Hardware-software synergy for profiling an interdisciplinary computer science engineers

Abstract

Courses of computer science undergraduate studies are usually classified in two main groups: core and elective courses. The former are mandatory and students must pass them all so they can achieve Bachelor degree. The number of the latter is usually several times greater than the number that a student should select. This challenges the student which elective courses to select. Some elective courses have prerequisites, so the student has to pass other (elective) course(s), while for many others the student can be enrolled in without any prerequisites. The main dilemma for the student is whether to enroll in either more tightly coupled elective courses, or more loosely coupled elective courses. Choosing the former, the student will be directed in more specific areas of computer science. However, there are students that would like to learn broad areas of computer science. This paper focuses on the emerged group of students that select interdisciplinary courses. The experience presented in this paper shows that these students enroll into three completely divergent courses: Microprocessors and Microcontrollers, Software Architecture and Design and Human-Computer Interaction. The paper presents the examples of interdisciplinary projects completed by these students. These complex projects are proposed in the Human Computer Interaction course for the students that have already successfully taken the Microprocessors and Microcontrollers and/or Software Architecture and Design courses. Some students have accepted the challenges to work on the interdisciplinary projects, which resulted in defining and finishing various diploma theses that integrate knowledge areas of two or even all of the three courses.