The graduate certificate in Youth Informatics (YIC) will enable students to develop knowledge of how youth up to age 21 use and apply technology in diverse settings. Informatics is the science concerned with gathering, manipulating, storing, retrieving, and classifying recorded information using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Youth informatics is an interdisciplinary area of study that focuses on how people transform technology, and how information technology transforms people. This certificate is designed to provide a supplementary perspective for students already enrolled in graduate programs, and to provide enrichment for members of the community who have a graduate degree, and who wish to gain knowledge of or expand their role in youth services.

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Distance Education

Graduate Certificate Type

Stand-Alone

Add-On

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Interested applicants must be currently admitted in a degree program at UTK or can apply directly for the Youth Informatics Certificate through the Graduate Admissions Office.
• Masters students from other programs must be approved by the SIS Coordinator of Youth Informatics, prior to enrolling in Youth Informatics courses.
• Practitioners with a masters’ degree must be approved by the SIS Coordinator of Youth Informatics, prior to enrolling in Youth Informatics courses.
• Other doctoral students must be approved by the SIS Coordinator of Youth Informatics, prior to enrolling in Youth Informatics courses.
• Practitioners with a doctoral degree must be approved by the SIS Coordinator of Youth Informatics prior to enrolling in Youth Informatics courses.

Credit Hours Required

12 graduate credit hours

Note: Students earning an additional graduate degree concurrently with the YIC must complete at least 3 credit hours in excess of the number of credit hours required for the graduate degree. For example, a student enrolled in both the MSIS degree (36 credit hours) and the YIC (12 credit hours) would need to earn a total of 39 credit hours to earn both credentials.

Required Courses

• INSC 542  (3 credit hours)
• INSC 583  (3 credit hours)
• INSC 593  (3 credit hours)

Additional Course Requirements

• School of Information Science masters students select one: CFS 515  OR PSYC 511  (3 credit hours) OR equivalent course, approved by the Coordinator of Youth Informatics.
• CCI doctoral students: the 12-credit hour certificate may be earned by completing INSC 593 ; and CFS 515  or PSYC 511 , or an equivalent course, as approved by the Coordinator of Youth Informatics.

Non-Course Requirements

To receive the certificate, students must:
1) complete the Graduate Certificate Course Verification Form (located on the Graduate School webpage under the Forms Central tab) and
2) through MyUTK, apply to graduate from the certificate program.