Graduate Course Descriptions

Computer Science (CSC)

CSC 5300 Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms 3(3-0)

An introduction to design and implementation of advanced data structures and their use in program applications.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5301 Advanced Database Systems and Data Warehousing 3(3-0)
Pre-requisites: CSC 3326

Covers advanced issues in database design, including distributed and object-oriented databases, database optimization, etc. Significant focus will be placed on data warehousing, including case study analysis and project design.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5302 Software Engineering 3(3-0)

Using class projects, this course introduces the student to techniques used in the software development life-cycle.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5303 Advanced Computer Graphics 3(3-0)

Provides an introduction to 3D viewing and projections, image synthesis and representation of 3D shapes.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5304 Advanced Operating Systems 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite: CSC3351

An introduction to the basic functions of an operating system, its internal design and policies for resource management in parallel and distributed environments, including the topics of synchronization, resource allocation, selection communication, deadlock detection and termination.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5305 Programming Languages and their Compilers 3(3-0)

An introduction to techniques for implementing a language compiler along with the internal structure and functionality.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5306 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design 3(3-0)

This course is an exploration of the object-oriented analysis and design concepts. Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) presents the concepts and techniques necessary to effectively use system requirements captured using use cases to drive the development of a robust design model. In this course, students learn to apply the UML to fundamental object-oriented analysis and design concepts including objects, classes components, relationships, and all supporting diagrams: use case diagrams, interaction diagrams, class diagrams, component diagrams, ETC. Students learn a process such as Rational Unified Process and gain hands-on experience with a CASE tool such as Rational Rose.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is a Concentration Course in the MSSE
This is a Concentration in Software Engineering for the MSSEMS

CSC 5307 Research Seminar in Programming and Information Systems 3(3-0)

Presents and discusses the latest results in the area of programming and information systems. Students may repeat the seminar for credit.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5308 Expertise Seminar in Programming and Information Systems 3(3-0)

Students discuss topical issues in the design and implementation of programming and information system. May be repeated for credit.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5309 Artificial Intelligence 3(3-0)

Provides an introduction to advanced techniques for the programming of intelligent systems and problem-solving techniques. Topics covered include: knowledge representation, propositional and predicate logic, expert systems, search and machine learning.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5310 Knowledge-Based Systems 3(3-0)

Students are introduced to rule-based programming, control and inference strategies, knowledge representation and acquisition techniques of knowledge- based systems.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5311 Computer Vision 3(3-0)

Fundamental concepts of Machine Vision, covering topics as diverse as edge detection, perceptual grouping, Hough transforms, segmentation, texture, stereopsis, shape from texture, shape from shading, correspondence, motion and structure from motion, optical flow, surface representation, 3D representation, and 3D scene labeling. The course also makes references to the Human Visual System.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5312 Robotics 3(3-0)

Engineering concepts underlying the design of intelligent robots - such as sensors and actuators, planning, control systems and architectures - within the framework of perception, cognition and execution. It explores the topics of reasoning, fuzzy logic, rule-based systems, control and computer vision, and positioning in relation to autonomous vehicles.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5313 Research Seminar in Intelligent Systems 3(3-0)

Presents and discusses the latest results in the area of intelligent systems. Students may repeat the seminar for credit.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5314 Expertise Seminar in Intelligent Systems 3(3-0)

Students discuss topical issues in the design and implementation of intelligent systems. This seminar may be repeated for credit.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5315 Theory of Computation 3(3-0)

Emphasizes computation theory and abstract complexity. Other topics covered include: characterization of recursive and recursively enumerable functions; the Turing machine model, godel numbers, diagonalization, Church's Thesis, s-m-n theorem, reducibilities, complete sets, incomplete sets, recursion theorem; and fundamental complexity classes in the polynomial hierarchy.

CSC 5316 Design and Analysis of Algorithms 3(3-0)

Students study concrete algorithm design and analysis, abstract models to analyze the complexity of problems, approximation and probabilistic algorithms.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS

CSC 5317 Advanced Algorithms 3(3-0)

The design and analysis of advanced algorithms for graph problems, computational geometry problems, linear and integer programming problems, number theory problems, etc. Content may vary from one semester to another.

CSC 5318 Research Seminar in Theory of Computation 3(3-0)

Presents and discusses the latest results in the area of theory of computation. Topics will vary, e.g., Cryptanalysis; Computational Logic. Students may repeat this seminar for credit with permission of the Advisor.

CSC 5332 Multimedia Communications 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite: CSC5366 TCP/ IP Networks or Instructor approval

This course covers media data types, packet-based multimedia communication systems, the so-called real-time support, multicast routing support for interactive Multimedia, audio/video coding and compression. It also covers middleware: transport protocols (RTP), the important concept of application layer framing, multimedia session creation (SIP), advertisement, invitation, reservation protocols (RSVP) and so on. Finally, the course covers applications, and application support (audio, video, shared authoring/viewing of documents and so on). Various standards such as H.323, MPEG will be presented.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5333 Thesis 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite : Approval of Graduate Advisor

Students pursuing the academic program must register for this course for two consecutive semesters.

CSC 5336 Parallel Processing Concepts 3(3-0)

Classification of computers. The Von Neumann architecture. Parallel architectures: multiprocessors, vector processors, array processors; interconnection networks. Routing strategies. Switching methodologies. Partitioning. Embedding. Load balancing. Survey of current parallel machines.

CSC 5337 Parallel Algorithms 3(3-0)

Design, analysis and proof of algorithms for parallel environments, from vector machines to massively parallel computers. Problems considered are those from sequential algorithms courses.

CSC 5338 Human-Computer Interaction 3(3-0)

Addresses software development for state-of-the-art interactive computing systems. Covers tools, techniques and sources of information about HCI. Specific approaches include visual design (color, shape and space) and psychological aspects (perception, cognition and problem-solving). Relies on use of prototyping tools to construct usable interfaces and usability testing of interactive prototypes.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5339 Real-Time Systems 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite: CSC 3351

Covers specifics of systems driven by or dependent on direct human interaction: embedded systems, control systems, Virtual Reality systems, etc. Addresses issues of reliability, safety, and fault tolerance, real-time scheduling theory and software architectures. Also looks at operating system support for real-time applications such as multimedia.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5340 Information Retrieval Systems 3(3-0)

Information organization and retrieval of natural language data by digital computer systems. Searching strategies. Current indexing and retrieval practice. Retrieval evaluation. Query processing. File structure. File clustering.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5343 Final Project 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite: Approval of Graduate Adviser

Students pursuing the professional program must register for and complete this course.

CSC 5345 Data Mining 3(3-0)

Covers the most popular machine learning techniques used for "mining" knowledge that lies buried in an information system, including neural networks, decision trees, genetic algorithms and fuzzy logic. Shows how these tools can be applied for making better decisions. Discusses case studies that provide good models for such applications.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5346 Software Agents 3(3-0)

Analyzes the design issues confronting software engineers as they define and develop softwarethat will be housed in computer networks of the future. Introduces the concept of a program whose multiple copies provide one or more services to a user, and may perform the same tasks differently, depending upon the specific needs of the master it is serving. Covers the state-of-the-art in agent technology with example applications.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE, MSCN

CSC 5350 Digital Image Processing 3(3-0)

Digital Image Processing - perception, representation, transforms, enhancement, restoration, and coding. Subject matters covered include image perception and formation in the eye, image acquisition and display devices, image sampling and quantisation, image transforms, histogram manipulation, smoothing, feature enhancing, degradation models, inverse filtering, selective filtering, segmentation, edge detection, image data compression, motion compensation, vector quantisation, and coding standards. The course will introduce the subject from the familiar bases of conventional television and Human Visual system. The necessary mathematical tools are also covered.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5351 Computational Neural Networks 3(3-0)

Computational neural networks (CNN's) in the context of parallel distributed processing. It defines biological, physical, and different mathematical models for CNN's, compares these models, and investigates the relationship between neural network learning and symbolic learning methods. Consideration is given to the relevance of these different issues when< CNN's are applied to problem-solving.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5352 Fuzzy Sets and Systems 3(3-0)

Introduces the basic concept of fuzziness and the underlying theory. Fuzzy sets, fuzzy logic and fuzzy numbers, fuzzy operations, fuzzy relationships, and extension principle. The application of these concepts to engineering and technology are emphasized, including fuzzy rule-based systems, fuzzy decision-making, fuzzy pattern recognition and fuzzy control.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5353 Pattern Recognition 3(3-0)

Introduction to machine recognition of meaningful regularities and structure in noisy or complex environments. Bayes decision theory, parametric and non-parametric techniques for supervised learning, discriminant functions, feature extraction, cluster analysis and performance estimation. Applications of Fuzzy Sets and Neural Networks to pattern recognition.

This is a Specialization in Intelligent Systems for the MSCS

CSC 5361 Software Architecture 3(3-0)

This course explores in detail the various software architectures, namely client/server architectures, n-tiered architectures, object-oriented and Component-based and CORBA architectures, database applications architectures. The course also covers middleware such as transaction monitors, and web applications architecture. Real case studies are used to illustrate the various concepts. An integral part of the course is the achievement of a class project involving implementation using leading products such as Oracle Applications Server, Sun's EJBs, BEA'sWeblogic, MicroSoft's DCOM and OCX.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is a Concentration Course in the MSSE
This is an Elective Course in the MSCN
This is a Concentration in Software Engineering for the MSSEMS

CSC 5364 Project and Quality Management 3(3-0)

Covers basics of project management and quality management in software projects. Activity planning, cost and time estimation, relating quality/complexity/productivity, techniques or estimating and measuring: time, cost, risk, profitability. Technical, financial and economic factors to be considered (based on Merise method). Project control: objectives, risks, principles, responsibility, relations, (based on Merise methods). Human aspects: interpersonal relations, management style, organization of project teams, motivation, links with clients, etc. Formal definition of a quality measure. Importance of quality measurement throughout the program> development cycle. Internal and external quality metrics. Specialized measurement techniques and related tools. Identification of quality factors: specifications, processes, products, resources, program support. Quality planning, objectives and resources. Tools for managing the planning of quality, obtaining measurements and interpreting data. Verification and evaluation of results. Evaluation of quality programs.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is a Concentration Course in the MSSE
This is an Elective Course in the MSCN
This is a Concentration in Software Engineering for the MSSEMS

CSC 5365 Advanced Computer Networks 3(3-0)
Pre-requisites: CSC 3352 and CSC 3353

Includes thorough coverage of wired LANs (CSMA/CD, Token Ring, Token bus, Switched Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, FDDI, Giabit Ethernet and ATM), wireless LANs, packet-switched WANs (X25, Frame Relay, ATM), circuit-switched WANs (ISDN) and internetworking. Design issues. Also covers wireless communications.

This is a Core Course in the MSCS
This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE
This is a Concentration Course in the MSCN

CSC 5366 TCP/IP Networks 3(3-0)
Pre-requisites: CSC 3352 and CSC 3353

Gives detailed account of the TCP / IP suite of protocols, multicasting architecture, routing protocols, Internetworknig with TCP / IP Network Management and Ipv6.

This is a Specialization in Programming and Information Systems for the MSCS
This is an Elective Course in the MSSE
This is a Concentration Course in the MSCN

CSC 5367 Internet and Security 3(3-0)
Pre-requisites: CSC 3351 and CSC 3353

Covers most application-level protocols used in the Internet (e.g., DNS, HTTP, SMTP, SNMP, POP3 IMAP) and gives a detailed account of related security issues, together with cryptography and its usage in the internet, firewall technology, packet filtering, etc.

This is a Concentration Course in the MSCN

CSC 5368 Wireless Digital Communication and Networks 3(3-0)
Pre-requisite: CSC 5365

In this first half, this course introduces the students to the principles of wireless cellular communications systems, radio propagation issues, channel coding, spread spectrum, and multiple access techniques. Standards such as IS-54, AMPS, GSM, IS-95, GPRS, and UMTS are presented. In its second half, this course addresses computing issues related to data services offered by wireless access networks such as Protocol Stacks, Mobility, Routing, Seamless Communications, Resource Reservation Protocols, Connection Admission Control, QoS management, and Wireless Application Protocols.

This is a Concentration Course in the MSCN

CSC 5370 Advanced Topics in Software Engineering 3(3-0)

This Course will include specific advanced topics that reflect current issues of market or reseach interest. It will focus on application of a specific technology or a set of techniques, and will require implementation and illustration of mastery of the subject area and its context.

This is a Concentration Course in the MSSE
This is a Concentration in Software Engineering for the MSSEMS

CSC 5371 Geographical Information Systems Concepts, Techniques and Tools 3(3-0)
Pre-requisites: CSC 3325, CSC 3326

Students will learn where GIS fits in the world of Information Systems, how it is unique and important. They will know the issues involved in choosing a GIS package, obtaining and evaluating data, and implementing a small GIS project with GeoConcept, a powerful and popular desktop GIS pack software.

CSC 5375 Broadband Networks 3 (3-0)
Pre-requisite CSC 3353, and recommended CSC 5365 and CSC 5366

Broadband networks employ a wide variety of technologies to support integrated multimedia applications (data, voice, audio, image, video) at multi-megabit/second access rates. Broadband networks comprise LAN, MAN, WAN, and access networks. In particular, the evolution of the Internet to a broadband network with a wired/wireless access is most important. This course, after a review of the two broadband WAN technologies (FR, ATM), consists of three parts. Part 1 covers the emerging broadband and QoS aspects of the Internet. Part 2 focuses on broadband access/transmission solutions. Part 3 deals with voice/video/image encoding for broadband applications.

This is a Concentration Course in the MSCN