LEMOYNE-OWEN COLLEGE
DIVISION OF NATURAL SCIENCES, MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Syllabus for COSI 460 A
COMPUTER SCIENCE CAPSTONE
Spring Semester, 2009

Pre-requisites:       Senior Standing
Text:                         None
Class Meeting:       Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 9:20 a.m., GOH 223.

Instructor:
Name: 
 Valerie Chu, Ph.D.
Phone: 
 435-1378      valerie_chu@loc.edu
Office: 
 GOH 400 D
Office Hours: 
 MWF 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.        TTh 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
 Email:
 valerie_chu@loc.edu

 Course Description:
         This course meets three hours weekly, during which topics are discussed and students relate their literature search with professional experience and ethics.  During the first half of the semester, the students will have an opportunity to review the computer science courses.  There will be an exit exam at the middle of the semester.  Students have to pass this exam, the passing grade being 70%.  Students failing the exit exam will have to take a make up exam at the end of the semester.  If students do not pass either of the exams, then they will have to repeat the course in order to graduate.  During the semester, students will research and develop a formal written report.  At the end of the semester, the student will submit the formal written report and present his/her project using PowerPoint.  This course is required of all seniors.

Objectives:
          To ensure that students are adequately prepared in their major area to function as productive members either in graduate school or in the work force.  By attending this course, the students will be exposed to different area of Computer Sciences.  They will improve their ability to conduct research and present good reports.

Course Outline:
Weeks Topics
1  Introduction the course
Review on Application Software:  (Peers Presentations)
  - Microsoft Word:  Advance Formatting,  e.g.. Mathematical Formula, Drawing,.. etc.
  - Web Page Design
  - Microsoft Excel:  Relative Address vs. Absolute Address, Chart Wizard,.. etc.
  - Microsoft PowerPoint
  - Microsoft Access
Start to create a frame page for your academic web-site.
2 – 3 Review on Programming Language Skills: (C++, Java and Visual Basic)
  - Assignment Statements
  - Decision Statements
  - Loop Operations
  - Functions and OOP concepts (Encapsulation, Inheritance, Polymorphism)
Submit a research topic with title, proposal and outline to Dr. Yu in COSI 455 class.
Submit your first page (index) in frame with a list page and a welcome home page.
4 – 5  Review on Data Structures, Computer Algorithms and Computer Organization:
  - Arrays               - Vectors
  - Pointers             - Linked List
  - Stack                - Queue
  - Tree                 - Sorting Methods
  - Counting Number of Steps in Computer Algorithms
  - Big O concepts
  - Number Base Conversion and Calculations 
  - Hamming Code 
  - Change the form of expression: prefix, infix, and postfix
6  Review on Discrete Structure, Database Management, and Operating Systems
   - Logic and Binary Computations
   - Relational Algebra and Structured Query Language
   - Critical Sections, Mutual Exclusion, Deadlock, Process Scheduling, Virtual Memory
7  Comprehensive Exit Exam
8 – 15 Research and Presentations
The research topics should be decided as early as possible, like the first two weeks of semester.
Your academic web-site should include your research presentation.
Instructional Strategies:

Students will engage in learning activities, which will include assigned readings, class presentation, and computer laboratory work. All announcements will be posted in the web site, http://biobio.loc.edu/chu/web/. Course Requirements and Evaluation Procedures:
The course grade will be calculated on the following distribution:
                               Exit Exam                        50% (Pass by 70%, otherwise, retake the course)
                               Proposal                         10% (This includes research in COSI455 and proposal for academic web-site)
                              Class Participation         10%
                              Final Presentation          20% (This includes web-site and research presentation in COSI455)
                              Written Report               10% (This includes a formal report in research topic in COSI455 and an uploaded dynamic/static academic web-site)
       Grades will be recorded in numerical form until the final averages are determined at the end of the semester.
     Grading Scale will be 90 to 100 A,  80 to 89 B,  70 to 79  C,  60 to 69  D, others  F.

Attendance Policy:
                Please adhere to the “Institutional Attendance Policy” as stated in the current catalog.

Policies Related To Students With Disabilities:
        The facility of Gibson-Orgill hall is equipped an entrance ramp and elevator to accommodate students with physical disabilities. Special arrangements can be made for students with other disabilities or impairments (i.e., deaf, mute, etc.)