Thinking, Communicating And Practicing: Development Of A Senior Design Capstone Curriculum In Information Technology

The University of Cincinnati’s College of Applied Science Information Technology (IT) program, founded as the Information Engineering Technology program in 1998, has a significant hands-on component in its requirements. The IT program offers a Bachelor (BS) and Associate (AS) degree option with both day and evening schedules. Learners choose a primary specialization from one of three “tracks”, including Software Development, Networking, or Web Technologies. BS learners also choose at least one secondary track specialization from one of five tracks, including Software Development, Networking, Web Technologies, Database or Digital Media. Co-op experience is a vital part of the curriculum; all learners work in alternating quarters starting in their second year of study. BS learners co-op five quarters and AS learners two quarters. 1 In addition to co-op, learners at the College of Applied Science learn by experience through the integration of intensive, hands-on activities built into the courses and through the Senior Design project completed in the final year of study. 2