Course descriptions
Note: All courses are three credits unless otherwise specified.
INFSCI 0010 Introduction to Information,
Systems, and Society
This course will demonstrate how to build a web page that attracts attention,
program interactive websites, design and use databases, use multimedia,
and analyze current issues such as security and privacy.
No prerequisites.
INFSCI 0012 Introduction to Programming for Information Science Students
Introduction to concepts, principles, and skills of programming including
compilers, algorithms, and problem solving using a high-level programming
language such as C. Intended for students with little or no programming
experience who seek to be an information science major
Co-requisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 0013 Computer Methods in Humanities
This course introduces students to the use of computational modeling and programming to conduct text-based research in the humanities. Course goals include 1) Learning how to identify research questions in the humanities that are amenable to computational analysis and processing and 2) Designing and implementing XML-based computational systems to explore those questions. No prior programming experience or knowledge of foreign languages required.
INFSCI 0017 Object-Oriented Programming 1 for Information Science
First programming course for IS majors. Designed for students with little or no programming experience. Basic principles and concepts of object-oriented programming using JAVA. Classes, interfaces, operators, program control, arrays, testing, debugging, inheritance, polymorphism, and event handling. Techniques for simplifying the programming process and improving code quality. Activity-based learning.
Co-requisite: INFSCI 0010.
NEW for Spring 2012 (2124)
INFSCI 0017 Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Programming
First JAVA programming course that provides fundamental skills needed to understand, design and maintain enterprise-scale information systems. This course follows an architecture-centric approach to programming in contrast to the algorithm-centric approach in computer science. This course is strongly preferred over CS 401, especially for students who plan to take INFSCI 1017 or 1025. Designed for students with no previous programming experience, the course introduces the object-oriented programming paradigm followed by JAVA language basics applied in a sound architectural context. Thorough treatment of interfaces, inheritance, abstract classes and polymorphism. This is an active learning course where students complete a realistic sequence of programming assignments using Eclipse, the leading JAVA integrated development environment (IDE). Offered Fall and Spring terms.
Co-requisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 0019 Object-Oriented Programming 2 for Information Science
Second programming course for IS majors. Advanced Java language features required for professional software development. Data structures, OO design, graphical user interfaces, exception handling, multithreading, I/O, and Web and network programming.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0017 or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg).
INFSCI 1014 Graphics
Familiarization with some of the techniques for producing graphical displays
by computer will be studied. The skills necessary to design and create
computer graphics as well as an artistic and technical knowledge of what
makes a good graphic will be investigated.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 0017
NEW for Spring 2012 (2124)
INFSCI 1017 Implementation of Information Systems
Second JAVA programming course that develops professional software development skills. This is an active learning course where students complete a series of assignments that result in a robust, three-layer application (Model-View-Controller architecture) suitable for inclusion in the student's professional IT portfolio. Students who plan to take INFSCI 1025 should take it concurrently with this course since they are strongly integrated. Key topics include GUI classes, event handling, exception handling, data structures, common algorithms, file I/O and JAVA database programming (JDBC). Offered Spring term.
Prerequisite: C or better in INFSCI 0017 (preferred) or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg).
Co-requisite: INFSCI 1025 (recommended), INFSCI 1022
INFSCI 1022 Database Management Systems
The design, implementation, and utilization of database management systems. Contrasts the methodologies of file systems and database management systems. Within database management systems, treats various data structures (e.g., tree, network, linked list) and several database models (e.g., the CODASYL Data Base Task Group model and the relational database model). Finally, considers the administrative tasks required in a database management environment.
Co-requisite: INFSCI 0010
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0012 or INFSCI 0017.
INFSCI 1024 Information Systems Analysis
Requirements management. Best practices in eliciting, documenting, and verifying requirements. Writing effective use cases. Constructing UML-compliant models (class, state, and activity diagrams). Specification of user interface and data layers. Rapid prototyping.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010.
NEW for Spring 2012 (2124)
INFSCI 1024 Analysis of Information Systems
This course provides state-of-the-art skills in requirements management, which is critical for successful IT projects. Topics include best practices in eliciting, documenting, verifying and modeling requirements using the Unified Modeling Language (UML). This is an active learning course where students develop an analysis model for a realistic IT project which is subsequently designed in INFSCI 1025 and implemented in INFSCI 1017. The analysis model is suitable for inclusion in the student's IT portfolio. Ideally, students who want to take INFSCI 1017 and 1025 in the Spring should take INFSCI 1024 in the Fall. Offered in Fall and Spring terms.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 1025 Information Systems Design
Object-oriented design best practices. Principles of system architecture. Design patterns. Requirements traceability. Construction of UML-compliant models (class, sequence, communication, and package diagrams). Refactoring. Iterative development of system prototype. Requires knowledge of fundamental OO programming concepts including abstract classes, interfaces, inheritance, polymorphism, and message passing.
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0017 or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg) and INFSCI 1024.
NEW for Spring 2012 (2124)
INFSCI 1025 Design of Information Systems
This course provides essential object-oriented (OO) design skills needed to comprehend enterprise scale systems, evaluate software for architectural stability or become a software architect. This is an active learning course where students develop a realistic design model suitable for inclusion in their professional IT portfolio. Topics include best practices in OO design including effective visual modeling using UML, application of basic design principles and common design patterns, and mapping object models to relational database schema. Using the same IT project in INFSCI 1024 and INFSCI 1017, it stresses requirements traceability from analysis through implementation. INFSCI 0017 is the preferred programming prerequisite since it stresses architectural principles. Should be taken concurrently with INFSCI 1017. Offered Spring term.
Prerequisites: C or better in INFSCI 0017 (preferred) or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg), INFSCI 1024
Co-requisite: INFSCI 1017 (recommended) and INFSCI 1022
NEW for Spring 2012 (2124)
INFSCI 1026 Management of Information Systems
This course identifies the IT management practices that distinguish high-performing organizations and how students can leverage that knowledge to maximize their career potential. Students deliver a series of presentations on critical issues in IT management suitable for inclusion in their professional IT portfolio. Topics include leading management frameworks (e.g., CMM, COBIT, ITIL), popular agile methodologies, financial analysis techniques, and how to write a professional resume. Offered Fall term. Requires final exam.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
INFSCI 1042 Human Information Processing (no longer offered)
Introduction to research and theory on topics in human cognition including perception, attention, pattern recognition, memory, representation of knowledge, language, problem solving, reasoning, and learning, with emphasis on the relationship to computer models of these processes and implications of this body of knowledge for building information systems.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 1044 Human Factors in System Design
Examines human-machine designs with special emphasis on human-computer interaction. Topics center on how to analyze, create, and improve equipment and environment to be compatible with human capabilities and expectations.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 1052 User-Centered Design
Introduces principles and programming of interactive systems. Interaction techniques are surveyed and incorporated in the design of interfaces.
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 1044.
INFSCI 1059 Web Programming
This course will introduce the PHP scripting language. Students will download
and install the Apache Web Server, PHP, and MySQL database. In addition,
the PHP installation in the SIS labs will be utilized. The course will
cover programming concepts, client server architecture, database access
and XHTML/Cascading style sheets. Students will write a full scale web
application as their final project.
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 0017 or CS 0401 and INFSCI 1022
INFSCI 1068 Geographic Information Systems
Introduction to geographic information system (GIS) concept and technology including spatial data sources, spatial data models and structures, spatial database management, map projection systems, geocoding and georeferencing, spatial analysis, spatial data visualization (maps), GIS applications (e.g., address-location finding, navigation, routing), and commercial GIS software packages.
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 0017 and INFSCI 1022.
INFSCI 1070 Introduction to Telecom and Networks (previously INFSCI 1004)
Introduction to telecommunications and networks. Top-down orientation relates networking technologies to organizational goals and needs. Data communications and Internet technologies and basic system performance analysis. TCP/IP, LANs, WANs, internetworking, and signals and communications media
Prerequisite: INFSCI 0010.
INFSCI 1071 Applications of Networks
Second course in telecommunications and networks. Network architecture, protocols, performance, design, and analysis based on application needs, organizational requirements, user requirements, and performance objectives
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 0017 and INFSCI 1070 and a course in statistics, descrete math or calculus
INFSCI 1072 Introduction to Wireless Networks (Cross listed with TELCOM 2700)
Introductory broad overview for students with a basic background in telecommunications. Not for telecommunications majors. Principles of wireless communications and how they differ from wired communications. Fundamental concepts including transmission and mitigation techniques (e.g., modulation and coding, propagation, interference, and antennas) for wireless systems, multiplexing techniques, wireless system architectures, mobility management, security, protocols, and location technology. Systems include cellular phone networks (e.g., cdma2000, UMTS), wireless local area networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11g), personal area networks (e.g., Bluetooth), fixed-point broadband wireless (e.g., WiMAX) and satellite systems
Prerequisite: INFSCI 1070 (previously INFSCI 1004)
INFSCI 1073 Application Development for Mobile Devices (Cross listed with TELCOM 2727)
Focus on information system applications that run on top of wireless infrastructure such as multimedia messaging, mobile inventory control, location aware services including wireless technologies (GSM, CDMA2000, UMTS, 802.11, Bluetooth), mobile information systems and applications (M-Business, location-based services, wireless CRN), wireless information system challenges and architectures (security, reliability, mobility, power conservation, gateways, proxies), mobile application protocols (SMS, EMS, MMS, WAP), thin and thick client mobile application development (WML, VXML, Java, J2ME, J2EE, .NETCF, C#), and business case studies of mobile applications
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0017 or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg), and INFSCI 1070 (previously INFSCI 1004)
INFSCI 1074 Computer Security
Overview of information security. Principles of security including confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Operating systems and database security concepts. Basic cryptography and network security concepts. Secure software design and application security. Evaluation standards, security management. Social, legal, and ethical issues. Human factors in security
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 0017 and INFSCI 1070
INFSCI 1075 Network Security
Network security and cryptographic protocols. Network vulnerabilities, attacks on TCP/IP, network monitoring, security at the link, network and transport layers. Cryptography, e.g., secret and public key schemes, message authentication codes and key management. WLAN security, IPSec, SSL, and VPNs. E-mail security (PGP, S/MIME), Kerberos, X.509 certificates, AAA and Mobile IP, SNMP security, firewalls, filters and gateways. Policies and implementation of firewall policies, stateful firewalls, firewall appliances. Network-related physical security, risk management and disaster recovery/contingency planning issues and housekeeping procedures
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0017 or CS 0401 or INFSCI 0015 (at Pitt Greensburg), and INFSCI 1070 (previously INFSCI 1004)
INFSCI 1076 Physical Layer of Communications 1 (Cross listed with TELCOM 2200)
Fundamental phenomena, components, and concepts related to electricity
and electronics. Covers
telcom applications of AC circuits and bandwidth, semiconductors and
amplifiers, digital electronics and logic design, Fourier theory, and
frequency analysis.
Prerequisites: INFSCI 1070 (previously INFSCI 1004) and Math 0400 or Math 120 or other calculus equivalent.
INFSCI 1079 Computer Networking Laboratory (Cross listed with TELCOM 2010)
The objective of this lab-based course is to gain knowledge of fundamental computer networking issues through hands-on experiments with network equipment and services. The sequence of labs start at the physical layer and progress up the protocol stack to the application layer. Topics covered are: Signal generation and analysis at the physical layer; Ethernet and WLAN performance and management; IP address planning and management; IP router generation including RIP, OSPF, BGP, MPLS protocols, TCP connection control; Stateful packet filtering; Network monitoring and management; Signaling protocols for VOIP services, and Web-based services configuration.
Prerequisites: INFSCI 0010 and INFSCI 1070 and INFSCI 1071.
INFSCI 1080 Independent Study
Development of readings, research, practical implementation of a system, or other form of study as arranged between student and instructor
Prerequisites: at least five information science courses, contract, and consent
of faculty advisor and faculty sponsor
INFSCI 1085 Internship
Supervised work in an information environment providing a frame of reference for understanding and an opportunity to apply the skills, methodologies, and theories presented in information science courses
Prerequisites: last year of residency or at least five information science
courses, contract, consent of faculty advisor, and approval of
internship instructor
INFSCI 1090 Special Topics: Programming
Advanced class focusing on a current or specialized topic in the programming area
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor
INFSCI 1091 Special Topics: Behavioral
Advanced class focusing on a current or specialized topic in the behavioral area
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor
INFSCI 1092 Special Topics: IT Management
Advanced class focusing on a current or specialized topic in the systems area
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor