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Home > MSI Degree >Social Computing (SC)
Social Computing (SC) Specialization
Social computing -- including online communities, social networking, and user contributed content -- has been the darling of Silicon Valley for the past several years and is the force behind Web 2.0 applications.
Social computing has also gained currency in library circles, as venues such as library Web sites incorporate blogging features and sites such as LibraryThing bring recommender technologies to personal book collections.
SI faculty have invented and analyzed many of the underlying techniques that have powered the rise of social computing, including recommender systems, reputation systems, prediction markets, social network analysis, online communities, and computer-supported cooperative work.
Students pursuing a specialization in Social Computing learn to analyze online social interactions, both in online communities and in more diffuse social networks. They learn about features of social computing technologies so they can recognize opportunities to put them to use in new settings and make good choices about alternative implementations.
Social Computing specialists will be highly qualified to step into positions such as these:
- Online community manager
- E-marketing associate
- Product manager
- Social network analyst
- Community organizer
- Management consultant
- User-experience analyst
- Web analyst
Specialization Requirements
In addition to the specialization requirements below, MSI students must meet all of the general requirements of the 48-credit MSI program, including core, distribution, cognate, and practical engagement requirements.
Students specializing in Social Computing must take 12 credits from the following set of courses:
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SI 508: Networks: Theory and Application
(3 credits)
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SI 529: eCommunities: Analysis and Design of Online Interaction Environments
(3 credits)
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SI 532: Digital Government I: Information Technology and Democratic Politics
(1.5 credits)
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SI 534: Theories of Social Influence
(3 credits)
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SI 583: Recommender Systems
(1.5 credits)
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SI 631: Practical Engagement Workshop: Content Management Systems
(1.5 credits)
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SI 679: Aggregation and Prediction Markets
(1.5 credits)
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SI 683: Reputation Systems
(1.5 credits)
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SI 689: Computer-Supported Cooperative Work
(3 credits)
Competency Requirements
Social Computing students must have three (3) credits of programming -- either previously completed or taken at U-M -- or must show competence through an exam. SI offers
- SI 539 Design of Complex Web Sites (3 credits)
- SI 543 Programming I (Java; 3 credits)
to help you fulfill this requirement.
Learn more about the programming requirement.
Requests for a waiver for the programming requirement should be e-mailed to Assistant Professor Mark Newman at mwnewman@umich.edu during the first week of classes or during the two-week pre-registration advising period.
The faculty coordinator for the Social Computing specialization is Professor Paul Resnick, who can be reached at presnick@umich.edu.
Other MSI Specializations
Social Computing is one of nine specializations within the Master of Science in Information program at the School of Information. For information about the other MSI specializations, visit their respective links:
Program requirements on this page are current for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Last updated: Aug 17, 2009
Home > MSI Degree >Social Computing (SC)
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"The depth of our curriculum in social computing is unparalleled. Rather than a single course as you might find in other programs, we offer a range of in-depth courses in the technologies and applications that are driving the Web 2.0 revolution."
Paul Resnick
Professor
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