DI-FCT-UNL

Departamento de InformáticaFaculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

UNL’s new Bologna-style 1st-Cycle Degree(BSc) in Computer Science

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Main goal

• A course providing the fundamentals, broad band, in Computer Science– Covering core topics in Computer

Science (based on ACM/IEEE and our 30 years experience)

• Appropriate to continue studies at MSc level, at FCT/UNL or in another European university of reference

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Bologna and Specializations

• The 1st cycle, in a research university, should provide solid fundamental education in Computer Science– It is not our aim to provide professional, very

specialized and shorter courses. These should be offered by other institutions

• Specializations are to be provided at the MSc level, afterwards.

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Bologna and Mobility

• Mobility at two levels– At the level of the 1st cycle– After the 1st cycle, entering the 2nd

cycle

• The 1st is guaranteed by fully adopting the ECTS system, and by a flexible design of the curriculum

• The 2nd level is guaranteed by the basic core provided in the 1st cycle

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Bologna and faster integration in the professional life

• Recognize there are students that want to start to work immediately after the 1st cycle– Not to be confused with short professionalized

courses– But the job market also needs people with a

good broad band education, without the specialization provided by the 2nd cycle

• The demand for our students at the middle of the current 5 years degree, and consultation with professional partners seems to confirm this

• Try to accommodate, as much as possible, means for integration in professional activities for those students that want it.

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Design criteria

• Fully adhering to the ECTS system– Centered on students’ work

• Based on competence acquisition rather than on topic coverage– Tuning project and Dublin descriptors

• Special care also about soft-skills• Full coverage of ACM/IEEE Computing

Curricula Core• Taking into account external evaluation• Comparison with reference universities

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Reformulating the course

• One year of work involving the whole Department

• External advisory commission with main contractor industries– With 3 half day meetings over one year

• Fully rethinking of our approach to education in Computer Science

• Special procedures for verifying coverage of technical and soft-skills, and ECTS credits

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Achieving the goals

• A 1st cycle degree with 3 years (180 ECTS credits)

• With a core, common to all students, of roughly 2 years

• A flexible structure after the core• Particular courses for soft-skills, and soft-skill

competences provided by all courses• Two profiles, recognized in the diploma:

– One designed for those who want to continue studies in a MSc in Computer Science

– Another designed for those who want to enter professional activities right away

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The core of the course

• 138 ECTS credits distributed as:– 86 credits in Computer Science– 31 in Mathematics

• Covering basic Analysis, Algebra, Geometry, Discrete Mathematics, Probabilities and Statistics

– 6 in Physics– 6 in Electrical Engineering

• Elective, in the 3rd year, of Digital Circuits, Electronics or Telecommunications

– 9 in Soft-skills• Expression and Communication, and Critical

Thinking.

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The Computer Science Core

• 1st year– Computational Logics– Programming (introduction and OO)– Introduction to Computer Systems and Networks– Computer Architecture

• 2nd year– Algorithms and Data Structures– Databases– Operating Systems– Theory of Computer Science– Programming Languages– Software Development– Computer Networks

• 3rd Year– Computer Graphics and Interfaces– Artificial Intelligence

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After the core

• At least 12 ECTS credits of elective Computer Science– This leaves 30 credits open to choice

• Possibility of making these 30 credits outside– Outside may mean outside this University (e.g.

in an Erasmus)– Outside may mean outside Computer Science

• Opens possibility of minors for interdisciplinary education

• Suitable for interdisciplinary 2nd cycles, e.g. bioinformatics, networks and telecommunications, management and computer science, etc

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After the core, inside

• Have two “set-menu” education programs for the two profiles of more demand– Students who want to enroll in a MSc in

Computer Science– Students who want to enter professional

activities, with the core education

• Certify these profiles in the diploma• Easier for those in the first profile

above to integrate our MSc

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Computer Science Engineering

• Designed for those that want to continue for a 2nd cycle in Computer Science

• After the core includes a concentration in more advanced Computer Science topics– Algorithms Analysis and Design– Logic and Constraint Programming– Compilation– Distributed Systems

• Includes an Integration Project, applying knowledge from various areas of Computer Science– Applying and integrating various areas, before the

specialization of the 2nd cycle

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Applied Computer Science

• Tries to accommodate means for integration in the professional life for those students that want it at this point

• After the core, includes course on Social and Ethical Issues in Computer Science

• Includes a Training Period, in a Company, of 24 ECTS credits

• 12 elective credits in Computer Science include an offer of more applied courses

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New and current students

• The degree is though to accommodate about 175 new students every year

• A special transition plan have been devised to integrate the almost 1000 students of the current 5 year degree

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The degree in a nutshell

• Solid, broad band, education in Computer Science• Flexible design to accommodate different students’

interests• “Plays the game” of Bologna

– 3 years degree– Centered on students work (ECTS)– Based on competences– Possibility of faster integration in the market– Open to mobility

• Mobility inside the 1st cycle (e.g. Erasmus)• Mobility for the 2nd cycle• Mobility for interdisciplinary areas (Minors)