Effective: Fall 2021 (202115)
Overview
All CCI undergraduate programs include a senior design sequence as a capstone to the degree. Most majors include a three-course college-wide sequence CI491, CI492, CI493. Project teams can be from a single major, or from various majors including outside of CCI. Students are always registered for the course in their home college, so mixed college teams require additional coordination. There is also an option for students to complete a thesis in place of the team project.
CST students due to the nature of the program have a different course sequence: INFO324, CT491, CT496. Students form project teams to complete a CST related project.
Preparation
Late in the fall term, a list of students who are expected to graduate in the following year is made available to faculty leading senior design projects. In the winter of the junior year, information sessions are held to explain the options to students and review steps to be ready for the registration and team formation in the following year. A faculty senior design coordinator for both sequences will be available to explain both the CI and CT options. Information sessions are held in the evening and available for remote attendance to allow students on co-op the option to participate.
Registration
- CI sequence. In the fall term students register for an “umbrella” section for purposes of group formation. During week 1 groups are formed and the list is provided by the faculty senior design coordinator to Academic Operations. Academic Operations works with OUR to move the students into section of the correct faculty member overseeing their project team. In winter and spring, OUR runs a mass registration process to move students into the appropriate section for their project team to ensure groups are maintained through the entire academic year. OUR provides a list of students they are unable to register (hold, course conflict) to Academic Operations who works the list with Advising to resolve the issues. Approval to change groups after they are formed is rare and requires permission from the instructors and faculty senior design coordinator.
- CT sequence. Students self-register since the projects are all currently managed with a single instructor in a single section. A process like that used for registration for the CI sequence could be used if the number of sections expands in the future.
Exceptions
- Trailers – the use of trailer sections is not recommended. Projects have not been successful with less than a full team and the thesis option is not a good fit for most students. Any exception to this would need to be made by the appropriate Associate Department Head
- CST students wishing to participate in a CI49x series project team need to contact the Associate Department Head in the IS department no later than week 3 of the summer term before the fall in which the sequence would begin. The request should be in writing and explain their reason for wanting to pursue to CI49x option. The Associate Department Head will provide a written response to the student and their advisor. If the substitution is approved, the advisor updates the DegreeWorks record.
Senior Design Showcase
In spring term there will be a virtual showcase of senior design projects from both course sequences. Prizes will be given to top projects from each sequence.