CA.SFU.FAS.UCC/Papers:2003-11

Information Technology and Interactive Arts Degrees: 2002 Cohort

T. Calvert, T. Donaldson and R. Taylor, Program in Information Technology and Interactive Arts, and R. D. Cameron, Associate Dean of Applied Sciences

April 10, 2003

Introduction

At the July 8, 2002 meeting of the SFU Senate, the BSc (Information Technology, TechBC) and BSc (Interactive Arts, TechBC) degree programs were approved for students admitted to Tech BC prior to 2002. The intention was to allow existing students to complete the programs which they had begun at Tech BC, while successor programs were developed.

Subsequently, the first step in development of successor programs was taken through a systematic restructuring of the common foundation year known as Tech One. This revision has been approved effective Fall 2003 and has been designed to allow students access to a wide range of existing SFU degree programs as well as planned successor programs in information technology and interactive arts.

However, no degree programs are in place for students admitted to the Tech One program for Fall 2002. This document proposes an extension of the existing programs based on the original Tech BC curriculum.

Degree Program Extension: 2002 Cohort

The following motions are proposed for consideration by the SFU Senate.

  1. That those students who were admitted to the Program in Information Technology and Interactive Arts in 2002 and who successfully complete the program requirements in the Information Technology program stream will be awarded the BSc (Information Technology, TechBC).
  2. That those students who were admitted to the Program in Information Technology and Interactive Arts in 2002 and who successfully complete the program requirements in the Interactive Arts program stream will be awarded the BSc (Interactive Arts, TechBC).

Rationale

Students who have entered the Program in Information Technology and Interactive Arts in 2002 have been taking the existing Tech One curriculum as developed at Tech BC. In fact, many of these students had originally applied to Tech BC on the basis of the original Tech BC degree programs. Whereas the revised Tech One curriculum approved for Fall 2003 differs substantially from the existing curriculum (particulary with respect to mathematics), it is unlikely that the new degree options being designed for 2003 cohort students will be accessible to all 2002 cohort students. It is therefore proposed that a one-year extension of the existing programs and degree names for those students admitted to the Program in Information Technology and Interactive Arts in 2002.