2022-2023 Senior Seminar
This course is for senior computer science majors.
Senior Seminar is the culminating computer science experience and is centered around a large group project. Over the 2022-2023 academic year, you will design and carry out a research project that contributes to the field of computer science OR you will develop a larger piece of software.
In the spring semseter, your primary goal will be the completion of the project that you planned at the end of the fall semester.
The handbook course description for the spring semester is:
Students embark on a semester long group project. Each team will produce a robust, scalable, and maintainable large-scale piece of software based on the project proposal completed in COMP 485. In addition to collaborating on a specific project, students present material on a wide range of software development topics, including software engineering, professional ethics, and current trends in languages, tools, and methodologies. As a senior seminar, the course has a strong problem-solving focus, encourages student participation and leadership, develops communication skills, and stresses integration of the student’s full undergraduate experience.
We will run this course like a software project within a larger organization.
You will:
Your grade will consist of the following:
| Percent Contribution | Description |
|---|---|
| 20 | Participation in class activities |
| 80 | Pariticpation in and completion of objectives in team project |
You are expected to spend approximately 15 hours per week on this course (both per Department of Education guidelines as well as my expectations of the work required).
Scheduled office hours will be on the course website. Outside of these hours, I am available by appointment. Generally, I will be in my office during the day, and you can feel free to stop by any time–my door is always open!
All work turned in for this course is to be completed in accordance with Rhodes’ Honor Code. All work done for homework, programming projects, and exams is expected to be your own. Collaboration is an important component to successfully learning the material and completing assignments in this course. You may discuss homework problems with your classmates, but the work you turn in must be your own.
Any submitted solutions to programming exercises not wholly written by yourself or your group is considered plagiarism. Any and all plagiarism will be reported to Honor Council and will result in the grade of F for the course.
You may turn in work after the deadline for partial credit, with a penalty at my discretion.
A diverse learning community is a necessary element of a liberal arts education, for self understanding is dependent upon the understanding of others. We are committed to fostering a community in which diversity is valued and welcomed. To that end any discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender, color, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, and national or ethnic origin, will not be tolerated in the classroom.
We are committed to providing an open learning environment. Freedom of thought, a civil exchange of ideas, and an appreciation of diverse perspectives are fundamental characteristics of a community that is committed to critical inquiry. To promote such an academic and social environment we expect integrity and honesty in our relationships with each other and openness to learning about and experiencing cultural diversity. We believe that these qualities are crucial to fostering social and intellectual maturity and personal growth.
Intellectual maturity also requires individual struggle with unfamiliar ideas. We recognize that our views and convictions will be challenged, and we expect this challenge to take place in a climate of openmindedness and mutual respect.
I will do my best to help any student who comes to me with non-course-related concerns. Please keep in mind, however, that all faculty are required by policy to share knowledge of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual exploitation, stalking, sexual harassment and sex/gender discrimination with the Title IX Coordinator, Tiffany Cox. For more information about Rhodes’ sexual misconduct policy or to make a report please see www.rhodes.edu/titleix.
I reserve the right to alter this syllabus as necessary.