Nonsubstantive Administrative Change Request
NAME OF INSTITUTION:
University of Houston Clear Lake
CHANGE REQUEST
This is a Nonsubstantive Administrative Change Request involving the Master of Science degree
in Software Engineering program at the University of Houston Clear Lake to:
Provide three Software Engineering Certificates using existing Software Engineering
(SWEN) courses in the current Master of Science degree. The candidate could choose
any one of the three certificates: Software Engineering Basics; Advanced Software
Engineering; and/or Software Engineering Management.
Display how administrative unit(s) and program(s) would appear on the Coordinating
Board program inventory; include Texas CIP code designation(s).
No changes in Coordinating Board program inventory, degree programs, courses, or Texas CIP
code designations are requested as a result of this proposed name change. They remain the
same with: rubric of SWEN; CIP and Fund code of 1409030006; each course is 3 SCH; and level
5.
Proposed date for implementation of the administrative change.
Fall 2008
Person to be contacted for further information about administrative change(s):
Name: Dr.Carl Stockton
Title:
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Phone: (281) 283-3000
FAX:
(281) 283-3009
Campus Chief Executive Officer
Date
______________________________________________________________
Dr. William A. Staples, President
University of Houston-Clear Lake
System Chief Executive Officer
Date
______________________________________________________________
Dr. xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Chancellor
University of Houston System
Governing Board approval date:
________________________
I.
Describe briefly the change requested.
This is a Nonsubstantive Administrative Change Request in the Master of Science
degree program in Software Engineering program at the University of Houston Clear
Lake to:
Provide three Software Engineering Certificates using existing Software
Engineering (SWEN) courses in the current Master of Science degree. The
candidate could choose any one of the three certificates: Software Engineering
Basics; Advanced Software Engineering; and/or Software Engineering
Management.
II.
Provide a rationale for the proposed change.
The Software Engineering Master's program at the University of Houston Clear Lake
(UHCL) is a program in the School of Science and Computer Engineering. The Master
Degree in Software Engineering can be obtained in the online distant program and/or the
traditional classroom method. The Software Engineering degree is designed to prepare
students to address all aspects of software development including: developing the
student's ability to communicate ideas; work in groups; manage software products; and to
understand the complexities of building quality into a software product
UHCL has received request from student and Bay Area Houston Economic Partners
(BAHEP) to provide a set of courses in the program for a software engineering certificate.
Students may already have a Masters degree in a related field and would benefit from a
four course set in Software Engineering basics that would help them advance in their
professional career. The student could, after receiving a software engineering certificate,
apply these four courses toward the completion of the Master of Science degree.
III.
Include an assessment of its effect on the administrative unit(s) involved and on
the institution as a whole. If a unit is being renamed, will program names need to
be changed? If so, submit a separate Nonsubstantive program request for each
change.
The result of approving this request will permit students to earn a software engineering
certificate by taking existing web based courses via the internet. The student will be
admitted to the University of Houston as a non-degree seeking student. Once completing
the certificate, the student will be given the opportunity to apply these four courses
toward their candidate plan of study for a Masters of Science degree in Software
Engineering. The certificate will be presented to the student through the School of
Science and Computer Engineering and their transcript will be maintained by UHCL
registrar.
There will be no other impact on the administrative unit and the institution other than the
benefits of this improved flexibility and the increase in the number of student’s credit
hours, the increase in enrollment and the potential for additional Master degree seeking
candidates.
IV.
Summarize implications for classes, distribution of personnel, availability of
facilities, and availability of equipment.
The increase in enrollment will lead to an increase in faculty that can be funded from
income derived from formula funding. The availability of equipment will be increased in
proportion to student demand and accompanying fees. The nature of the universityowned equipment will begin to shift to an emphasis that favors more "server side"
hardware and software since the students now prefer the web-based option. The
students normally provide their own "client side" hardware. The software is available from
the university through the fee structure.
V.
Give information regarding any additional costs or savings.
There are no additional savings anticipated. The major portions of the additional costs
include the course maintenance and improvement, testing and delivery of the complete
versions of the certificates. The university has already committed funds for these webbased courses and regards these funds as an investment in the future. There will be
some additional costs associated with marketing the web-based certificates.
VI.
Requirements for Certificate Courses
Requirements for entry into the certificate plan are the same as the requirements for
entry into the graduate plan. To enter the Software Engineering plan a candidate must
hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related field,
must submit GRE scores of 1000 (verbal + quantitative) or higher, with a verbal score of
400 or higher, and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Writing ability (as measured by the new writing
component of the GRE and other means) and previous related professional experience
may also be considered during the admission review. The faculty graduate admissions
committee will decide acceptance into the program based upon program need, the
guidelines stated herein, and university admission requirements. Once admitted, the
student must file a candidate plan of study (CPS) in the first semester of enrollment.
Foundation courses that are found to be needed are added to the CPS and must be
completed in or before the first year of enrollment. The candidate must have taken the
following foundation courses or their equivalent.
The candidate may choose to earn a certificate in Software Engineering Basics;
Advanced Software Engineering; and/or Software Engineering Management. Each
certificate will require completing four courses with a 3.0 grade point average or better,
based on a 4.0 system.
Certificate 1 - Software Engineering Basics (4 courses)
SWEN 5130 - Requirements Engineering
SWEN 5230 - Software Project Management
SWEN 5431 - Testing, Verification and Validation
SWEN 5432 - Software Engineering Life Cycle
Certificate 2- Advanced Software Engineering (4 courses)
SWEN 5232 - Software Construction
SWEN 5233 - Software Architecture
SWEN 5234 - Software Process
SWEN 5430 - Software Metrics
Certificate 3 - Software Engineering Management (4)
SWEN 5230 - Software Project Management
SWEN 5234 - Software Process
SWEN 5432 - Software Engineering Life Cycle
SWEN 5435 - Personal Software Process