Changes to the undergrad research program

CA.SFU.FAS.UCC/Papers:2005-69

Proposed:

The following four steps are proposed to resolve some problems with CMPT directed research project courses.

Change CMPT 416 from 5 to 3 credits.
Add a new course: CMPT 498-6 Research Project and Thesis

Require that honors students complete at least 6 credit hours of research courses as part of their "Depth Requirements". This involves the following calendar change:

Current Proposed

Upper Division Requirements for Honors
For a BA or BSc degree with honors in computing science, students must fulfill the corresponding requirements for a BA or BSc major in computing science, with the following modifications and additions.
Breadth Requirement
One course each in the six areas of table 1 is required. These courses must include CMPT 300, 307 and 354.
Depth Requirement
Six additional courses from table 1 are required. These courses must include CMPT 405 and at least one other course in the theoretical computing science concentration. At least four of the courses must be numbered 400 or above.
Credit Hour Requirement
Additional computing science courses must be competed to bring the total upper-division credit hours in CMPT/MACM to at least 50 within the minimum of 60 upper division hours, and an overall total of 132 credit hours is required for the degree, together with a graduation grade point average of at least 3.00 as described in the General Information section (page 23).

Upper Division Requirements for Honors

For a BA or BSc degree with honors in computing science, students must fulfill the corresponding requirements for a BA or BSc major in computing science, with the following modifications and additions.
Breadth Requirement
One course each in the six areas of table 1 is required. These courses must include CMPT 300, 307 and 354.
Depth Requirement
Six additional courses from table 1 are required. These courses must include CMPT 405 and at least one other course in the theoretical computing science concentration. At least four of the courses must be numbered 400 or above.
In addition, six credit hours of research courses (CMPT 415 and 416, or 498) are required.
Credit Hour Requirement
Additional computing science courses must be competed to bring the total upper-division credit hours in CMPT/MACM to at least 50 within the minimum of 60 upper division hours, and an overall total of 132 credit hours is required for the degree, together with a graduation grade point average of at least 3.00 as described in the General Information section (page 23).

Current	Proposed
Upper Division Requirements for Honors For a BA or BSc degree with honors in computing science, students must fulfill the corresponding requirements for a BA or BSc major in computing science, with the following modifications and additions. Breadth Requirement One course each in the six areas of table 1 is required. These courses must include CMPT 300, 307 and 354. Depth Requirement Six additional courses from table 1 are required. These courses must include CMPT 405 and at least one other course in the theoretical computing science concentration. At least four of the courses must be numbered 400 or above. Credit Hour Requirement Additional computing science courses must be competed to bring the total upper-division credit hours in CMPT/MACM to at least 50 within the minimum of 60 upper division hours, and an overall total of 132 credit hours is required for the degree, together with a graduation grade point average of at least 3.00 as described in the General Information section (page 23).	Upper Division Requirements for Honors For a BA or BSc degree with honors in computing science, students must fulfill the corresponding requirements for a BA or BSc major in computing science, with the following modifications and additions. Breadth Requirement One course each in the six areas of table 1 is required. These courses must include CMPT 300, 307 and 354. Depth Requirement Six additional courses from table 1 are required. These courses must include CMPT 405 and at least one other course in the theoretical computing science concentration. At least four of the courses must be numbered 400 or above. In addition, six credit hours of research courses (CMPT 415 and 416, or 498) are required. Credit Hour Requirement Additional computing science courses must be competed to bring the total upper-division credit hours in CMPT/MACM to at least 50 within the minimum of 60 upper division hours, and an overall total of 132 credit hours is required for the degree, together with a graduation grade point average of at least 3.00 as described in the General Information section (page 23).

Remove the exclusion on "Depth Requirements" for regular majors as follows: "Twelve credits of additional CMPT courses number CMPT 400 or above must be completed (excluding CMPT 415, 416 and 498, which may be included by special permission)." This involves the following calendar change:

Current Proposed

Upper Division Requirements for a Major
For a major, students must satisfy the following requirements.
Breadth Requirement
Five courses from five of the six areas of concentration in table 1 must be completed, including CMPT 300 and 307. CMPT 354 is recommended.
Depth Requirement
Twelve credits of additional CMPT courses number CMPT 400 or above must be completed (excluding CMPT 415 and 416).

Upper Division Requirements for a Major
For a major, students must satisfy the following requirements.
Breadth Requirement
Five courses from five of the six areas of concentration in table 1 must be completed, including CMPT 300 and 307. CMPT 354 is recommended.
Depth Requirement
Twelve credits of additional CMPT courses number CMPT 400 or above must be completed (excluding CMPT 415, 416 and 498, which may be included by special permission).

Current	Proposed
Upper Division Requirements for a Major For a major, students must satisfy the following requirements. Breadth Requirement Five courses from five of the six areas of concentration in table 1 must be completed, including CMPT 300 and 307. CMPT 354 is recommended. Depth Requirement Twelve credits of additional CMPT courses number CMPT 400 or above must be completed (excluding CMPT 415 and 416).	Upper Division Requirements for a Major For a major, students must satisfy the following requirements. Breadth Requirement Five courses from five of the six areas of concentration in table 1 must be completed, including CMPT 300 and 307. CMPT 354 is recommended. Depth Requirement Twelve credits of additional CMPT courses number CMPT 400 or above must be completed (excluding CMPT 415, 416 and 498, which may be included by special permission).

Rationale:

This proposal resolves many issues simultaneously:

The Double Degree Program students will need a capstone project course, hence the creation of CMPT 498 (Item 2 above).
Item 3 above provides a research component for the CMPT Honors students, while at the same time holding them to the same requirements as the Double Degree Program students.
The workload associated with CMPT 416 will be reduced to correspond to the new credit-hour rating. Regular majors who want two three-credit research courses will now be able to satisfy this with CMPT 415 and 416.
In regards to Item 4 above, 10-15 students/year appeal to have CMPT 415/416 used to satisfy breadth or depth graduation requirements. The revised calendar wording is intended to make it clear that this must be approved at the time the project proposal is submitted.