Senate ? 

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Subject 

Graduate Curriculum Changea, Department. 

of Computing Science 

From.. Office of . the ... Dean ... o.f. ... Gr.aduat.e...Studies 

Date...... .... 

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March ? 

30,i.9.82................................................... 

?TION: That Senate approve and recommend approval to 

the Board, as set forth in s.82-44 - Graduate 

Cu:riculum Changes in the Department of Computing 

Science. 

This change ir course requirements was approved by the Senate 

Graduate Studies Committee at its meeting on March 29, 1982. 

B.P. Beirne 

Dean of Graduate Studies 

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The attached curriculum changes in the Department of Computing 

Science were approved by the Executive Committee, Senate Graduate 

Studies Committee, at its meeting on March 15, 1982. 

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Paul Brantingham, Chairman 

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Interdisciplinary Studies 

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Wo-Shun Luk, Chairman 

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Computing Science 

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A proposal was submitted in March last year to the Faculty Graduate Studies 

Committee by Dr. Tom Poiker, my predecessor, regarding the change of course 

load from 12 to 18 credit hours. A follow-up memo from Tom to Dr. Jared 

Curtis, then the Associatc. Dean of Graduate Studies, elaborated on the 

rationale for the change. Copies of both proposals are attached. I 

understand that the change has obtained favourable responses from the 

committee members. This memo is to formally propose that the following 

regulation be accepted in lieu of the old one: 

The minimum course requirement for the Master's 

degree consists of 18 semester hours of graduate 

level course credit, at least 15 of which must 

be in Computing Science. 

We also request that the regulation become effective from September, 1982. 

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W.S. Luk, Graduate Program Chairman 

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The Department of Computing Science has proposed 

that the minimum course requirement for the Master's 

Degree in Computing Science be raised from 12 semester hours 

to 18 semester hours of graduate level course credit. 

The rationale for this change is three fold: 

1. The field and its knowledge base is rapidly 

expanding, and the amount of information 

that must be mastered by a Graduate Student 

in the field is also rapidly expanding. 

The most efficient way to teach this 

information is by an increased formal 

course content. 

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2. Experience.in 

teaching the Master's Program? 

in Computing Science shows that four courses 

is insufficient for most students, and a 

substantial number of supervisory committees 

are requiring courses beyond the minimum. 

Increasing the formal course requirements 

from four courses to six courses will signal 

to students that they will routinely be 

expected to take a heavier course load than 

the calendar currently shows. This has the 

virtue of bringing the departmental requirements 

in line with actual practice of supervisory 

committees. 

3. Increasing the course requirements from 

12 semester hours to 18 semester hours will 

bring this University's requirements in 

Computing Science more into line with the 

requirements found in other Canadian Universities. 

This change in formal course requirements is not expected 

to significantly increase any draw on University resources, 

since supervisory committees are already routinely requiring 

students to take on the order of six courses as it is. 

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The Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate 

Studies Committee has considered and approved this 

proposal. I forward it to you for consideration by the 

Senate Graduate Studies Committee with the strong support 

of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate 

Studies Committee. 

We would also request that the regulation become 

effective from Septembcr 1982, waiving any time delay 

requirements that might otherwise apply. 

Sincerely, 

PJB/md 

cc: W.S. Luk, Chairman 

Graduate Studies Committee, Computing Science 

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*Dr. Jared Curtis 

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T.K. Poiker, Graduate Program Chairman 

Assoc. Dean of Graduate Studies 

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Computing Science 

Change In Graduate Calendar Entry 

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9 April 1981 

The change of the minimum credit hours for the 

M.Sc. 

In Computing Science 

seems to be justified for different reasons: 

1.

Most other computing science departments seem to request 6 or even 8 

courses. 

2.

We find that our students do not get the breadth with 4 courses that 

we would like them to have and we therefore have already requested 

several students to take more than 4 courses. 

The additional course load will not Increase significantly the demand on 

our faculty members. It will largely increase the courses. 

Justification 

I. Calendar Changes 

Most of the calendar changes are editorial or adaptions to the changing 

faculty interests in the department. 

The exception is the expansion of the course load from 12 to 18 credits. 

this brings the program more into line with computer science programs 

in other North American universities. 

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2. CMPT 841 

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There is a need for this course and Dr. Luk is highly qualified to teach it. 

3.

CMPT 601-5 and 602-5 

We have been requested to mount these two courses by the Education Faculty 

to complement their offerings. 