Student Outcome Assessment Plan University of Northern Iowa Department of Computer Science Master of Science: Computer Science 1 Departmental Philosophy of Outcomes Assessment The Master of Science program in Computer Science is designed to foster prepa­ration for applied professional careers in the computing sciences. Being a young, still developing science, computing has yet to fully mature, and its application in professional practice continues to evolve as new technologies unfold and as new needs arise in the market place. The goal of student outcomes assessment for the graduate program of the Department of Computer Science is to ensure that the program fulfills the changing needs of its students as they embark upon pro­ fessional careers that involve the discipline of computing. Upon graduation, students should possess not only the technical knowledge and skills necessary to compete in today’s market place but also sufficient breadth and flexibility to be able to adapt to the requirements of an evolving discipline. The masters degree program in computer science combines a small set of core courses with a much larger set of electives. The required core provide students with breadth in the fundamental areas of computing, while the electives allow each student to develop greater depth in one sub­ discipline of computing. As a consequence of the variety of programs that students may produce in achieving a degree, student portfolios and surveys have been selected as the two primary methods of assessing student outcomes. The outcomes and assessment methods included in this plan should provide ample information regarding the success of the M.S. program in Computer Science at meeting its stated goals. 2 Outcomes and Competencies Outcome 1 Students shall be knowledgeable about the theory and applica­tion of computing. Competency 1.1 solutions. Be able to apply basic computational theory to individual problems and Competency 1.2 Possess detailed knowledge of common algorithms and data structures. Competency 1.3 Be able to discuss contemporary computer systems and architectures as they relate to particular applications. Outcome 2 computing.
Students shall demonstrate mastery of one of the sub­disciplines of Competency 2.1 methodologies. Be familiar with the sub­discipline’s basic principles, open questions, and Competency 2.2 Be conversant in topics of contemporary importance to the sub­discipline. Competency 2.3 Be able to analyze a problem in the sub­discipline, design a solution for it, and build a system that implements the solution. Competency 2.4 Be proficient in the use of at least one programming language commonly used to implement applications in the sub­discipline. Outcome 3 Students shall possess the ability to actively participate in and complete projects of significant size and complexity. Competency 3.1 Be sufficiently familiar with the literature of computing to enable conduct of background research on topics relevant to a project. Competency 3.2 Be able to competently forecast the complexity of a project and the amount of time necessary to complete it. Competency 3.3 lifetime. Be able to manage the complexities of a project over the course of its Outcome 4 Students shall possess the ability to communicate orally and in written form according to the standards of the discipline. Competency 4.1 Be able to make oral presentations appropriate for two kinds of audience: a group of student peers and a group of computing professionals. Competency 4.2 Be able to create written compositions in conformance with the discipline’s standards for technical papers and documentation. Competency 4.3 Be able to create written compositions appropriate for two kinds of audience: a group of student peers and a group of computing professionals.