CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM #1
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER
NEW DEGREE, MAJOR, OR SUBMAJOR
| Degree/Program Title: |
Minor in Web Site Development and Administration |
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| Sponsor(s): |
Bennette Harris |
| Department(s): |
Mathematical and Computer Sciences |
| College(s): |
Letters and Sciences |
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| Effective Term: |
Fall, 2001 |
Check if:
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New Degree: Intent to
Plan |
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New Degree: Final Proposal |
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New Major: Intent to
Plan |
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New Major: Final Proposal |
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X
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New Submajor: (check
one of the following) |
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X
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Minor |
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Emphasis/Track |
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Certificate Program |
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Module: Intent to Plan |
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Module: Final Proposal |
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Other |
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Exact description of request
The request is to create a new minor within the Department of Mathematical
and Computer Sciences in Web Site Development and Administration. This
request is accompanied by a companion request to create a Certificate in
Web Site Development and Administration, and by proposals for the new courses
that are part of both the minor and certificate programs.
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Bulletin Description of Program
(Placed following the descriptions of the Computer Science minors)
WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
Web site development and administration is perhaps one of the fastest
growing areas in the modern information and technology-driven world. Typical
programs of study tend to focus on either document development or web server
technologies and systems. The minor and certificate programs offered by
the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences is designed to bridge
the gap smoothly between these two extremes. By combining skills in the
latest document design systems and paradigms with a deep understanding
of the background technologies that drive document delivery and processing,
students of these programs will be well equipped to enter into this exciting
field.
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Course List
The minor consists of the following courses:
110-222 (being developed by the Art Department for this course)
765-171 Introduction to Programming (as revised)
Revised to use the Visual Basic programming language. Provides
fundamental background to programming in general, and is an essential beginning
to the study of programming for the web.
765-372 Intermediate Programming or 920-231 Concepts
of Data Structures
Taught in Java. Furthers the study begun in 765-171 while at
the same time introducing students to the Java language used to create
applets for web sites.
765-281 HTML and Web Page Development
Introduces the key concepts of web document development,
and covers the major design technologies (such as FrontPage and Dreamweaver)
765-282 Media on the Web
Introduces the use and creation of a variety of media used
within web sites, such as static and animated images, video, and sound.
765-381 Javascript and DHTML
Covers technologies associated with client-side creation of
dynamic web documents.
765-382 Perl and CGI Scripting
Covers technologies associated with server-side creation of
dynamic web documents.
765-481 Web Servers and Unix Administration
Provides hands-on experience in administering and maintaining
a Unix-based web server, such as Apache on Linux. Includes a study of site
and document security.
765-482 Web Database Development
Covers key concepts of database development and administration,
and the use of databases as part of a web site development Includes both
dynamic document generation and e-commerce.
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APR Program Requirements
MINOR/EMPHASIS
WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
MINOR - 24 CREDITS
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ART 110-222
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CPSC 765-171
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CPSC 765-372 or MCS 920-231
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CPSC 765-281 or BE/CNA 220-357
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CPSC 765-381, 765-382, 765-481, and 765-482
Elective: CPSC 765-282
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4-Year Plan of Course Offerings
The courses will be offered initially on the one-year schedule
listed below. This schedule allows for the completion of the minor within
two years by taking two courses per term, while at the same time allowing
students enrolled in the companion certificate program to complete their
studies within a shorter time frame.
Fall Spring
765-171 765-171
765-372 765-372
765-281 765-282
765-381 765-481
765-382 765-482
A typical minor plan might be as follows: semester 1 - 171,
281; semester 2 - 282, 372; semester 3 - 381, 382; semester 4 - 481, 482.
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Assessment Plan
Assessment for this program will be integrated into the Department’s
existing assessment procedures.
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Relationship to mission and strategic plan of institution, and/or College/Department
goals and objectives
There is virtually no job that remains untouched by the Internet. While
modern web page development tools such as FrontPage and Dreamweaver make
web page creation easier, web site development is a much more complex
and technically challenging matter, one for which few businesses are prepared.
Modern students of computer science are expected to be able to address
these technical challenges. This new minor will offer a path for achieving
the critical skills required in a rapid fashion. Because of its broad impact,
the availability of this new minor will strengthen virtually every program
at the university. This support role is a vital function of the Mathematical
and Computer Sciences Department and the College of Letters and Sciences.
As part of the UW-Whitewater Strategic Plan, Priority 2 calls for the
University to "deliver state of the art programs and services"; Goal 2.1
calls for "academic programs that are intellectually challenging, current,
and dynamic." The minor supports this priority and goal by offering in-depth
study in a technology that is changing the nature of information delivery
systems the world over. It also provides a framework within which future
technology changes can be addressed as this field continues to evolve.
UW-Whitewater Strategic Plan, Priority 5 calls for the University to
"serve as a vital resource, particularly to the region"; Goal 5.2 calls
for "a substantive contribution to the economic development of the region
and the quality of life of its citizens." The minor supports this priority
and goal by providing graduates with the skills to allow their employers
to compete in the modern marketplace. The Internet and web are driving
a new global perspective to business strategies of all kinds, and the rapid
flow of information over the Internet changes the very nature of the way
in which business is conducted. Graduates with this minor will provide
vital skills in allowing Wisconsin and area businesses and industry to
lead in these changes.
Some overlap exists between this program and the existing MCS, Computer
End-User Technologies and Art-Graphic Design programs.
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MCS graduates are trained in the areas of programming, systems analysis/design
and network management/administration with a strong background in business.
Typical entry level positions include programmer, programmer/analyst, network
engineer, network management/administration and PC support specialist.
While the minor does include computer programming (and utilizes courses
which are also required of MCS majors), the focus is on the delivery, processing,
and administration of web content, not on business systems.
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The Computer End-User Technologies major/minor focus primarily on the use
of existing applications. Web page document design falls within this realm.
The proposed minor, because of its programming content, connects document
design with the background document delivery and processing technologies.
The minor also provides skills in application development, allowing its
graduates, for example, to create new Java or Javascript components for
web sites. It is precisely these skills that most web designers lack.
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Graduates of the Graphic Design program are trained in the capture and
creation of images and other media appropriate for incorporation within
a web site. The proposed minor recognizes the need for graphic design as
part of the training required for a student in web site design and administration.
The proposed minor, however, covers aspects of document structure, content
delivery, and document processing that are not part of the Graphic Design
program.
A business with a need for a significant Internet presence might require
graduates from all four of these areas in order to meet their needs: MCS
graduates to develop and maintain their internal data systems, End-User
graduates to train and support the business personnel in application use,
Graphic Design graduates to develop a variety of media products, and graduates
with a minor in Web Site Development and Administration to create, maintain,
and administer all the aspects of the company’s web site and its connections
to the company’s other existing systems.
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Need/Demand for the Program
There is a growing trend among institutions worldwide to offer course work
and certification programs in web site design. Because of a lack of standards
in this area, the program offerings are quite diverse. Virtually all, however,
focus on document design issues such as page layout and graphical
content. Missing from such programs is the technical expertise to address
issues of site administration, database connectivity, e-commerce, and server
and site security. With many sites now being hosted on virtual servers,
issues of server organization also need to be addressed. Many of these
issues are tied to skills in computer programming and operating systems
that fit naturally within the framework of a computer science minor.
Southeast Wisconsin is experiencing a dramatic increase in Internet
use among businesses; this has created an increase in demand for employees
knowledgeable about web site design and skilled in managing web projects
from both the client and server perspectives. The Department has received
over 100 inquiries in the last few months about the availability of a degree
program or certificate in this area of study.
Learning Objectives
After completing this program, students will be able to:
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Demonstrate competency in programming languages commonly used in developing
and servicing Internet web sites, both client-side and server-side
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Develop applications capable of functioning over a distributed network
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Demonstrate the significance of the client-server model to web page design
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Demonstrate proficiency in developing complex web sites incorporating database
driven technologies
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Demonstrate proficiency in locating, creating, designing, editing and implementing
effective graphics and other media content in web pages
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Demonstrate and understanding of the limitations of bandwidth and the need
for compression technologies
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Select and use appropriate tools and resources for maintaining and administering
an Internet web server
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Demonstrate an awareness of the security implications for both the client
and server in web communications, and employ appropriate security strategies
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Identify and evaluate current industry trends
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Cost implications
The Mathematical and Computer Sciences Department currently has faculty
able to teach the proposed courses for the new minor. The Department also
has been allocated an additional position by the College of Letters and
Sciences and is conducting a search for a person to augment the skills
already present within the Department. With the additional staff, and with
the computer facilities already available, no additional resources should
be required initially.