGITAL FORENSICS
The Digital Forensics Certificate will provide undergraduate students the confidence and training they need in incident response and various digital forensics including network forensics, mobile device forensics, host (Windows) and network (Linux) forensics and advanced memory forensics.
CERTIFICATE IN ENTERPRISE LEADERSHIP
This certificate prepares students to become effective leaders who drive positive organizational, social, cultural and economic change. It equips them for roles from supervisor to executive, especially benefiting those in technical fields or with technical degrees seeking to build leadership skills.
CERTIFICATE IN GAMES & SIMULATION
Develop the skills necessary to create virtual interactive environments that span devices and platforms.
CERTIFICATE IN NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING
Develop skills to each computers to use language by extracting knowledge from text and using that knowledge in meaningful ways.
CERTIFICATE IN SECURITY COMPUTING
The Security Computing Certificate teaches students to use Python for cybersecurity problem-solving and digital investigations. They will learn to develop and deploy offensive and defensive scripts, create algorithms, visualize security data, and build machine learning models to counter cyber deception. Upon completion, students can evaluate automated tools, create algorithmic solutions, and apply Python libraries to security tasks.
CERTIFICATE IN SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE & ELECTRONIC WARFARE
The Certificate in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Electronic Warfare (EW) covers network analysis, wireless networking, RF analysis and digital signal processing, providing hands-on experience in securing communication networks and applying SIGINT/EW principles. Graduates are prepared for roles in military, defense, cybersecurity and intelligence sectors.
UNDERGRADUATE HONORS
Graduate with honors from any of our undergraduate degrees and complete independent research with our renowned faculty. Learn more about being a Universrity of Arizona honors student:
Ready to shape the future of information?
Learn more about our undergraduate programs by contacting us at infosci-ugrad@arizona.edu or review the admissions process and begin your application now: