Transcript SCE Assessment

University of Houston - Clear Lake
New CS/CIS Master Student Orientation
Spring 2009
Presented by:
Dr. Bun Yue
Chair, Division of Computing and Mathematics
January 22, 2009 (Thursday)
4:00pm to 5:30pm
Table of Contents
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Welcome!
Opportunities
Resources
Foundation Courses
Advising and CPS
Planning your study
Research and Capstone Projects
Controlled and Full Courses
Academic Honesty
TA Applications
Questions and Answers
Welcome!
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Welcome aboard!
UHCL: four schools
School of Science and Computer
Engineering (SCE): three divisions.
Division of Computing and Mathematics
(DCM): four programs.
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Computer Science (CS)
Computer Information Systems (CIS)
Mathematics
Statistics
Opportunities: UHCL CS/CIS Programs
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ABET Accredited!
Small class sizes
Friendly faculty and staff
Teaching-oriented faculty
Student research
High tech environment
Close ties with surrounding high tech
industry
Balance between theory and practice
Opportunities: Some Goals
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Better
Better
Better
Better
study
career preparation
professionalism
networking
Resources: Personnel
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SCE:
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Academic Advisors:
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Dean: Dr. Sadegh Davari
Associate Dean: Dr. Dennis Casserly
Ms. Barbara Coleman
Ms. Dorothy Hogg
DCM:
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Division Chair: Dr. Bun Yue
Personnel
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Program Chairs:
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CS: Dr. Sharon Hall
CIS: Dr. Andrew Yang
DCM secretaries
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Ms. Janet Brecheen (division’s
secretaries):
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Delta building access pan code
Personnel
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Faculty suite secretaries:
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Ms. Kim Edwards: D161 (all other
CS/CIS faculty members)
TA applications
 Control courses
 Waiting list for courses
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Ms. Jeanne Leslie: D101 (Drs. Yang,
Hall and Giarratano)
Faculty
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Faculty members
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Ms. Krishani Abeysekera
Dr. Hisham Al-Mubaid
Dr. Said Bettayeb
Dr. Gary Boetticher
Dr. Sadegh Davari
Dr. Terry Feagin
Dr. Joseph Giarratano
Faculty
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Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
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Sharon Perkins Hall
Dan Kim
Morris Liaw
Perez Perez-Davila
Andrew Yang
Bun Yue
Faculty
Staff
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Technology Specialist: Mr. David
Webb
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Academic software purchase
Laboratories
Systems Administrator:
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DCM and SCE accounts
DCM laboratories
Unix server and laboratories
Some Resources
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SCE/DCM Accounts:
 SCE Web server
 DCM laboratory accounts
UHCL Neumann Library
UHCL Writing Center
Low cost academic software: contact Mr.
David Webb
CS/CIS Blog: http://sce.uhcl.edu/cs/blog/
Scholarship and Work
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Be aggressive and try hard.
UHCL:
http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/por
tal/FAO/FAO_New/Scholarship
SCE specific:
http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/por
tal/FAO/Scholarships/Scholarship_S
chools/SCE
Campus jobs
Foundation Courses
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Required to fulfill background for
the Master program.
Listed explicitly in the admission
letter.
Example of An Admission Letter
An Admission Letter
Foundation Courses
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They should be taken as soon as
possible.
Dangling foundation courses:
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May not be able to enroll in some
courses, especially controlled courses.
May adversely affect your TA and RA
applications.
May make your study harder.
Foundation Courses
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Two kinds:
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Technical courses: CSCI, MATH, CENG,
etc.
Writing courses: WRIT 3035, WRIT
3135.
Must be completed before
graduation.
Foundation Courses
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May request wavering.
There is a waiver committee.
To apply:
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Submit completed waiver request form.
Consult advice from the faculty advisor.
Submit as much evidence as possible.
Burden of proof on students.
Foundation Courses
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Waiver requests should be made as
soon as possible:
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Take time to process.
Completing a course with the
foundation course as a prerequisite
is not a valid reason for waiving the
foundation course.
Writing foundation courses were
usually not waived.
Advising and CPS
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Each student has two advisors:
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Academic Advisor: general issues.
Faculty Advisor: subject matter issues.
They are your coaches!
Persons to contact (admission letter)
Faculty Advisors
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Help you to
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Set up your candidate plan of study.
Provide advice on your study plan.
Provide help to prepare for your future
career.
Approve electives.
Candidate Plan of Study
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Your study plan ‘contract’.
Clarify what is needed to achieve
your degrees.
Protect you from future changes.
Should be set up as soon as
possible.
CPS (admission letter)
CPS Process
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Contact your faculty advisor after you
arrive and seek advice.
Schedule an appointment with your
faculty advisor at the middle of your first
semester.
Before the appointment, construct an
initial list of elective courses you want to
take.
You may send this information and other
personal information (name, student id,
email, phone, address) to the faculty
member before the meeting.
CPS Process
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Good opportunity to develop a
study plan (when to take what
courses).
Your faculty member can set up a
draft CPS with both of you signed.
The school will set up a formal CPS
for you to sign later.
Sample Draft CPS: Foundation
Requirements
Sample Draft CPS: Electives
Sample Draft CPS: Thesis or Capstone
Planning Your Study
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Devise a study schedule as early as
possible:
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Realistic
Helpful to your established career goal
Adapted if necessary.
Work with your advisors along the way.
Planning your study
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What courses to take first?
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Foundation courses (must be taken
care of as soon as possible)
Courses in the critical path (such as
prerequisites of other desirable
courses.)
Core courses (you have no flexibility
here).
Courses that are not offered frequently.
Planning your study
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Do not over-commit.
Do not take too many courses in
your last semester.
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Capstone or thesis are demanding.
Need effort for graduation and job
hunting.
Thesis and Capstone
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Thesis
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A two semester sequence.
33 hours instead of 36 hours
Learnt a lot!
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Innovative work in your future career is
like research.
May take an independent study first.
Need to plan for it in the first semester.
Thesis and Capstone
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Capstone
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Real world team projects mentored by
industrial partners.
Viewed as very useful in career
preparation.
Demanding and very different.
Must not miss the first class.
Consider attending capstone project
presentations
Controlled Courses
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Need approval before registration.
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CSCI 6530 Research Methods
Completed all writing requirements
 Taken enough computer science courses.
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CSCI 6838 Capstone Projects
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Within last 12 hours of study (including
foundation courses)
Return application forms to Ms. Kim
Edwards.
Full Courses
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May need override approval to
register
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Considered in a case by case manner
Look for more information for a new
procedure next semester.
Academic Honesty
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UHCL has strict academic honesty
standards.
UHCL has well defined academic
honesty violation (AHV) policy and
procedure.
AHV due process will be followed by
the division.
Academic Honesty Violation
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Cheating is simply not worth it. It is
costly!
AHV:
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Appear in student records
Will not be hired by the programs in any
capacity (e.g. TA)
Impact scholarship opportunities
2 AHV may result in suspension from the
university, or even expulsion.
Academic Honesty
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Check class policy and instructions
carefully.
Do not fall for peer pressure.
May have cultural difference.
Use common sense.
In case of doubt, check!
TA
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Excellent opportunity to improve
yourself!
You are encouraged to apply.
TA Applications
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GPA is not the only consideration
factor.
Much more complicated than most
can imagine.
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Scheduling is NP-complete!
Many factors considered.
TA Applications
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Is competitive.
To improve your chance:
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Let the faculty members know your
ability and work ethics
Have good faculty recommendations
(not generic one)
Differentiate yourself!
Make yourself ‘useful’!
TA Applications
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Deadline: April 23rd.
Ensure eligibility. Eg.
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CPS formally filed.
Must be able to start working on day
one.
Must be able to attend TA orientation.
No AHV
Fill application form carefully
Questions?