© Copyright CSAB 2013 Future Directions for the Computing Accreditation Criteria Report from CAC and CSAB Joint Criteria Committee Gayle Yaverbaum Barbara Price

© Copyright CSAB 2013 ABET Team Chair 1 CSAB AC CAC  Responsible for Program Specific Criteria  Responsible for General Criteria

© Copyright CSAB 2013 ABET Computing Accreditation  CAC: - Computer Science - Information Systems - Information Technology  EAC: - Software Engineering - Computer Engineering

© Copyright CSAB 2013 CSAB Criteria Committee  Made up of one representative from each discipline  Works as a partner with CAC’s Criteria Committee  Combined committee responsibilities: - CAC General Criteria - Program criteria for CS, IS, IT, SE

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Report of Current Activities  Changes In Progress - Deployed for visits in Fall 2013 and 2014  Changes Under Consideration - Potentially deployed for visits in Fall 2014 or 2015  Under Discussion - Will be considered when making future criteria revisions We request your feedback!!!

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© Copyright CSAB 2013 Changes In Progress  CAC General Criteria changes: - Criterion 2 and Criterion 4:  No longer have to assess PEOs starting in cycle  Effective Fall Criterion 3(a):  An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the program’s student outcomes and to the discipline  Effective Fall 2014, upon ABET Board positive vote during Fall 2013

© Copyright CSAB 2013  Criterion 2: - The program must have published program educational objectives that are consistent with the mission of the institution, the needs of the program’s various constituencies, and these criteria. There must be a documented, systematically utilized, and effective process, involving program constituencies, for the periodic review and revision of these program educational objectives that ensures they remain consistent with the institutional mission, the program’s constituents’ needs, and these criteria.  Criterion 4: - The program must regularly use appropriate, documented processes for assessing and evaluating the extent to which both the program educational objectives and the student outcomes are being attained. The results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement of the program. Other available information may also be used to assist in the continuous improvement of the program.

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© Copyright CSAB 2013 Changes Under Consideration  Two program criteria: IT and IS  Current status: - Currently in preparation to be presented to the CSAB Board and CAC in Spring 2013 (have copies) - ABET board consideration in Fall ABET board second reading in Spring or Fall Released for visits in Fall 2014 or Fall 2015

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IT Program Criteria Revisions 3. Student Outcomes The program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation:  (j) An ability to use and apply current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies of human computer interaction, information management, programming, networking, and web systems and technologies.  (k) An ability to identify and analyze user needs and take them into account in the selection, creation, evaluation, and administration of computer-based systems.  (l) An ability to effectively integrate IT-based solutions into the user environment.  (m) An understanding of best practices and standards and their application.  (n) An ability to assist in the creation of an effective project plan.

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IT Program Criteria Revisions 5. Curriculum Students must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes: a. Coverage of the fundamentals of 1. the core information technologies of human computer interaction, information management, programming, networking, web systems and technologies. [IT] 2. information assurance and security. [IT] 3. system administration and maintenance. [IT] 4. system integration and system architecture. [IT] b. Advanced course work that builds on the fundamental course work to provide depth. [IT]

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IS Program Criteria Revisions 3. Student Outcomes The program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation: (j) An understanding of processes that ability to support and participate in the delivery, configuration, and management of information systems within a specific application an Information Systems environment. [IS]

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IS Program Criteria Revisions 5. Curriculum Students must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes: a. Information Systems: One year that must include: 1.coverage of the fundamentals of a modern programming language, data management, networking and data communications, security of information systems, systems analysis and design and the role of information systems in organizations. [IS] 2.advanced course work that builds on the fundamental course work to provide depth. [IS]

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IS Program Criteria Revisions 5. Curriculum Students must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes: b. Information Systems Environment: One-half year of course work that must include varied a cohesive set of topics that provide background in an understanding of an environment in which the information systems will be applied professionally. [IS] c. Quantitative analysis or methods, including statistics. [IS]

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Proposed IS Program Criteria Revisions 6. Faculty Some full-time faculty, including those responsible for the IS curriculum development, must hold a terminal degree with a program of study in information systems.

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© Copyright CSAB 2013 Under Discussion  Do we need to count quantity of content given outcomes based education? CS Criteria: 1 1/3 years of CS content 1 year of math and science ½ year of math  CS Possible Student Outcome? - “ An ability to design, conduct and interpret the results of empirical evaluations of computer systems ” Slide 17

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Under Discussion  Criterion 5: Requires “mathematics beyond pre- calculus appropriate to the discipline” - CS: At least ½ year, including discrete math and other areas such as calculus, linear algebra, numerical methods, probability, statistics, number theory, geometry or symbolic logic. - IS: Quantitative analysis or methods including statistics - IT: No specific requirement  Questions: - Is “pre-calculus” an appropriate global standard? - What is “appropriate to the discipline” for CS, IS and IT? - IT has no requirement beyond pre-calculus – is this a reasonable expectation?

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Under Discussion  Current Criterion 3(e): - The program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation: (e) An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities  Increased emphasis on security: - Security part of 3(e) as a “soft skill” - Does there need to be a “hard skill” security attribute in Criterion 3? - Does something more need to be included regarding security in any of the individual program criteria? - When there are differences among the program criteria in this area, do these difference make sense?

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Under Discussion  CS current: - “Exposure to a variety of programming languages and systems” - “Proficiency in at least one higher-level language”  Alternative: - “Exposure to a variety of programming language paradigms” - What should the definition of “system” be?

© Copyright CSAB 2013 Future Direction - Summary  cycle – No longer required to assess PEOs  cycle – Adds “outcomes” to Criterion 3(a)  cycle – Several changes to IS and IT criteria  Beyond – Lots of things under discussion – recommendation TBD by January 2014

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© Copyright CSAB 2013 Thinking Ahead Even Further  Hybrid programs such as EECS programs - B.S. in “Electrical Engineering and Computer Science” - Current rules require that both EE and CS criteria be satisfied – a double major - Does the label “EECS” really convey a double-major” or does it convey a mixture that is neither fully EE or fully CS?  Should we accredit MS or AS programs?  Are there emerging disciplines where program criteria may be necessary?

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