Informatics and Information Sciences are a multidisciplinary field that deal with how information is created, stored, circulated, and protected. Although there is an emphasis upon modern developments and techniques – such as databases, archiving, metadata, and data visualisation – Information Science as a discipline contextualises these recent developments within a far longer history of human behaviour and communication. Whereas Computer Science is more oriented towards Mathematics and the other physical sciences; Informatics and Information Science has a firm interest in public policy and ethics – reflecting upon the broader social implications of how information is circulated. Reflecting this, Information Science does not require the same background in a numerate discipline as Computer Science, and although it shares the same strong analytical focus as its sister discipline. A Masters in Information Science or Informatics (MSc) has direct applications for any workplace where data storage plays a significant role – from libraries to government archives; from social media companies to market research agencies. It also has specialist implications for public policy – especially regarding privacy.
