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  1. Programs
  3. Informatics

Informatics

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Doctoral ResearchAcademicCIP: 11.0104

Become a contributor for free to openly demonstrate student outcomes, industry alignment & eligibility criteria.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Informatics educates researchers, teachers, and transformational leaders who advance the science of informatics and the development of information technologies and their integration in the workplace.

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Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

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Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

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Locations

Where this program is offered

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Related Programs

Programs related to this one

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Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populated·from O*NET via SOC 15-1255.01

Skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingProgrammingActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningSystems AnalysisSpeakingWritingSystems EvaluationMonitoring

Knowledge

Computers and ElectronicsMathematicsEnglish LanguageEngineering and TechnologyDesignCustomer and Personal ServiceCommunications and MediaPsychologyAdministration and Management

Abilities

Written ComprehensionOral ComprehensionWritten ExpressionInformation OrderingOral ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningNear VisionInductive ReasoningFluency of IdeasCategory FlexibilityOriginalitySpeech Recognition

Tasks

  • Balance and adjust gameplay experiences to ensure the critical and commercial success of the product
  • Devise missions, challenges, or puzzles to be encountered in game play.
  • Create core game features, including storylines, role-play mechanics, and character biographies for
  • Troubleshoot program and system malfunctions to restore normal functioning.
  • Provide staff and users with assistance solving computer-related problems, such as malfunctions and
  • Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation o
  • Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
  • Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
  • Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression
  • Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost
  • Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
  • Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain info
  • Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
  • Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting princ
  • Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.

Technology

Development environment softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareObject or component oriented development softwareWord processing softwareDocument management softwareData base user interface and query softwareVideo creation and editing softwareProject management softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareData base management system software

Tools

Audioconferencing systemsComputer data input scannersDesktop computersLaptop computersPersonal computersSmart phonesTablet computersVideo gaming equipmentApplication serversUniversal serial bus USB flash drivesWeb serversComputer network routersComputer serversDigital camerasDirectory serversFlash disksGraphics processing unit GPUIn circuit emulators ICELogic analyzersMainframe computersMainframe operating systemsMulti-core central processing unit CPUNotebook computersArticulated robotsCluster systemsComputer laser printersComputer scannersDigital video camerasDistributed heterogeneous computersFile servers

Work Values

AchievementIndependenceWorking ConditionsRecognitionSupportRelationships
Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

  • Video Game Designers15-1255.01
  • Web and Digital Interface Designers15-1255.00
  • Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers15-1253.00
  • Software Developers15-1252.00
  • Computer and Information Research Scientists15-1221.00
What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populated·from NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: advanced (Level 4)(based on Doctoral Research)

  • Strategic vision for game design philosophy across an entire studio or franchise portfolio — set and articulate, aligning creative direction with commercial objectives and organizational culture.
  • Gameplay balance and systems design methodologies — establish at an organizational scale, defining evaluation frameworks that teams apply consistently across multiple simultaneous titles.
  • Senior and mid-level game designers — mentor and develop through structured feedback, design critique sessions, and career growth planning within a large studio environment.
  • Complex creative and technical trade-off decisions affecting budget, schedule, and product quality — make with authority, leveraging deep judgment and cross-functional organizational influence.
  • Studio-level design review governance — lead by instituting review cadences, quality gates, and escalation protocols that govern the full game development lifecycle.
  • Cross-organizational feedback ecosystems involving design, engineering, marketing, and executive stakeholders — architect and steward to ensure iterative improvement across all product lines.
  • Innovative game concepts and genre-defining mechanics — champion by cultivating an organizational culture of intellectual curiosity, psychological insight, and player-centric design thinking.
  • Industry-wide design knowledge — contribute to through conference presentations, published design analyses, and participation in professional communities, elevating the organization's external reputation.
  • Enterprise-scale design toolchains including integrated development environments, database systems, and web platform technologies — evaluate and adopt strategically to increase team velocity and design quality.
  • Long-range game franchise and IP roadmaps — develop and own in collaboration with executive leadership, translating creative pillars into multi-year product and resource strategies.

Some details on this page are auto-populated from public workforce data sources: O*NET (opens in new tab), BLS (opens in new tab), College Scorecard (opens in new tab), DOL Training Provider Results (opens in new tab), NSX (opens in new tab). Provided in partnership with LER.me Career Intelligence.

Student Outcomes

Performance metrics for this program

Completion Rate
Not reported
Placement Rate
Not reported