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 In
ICT education, traditional computer science (CS) programs are
the oldest and most established. Many CS programs and their
content align to Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
standards and curriculum recommendations. Faculty have been
there a long time, and general theories and practices are
often long-standing. As a result, the most established and
developed articulation and transfer pathways are between
traditional CS programs.
More recently, with the rapid emergence and adoption of ICT
technologies, like networking and IT, many 2-year schools have
programs and/or courses that do not always fall neatly into
established computer science paradigms. Building transfer and
articulation relationships to 4-year schools that accept this
coursework is a big challenge.
In the fall of 2008, California State University, Monterey Bay
(CSUMB) started an exciting, new Computer Science and
Information Technology (CSIT) Bachelor’s degree program.
Housed in the department of Information Technology and
Communication Design (ITCD), CSIT provides students with a
unique blend of theory and application, combining a solid
background in theoretical computer science principles with
hands-on experience in information technology applications.
This innovative program is ideal preparation for students
interested in careers in information and communication
technologies. Technology impacts on social, ethical, and
global issues, as well as collaboration and communication
skills, are infused into the learning experience.
 CSIT
students take a set of common core courses to establish a
strong foundation in the fundamentals of CS and information
technology. Building on this foundation, students can choose
to concentrate in either Software Engineering or Network &
Security. Concentrations in Game Development and Information
Systems will be available in the near future. Throughout their
education at CSUMB, students gain a strong grounding in
fundamentals, while having numerous opportunities to apply
what they have learned in real-world situations. This
culminates in a student’s senior capstone sequence, which
results in a significant project, preferably done for an
outside client.
CSUMB is built on a model of outcome-based education. Every
course has a set of specified outcomes which each student must
demonstrate competence in to pass the class. While this
ensures quality and consistency in a CSUMB education, it also
makes CSUMB an ideal transfer school for students from
two-year colleges.
Through CSUMB’s articulation program, community college
courses that meet the right set of outcomes can be used to
earn equivalent credit for an upper division course offered at
CSUMB with the same outcomes.
Articulation pathways to allow such an equivalent credit are
already mapped out for many partner 2-year colleges. For
example, the four Cisco CCNA Exploration courses offered in a
Community College could get transfer credit equivalent to
three upper division networking courses at CSUMB. This allows
students to take not only their general education requirements
at a 2-year college, but also a substantial portion of their
CSIT courses. This is an excellent opportunity for students
who might want to try ICT subjects at a 2-year college and
continue on to a bachelor’s degree with minimal time and
hassle.
CSUMB is also committed to enhancing the CSIT program with
activities outside the classroom. CSIT faculty member, Dr.
Sathya Narayanan, heads the new Monterey Bay Regional Academy
of Computing Education (MBRACE). MBRACE is a collaborative
effort between CSUMB, Cabrillo College, Monterey Peninsula
College, and Hartnell College, to increase the quality of CS
and Networking education in the region.
Through MBRACE, students will have access to state-of-the-art
network simulation software and a wide variety of industry
internships, coordinated through a central office. MBRACE also
has resources dedicated to recruiting more students into ICT
fields and for mentoring students in the program.
 Another
new resource at CSUMB is the Undergraduate Research
Opportunities Center (UROC), which arranges for paid research
opportunities for undergraduate students, at CSUMB and other
institutions. Through UROC, students who perform research not
only get paid for their time, but also get the chance to
travel to professional conferences to present their work. UROC
makes sure students are prepared for their research
experiences through a series of professional skills workshops
and ongoing mentoring.
This is an exciting time to be a part of CSIT at CSUMB and a
great opportunity for students from ICT partner institutions.
If you have questions about the program, the articulation
process, or would like to visit the CSUMB campus, please visit
http://itcd.csumb.edu/csit or contact
csit@csumb.edu.
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