3.5 Course Overviews: "C"
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT (CADE)
CADE 205
Prior Learning Assessment and Portfolio Development
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite: None.
This course is designed to facilitate an adult student's review of his or her
prior experiential learning for the purposes of developing a portfolio that
identifies possible course challenge opportunities and petitions for university
credit for learning that are comparable to generalized competencies required in
a specific degree program. Students will learn the rationale, format and process
for developing a portfolio of prior learning. They will identify and describe
key skills and competencies required in their chosen degree programs and in
their chosen career areas; identify and articulate pertinent skills and
knowledge they have gained which are germane to their chosen degree/career;
identify possible courses for challenge at Athabasca University, as appropriate;
solicit and collect meaningful documentation and attestations of their learning;
develop learning narratives that detail key life experiences from which the
learning was acquired; and present all of the above in a standardized portfolio
format suitable for evaluation by Athabasca University faculty.
CADE 300
Theories of Career Development
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced; or paced.
Prerequisite: Success in a variety of junior-level social science courses is
highly recommended but not required.
A number of career development theories are examined with the intent of
integrating aspects of the theories into students' own work as career
development practitioners. Learners will study a number of career development
theories and be able to reflect critically on the contributions and limitations
of each one. The intent of the course is for learners to develop a philosophy,
theory, and practice of career development that is consistent with their
personal style. Some course components are available via the Internet as an
optional delivery mode.
CADE 301
Career Development Resources in the Changing World of Work
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced; or paced.
Prerequisite: CADE 300 is recommended but not required.
This course examines resources used by career development professionals and
their clients in the rapidly changing world of work. The examination of
resources occurs within a career planning framework. Learners review resources
from a variety of theoretical and pragmatic perspectives. The course considers
assessment instruments as resources and enables learners to make decisions about
using them. Learners also explore online resources to evaluate their content and
applicability to career development. Some course components are available via
the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CADE 400
Creating a Working Alliance
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced; or paced.
Prerequisite: PSYC 488 is recommended but not required. Learners are expected to
have previously completed a variety of junior and senior-level social science
courses.
This course focuses on developing a working alliance between career development
professionals and others such that effective problem identification and problem
solving can take place toward mutual goals. The course covers some of the
knowledge and skills needed to do this. Specific areas covered include
establishing a collaborative working relationship founded on mutual trust and
respect, encouraging self-exploration, disclosing relevant information, and
helping others feel ready to risk trying new approaches to problem solving. The
course discusses factors that influence the effectiveness of a working alliance.
Home-study learners must find a person or persons with whom to practice the
communications skills, and prepare two audio or video skill assignments for
grading. Some course components are available via the Internet as an optional
delivery mode.
CADE 401
Experiential Learning and Reflective Practice 1
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced; or paced.
Prerequisite: CADE 300 or equivalent. Learners are expected to have worked as
career development practitioners for several years and have the competence to
express their reflections in writing at the senior undergraduate level. The
focus of learning in the miniportfolio in CADE 401 must be clearly separate from
the focus in CADE 402. Credit will not be awarded twice for the same learning.
Colloquially, experiential learning has come to mean learning that takes place
outside of formal education and the classroom. This reading course is designed
for practitioners who have been involved in experiential learning related to
their work in career development. Insights gained from the workplace can be
combined with learning acquired from seminars, workshops, private study, travel,
hobbies or other forms of informal learning. The course is evaluated on a
case-study basis through production of a miniportfolio describing and
documenting the integration of theory and practice in career development. Some
course components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
Grading is done on a pass/fail basis.
CADE 402
Experiential Learning and Reflective Practice 2
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: CADE 300 or equivalent. Learners are expected to have worked as
career development practitioners for several years and have the competence to
express their reflections in writing at the senior undergraduate level. The
focus of learning in the miniportfolio in CADE 402 must be clearly separate from
the focus in CADE 401. Credit will not be awarded twice for the same learning.
Colloquially, experiential learning has come to mean learning that takes place
outside of formal education and the classroom. This reading course is designed
for practitioners who have been involved in experiential learning related to
their work in career development. Insights gained from the workplace can be
combined with learning acquired from seminars, workshops, private study, travel,
hobbies or other forms of informal learning. The course is evaluated on a
case-study basis through production of a miniportfolio describing and
documenting the integration of theory and practice in career development. Some
course components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
Grading is done on a pass/fail basis.
CADE 403
Special Projects in Career Development 1
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced; or paced.
Prerequisite: CADE 300 or its equivalent, and competence in organized, written
English at the 400 level.
This course is designed to explore a career development topic of interest in
more depth than is provided in the balance of the University Certificate in
Career Development program. Topics are chosen in consultation with the course
instructor. Students are expected to have worked as career development
practitioners for several years, have familiarity with career development theory,
and have the competence to express their reflections in writing at the senior
undergraduate level. The paper submitted in this course is to be original work,
and not the basis of credit awarded in another career development course. Some
course components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CADE 404
Special Projects in Career Development 2
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: CADE 403 and CADE 300 (or equivalent), and competence in organized,
written English at the 400 level.
This course is designed to explore a career development topic of interest in
more depth than is provided in the balance of the University Certificate in
Career Development program. Topics are chosen in consultation with the course
instructor. Students are expected to have worked as career development
practitioners for several years, have familiarity with career development theory,
and have the competence to express their reflections in writing at the senior
undergraduate level. The paper submitted in this course is to be original work,
and not the basis of credit awarded in another career development course. Some
course components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CHEMISTRY (CHEM)
CHEM 217
Chemical Principles I
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study with home and paced labs. Also available via
independent lab (reduced credit) only.
Prerequisite: Chemistry 30 or an equivalent senior-level high school chemistry
course is recommended but not required. This course is open only to students
with previous chemistry experience.
Precluded: CHEM 217 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for CHEM 209.
Chemical Principles I provides an introduction to university chemistry from both
a theoretical and practical point of view. Topics covered include a review of
nomenclature, the mole concept, and stoichiometry; thermochemistry; atomic and
molecular structure; periodic relationships; the gas laws; and the properties of
solids, liquids, and solutions.
Note: The combination of CHEM 217 and CHEM 218
is the equivalent to first-year university chemistry.
Special instructional features: This course has a compulsory lab component.
Refer to Athabasca University's chemistry lab Web site at http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/sciences/labchem.htm or contact the science lab coordinator or
course professor for lab dates and sites.
CHEM 218
Chemical Principles II
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study with paced lab. Also available via independent lab
(reduced credit) only.
Prerequisite: CHEM 217. Concurrent enrolment in CHEM 217 and CHEM 218 is not
permitted. To avoid unnecessary delays, the course professor will normally grant
permission for students to register in CHEM 218 as soon as the final exam in
CHEM 217 has been written.
Precluded: CHEM 218 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for CHEM 209.
Chemical Principles II is a continuation of Chemical
Principles I. Topics covered include reaction kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base
theory, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, the chemistry of non-metals, nuclear
chemistry, and an introduction to organic chemistry. The experiments performed
in the laboratory component of the course complement the material studied in the
theoretical part of the course and provide students with the opportunity to use
many of the skills developed in Chemical Principles I. The combination of CHEM
217 and CHEM 218 is the equivalent to first-year university chemistry.
Special instructional features: Concurrent enrolment in CHEM 218, CHEM 350, and
CHEM 360 is not permitted. This course has a compulsory laboratory component.
Refer to Athabasca University's chemistry lab Web site at http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/sciences/labchem.htm or contact the science lab coordinator or
course professor for lab dates and sites.
CHEM 301
Introduction to Biochemistry
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite: CHEM 350 and CHEM 360 or equivalent undergraduate courses taken at
an accredited post-secondary institution.
Topics covered in this course include amino acids, proteins, simple and complex
carbohydrates, lipids and membranes, and intermediary metabolism. An
introduction to molecular biology will also be given. The course will emphasize
the chemical principles involved in biochemistry and modern biochemical research
literature. The course will lay strong emphasis on biochemistry as an ongoing
science. It does not have a laboratory component.
CHEM 330
Environmental Chemistry
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisites: CHEM 217 and CHEM 218.
Environmental Chemistry is a multidisciplinary subject dealing with various
topical issues of pollution in our world today. This course will provide a broad
overview and introduce the student to many of today's relevant issues
while giving the most reliable and recent scientific information available. It
emphasizes the chemical and toxicological aspects of such topics as acid rain,
indoor air quality, atmospheric chemistry, drinking water, sewage and waste
disposal, chlorinated organic compounds (e.g., DDT
and PCBs) and heavy metals in the environment. In addition
to the descriptive chemical nature of this course, students
will use elementary chemical equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics to solve
many typical environmentally related problems. This course does not have a
laboratory component.
CHEM 350
Organic Chemistry I
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and paced lab. Also available via independent lab
(reduced credit) only.
Prerequisite: CHEM 217 and CHEM 218.
Precluded course: CHEM 350 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for CHEM 345.
Organic Chemistry I deals with the chemistry of carbon compounds through a study
of the characteristic reactions of the common functional groups. Alkanes,
alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, conjugated dienes, and substituted aromatics
are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of reaction mechanisms
in an attempt to show similarities between apparently unrelated reactions. The
importance of stereochemistry is stressed throughout the course. An introduction
to the use of spectroscopy in the analysis of organic compounds is also included
in the course. CHEM 350, together with CHEM 360, will represent a full-year
introductory organic chemistry course at the second-year university level.
Special instructional features: Concurrent enrolment in CHEM 218, CHEM 350, and
CHEM 360 is not permitted. This course has a compulsory laboratory component.
Refer to Athabasca University's chemistry lab Web site at http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/sciences/labchem.htm or contact the science lab coordinator or
course professor for lab dates and sites.
CHEM 360
Organic Chemistry II
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home study and paced lab. Also available via independent lab
(reduced credit) only.
Prerequisite: CHEM 350.
Precluded course: CHEM 360 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for CHEM 345.
Organic Chemistry II is the continuation of CHEM 350. The chemistry of
hydrocarbons, aryl halides, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic
acids and their derivatives, carbohydrates and amines are discussed. Particular
emphasis is placed on the study of reaction mechanisms in an attempt to show
similarities between apparently unrelated reactions. The importance of
stereochemistry is stressed throughout the course. In addition to the compulsory
units in the course, students will complete one of the four optional units that
are devoted to the study of compounds of biological or industrial importance,
including amino acids, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and synthetic polymers.
Further use of spectroscopy in the analysis of organic compounds is also
included in the course. CHEM 360, together with CHEM 350, is a comprehensive
introduction to organic chemistry at the second-year university level.
Special instructional features: Concurrent enrolment in CHEM 218, CHEM 350, and
CHEM 360 is not permitted. This course has a compulsory laboratory component.
Refer to Athabasca University's chemistry lab Web site at http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/sciences/labchem.htm or contact the science lab coordinator or
course professor for lab dates and sites.
CHEM 495-496
Chemistry Projects
3 eachScience
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite for CHEM 495: Permission of the professor and at least 12 credits
(at least 3 at senior level) in chemistry.
Prerequisite for CHEM 496: CHEM 495.
These courses are suitable for senior-level students who wish to do research
projects in chemistry or applied fields such as agriculture, chemical
engineering, or industrial chemistry. These courses are based on a learning
contract between each student and an approved supervisor. By doing research,
students improve their skills to choose and define problems, obtain information
from libraries or experiments, organize facts and ideas, and report ideas and
conclusions in written form. Projects can only be done on work planned; they
cannot be done on work already completed. Contact the course professor before
registering. These courses are excluded from the challenge for credit policy.
COMMUNICATIONS (COMM)
COMM 243
Interpersonal Communications in Management
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study; paced; ViTAL®; or e-Class®.
Prerequisite: None.
Téluq Equivalency: COM 5000.
This course introduces the techniques of effective communication and encourages
students to develop and apply these skills to actual management settings and
situations. The course begins with a focus on active listening, interpreting
words and other symbols, self-disclosure, conflict and communication in
organizations, and understanding the communication process. It concludes with
the structure and planning of various management-related interviews.
COMM 329
The Practice of Interpersonal Communications
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: COMM 243 is recommended but not required for students with no
previous university-level background in communication.
This senior course is designed to improve communication skills and extends
concepts and issues addressed in
COMM 243. It introduces issues such as pacing, value judgement, handling of
emotion, attending, perception checking, and the selection and evaluation of a
guidance or helping strategy.
COMM 377
Communication and Problem Solving in Groups
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component or paced.
Prerequisite: COMM 243 is recommended but not required.
Precluded course: COMM 377 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for ADMN 348.
Téluq Equivalency: COM 1021.
This course helps students improve their effectiveness in problem solving when
working in groups of three or more people. Through a set of readings and
assignments, students gain new knowledge about problem solving that can be
applied in their day-to-day work settings.
COMMUNICATION STUDIES (CMNS)
CMNS 301
Communication Theory and Analysis
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
Téluq Equivalency: COM 1001/1002.
This is one of two foundation courses for the Bachelor of Professional Arts
(Communication Studies) degree program. It introduces students to an array of
international theories of mass communication. The course focuses on developing
notions of mass communication in the twentieth century, debates surrounding
issues in the field, and the practical application of theory to practice. The
course is designed to accommodate varying levels of experience with
communication theory. Students are advised to take the course early in their
program. Some course components are available via the Internet as an optional
delivery mode.
CMNS 302
Communication in History
3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study with video and audio components. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
Téluq Equivalency: COM 2000.
CMNS 302 is one of two foundation courses for the Bachelor of Professional Arts
(Communication Studies) degree program. It follows the interactions between
media and society in a number of technological contexts: oral and literate
cultures, manuscript and print cultures, electric, and electronic cultures. In
examining the complex relations between technology and its users, the course
addresses issues in theories of human communication, technological determinism,
diffusion of innovations, and social systems, among others. Students are advised
to take this course early in their program. Some course components are available
via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 308
Understanding Statistical Evidence
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
This course provides the student with the necessary information to become a
critical consumer of statistical evidence. Although statistics definitely have
mathematical connotations, this is not a course in mathematics, and adopts a
conceptual rather than a computational approach to learning statistics. The
objective of the course is to convey the major statistical constructs, as well
as the strategies needed to evaluate statistical evidence. Some course
components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 311
Mass Media and the Law
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: None.
This course introduces communication and media professionals to the legal
context within which they work.
The course uses case studies to illustrate how such issues as freedom of
expression, defamation, contempt of court, copyright, access to information,
breach of privacy and confidentiality affect the working life of the media
professional.
CMNS 321
Computers and Human Experience
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: None.
Téluq Equivalency: COM 3003.
This course surveys the impact on the individual of the explosive growth in
computer use. Students will choose from units that address fundamental areas of
human-computer interaction such as artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual
reality, information management, and the Internet. Students will then choose
from units that examine applications of these interactions in the broad areas of
education, employment, entertainment, and psychological and physical well-being.
This course has an online component.
CMNS 350
Media Systems of the Americas
Reading3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
Students of this course will develop a working knowledge of the recent history
and current realities of media systems in North and Latin America. The course
helps students evaluate the roles of mass media in different types of societies,
economies and political systems. Using case studies from Mexico, Brazil, the
United States and Canada, the course examines issues of imported technology; the
relations between mainstream and alternative media; international communication
and national development; how information flow is channelled between north and
south; and the relationship between media, democracy and developed nations. Some
course components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 358
Popular Culture and the Media
3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study with audio and video components. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
This course introduces students to the field of cultural studies, as well as the
relationship between popular culture and the media. Students will be asked to
look critically at movies, television, radio, and print, in order to ponder a
number of important questions. To what extent do the media lead or follow trends
in popular culture? Is popular culture forward-looking or conservative in nature?
What is the relationship between highbrow and lowbrow cultures in terms of form,
audience, and purpose? The emphasis in the course is on examining cultural
artifacts as artistic objects seen in the light of various socio-political
contexts. Some course components are available via the Internet as an optional
delivery mode.
CMNS 365
Language and Power
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
While the topic of this course can be approached from many directions, we have
chosen to develop it as a political and historical examination of the
relationship between power institutions and changing language use. The course
begins by examining several concepts of language and power before visiting
George Orwell's dark vision in 1984. The institutional language of the state;
the constructed languages of persuasion and information; the shaping of language
by media; the lexicon of science and technology; and the vocabularies of gender
and race, all form sites for discovery and discussion in CMNS 365. Some course
components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 370-371
Individual / Group Projects
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite: None.
Projects are chosen in consultation with an instructor and intended for pursuit
by a student (or group of students) interested in the area presented by one of
the Communication Studies courses. Contact a Communications Studies course
coordinator for a project proposal booklet before registering.
CMNS 380
Corporate Communication
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
This course addresses recent changes in corporate and community communication
roles. Drawing on competing theoretical and practical approaches to leadership,
adaptive strategies and change management, the course encourages students to
make effective decisions about their own communication approaches, priorities,
and activities. Students without a management background should take ADMN 232 or
COMM 243 before taking CMNS 380. Some course components are available via the
Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 385
Media Construction of Social Movements and Issues
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
In this course students investigate the role of media in the shaping and/or
making of social issues. The course critically examines a range of theories
about media effects, and how media constructions, ideological positions, and
media struggles inform the public's conception of a particular social issue. In
part, the course deals with the ways in which organizations, institutions, and
interest groups attempt to gain access to the media and how these attempts shape
the entire debate. Topics include the media and gender, sexual identity, social
protest, unionism, race, corporate image, and a major case study of the media
and the Canadian peace movement. Some course components are available via the
Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 401
Cultural Policy in Canada
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: CMNS 301 or permission of the professor.
CMNS 401 surveys the historical development of federal arts policy and the
related ideals of national culture. It uses this framework to discuss expanded
perceptions of "culture" as social expression and the role of government policy
in a diverse society. Finally, the course offers detailed studies of the
interaction between symbolic and economic environments in key cultural
industries. Some course components are available via the Internet as an optional
delivery mode.
CMNS 420
Children and Media
3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study with audio and video components. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
This course examines questions of children's relationship to texts and materials
in media of many kinds: books, films, broadcast and recorded programs, CD-ROMs,
computer programs, video games, Internet texts, and various toys and associated
commodities. These media affect how children develop an understanding of society
and of the way society chooses to tell stories and organize information. In turn,
these media are affected by social arrangements and decisions. Some course
components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 421
Personal Implications of the Internet
3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online. with audio and video components.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
From the inner self to the outer self, the Internet is rapidly coming to
represent a broad range of new approaches to old ways of thinking about self,
relationships, and spirituality. Following an introduction to cultural and
psychological aspects of the Internet, three required units will examine
definitions of self, online relationships, and small group behaviour. The final
units offer choices in topics that range from developmental psychology to issues
of gender and class, to deviance and pathology, and the transpersonal. Access to
a computer system is required/desirable. Contact the course coordinator for
further details.
CMNS 423
The Television Age
3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
CMNS 423 introduces students to the technology, politics, economics, philosophy,
ideology, and morality of television. Students are asked to look critically
behind the scenes of the television world and discern the various patterns of
industry structure and thematic content. Through looking at the medium itself,
its major players, the content of the medium and the audience responses to that
content, students will reach their own conclusions about just who, if anyone,
controls the television industry. Access to a television is required/ desirable.
Contact the course coordinator for further details. Some course components are
available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 425
Film and Genre
3Humanities
Delivery Mode: Home study with video component. Online-enhanced.
Prerequisite: None.
This course explores the relationship of genre to the medium of film. It
examines the economic and historical development of genre film-making as well as
the individual genres of horror, science fiction, mystery-suspense, and comedy.
The course examines each of these genres in terms of its evolution,
international manifestations, and its relationship to social change. Some course
components are available via the Internet as an optional delivery mode.
CMNS 445
Directed Readings in Communication Studies
Reading3Social Science
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
This course requires students to present research on a topic chosen in
consultation with an instructor. Students must complete CMNS 301 and CMNS 302
before registering in CMNS 445. Contact a Communication Studies course
coordinator for guidelines.
CMNS 450-451
Individual / Group Projects
3 eachApplied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
These projects are chosen in consultation with an instructor and intended for
pursuit by a student (or group of students) interested in an area presented by
one of the Communication Studies courses. Students must complete CMNS 301, CMNS
302, and one other senior Communication Studies course before applying for a
400-level project course. Contact a Communication Studies course coordinator for
a project proposal booklet.
COMPUTERS AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CMIS)
All courses in Computers and Management Information Systems (CMIS) require the
use of an IBM-compatible microcomputer with particular specifications outlined
in the course description. Contact the course professor or the Web site syllabi
before registering, to determine if the computer system to which you have access
is sufficient.
CMIS 245
Microcomputer Applications for Beginners: Introduction to Computers in a
Telecommunication Environment (Course unavailable)
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: None.
The main goal of CMIS 245 is to give students knowledge sufficient enough to
feel comfortable in the automated business environment common today. This
knowledge will also serve as a foundation for accommodations in the quickly
changing world of information technology. Students will explore fundamentals of
computer hardware and software with emphasis on wordprocessing, spreadsheet and
databases, and apply information technology tools such as the Internet for
distance communication and research.
CMIS 301
Microcomputer Applications in Business (Windows)
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home-study; paced study; or ViTAL® (2001).
Prerequisite: None, unless the student selects the computerized accounting
module. In this case, the prerequisite is ACCT 251 and ACCT 252, or ACCT 253, or
practical experience in financial accounting.
Precluded courses: CMIS 301 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already
been obtained for ADMN 371 or CMIS 321 (those students can register in CMIS 302).
This introductory hands-on course demonstrates how to use microcomputer
technology to develop solutions to business problems. Basic to intermediate
level application features are illustrated. Exercises and assignments develop
microcomputer proficiency and problem-solving skills. Students gain an
appreciation and understanding of when and how to use these applications in
typical workplace situations. Students must have access to a microcomputer and
the required software programs to complete the course requirements.
CMIS 302
Microcomputer Applications II (Windows)
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home-study; paced study; or ViTAL® (2001).
Prerequisites: ADMN 371, CMIS 301 or CMIS 321. If the student selects the
computerized accounting module, the prerequisite is ACCT 251 and ACCT 252, or
ACCT 253, or practical experience in financial accounting.
Precluded course: CMIS 302 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for CMIS 322.
This hands-on course covers advanced software features that can be used to
analyse and present information or data. Emphasis is placed on using a
systematic approach to design and implement problem-solving solutions to typical
workplace information needs. Learned skills and techniques can be applied in a
variety of occupations and professions. Students must have access to a
microcomputer and the required software programs to complete the course
requirements.
CMIS 341
Managing Information Technology I: Technologies in Business Applications I
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: ViTAL®.
Prerequisite: None.
This electronically delivered course introduces students to a wide range of
information technology products and technologies and the ways in which such
technologies affect the business world. Students will examine their use in a
variety of business applications including desktop publishing, office automation,
database management systems, fourth generation languages, networking, groupware,
and Internet. Students without access to microcomputers or the required
software programs should refer to the ViTAL® explanation in Section 2 for
additional information.
CMIS 342
Managing Information Technology II: Technologies in Business Applications II
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: ViTAL®.
Prerequisite: CMIS 341.
This electronically delivered course provides additional instruction in the use
of information technology products and technologies and the ways in which such
technologies affect the business world. Students will examine their use in a
variety of business applications, including electronic data interchange,
computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing, expert systems, open systems,
CASE, and multimedia. Students without access to microcomputers or the required
software programs should refer to the ViTAL® explanation in Section 2 for
additional information.
CMIS 351
Management Information Systems
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study and ViTAL® with video component.
Prerequisites: COMP 200, CMIS 301 or CMIS 321. Students must be proficient in
the use of wordprocessing software. Word is recommended.
Téluq Equivalency: ADM 2005.
This electronically delivered course will focus on the impact of information
technology and management information systems on business organizations. The
course will be taught from a managerial or end-user perspective, describing how
information systems support key business functions, what information resources
are available to managers, and what the role of management should be in the
systems development process. Students without access to microcomputers or the
required software programs should refer to the ViTAL® explanation for additional
information.
CMIS 455
Accounting Information Systems
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: ViTAL®.
Prerequisite: CMIS 351.
This electronically delivered course will help prepare students for a career in
the accounting profession. Students will learn to understand the flow of
accounting data and information in business organizations; be familiar with the
tools of accounting systems work, such as data flow diagrams and flow charting;
have a thorough knowledge of control principles and their application in
information systems and various organizational contexts; and understand the
major business and accounting cycles in which an organization's transactions are
processed. Students without access to microcomputers or the required software
programs should refer to the ViTAL® explanation in Section 2 for additional
information.
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
INFORMATION SYSTEMS (COMP)
In order to participate in Computer Science and Information Systems (COMP)
courses, each student must own or have ready access to the computer hardware and
software described either at the Centre for Computing and Information Systems
(CCIS) software site http://ccism.pc.athabascau.ca/html/courses/global/info/software.htm or the individual Web site syllabus. All
Computer Science courses are delivered via home-study online meaning much of the
learning material is available in electronic format. If you plan to use our
course materials at your workplace, before you register check with your local
systems administrator for potential firewall restrictions on downloading
material. COMP courses are dependent upon computer mediated communications. A
working e-mail account and the use of e-mail is a requirement. Students are
expected to be familiar with the Internet, have an ISP connection, and provide
their own Internet account with graphical Internet access. If you require
additional information, e-mail ccismsec@athabascau.ca or phone the Centre for
Computing and Information Systems at (800) 788-9041 (ext. 6380) or (780)
675-6380.
Delivery of COMP courses is enhanced by computer-based talk. This is a required
component in some COMP courses, and optional in others. Although Windows 95/98
NT is required to complete the BSc in Computing and Information Systems and the
BSc in Computing and Information Systems (Post Diploma) programs, the following
courses may be completed successfully with a Macintosh: COMP 200, COMP 210,
COMP 268, COMP 272, COMP 308, COMP 314, COMP 345, COMP 346, COMP 416, COMP 482,
COMP 485, and
COMP 490. The following courses may also be completed on Linux/UNIX platforms:
COMP 268, COMP 272, COMP 314, COMP 345, COMP 346, COMP 482, COMP 485, and
COMP 490. All courses require IE 4.0 or Netscape 4.5
or greater.
COMP 200
Introduction to Computing and Information Systems
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.or e-Class.
Prerequisite: None.
Precluded course: COMP 200 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for COMP 210.
Téluq Equivalency: INF 1100.
The course will cover basic hardware concepts; the structure (or architecture)
of computers; the software hierarchy of systems software, programming languages
(e.g., Java and VRML) and application programs; and information systems concepts
and development. COMP 200 has a substantial and fairly sophisticated practical
hands-on component that consists of an introduction to MS Access, HTML,
Javascript, and the Internet. Students must supply their own version of MS
Office (with the MS Access database) or Star Office (no instructional support is
currently supplied but it can be used to complete all exercises and projects).
The computer used must have a CD-ROM drive. MS Office may be purchased from the
Course Materials Department of Athabasca University.
COMP 210
Introduction to Information Systems and Computer Applications
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: Some basic competence in Windows.
Precluded course: COMP 210 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for COMP 200.
This course is designed to cover the fundamentals of computer applications and
information systems for students not planning a major in Information Systems.
The content of COMP 210 reflects the growing applications of information
technology in the workplace. The course has a practical hands-on component that
consists of an introduction to the Internet and office applications with MS
Office or Star Office (no instructional support is currently supplied but it can
be used to complete all exercises and projects). Students must supply their own
copy of MS Office Pro and must have a CD-ROM drive on their computer. MS Office
may be purchased from the Course Materials Department of
Athabasca University.
COMP 268
Introduction to Computer Programming (Java)
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online or e-Class.
Corequisite: COMP 200. Students should have a basic knowledge of computers and
the Internet and have completed high school algebra.
COMP 268 teaches students the basics of computer programming. While students
must learn the syntax of the
Java programming language, the emphasis is upon the fundamental concepts of
object-oriented programming. Students learn that problem identification,
solution development, coding, documentation, and testing are all
part of good programming practice.
COMP 272
Data Structures (Java)
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 268.
COMP 272 builds on the concepts introduced in COMP 268 and shows how the careful
design and analysis of data structures and algorithms help to cope with the
complexity of actual applications. The following topics are covered in this
course: algorithm analysis, recursion, abstract data types (ADTs) and their
implementations for lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs, sorting and
searching algorithms. A first course in Java programming and knowledge of high
school algebra are assumed.
COMP 307
Computer Programming with C/C++
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 268 or permission of the professor.
Precluded course: COMP 307 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already
been obtained for COMP 389.
This is an intermediate programming course for students with experience with
other programming languages. It introduces basic procedural programming concepts
using C, then builds on this foundation, exploring object-oriented programming
concepts using C++.
COMP 308
Java for Programmers
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: COMP 389 or COMP 307, or permission of the course
professor.
COMP 308 provides a solid grounding in object-oriented programming in Java for
students who have a background in procedural programming and advanced features
of OOP for students with introductory courses in OOP. This course may be used as
an elective for students in the BSc (CIS), BA(IS) and BSc (CIS-PD).
COMP 314
Computer Organization
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: COMP 200 and COMP 268.
A clear understanding of how operating systems coordinate the various activities
of computer systems is an essential component of general computer literacy. In
COMP 314, the student will be introduced to the fundamental concepts and
principles of operating systems. Topics covered include process management,
storage management and protection/security issues.
COMP 315
Advanced Operating Systems
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online
Corequisite: COMP 314.
This course gives an in-depth exposure to the Linux operating system. Students
learn day-to-day usage of Linux, using various editors, writing complex shell
programs, and using sophisticated software development tools. In addition to
command-level interaction with Linux, this course exposes students to GUI
interface through X Windows. Moreover, it emphasizes dealing with concepts
taught in COMP 314 such as process management, file system, communications, and
security. Students are expected to have a knowledge of a programming language,
preferably C, and the subject of operating systems taught in COMP 314.
COMP 345
Data Communications
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: COMP 272 or COMP 305, or COMP 307 and COMP 314.
Students will learn the principles and underlying theory of data communications.
This includes the OSI and TCP/IP models and basic protocols, and such topics as
media selection, error handling, communications hardware and interfacing,
protocols, LAN alternatives, selection criteria, virtual networks, routing and
internetworking, encryption, and compression.
COMP 346
Computer Networks
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 345.
Students will continue the study of communications protocols, networking, and
internetworking, begun in
COMP 345. We add more detail and practice in the TCP/IP protocols, and study new
protocols and applications. Topics include: communications connectivity and
standards, data transmission, synchronization, error handling, multiplexing,
layered architectures, local and wide area networks and protocols, and
internetworking.
COMP 361
Systems Analysis and Design
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online or e-Class.
Prerequisite: COMP 200.
Precluded course: COMP 361 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been
obtained for COMP 271.
This course gives an overview of the methodologies used in the analysis and
design of computer-based information systems. The course is designed to provide
students with a strong foundation in systems analysis and design concepts,
techniques, and tools. Although the course does not assume knowledge of any
specific hardware or software, students should have at least a minimal computing
background.
COMP 378
Introduction to Database Management
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online or e-Class.
Prerequisite: COMP 361.
This course is aimed at students who are learning to design and manage databases.
It provides students with the fundamental skills needed to develop relational
and object-oriented databases on their own, to deal with various types of
databases, and to work as members of a team that builds enterprise databases.
The students will have hands-on training by using Oracle Designer/2000, release 2.
1, Oracle Developer/2000, release 2.1, and Personal Oracle 7,
release 7.3.4. that will accompany the textbook.
COMP 390
Computer Graphics
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 307 or COMP 389 or COMP 272 (Java) and permission of the
professor and MATH 270.
COMP 390 is designed to teach students theoretical and applied aspects of
computer graphics. It covers such topics as basics of computer graphics hardware,
scanning algorithms, two-dimensional geometry, three-dimensional geometry,
three-dimensional graphics, elements of lighting, visual effects, colour models,
and advanced geometry.
COMP 416
Object-Oriented Design
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: COMP 361 and an object-oriented programming course (COMP 268 - Java, COMP 307, COMP 308, COMP 389).
This course examines issues in the analysis and design of large, complex
software projects. Object-oriented design (objects, classes, and classification)
is offered as a solution to increasing complexity in systems design with
examples of application to various domains.
COMP 418
Distributed and Multimedia Databases and Database Tuning
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: COMP 361 and COMP 378.
This course is designed for students who are learning advanced topics in the
database area. It provides students with sound knowledge about database systems
and technologies that goes beyond the centralized relational database systems
and object-oriented database systems and concentrates on distributed database
systems. Students must consult with the course tutor before purchasing their own
copy of the software required in this course.
COMP 456
Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems Through PROLOG
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisites: Math 215, COMP 272 and COMP 361.
COMP 456 provides an overview of the theory and technology of many areas of the
artificial intelligence field and concentrates on expert systems. The course
aims to provide the learner with the necessary skills to use and develop expert
systems successfully. Students will have hands-on training by using the skills
they acquired from learning PROLOG to develop an expert system shell. Students
are asked to purchase their own copy of a PROLOG compiler. Check with your tutor
for the recommended version.
COMP 482
Human Factors in Computer Systems
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 308 and COMP 361.
This course will provide the student with a survey of the human factors that
affect computing systems design and will allow the student to undertake a
project within a detailed focus area (the course professor reserves the right to
assign a project). The course will focus on hypermedia design to support a
collaborative learning system on the World Wide Web. Most of the course
materials are in HTML and available over the Word Wide Web. Language option
includes Java, VRML, and XML.
COMP 485
Distributed Systems
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 346 and COMP 416.
Students will learn the principles and underlying theory of distributed systems.
There is some practice in distributed systems software, especially socket
programming and remote procedure call (RPC), and a brief introduction to newer
protocols. The main emphasis is on fundamentals of distributed systems design
and implementation, including topics such as: network and distributed operating
systems, inter-process communications, remote procedure calls, parallel
computing, directory services, security, transactions, and replication issues.
COMP 490
Applications Development with Emerging Technology: Multimedia with Java
3Science
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: COMP 308 and COMP 482.
This course is designed to apply the most current computing technology
development principles and the information system design process. It is assumed
that students have a basic knowledge of Java. The focus is upon multimedia
development and designing graphical user interfaces in a Web environment.
Students must have knowledge of networking to be successful in a Web environment.
COMP 495-496
Computer and Information Systems Projects
3 eachScience
Delivery Mode: Home-study Online.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor and completion of all required
computing credits for the BA IS in the topic area or for the BSc IS.
Precluded courses: COMP 495-496 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already
been obtained or SCIE 314 and SCIE 315 or SCIE 495 and SCIE 496.
In this course students will develop a project proposal in an applications area
they are interested in. After approval by the project coordinator and an
external expert, students will design and implement a system to be evaluated by
the external expert. Projects may be in the student's or Athabasca University's
work environment. A large project may be suitable to receive credit for COMP 495
and COMP 496. This course is for students who wish to carry out science-related
projects in computer science or information systems. A student may do one
3-credit project (COMP 495) or two 3-credit projects (COMP 495 and COMP 496). At
least 3 project credits (COMP 495) are required for the degree. Registration may
take place any time during the year. Before registering, the student must submit
an acceptable project proposal. These courses are excluded from the challenge
for credit policy.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CRJS)
Most of the courses in the Criminal Justice concentration of the Bachelor of Professional
Arts program are now offered in two delivery modes: as home study reading
courses and as paced courses offered by two Alberta colleges: Grant MacEwan
Community College in Edmonton and Lethbridge Community College in Lethbridge.
CRJS 350
Community Policing
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: None.
In this course, students explore the evolution of policing to the present day.
Community policing is compared and contrasted with traditional policing styles.
Considerable time is spent studying changes in policing orientation to an
approach that is anticipatory and problem solving in nature.
CRJS 352
Victims of Crimes
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: None.
This course will introduce students to theoretical perspectives of victimology
with specific practical concepts. Specifically, the crime rates, compensation of
crime, and characteristics of offenders will be examined as well as overall
crime patterns within a social context. The course discusses the effects of
victimization (psychological, physical and social), subsequent recovery in
relation to the crime and individual characteristics of the victim, and
considers the response to victims of crime by Canadians and Canadian
institutions.
CRJS 410
Special Needs Policing
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
This course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the policing
needs within a community, the diversity within a community, and how needs change
over time. By examining various special needs groups, students will see that as
the dynamics of a community change, so does the way in which it is policed.
CRJS 420
Environmental Protection and Enforcement
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
The course will provide an overview of issues and laws related to environmental
protection and enforcement in Canada. Students will examine issues that have
lead to governmental regulatory responses and gain an understanding of the many
sources and types of law relevant to environmental protection. The course
examines the evolution of environmental law in Canada; provincial environmental
protection and enhancement acts will be both examined and critiqued.
CRJS 425
White Collar Crime
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
The primary emphasis of this course is on the increasing costs of non-violent
crimescrimes perpetrated within the business environmentand the ensuing
enforcement difficulties. From accounting procedures, methods of tracing funds,
banking and financial record-keeping to interviewing as applied to detecting and
resolving financial crime, the course discusses theoretical principles and
Canadian law enforcement approaches.
CRJS 426
Aboriginal Government and Law
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
This course focuses on the fundamental intellectual underpinnings of both the
Aboriginal legal traditions and the Canadian legal traditions and the resultant
conflict. Students will learn about traditional, imposed and contemporary
definitions of Aboriginal government and their relevance in the contemporary
development and visions of Aboriginal government. This course examines the
continuing definition of the role that Aboriginal people play in law and
government from a number of different perspectives.
CRJS 427
Civil Liberties and Individual Rights
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study or paced.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
This senior 400-level course should be of relevance to everyone interested in
civil liberties and human rights. The course is based on the premise that in a
liberal, democratic, and secular society, citizens must be given certain rights
if the democratic structure is to be put in place and maintained. The course
will explain that in a civilized and democratic society the rule of law is
paramount: all citizens including the lawmakers, are under an obligation to obey
the law; and the laws have to be fair and even-handed.
CRJS 487
Group/Independent Studies
Reading3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Home study.
Prerequisite:Permission of the professor.
These projects are chosen in consultation with an instructor and intended for
pursuit by a student (or group of students) interested in an area presented by
one of the Criminal Justice courses. Students must complete CRJS 350 and either
SOCI 305 or SOCI 365 or equivalent courses from another institution before
applying for a 400-level project course. Contact a Criminal Justice course
coordinator for a project proposal booklet.
CRJS 489
Alternate Dispute Resolution
3Applied Studies
Delivery Mode: Paced study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the professor.
The main objective of this course is to provide students with a theoretical and
practical understanding of alternate dispute resolution. The focus will be on
the main methods: negotiations and mediation. Basic principles and techniques of
various methods of dispute resolution will be introduced. Different areas of the
law and law enforcement in which such methods are or could be used will be
explored.
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