Implementing an IT concentration in a CS department

Abstract

The increasing use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software has created a demand for IT professionals —people that build and manage systems assembled from COTS components. In Fall 1999, the ETSU Dept. of CIS started a program of study for training IT professionals. This IT concentration differs from existing concentrations in four key ways: The IT concentration emphasizes VB instead of C++. It emphasizes web, database, and networking applications instead of systems software; It puts more emphasis on human issues in computing: ethics, computer-assisted instruction, and systems analysis and specification; It deemphasizes science and math, giving students more opportunity to complete a minor of their choosing. Key design criteria for the concentration included making the content practical and attractive; teaching short-term and long-term skills; and minimizing the need for additional faculty. This final concern was addressed by reworking selected courses in computer organization, databases, networking, and software engineering for the concentration. The new concentration should meet the needs of students and employers while improving retention and increasing enrollment. Preliminary indications suggest that the IT will become the department's most popular concentration.