Subject:
Re: Foundation area: course sequence
From:
Ana Pasztor <pasztora@cs.fiu.edu>
Date:
Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:01:56 -0400
To:
Nagarajan Prabakar <prabakar@cis.fiu.edu>

Prabu,

I don't quite see what the students gain with MAD 3512 for logic, but it certainly can't harm.
If Christine and Alex think it would benefit them, then I go along with it.

Best, Ana


Ana Pasztor

Professor

School of Computer Science

Fellow, Honors College

Florida International University



Nagarajan Prabakar wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> The undergraduate committee needs to finalize its report on curriculum
> assessment this week. Since Geoff is out of the country, I am attempting
> to expedite the course sequence issue among the foundation related courses:
>   - MAD 2104 (Discrete Math)
>   - COP 3337 (Programming II)
>   - COT 3420 (Logic for CS)
>   - MAD 3512 (Theory of Alg.)
>   - COP 3530 (Data Structures)
>   - COP 4555 (programming Languages)
>
> Geoff has suggested the following in his subject area coordinator summary: "/It seems possible that COP 4555's more concrete nature could make it helpful in preparing students for the more abstract mathematical logic in COT 3420. So perhaps it would be better for students to take COP 4555 before taking COT 3420./"
>
> Please visit the links below:
>  CS UG course flow chart: http://www.cis.fiu.edu/programs/undergrad/charts/plan.cs.htm
>  COT3420 syllabus: http://www.cis.fiu.edu/programs/undergrad/courses/COT_3420.pdf
>  cop4555 syllabus: http://www.cis.fiu.edu/programs/undergrad/courses/COP_4555.pdf
>   MAD3512 Syllabus:
>    "Strings, formal languages, finite state machines, Turing machines,
>     primitive recursive and recursive functions, recursive unsolvability.
>     Prerequisite: MAD 2104. CS majors must also take COT 3420. (F,S,SS)"
>
> Norman, Masoud, and I discussed about this course sequence.
> The prereq for COP4555 is COP3530 that cannot be relaxed because COP4555 requires the knowledge of linked lists  & binary trees.
> If COP4555 is set as a prereq for COT3420, the length of course dependency
> will be too long. So, we propose the following alternative to strengthen
> the mathematical skills of COT3420 students:
>  - prerequisite for MAD3512 is MAD2104
>     (i.e. drop the COT3420 from the its prereq
>      I checked with Math dept and they don't have any problem with it)
>  - prerequisite for COT3420 is (COP3337 and MAD3512).
>  - no change for COP4555
>
> I discussed with Christine and Alex about this proposal,
> and both of them think that this proposal will help students because
> students would acquire mathematical concepts before taking COT3420.
>
> Geoff and Ana: Please go over this issue (through email) and
> let me know your final recommendation on this course sequence
> by next Wednesday (Apr 1st).
>
> Regards
> --Prabu
>
>