Systems and Computer Science Courses[578-680]

[507-572] [578-680]

SYCS 578. Engineering Economic System Design. 3 crs. Presents methodology for system design. Methodology begins with identification and definition of private sector problems to which solutions are justified by economics. Discusses selection of appropriate economic measures for comparing alternative solutions such as present worth, equivalent annual cost, cost/benefit ratio, life cycle cost, return on investment pay back period. Presents different techniques for modeling alternative solution to the problems and predicting cost. Other topics discussed include decision-making, system implementation, operations and retirement. Prereq.: SYCS 376.

SYCS 601. Requirements and Design. 3 crs. This course is concerned with a fundamental problem in software engineering: setting requirements and designing software whose complexity prevents absolute formal proofs of its correctness. Prereq.: SYCS 552 (Programming Methods II).

SYCS 602. Testing and Quality Assurance. 3 crs. This course concerns activities that occur throughout the software-engineering life cycle. Depending on the needs and interests of the instructor and students, the following topics will be discussed: software metrics, formal proofs of software correctness, studies of software engineering projects. Prereq.: SYCS 601 (Requirements and Design).

SYCS 615. Programming Languages. 3 crs. Presents the formal definition of programming languages, including specification of syntax and semantics; global properties of algorithmic languages including scope of declarations and storage allocations; support of software engineering principles; comparisons of programming languages.

SYCS 634. Computer Simulation and Modeling I. 3 crs. Provides students with the skills necessary to conceptualize and develop representations (models) of real-world phenomena and systems; to translate such models into mathematical relationships for computer application and manipulation, and to generate additional knowledge of such phenomena or the behavior of such systems. It also provides hands-on work with predeveloped applications. Prereqs.: Calculus, Computer Programming, Differential Equations, and Probability Theory.

SYCS 644. Computer Simulation and Modeling II. 3 crs. Provides students with skills necessary to develop simulation applications of real-world phenomena and systems, using procedural or object-oriented languages and simulation languages such as SIMSCRIPT II, GPSS, SLAM, and Data Systems Dynamic Simulation (DSDS). Prereq.: SYCS 634 (Computer Simulation and Modeling I).

SYCS 650. Artificial Intelligence. 3 crs. This course is concerned with computer representation of knowledge. It includes discussion of general representation of knowledge; survey of some existing successful AI programs, including topics such as chess, symbolic computation, and computer vision; games; tree searching using goal-oriented methods; alpha-beta pruning-, heuristics; and an introduction to the Lisp and Prolog programming languages. Students will program extensively in an AI-oriented language.

SYCS 651. Expert Systems. 3 crs. Presents the fundamentals of expert system development including acquiring knowledge, representing knowledge, representing uncertainty, controlling reasoning and explaining solutions. This course focuses on rule-based systems, and forward and backwards chaining. Students are also exposed to semantic nets and frame systems, fuzzy sets and logic, and case-based reasoning. Various expert system development tools are examined. Students complete short assignments and a major project using a state-of-the-art expert system development tool. Prereqs.: Data structures, expose to artificial intelligence.

SYCS 644. Computer Simulation and Modeling II. 3 crs. Continuation of SYSC644. Topics include: alternative model conceptualization and construction, output data analysis, and comparing alternative system construction. Students are exposed to system dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation. Provides students with skills necessary to develop simulation applications of real-world phenomena and system using object-oriented languages and simulation languages. Prereqs.: SYCS 634, or consent of instruction.

SYCS 652. Special Topics. 3 crs. Presents special projects for students who wish to independently pursue reading and study in a topic mutually agreed upon by a member of the faculty and the student. Prereq.: Permission of the Chair of the Department of Systems and Computer Science.

SYCS 680. Operating Systems. 3 crs. Advanced topics in operating systems, with particular emphasis on inter-process communication facilities available in the UNIX operating system. Students will program extensively in the C language. Prereqs.: Basic knowledge of operating system services, user’s view of the UNIX operating system and basic utilities available, and experience in the C programming language. SYCS 699. Masters Thesis. variable crs.