COURSE CURRICULUM

The Human Environmental Sciences (HES) major at The University of Alabama is a flexible, interdisciplinary degree designed for students who want to build an individualized program of study focused on improving the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities through applied human-centered fields. To earn the degree, students must complete an approved program of study developed in consultation with an academic adviser before reaching 100 credit hours, ensuring that their coursework aligns with academic and career goals while meeting all college guidelines. A minimum of 120 semester credit hours is required, which must include the University Core Curriculum as well as at least 30 credit hours from disciplines within the College of Human Environmental Sciences. Within these 30 hours, students must complete college-specific core courses, including HES 310 (Improving Lives: Professionalism and Multidisciplinary Collaboration) and either HES 100 (Freshman Compass Human Environmental Sciences) for on-campus students or HES 103 (Distance Compass HES) for online students. In addition, students must complete at least 12 credit hours of upper-level coursework (300–400 level), which must include HES 485 and HES 490, ensuring advanced academic engagement and applied learning experience. The program also requires students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 across all coursework, UA coursework, and major-related courses. Because the degree is highly individualized, students must submit a formal proposal for their program of study, demonstrating that their academic plan cannot be better served by an existing major, that it aligns with career and post-graduation goals, and that it is approved by a faculty adviser and department chair. Careful academic planning and regular advising are required throughout the program, including a mandatory graduation audit process before completion. Students must also apply for graduation through myBama during their final semester, ensuring all requirements are properly verified and completed for degree conferral.The Informatics (B.S.) major requires a total of 36 credit hours focused on understanding and designing modern information systems that connect people, data, and technology. Students begin with foundational courses such as IS 101 Introduction to Informatics, which introduces the field, and IS 210 Script Language for Informatics, which develops basic programming skills used in information analysis and system design. Additional core courses include IS 220 Organizational Systems, Structures and Retrieval, which explores how information is organized and accessed in different environments, and IS 260 Database Design and Modeling for Information, which teaches how structured data systems are created and managed. As students advance, they take IS 310 Human-Centered Design, emphasizing how technology should be designed around user needs, and IS 350 User Needs and Assessment, which focuses on evaluating how people interact with systems and how those systems can be improved. The curriculum culminates in IS 401 Informatics Futures, which examines emerging technologies and future trends, and IS 495 Informatics Capstone, where students apply their knowledge to a final integrative project. In addition to the 24 credit hours of core coursework, students complete 12 credit hours of electives, choosing from options such as IS 201 Information Literacy in Society, IS 204 Navigating Social Media, IS 290 Special Topics, IS 490 Advanced Special Topics, IS 496 Field Experience in Information, and IS 498 Independent Study, with additional advisor-approved electives available for specialization. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in the major and earn a minimum grade of C- in all Informatics courses. The program is designed to build both technical and analytical skills, ensuring students understand not only how information systems function but also how they affect people, organizations, and society in real-world contexts.