REQUEST TO COLLEGE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE FOR CURRICULAR IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT: BIS PROPOSED EFFECTIVE SEMESTER: Spring 2012 COLLEGE: Business PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS Academic Program Substantive Course Changes Misc. Course Changes New degree* New course Title New major* Pre or Co-requisites Description (attach current & proposed) New curriculum* Deletion (required by others) Deletion (not required by others) New concentration* Course #, different level Course #, same level New certificate Credit hours Variable credit New minor Enrollment restriction Credit/no credit Revised major Course-level restriction Cross-listing Revised minor Prefix Title and description COGE reapproval Admission requirements (attach current & proposed) Other (explain**) Graduation requirements General education (select one) Deletion Transfer Not Applicable Other Other (explain**) Title of degree, curriculum, major, minor, concentration, or certificate: Existing course prefix and #: CIS3260 Proposed course prefix and #: CIS2660 Credit hours: 3 cr.hr. Existing course title: Networking and Data Communications Proposed course title: Networking and Data Communications Existing course prerequisite(s): Admission to the Business Administration program. This course is also open to Telecommunication and Information Managements majors with junior standing. Proposed course prerequisite(s) CIS 1020 or CIS 1100 or CS 1050 or CS 1000 or FCS 2250 or HPER 1490 Proposed course co-requisite(s) Proposed course prerequisite(s) that can also be taken concurrently: Is there a minimum grade for the prerequisites or corequisites? Grade D Major/minor or classification restrictions: This course is restricted to students with sophomore status and a major, pre-major, or minor in Business Administration, General Business, or Telecommunications and Information Management (TMLJ) from College of Arts and Sciences. For 5000 level prerequisites & corequisites: Do these apply to: (circle one) undergraduates graduates both Specifications for University Schedule of Classes: a. Course title (maximum of 30 spaces): Networking & Data Comm b. Multi-topic course: No Yes c. Repeatable for credit: No Yes d. Mandatory credit/no credit: No Yes e. Type of class and contact hours per week (check type and indicate hours as appropriate) 1. Lecture 3. Lecture/lab/discussion 3 cr.hr. 5. Independent study 2. Lab or discussion 4. Seminar or studio 6. Supervision or practicum CIP Code (Registrar s use only): Chair/Director Chair, College Curriculum Committee Dean : Graduate Dean: Curriculum Manager: Return to dean Forward to: Chair, COGE/ PEB / FS President FOR PROPOSALS REQUIRING GSC/USC REVIEW: * Approve Disapprove Chair, GSC/USC * Approve Disapprove Provost
1. Explain briefly and clearly the proposed improvement. The proposed improvement is to change the course # from 3000-level to 2000-level, to change the prerequisite to be appropriate for the new course #, and to change the enrollment restriction to ensure that the students who need to take this course for their graduation will have a priority to enroll into this course. 2. Rationale. Give your reason(s) for the proposed improvement. (If your proposal includes prerequisites, justify those, too.) The CIS Unit has offered CIS3260: Networking and Data Communications, since before 2000 to provide our students the fundamental knowledge and skills needed in installation, maintenance, and administration of computer networks. This course has been through curriculum improvements several times. The last curriculum improvement for this course was effective in Fall 2007. Additionally, in virtually every year, CIS faculty has adjusted the material of this course to include new or emerging computer networking technologies. Over years, as computer networking and data communications have become an essential communication platform for business operation, community colleges and vocational schools have decided to offer or improve their existing fundamental computer networking course as well. As a result of their new course offering and course improvement, various community colleges and vocational schools around southwest Michigan area offer their fundamental computer networking course with course contents and material similar to those covered in our CIS3260 course. For the students who have already taken the fundamental computer networking course offered in community colleges or vocational schools, attending or transferring to WMU would be more encouraging if they could transfer their credit hours for the fundamental computer networking course that the students have already taken. Additionally, these students would look for chances to take higher-level computer networking courses to advance their knowledge in this area, instead of taking the fundamental course that they have already learned. Thus, for this CIS3260 course, changing its course # from 3000-level to 2000-level would encourage those students from community colleges and vocational schools to transfer their credit hours to WMU and continue their study by taking higher-level computer networking courses at WMU. For those WMU students who haven t taken the fundamental computer networking course in community colleges or vocational schools, these students will take this fundamental computer networking course at WMU before taking the higher-level courses. Because any pre-business students will be able to enroll into any 2000-level courses, the existing course prerequisites (i.e., admission to the Business Administration program) would not be appropriate for the proposed new course #. Instead, to ensure that students taking this course have sufficient fundamental computer skills, a new prerequisite (i.e., CIS 1020 or equivalent) is proposed for this course. Additionally, to ensure that business and prebusiness students and the students in the Telecommunications & Information Management major from the College of Arts and Sciences will have the priority to enroll into this course, a new restriction is proposed for this course (i.e., This course is restricted to students with sophomore status and a major, pre-major, or minor in Business Administration, General Business, or Telecommunications and Information Management (TMLJ) from College of Arts and Sciences.). 3. Effect on other colleges, departments or programs. If consultation with others is required, attach evidence of consultation and support. If objections have been raised, document the resolution. Demonstrate that the program you propose is not a duplication of an existing one. The proposed improvement will have no effect on other colleges, departments, or programs. 4. Effect on your department s programs. Show how the proposed change fits with other departmental offerings. As it is an existing course, this proposed improvement will have no effect on other departmental offerings.
5. Effects on enrolled students: Are program conflicts avoided? Will your proposal make it easier or harder for students to meet graduation requirements? Can students complete the program in a reasonable time? Show that you have considered scheduling needs and demands on students time. If a required course will be offered during summer only, provide a rationale. The proposed improvement will not create any conflicts for the enrolled students. This proposed improvement will also allow students to complete the program in a reasonable time. For the students who transfer the credit hours for this course from community colleges or vocational schools, these students may be able to graduate faster. 6. Student or external market demand. What is your anticipated student audience? What evidence of student or market demand or need exists? What is the estimated enrollment? What other factors make your proposal beneficial to students? Networking and data communications analysts have been projected as one of the fastest growing occupations during 2006-2016. The knowledge and skills covered in this course will meet the market demand of IT professionals and also the need of those students who seek knowledge in computer networking. The estimated enrollment will be 50-80 students per academic year. 7. Effects on resources. Explain how your proposal would affect department and University resources, including faculty, equipment, space, technology, and library holdings. Tell how you will staff additions to the program. If more advising will be needed, how will you provide for it? How often will course(s) be offered? What will be the initial one-time costs and the ongoing base-funding costs for the proposed program? (Attach additional pages, as necessary.) Currently, this course is offered in Fall and Summer. The current enrollment is approximately 50-60 students per academic year. It is estimated that only 5% of these students had taken the similar course in community colleges or vocational schools. Therefore, although the proposed improvement might decrease the demand of this course, this will not significantly affect the current enrollment. Additionally, we could implement another factor to help control the demand of this course. That is, we may allow the students to transfer their credit hours for this course only if the students pass the test-out exam or obtain the industry certification to demonstrate that the students really have sufficient knowledge in networking and data communications. On the other hand, the following scenarios might occur: More students from community colleges or vocational schools are encouraged to attend and take this course at WMU without any transferred credit hours. More pre-business students decide to take this course and learn the fundamental knowledge and skills in computer networking and data communication. In case that these scenarios occur and the demand for this course increases, the BIS Department is still able to arrange and offer this course in Spring without any additional resources. In sum, the proposed improvement will have no effect on department and university resources. 8. General education criteria. For a general education course, indicate how this course will meet the criteria for the area or proficiency. (See the General Education Policy for descriptions of each area and proficiency and the criteria. Attach additional pages as necessary. Attach a syllabus if (a) proposing a new course, (b) requesting certification for baccalaureate-level writing, or (c) requesting reapproval of an existing course.) N/A 9. List the learning outcomes for the proposed course or the revised or proposed major, minor, or concentration. These are the outcomes that the department will use for future assessments of the course or program. The following learning outcomes could be used for future assessments of this course:
Students will develop critical thinking, analytical, and problem solving skills Demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate relevant information for decision making Students will understand and be able to use computer-based information systems and infrastructures Understand various types of information systems (individual, work group, etc.) and infrastructures 10. Describe how this curriculum change is a response to assessment outcomes that are part of a departmental or college assessment plan or informal assessment activities. The proposed improvement is not a response to any assessment outcomes that are part of a department or college assessment plan or informal assessment activities. 11. (Undergraduate proposals only) Describe, in detail, how this curriculum change affects transfer articulation for Michigan community colleges. For course changes, include detail on necessary changes to transfer articulation from Michigan community college courses. For new majors or minors, describe transfer guidelines to be developed with Michigan community colleges. For revisions to majors or minors, describe necessary revisions to Michigan community college guidelines. Department chairs should seek assistance from college advising directors or from the admissions office in completing this section. For this course, the proposed improvement to change the course # from 3000-level to 2000-level would encourage and allow those students who have taken similar course offered by any Michigan community colleges to transfer their credit hours to WMU and continue their study by taking higher-level courses at WMU.
Existing Course Catalog: CIS 3260 - Networking and Data Communications This course provides an introduction to modern computer networking, data communications, network security, and associated technologies. The content focuses on the design, implementation, administration, and security of computer (wired and wireless) networks and data communications. The concepts of business networks as business process integration (BPI) tools to facilitate business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) operations are also discussed. Case projects and hands-on labs are used throughout the course. Prerequisites: Admission to the Business Administration program. This course is also open to Telecommunication and Information Managements majors with junior standing. Proposed Course Catalog: CIS 2660 - Networking and Data Communications This course provides an introduction to modern computer networking, data communications, network security, and associated technologies. The content focuses on the design, implementation, administration, and security of computer (wired and wireless) networks and data communications. The concepts of business networks as business process integration (BPI) tools to facilitate business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) operations are also discussed. Case projects and hands-on labs are used throughout the course. Prerequisites: CIS 1020 or CIS 1100 or CS 1050 or CS 1000 or FCS 2250 or HPER 1490 Note: This course is restricted to students with sophomore status and a major, pre-major, or minor in Business Administration, General Business, or Telecommunications and Information Management (TMLJ) from College of Arts and Sciences.