LATVIA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PROFESSIONAL STUDY PROGRAMME
PROGRAMMING
SELF-EVALUATION REPORT
JELGAVA 2001
LATVIA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Approved by
the meeting of Latvia University of Agriculture
Faculty of Information Technology Board
on 3rd of October, 2001
PROFESSIONAL STUDY PROGRAMME
PROGRAMMING
SELF-EVALUATION REPORT
JELGAVA 2001
Contents
Introduction 4
1. Objectives and Primary Tasks of the Professional Study Programme in ‘Programming’ 4
Objectives of the Programme 4
Tasks of the Programme 5
2. Description of the Study Programme 6
3. Professional Study Programme in “Programming” 6
Entry requirements 6
Description of the Programme 6
Contents of the programme 7
A total scope of groups of courses and their percentage 8
Possibilities to master Economics, the Humanities and Social Sciences 8
Practical training 9
Qualification Paper 10
Career Prospects 10
Assessment of the Study Programme from Students and Employers 10
Programme Advertisement and information Support 11
4. Financial Support of the Study Programme 11
5. Technical Support of the Study Programme 11
6. Academic Staff’s Qualification 14
7. Research 17
International collaboration 17
International Scientific Programmes 17
Projects 17
International Conferences Hosted 19
Publications 19
8. International Co-operation in Programme Implementation 19
9. System of Knowledge Evaluation and Control 20
10. Comparison of the Study Programme in ‘Programming’ with Programmes of Higher Educational Establishments of the Other Countries 21
11. A Long-term Evaluation of the Professional Study Programme in ‘Programming’ 26
12. Development Plan of the Study Programme ‘Programming’ 26
Summary 30
Introduction
The second level study programme “Programming” ensures obtaining of the programming engineer’s qualification.
Currently in Latvia an industry of information technology grows in several directions such as designing software on demand of local and foreign companies; putting information technology resources into operation within the national economy, education, state administration, IT consulting, etc. It becomes more and more important in the economic processes in Latvia. Together with the increase of the demand for the information technology services there is an increase of the lack of well-trained and experienced specialists. During the following years there will be even more increase of the lack of well-trained and experienced information technology experts. This particularly concerns the programmers (www.litt.lv/nozares apraksts/2001)
At the Latvia University of Agriculture the second level professional study programme “Programming” was developed according to the demand of Latvian labour market on the basis of already existing study programmes and teaching experiences of leading high educational institutions in Europe and Latvia.
1. Objectives and Primary Tasks of the Professional Study Programme in ‘Programming’
Objectives of the Programme
The professional study programme is aimed to educate highly skilled specialists in the field of software engineering who have knowledge of the best practical training and are ready to take part in the projects of software development.
Professional study programme is developed on the basis of particular connection with the well-known application possibilities of relation database. The study programme ensures the acquisition of the best practical training in software engineering, programming languages and their application. The programme is developed as a dynamic one that is capable to reflect rapid changes in the field of information technology and application of IT modern resources to solve successfully management problems in economy, business, manufacturing, state administration and other spheres.
Tasks of the Programme
The task of the programme is to ensure the teaching process methodologically and with the technologies according to the requirements of higher educational standard and the labour market, as well as to provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the following areas:
· operational systems, application programs, programming languages, tools and environments;
· data structures and algorithms, and software development technologies;
· basic principles of database application; designing, development and maintenance of database;
· computer nets, technologies of computer nets and network;
· software engineering;
· data protection, reliability and quality assurance;
· analysis, modelling and simulation of economic systems and processes;
· general knowledge of the humanities and social economics sciences;
· ensuring of skills needed for the practical training and integrating theoretical approaches of different sciences into practical training;
· facilitating the students to re-evaluate their experience and to acquire new knowledge.
The graduates of the programme have to be ready:
· to choose the appropriate software products, means and methods;
· to manage and use the programming languages, systems and tools on the professional level;
· to develop the software according to the customer’s demand;
· to use the database management systems;
· to introduce and use modern information technologies in various types of organisations and enterprises;
· to participate in the development of projects, to provide consulting in management information technology;
· to work in a group, and to perform the duties of the project manager, designer, and the co-ordinator of the group.
2. Description of the Study Programme
The professional study programme ‘Programming’ defines study duration, programme scope, content, and matriculation conditions.
The study programme ‘Programming’ is developed to ensure the theoretical knowledge and practical skills with the possibility to deepen them within the Master studies.
The professional programme ‘Programming’ is developed and approved in accordance with the decisions made by the Latvia University of Agriculture Senate and the Council of the Informatics Institute. (see Appendix 1).
The scope of study programme is estimated in credit points (CP). One CP corresponds to one study week. The amount of contact hours makes up to 40 percents of the study scope. The duration of the study programme is equal to 4 years with 168 CP. An average annual load is equal to 42 CP.
The professional study programme covers also the standard part of the corresponding Bachelor's study programme, therefore after obtaining the qualification of the programming engineer the student has a possibility to continue studies in magistracy.
3. Professional Study Programme in “Programming”
Entry requirements
The professional study programme in ‘Programming’ is open for the citizens and persons, who have the right to have the non-citizen’s passport issued by the authorities of the Republic of Latvia, as well as persons, who have the right of permanent residence, and have the secondary education certificate with the extract from the school results.
Description of the Programme
Duration of studies: 4 years (8 terms)
Number of credit points: 168 CP
Qualification: software engineer
Requirements to receive the degree successful acquisition of the study programme, writing and defending of the qualification paper
The number of students within the professional study programme is equal to 44 in study year 2001/2002.
Within the professional study programme in ‘Programming’ students study at the Faculty of Information Technology which organises education within two study programmes: ‘Computer Control and Computer Science’ and ‘Programming’.
After the professional study programme completion and defence of the Qualification Paper, graduates obtain software engineer’s qualification.
Contents of the programme
The professional study programme ‘Programming’ covers the corresponding standard of the Bachelor's study programme in ‘Computer Control and Computer Sciences’. Within the studies the students acquire Basics of Computer Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Economics, Sociology and foreign languages. The students study both the subjects concerning the programmer’s job (programming languages, tools and environments, software engineering, data protection and cryptography administration of the computer network, computer nets and network technologies, etc.) and the subjects of mathematics/physics (mathematics, linear algebra, applied statistics, operation research, physics, systems of microprocessors, etc.), as well as the humanities and the subjects of economics (ethics, aesthetics, psychology, basics of business, marketing, project management, the basics of management science, etc.).
The study programme and course annotations in the Latvian and English languages are given in Appendix 4.
Traditional teaching methods such as lectures, practical and laboratory works and students’ independent work ensure the implementation of the study programme. Some courses require development of the term projects that stimulates developing skills needed for a practical work. Study programme has three parts in the Curricula: compulsory study courses (A), specialisation study courses (B) and optional courses (C).
The compulsory (A) part ensures the courses corresponding to the second level professional higher education, acquisition of the standard of the Bachelor's study programme in Computer Control and Computer Science, as well as the students have the possibility to acquire the general subjects such as Foreign languages, Philosophy, Psychology, Economics, etc. Practical skills are perfected during the practical training when the students work at the IT (information technology) companies. The Qualification Paper is independently prepared project concerning software. The Qualification Paper is defended in the Qualification Commission.
The student may choose specialisation study courses (B) that ensure the possibilities to specialise to meet the requirements of the particular companies or to perfect one’s knowledge in other fields.
The student develops optional (C) part by himself, choosing subjects indirectly connected to the programming or subjects offered by other science branches.
After obtaining qualification the students could choose to continue further education in the magistracy at Latvia University of Agriculture or other higher educational establishments of Latvia.
A total scope of groups of courses and their percentage
The distribution of studies among the specific groups of courses within the professional programme in ‘Programming’ is given in Table 1.
Table 1.
Distribution among the groups of courses
Group of courses / Credit Points (CP) / Percentage (%)A. Compulsory Study Courses / 99 / 58,9
B. Specialisation Study Courses / 29 / 17,3
C. Optional Courses / 10 / 6,0
Practical training / 20 / 11,9
Qualification Paper / 10 / 6,0
In total: / 168 / 100
Possibilities to master Economics, the Humanities and Social Sciences
Professional study programme in ‘Programming’ guarantees possibilities to study the Humanities, Basics of Economics, Foreign Languages, Fundamentals of Law and Legislation, and Human Protection within 23 CP (see Table 2).
Table 2.
Distribution among Economics, the Humanities and Social Sciences
Group of Courses /Courses
/Credit points (CP)
/In total (CP)
A. Compulsory Study Courses / Foreign LanguageEthics, Aesthetics
Psychology
Basics of Economics
Basics of Entrepreneurship
Philosophy
Fundamentals of Law
Human Protection / 4
1
1,5
2
4
1,5
2
1 / 17
B. Specialisation Study Courses / Record Keeping
Accountancy
Finances and Credit
Project Management, etc. / 6 / 6
C. Optional Courses / Free choice
In total / 23
Practical training
Practical training is a part of the study programme. Within the practical part of the professional study programme the students apply their knowledge into practical training when working in the IT companies. The duration of the practical training is equal to 6 months full-time job. At least 3 months the student must perform different tasks directly connected with the programming (coding and debugging of a program, specification of requirements, designing or analysis of project, testing, preparing user’s documentation, documentation of software and its products development process, etc.). The run of the practical training, requirements to be met during the practical training and when writing report, the date the report is to be defended are defined by the regulations developed and approved at the Faculty of Information Technology.
Qualification Paper
Development and defence of the Qualification Paper shows, whether the student has successfully acquired theoretical knowledge and practical skills within the study programme to meet the requirements of the qualification to be obtained. The standard of the programmer’s profession defines the qualification requirements: level of knowledge and skills to be mastered, features of character to be developed. Qualification requirements will be developed in details in collaboration with the ITTE Council of Professional Education.
Qualification Paper is estimated with 10 credit points (CP). The students may choose the theme for the Qualification Paper.
Career Prospects
The graduates of the computer science study programme have many opportunities to choose the job. There is a great demand for the experts of information technology on the labour market at present: programmers, system analysts and other IT experts. State administration structures, banks, software companies and other commercial units connected with the information technology industry and application need experts in the field of information technology. There are negotiations and agreements made between the Latvia University of Agriculture, State Land Board of the Republic of Latvia and and joint-stock company DATI. about the attracting of experts in the field of the information (see Appendix 8).
After obtaining the qualification students could choose to continue further education in the academic field, i. e., magistracy.
Assessment of the Study Programme from Students and Employers
Both students and employers positively evaluate the academic Bachelor's study programme. The results of questionnaires and their analysis are summarised Appendix 7. They show that 61% of students evaluate the study process as good, 30% of students evaluate the study process as satisfactory, 6% of students evaluate the study process as excellent, but 3% of students do not have objections concerning the study process. 46% of students are satisfied with the study load. 58% of students evaluate the acquisition of the study programme as a difficult process, however, it is possible to meet the requirements of the study programme. 67% of respondents evaluate collaboration between the students and teaching staff as good, 12% - as satisfactory and 9% - as excellent, 6% - as unsatisfactory, but 6% of respondents think that each lecturer should be evaluated individually.
Main proposals of students in order to improve a quality of the study process are the following:
· increasing the use of computers;
· providing with the textbooks;
· increasing a total amount of practical studies in mathematics.
Programme Advertisement and information Support
There is information available for everyone interested in Computer Sciences study programme: enrolment rules, curriculum, and contents of courses. This information is available at the Faculty of Information Technology home page: http://www.llu.lv/Struktv/itf/
Reference materials are published in brochures, in the Latvia University of Agriculture newspaper called “Plēsums” and in other sources.