Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Reading, review, and discussion of the current literature in computer science and industry trade journals; effective oral presentations: employment prospects. Topics on computer ethics and review of case studies on computer ethics from professional journals with discussion of the issues involved. Should be taken the semester before an internship or the first semester of the senior year. Should not be taken at the same time as COSC 480.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Produce the documents commonly expected to apply for a work position—cover letter, resume, and follow-up letters.
2. Participate in the professional interviewing process.
3. Identify the sources of and utilize subject content of literature in the computer profession.
4. Utilize the literature in the computer profession to formulate and produce summaries of a topic within the literature.
5. Plan, develop, and deliver professional presentations using presentation tools such as Micro Soft PowerPoint.
6. Assess the role of Ethics in the computer profession.
7. Recognize the various key ethical issues surrounding computer technology and computer systems.
8. Evaluate the responsibilities and accountability of computer professionals.
Detailed Course Outline
A. Introduction to the Course and Course Objectives — 0.5 wk
B. Obtaining a Professional Position — 1.0 wk
1. Constructing a Professional Resume – Content, Format and Styles
2. Constructing a Professional Cover Letter – Content, Format and Styles
3. Job Interviews - what to expect and what is expected of you
4. Correspondence Following an Interview
5. The Offer of Employment
C. Professional Presentations — 1.5 wk
1. Preparation, Planning and Producing a Professional Presentation
2. Delivering Your First Presentation – Your Professional Goals
D. Survey of Current and Projected Employment Opportunities — 0.5 wk
1. Identifying Employment Opportunities – Where to Look
2. Job Fairs – What to Expect
3. Job Descriptions
4. Compensation – Salary, Benefits, Cost of Living, Work Hours, Working Conditions
E. Professional Report Presentations and Critiques — 2.5 wk
1. Each Student Prepares and Delivers a 15 Minute Presentation
2. Student Presentations are Critiqued
F. Topic Exam — 0.5 wk
G. Introduction to Computer Ethics — 1.0 wk
1. What is Computer Ethics?
2. Comparisons between philosophical ethics, professional ethics, and computer ethics
H. Privacy — 1.0 wk
1. Impact of Computer Technology
2. Consumer Information
3. Privacy Risks - Identity Theft
4. Case Study Presentation*
I. Trusting Technology – Who is Accountable? — 1.0 wk
1. What Can Go Wrong
2. Increasing Reliability
3. Professional Responsibility and Accountability
4. Case Study Presentation *
J. Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace — 1.0 wk
1. Offensive Speech
2. Censorship
3. Abuses
4. Case Study Presentation *
K. Intellectual Property — 1.0 wk
1. What is Intellectual Property
2. Copyright Law
3. Case Study Presentation *
L. Computer Crime — 1.0 wk
1. Hacking
2. Online Scams
3. Fraud, Embezzlement, Sabotage, Forgery
4. Legislation for Privacy and Access to Information
5. Case Study Presentation *
M. Impact and Control of Computers — 1.0 wk
1. Computers at Work
2. Computers and Community
3. Information Access
4. Evaluating the Impact of Computer Technology
5. Case Study Presentation *
N. Professional Ethical Codes and Responsibilities — 0.5 wk
1. Ethical Guidelines for Computer Professionals
* After the faculty member introduces and identifies the critical components of an ethical subject, assigned students will research, organize and deliver presentations of cases involving the specific ethical subject. The each student will submit a three- to five-page page paper detailing the issues identified in their case.
Total = 14 weeks
O. Ethics Exam (during finals week)
Evaluation Methods:
A. Reading Assignments and Reports
Students will read professional literature in Computer Science and write six reports of the articles that they read. Each report should have as its source a serial publication from the approved list of professional periodicals indicated below. No article may have as its source an excerpt from a book. Use of an article from a computing professional source that is not listed below requires prior approval. Furthermore, all articles must come from journals that have publication dates not more than 18 months earlier than the beginning of the course. Students may also not use a particular periodical source more than once. The purpose of the reports is to expose students to various sources of trade literature and have them produce an executive summary of the issues involved.
B. Professional Goal Report:
The student will give a freestyle but formal presentation in class concerning his/her background and career goals. The report will be about five to seven minutes long.
C. Major Report:
A professional presentation based on a subject appropriate for one of the article reviews or a subject agreed to by the professor. Students should plan their formal presentation to take about fifteen (15) minutes (they are timed). It is the student’s responsibility to assure that the site is prepared for his/her presentation. The presentation must be done with electronic presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint.
Pre-approved Professional Sources for Articles:
AT&T Technologies Information World
BYTE Infoworld
CIO MacWorld
Communication Week Network Computing
Computer Technology Review PC World
Computerworld Programmer’s Paradise
Data Communications Software
Datamation Software Development
DEC Professional Sun World
Dr. Dobb’s Journal Visual Basic Programmers Journal
D. Resume:
Each student will prepare a professional resume for submission in class. They are to be submitted initially to the instructor by week three for review and reaction (comments) and they will be handed back to the instructor for polishing prior to the final submission in week five.
E. Mock Interview:
Student will take part in a Career Services Mock Interview.
F. Guest Lecturers:
There may be one or two guest lectures for our class. Students are expected to show professional behavior during their presentations and accord to them the same respect that is shown to the instructor.
G. Late Work Submission:
Due dates for assignments and all other hand-ins will be specified in class. It is student’s responsibility to turn in assignments on their specified due dates. Student’s name, the due date and hand-in date should be indicated on each assignment and other hand-ins. A schedule of lateness penalties will be given to the students on the first day of class.
H. Professional Activities:
Students are required to attend three professional activities during the semester. These include: IUP Computer Science Department sponsored colloquia, Internship Presentations, University sponsored presentations whose subject matter deals with computer technology or issues.
I. The final grade of the course will be determined as follows:
Requirement Points
Readings 60
Resume (1st. Submit) 10
Resume (2nd. Submit) 25
Cover Letter 15
Prof. Goal Presentation 15
Major Presentation 50
Mock Interview 20
Ethics Case Presentation 50
Ethics Case Paper 50
Attendance/Participation 70
Topics Exam 50
Ethics Final Exam 100
Total 515
Example Grading Scale:
The grading scale will be:
90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, and < 60% = F.
You must get a passing point (60% or better) in each activity to obtain an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ in this course.
Undergraduate Course Attendance policy:
The attendance policy will conform to the universitywide attendance criteria.
Required Textbook, Supplemental Books and Readings:
Baase, Sara, A Gift of Fire 2nd ed, Pearson Education, Inc. 2003, ISBN # 0-13-008215-5.
