Information Design and Visualization

Graduates of this certificate program are professionals who are prepared to tackle new information challenges and communicate and collaborate with researchers in a variety of fields, as well as with stakeholders and the public. Throughout the course of the certificate, students master how to think visually while also learning how to produce effective, meaningful visual information from various sources of data.

The Graduate Certificate in Information Design and Visualization is intended for practitioners and graduate students from related fields—media, design, communications, data science, and more—who would like to acquire competencies in information design and data visualization to complement their skills and address their professional needs. Embedded in the course offering of our Master of Fine Arts in Information Design and Visualization program, students in the certificate program will have the opportunity to join MFA students for activities such as attending guest lectures and workshops.

Over the past five years, interactive data visualization has grown to play an increasingly important role in the professional and research world. While visualization used to be regarded as a discipline for specialists dealing with problems of limited scope, it has now developed into a complex field that major global companies—from Google to IBM—are recognizing as a key to growth and success in today’s competitive market. These large companies, as well as public sector institutions, increasingly hire information designers and establish information design departments as data- and analytics-related services become central to their activities.

The “data revolution” has affected all aspects of society as organizations from various disciplines recognize that more open data can unlock greater knowledge and influence, and information visualization is the native language for communicating and exploring data-related issues. While there is a sustained demand for dedicated data visualization experts, there is also an increasing need for professionals and experts from diverse backgrounds who have a competency in information design and visualization. This is where our Graduate Certificate in Information Design and Visualization fits in. Please explore the certificate’s educational objectives below.

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