The document provides information about the University of Southern California (USC) and its Viterbi School of Engineering. It discusses USC's history and details of the Viterbi School, including its academic departments and programs. Specifically, it outlines two Master's programs offered by the Viterbi School - the Master of Science in Spatial Informatics and the Master of Communication Informatics. It provides details on course requirements, faculty, career opportunities, and how to apply for the programs.

1. University of Southern California

2. • Oldest Private University in Western U.S.
• Diverse Student Population
• 18 Professional Schools
• Located in Los Angeles
• 365,000+ Alumni worldwide
USC

3. 8
TheViterbi School
Academic >>
Departments
1905 >>
USC Engineering began
in
60Master’s Programs
13Ph.D. Programs
Today: 2,400 Undergrad
4,800 Graduate
60,000+
Engineering Alumni
Worldwide
180
Tenure Faculty
Research Centers &
Leader in funded
research45

4. Informatics Program
Cyrus Shahabi, Ph.D.
Director of Informatics
Professor of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering
Director, Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC)
Viterbi School of Engineering
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0781
shahabi@usc.edu
http://informatics.usc.edu

5. Computer Science for All
CS FOR ALL
• CS for All is a national effort announced by the Office of Science and
Technology Policy (OSTP), led by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in partnership with other
federal agencies and private partners, to ensure Computer Science (CS)
education is available to all students across the U.S.

6. Informatics
• Data and Computation Literacy for ALL
• See:
http://imsc.usc.edu/news-and-events/blog/

7. Vision – USC-Wide Informatics
USC-Wide
Informatics
Program
Skills:
• VSoE CyberSecurity
(Fall’2013)
• VSoE Data Informatics
(Fall’2014)
Domain:
• Spatial Informatics with Dornsife
(Fall’2015)
• Communication Informatics with
Annenberg School of
Communication (Spring’2016)
• w Marshall School of Business
• w Medicine and Biology
• w School of Cinematic Art
• w Other USC Schools
Policy:
• Price School of Policy
• Gould School of Law
1010010

8. Informatics Program
• Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering
(Fall 2013)
• Master of Science in Data Informatics
(Fall 2014)
• Master of Science in Spatial Informatics, w Dornsife
College’s Spatial Sciences
(Fall 2015)
• Master in Communication Informatics, w Annenberg
School of Communication
(Fall 2016)
• 2nd BA Degree in Informatics (Fall 2016)
• Certificate programs (Cyber to LAPD, D-INF to India)

9. Master of Science in Spatial Informatics
Fall 2016
Application deadline: March 15

10. Spatial Informatics
(Launched Fall 2015)
Information Integration on the Web, 10Spring 2012

11. Program Objectives
• Provides students with the knowledge and skills to:
• Understand and use the big data and data analytics tools
• Understand the principles and application of geographic
information science (GIS)
• Utilize the skills in these two areas solve location-based
problems in a wide-range of industries and disciplines
• Healthcare
• Marketing
• Social services
• Environmental sustainability
• Transportation

12. Spatial Informatics:
Course Outline
Required Courses (8 courses/ 32 units)
FOUNDATION (TAKE BOTH COURSES):
• INF 549 Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science (4)
• SSCI 581 Concepts of Spatial Thinking (4)
SPATIAL CORE (TAKE BOTH COURSES):
• SSCI 580 Spatial Computing (4)
• SSCI 583 Spatial Analysis (4)
INFORMATICS CORE (TAKE BOTH COURSES):
• INF 510 Principles of Programming for Informatics (4)
• INF 550 Overview of Data Informatics in Large Data Environments (4)
Elective Courses (2 courses/ 8 units)
1 elective from spatial sciences and 1 elective from informatics

13. Spatial Informatics:
Course Outline
Spatial elective (choose one course/4 units)
• SSCI 582 Spatial Databases Units: 4 *
• SSCI 584 Spatial Modeling Units: 4
• SSCI 588 Remote Sensing for GIS Units: 4
• SSCI 589 Cartography and Visualization Units: 4
• SSCI 596 Internship in Spatial Sciences Units: 1
– may be taken in addition to one of the 4 unit SSCI elective courses, but SSCI
596 by itself does not fulfill the Spatial Sciences elective requirement
Informatics elective (choose one course/4 units)
• CSCI 587 Geospatial Information Management Units: 4
• NF 552 Machine Learning for Data Informatics Units: 4
• INF 553 Foundations and Applications of Data Mining Units: 4
• INF 554 Information Visualization Units: 4
• INF 555 User Interface Design, Implementation, and Testing Units: 4
• INF 559 Introduction to Data Management Units: 4
• ENGR 596 Internship in Engineering Units: 1
– may be taken in addition to one of the INF or CSCI elective courses, but ENGR
596 by itself does not fulfill the Informatics elective requirement

14. Spatial Informatics Team - Viterbi
• Yigal Arens (ISI)
– Principles of
Programming for
Informatics
– INF 551
• Seon Ho Kim(IMSC)
– Overview of Data
Informatics in Large
Data Environments
– INF 550
• Jeremy Abramson(ISI)
– Principles of
Programming for
Informatics
– INF 551
• Yolanda Gil (ISI)
– Introduction to
Computational
Thinking and Data
Science
– INF 549

15. Spatial Sciences Team
Wei Yang Su Jin Lee
SSCI 580 SSCI 583
Spatial Computing Spatial Analysis
Kirk Oda
SSCI 581 John P. Wilson
Concepts of Spatial Thinking SSCI 588
Remote Sensing
for GIS
Jennifer Swift
SSCI 582
Spatial Databases

16. Career Opportunities
• GIS
• Online Mapping Services
• Location Based Services
• Navigation Services
• Environmental Agencies
• Oil & Gas Sector

17. Master of Communication Informatics
Fall 2016
Application deadline: March 15

18. • Where the fields of communication and
engineering naturally converge:
– The engineering of communication, e.g.,
• Design and construction of mobile apps
• Formation of online networks
• Social media tools
• Use of technology in journalism
– The communication of engineering, e.g.,
• Public relations
• Public awareness
• Public engagement on science and technology
Communication Informatics
(Launched Fall 2015)

19. Program Objectives
• Students will explore several of the most interesting
technological phenomena impacting communication
today, including:
– Online communities
– Social media and user-generated content
– Crowdsourcing
– Big data and data analytics
• This program offers proficient users of these
technologies the opportunity to expand and improve on
existing technologies and help define a roadmap for the
communication technologies of the future.

20. Communication Informatics:
COURSE OUTLINE
Requirements for completion (32 units minimum)
• FOUNDATIONS (16 UNITS, 4 COURSES)
– COMM 502 Theoretical Approaches to Multidisciplinary Design Projects
– INF 549 Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science
– INF 510 Principles of Programming for Informatics
– INF 550 Overview of Data Informatics in Large Data Environments
• INFORMATICS CORE (4 UNITS, 1 COURSE from below)
– INF 559 Introduction to Data Management
– INF 552 Machine Learning for Data Informatics
– INF 553 Foundations and Applications of Data Mining
– INF 554 Information Visualization
– INF 529 Security and Privacy in Informatics
• COMMUNICATION CORE (12 UNITS, 3 COURSES from below)
– CMGT 510 Communication, Values, Attitudes and Behavior
– CMGT 520 Social Roles of Communication Media
– CMGT 530 Social Dynamics of Communication Technologies
– CMGT 555 Online Marketing Communication Development and Analysis
– COMM 648 Online Communities and Networks

21. Comm Informatics Team - Viterbi
• Yigal Arens (ISI)
– Principles of
Programming for
Informatics
– INF 551
• Seon Ho Kim(IMSC)
– Overview of Data
Informatics in Large
Data Environments
– INF 550
• Carl Kesselman (ISE)
– Introduction to Data
Management
– INF 559
• Jeremy Abramson (ISI)
– Principles of
Programming for
Informatics
– INF 551
• Yolanda Gil (ISI)
– Intro. to Computational
Thinking & Data
Science
– INF 549
• Wensheng Wu (CS)
– Foundations and
Applications of Data
Mining
– INF 553

22. Communication Informatics Team - Annenberg
• Michael Cody Dmitri Williams
•
•
• Peter Monge Anna Framroze
•
•
•
• Margaret McLaughlin Mathew Curtis

23. Communication Informatics Team - Annenberg
• Brad Shipley Sheila Murphy
•
• Peter Clarke Courtney Pade
•
•
•

24. • News
– How to collect, manage, distribute, and capitalize
on social media as a new source is a major
challenge for traditional media outlets ranging
from newspapers to network and cable news.
• Technology
– Many tech companies realize the value in
employing experts who understand the human
aspects of their products. Communication is now
so vital that success and failure of a product are
often determined by how well a company
communicates with their customers, and how
seamlessly the product integrates into existing
platforms.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

25. How to Apply for Fall 2016

26. Application Criteria
• Bachelor’s in engineering, math or hard science
• Official Transcripts
• GRE – less than 5 years old
• TOEFL/IELTS – international students
• Optional: Statement of Purpose and Letter of
Recommendation
Fall 2016 Application Deadline: March 15
Master of Science in Spatial Informatics

27. Application Criteria
• Bachelor’s in social sciences or engineering
• Recommended: math background (i.e. 1 college-level
calculus course)
• Official Transcripts
• GRE – less than 5 years old
• TOEFL/IELTS – international students
• Required: Statement of Purpose and 1 Letter of
Recommendation
Fall 2016 Application Deadline: March 15
Master of Communication Informatics

28. ApplicationTips
Apply Online at:
http://www.usc.edu/admission/graduate/applyonline/
USC ID number takes
approx. 48 hours to
be issued after
submission of online
application – please
plan accordingly.
Submit the application
and all required
materials as early as
possible including your
unique 10 digit USC ID
number in all your
correspondence (email
and hard copy).
Ensure that you enter
your personal
information correctly –
take extra care to
enter your surname and
given name in the
proper fields
Your application
status will be updated
on the online
application system.
You will be notified
via email if additional
documents are
required.

29. ApplicationTips - GPA
Provide your GPA in the
grading/point system that is
used by your institution.

30. ApplicationTips –Test Scores
Ensure that your official
score reports are sent directly
to USC.
If you do not yet have your
scores, you can leave this section
blank and we will refer to your
official score reports. Do not let
this section delay your submission
of the application.

31. Viterbi App for iPad/iPhone
Available on Apple App Store:

32. Dr. Cyrus Shahabi
shahabi@usc.edu
Laura Hartman
lhartman@usc.edu
Contacts