Program Codes:
CSI.AAS
Associate in Applied Science
The Computer & Information Systems option leads to the Associate in Applied Science Degree in Computer Science. Students learn object oriented programming in C++ or Java and event driven programming in Visual Basic, client/server architecture, analysis & design of database systems, networking technologies, Windows and LINUX System Administration. Through a cooperative education program, students can gain work experience and earn college credits during their studies at Middlesex County College.
Below are required courses and recommended course groupings and sequences for program completion.
Courses may have prerequisite and corequisite requirements. Check course descriptions for details.
This course defines computers and computer applications and their use in business, industry and government. Students completing this course will be computer fluent. Students will understand the capabilities and limitations of computers and know how to use them. In addition, students will understand computers and their ethical, legal and societal implications. Topics include the history of computers, hardware devices, software programs, terminology, privacy of information, ethical behavior and the influence of computers on people and society. Hands-on experience includes: using a Windows operating system, a word processor, designing and implementing spreadsheets and producing presentations. This course is recommended for anyone who will be involved with computers and the use of computer application software.
This course introduces students to a problem solving approach to computer applications through the use of spreadsheets, database, presentation manager, a programming language and Internet skills. It emphasizes Visual Basic and Microsoft Excel, in addition to surveying fundamental computer concepts and is designed for students who already possess a familiarity with computer applications. It is recommended for students planning to transfer to an upper division college that has a computer programming requirement in its computer literacy course. This course is suitable for liberal arts, science transfer and business transfer students who wish to transfer to a university and complete their bachelor,s degree.
This course presents an introduction to programming and problem solving using Java. Algorithm development and basic procedural and object-oriented problem solving techniques are introduced. Fundamental topics of computer programming including sequence, selection, repetition, input/output, methods, parameter passing, scope, lifetime, and arrays are discussed in detail. Basic concepts of object-oriented programming such as objects, classes and class methods are introduced. This course is required of all Computer Science transfer students. The course is also recommended for students in other programs seeking a rigorous introduction to computer programming.
MAT-014 or appropriate score on the College placement test
Through a variety of writing projects requiring competence in clear, correct, and effective English, students will use inferential and critical skills in the process of composing documented essays. Extensive reading materials serve as structural models and as the bases for discussion and for the writing of essays involving response, analysis, and synthesis.
A passing score on the College placement test or a grade of “C” or better in ENG-010
This course is designed to prepare students for general education science and mathematics electives. Topics include concepts of algebra, algebraic functions and graphs, exponential and logarithmic functions and graphs, inequalities and systems of equations. Applications are emphasized.
Emphasis is on those topics from algebra and trigonometry that best prepare students for the first course in calculus. The areas of study are algebraic and transcendental functions and their graphs. Of special interest are polynomials, rational, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. Additional topics include vectors, polar coordinate systems, matrics and determinants. TI83/84 graphing calculator required.
This first half of a two-semester Precalculus course designed to give students extended enrichment to prepare for a first course in calculus. Emphasis is on algebra topics to develop skills properly and a thorough understanding of the concepts needed to proceed to Calculus. Topics include the study of algebraic functions and their graphs. Of special interest are polynomials and rational functions. TI83/84 graphing calculator is required.
The second half of a two-semester Precalculus course designed to give students extended enrichment to prepare for a first course in calculus. Emphasis is on exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions and their properties to develop skills properly for a thorough standing of the concepts needed to go on to calculus. TI83/84 graphing calculator required.
MAT-129A or equivalent
Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Social Science (GE SS).
This course will teach students the role of microcomputer operating systems and how the operating systems interact with the computer. The course covers the structure and function of hardware including input/output devices, memory, central processing unit, storage devices, communications devices and buses. The commonly used microcomputer operating systems Windows and DOS will be discussed and emphasized with hands-on exercises covering topics including: disk maintenance, directory and file management, batch files, interaction of graphical user interface and utilities. Configuration and optimization of standard hardware and system software will also be discussed. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be prepared to take the associated A+ test.
This course builds on the Java foundation developed in CSC 161 and is the second core course required for students in the Computer Science Transfer program. It investigates the software engineering principles of encapsulation, information hiding and code reuse, and discusses how these concepts are used to build abstract data types. The object oriented programming features of classes, inheritance, polymorphism and composition are studied, along with constructors and method overloading. Students implement Java programs incorporating features from the Java programming language.
This course studies the Visual BASIC programming language, presenting top-down structured programming, visual interface design and implementation, functions, procedures, arrays, data file access methods, graphics programming and database access programming. Hands-on experience with event-driven programming for an interactive Graphical User Interface under Windows will be introduced. The creation and customizing of forms, controls (menu bars, scrolling list boxes, buttons, arrays of controls), their properties and their underlying BASIC programs (methods) will be studied. Error-handling routines and advanced debugging techniques will be used to produce reliable programs.
Through a variety of writing projects requiring competence in clear, correct, and effective English, students will use inferential and critical skills in the process of composing argument synthesis essays. Students will engage in formal written argumentation based on extensive reading and analysis of complex texts. Through the research process, students will locate, analyze, and synthesize scholarly sources to advance their own informed positions on relevant issues in the composition of a formal research paper.
A grade of “C” or better in ENG-121
Familiarizes students with mathematical models that occur in more advanced courses and in the areas of business, science and the social sciences using exploratory data analysis and statistical methods. Topics include descriptive statistics linear regression, probability and probability distribution, confidence intervals, and an introduction to hypothesis testing.
Presents fundamental ideas of calculus such as the derivative, integral and their applications. Topics include fundamentals of analytic geometry. The first course in a sequence of calculus courses intended for the student interested in mathematics, engineering and the natural, physical and social sciences. TI83/84 graphing calculator required.
The first half of a two-semester sequence of Analytic Geometry and Calculus I. Presents fundamental ideas of calculus such as limits, derivatives, and their applications. Topics include fundamentals of analytic geometry and transcendental functions. The first course in a sequence of calculus courses intended for the student interested in mathematics, engineering, and the natural, physical, and social sciences. TI 83 or TI 84 calculator required.
The second half a two-semester sequence of analytic geometry and Calculus I. Presents fundamental ideas of calculus, such as derivative and integral and their applications. Topics include fundamental of analytic geometry and transcendental functions. This is the first course in a sequence of calculus courses intended for the student interested in mathematics, engineering and the natural, physical and social sciences. TI83/84 graphing calculator is required.
MAT-131A or equivalent
This course will provide the student with a thorough understanding of the basic concepts of data communications, networking and connectivity. This includes the topics covered in the Novell Networking Technologies course and the topics covered in the Microsoft Networking Essentials course. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be prepared to take the associated A+ certification test.
This course teaches different techniques of storing, accessing and processing data as utilized in the development of programs and algorithms. Topics include linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, recursion and graphs. Algorithms for applications such as sorting, searching and merging will be analyzed and implemented. Solutions are designed using object-oriented techniques and implemented in the Java programming language. This course is the third course in the Java programming sequence and is a required course for students in the Computer Science Transfer Option.
This course introduces the basic concepts of the UNIX operating system including the UNIX file system, shell programming and process management. Features of the UNIX shell are explored, including: input and output redirection, pipes, variable and filename substitution, and shell and environmental variables. Regular expressions are covered. Students learn a POSIX compliant shell and develop the ability to use shell utilities and editors and create shell programs of moderate difficulty.
Physical/Health Education Elective
This course will provide the student with a thorough understanding of what a database is and how it is used. Emphasis will be placed on the relationship and use of a database for the effective storage and retrieval of user data. The use of structured query language (SQL) will be presented. Hands-on laboratory experience will provide the student with practical applications in the use of databases.
This course will provide students with the information necessary to develop web sites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, CGI and Perl. Client side processing in JavaScript and server side processing in Perl and CGI will be used in hands-on projects to create dynamic web pages and process form data. Students will also develop web pages with links, images, tables, forms and stylesheets.
Builds on the basic understanding of UNIX and shell programming developed in CSC 245. UNIX is the dominant operating system of Internet routers and Web servers. This course covers the essential elements of designing a client/server UNIX configuration, installing it, and keeping it running in an effective fashion. Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs) and the TCP/IP protocol suite are a fundamental part of the UNIX client-server configuration and are fully covered. The installation of UNIX applications is also covered, with electronic mail tools and Web browsers as primary examples of these applications. The emphasis is on serving UNIX client/server needs on a global basis as occurs in a modern multinational corporation.
Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Humanities (GE HUM).
Choose from the list below:
CSC-116 Introduction to Information Systems Security
CSC-126 Help Desk Customer Service
CSC-127 Help Desk Operation
CSC-205 Computer Science Work Experience I
CSC-206 Computer Science Work Experience II
CSC-248 PC Service and Support
CSC-251 Windows Workstation Administration
CSC-252 Windows Server Administration
CSC-261 Information Technology Management
Students will learn to design, write, compile, test and execute Java programs. Students will create both stand alone and client/server applications using the Java programming language. Enhancement of website functionality and embedding Java Applets in HTML code will be taught. Platform independent graphical user interfaces will be built using Java's Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT).
Topics include trigonometric and hyperbolic functions, areas, centroids, techniques of integration, parametric curves and vectors, indeterminant forms, Taylor's formula, infinite series and topics in analytic geometry. Recommended for students majoring in engineering, mathematics, computer science, social sciences and the science related areas of chemistry and physics. TI83/84 graphing calculator is required.
MAT-131 or equivalent
Contact Name: Assistant Professor Dr. Peter Farrett, department chair
Contact Phone: 732.906.2526
Contact Email: PFarrett@middlesexcc.edu
Department Web: http://www2.middlesexcc.edu/academics/academic-departments/computer-science.html
Students learn on PC’s running the DOS, Windows, and LINUX operating systems. They learn several programming languages and administration of both LINUX and Windows systems. Students develop problem-solving and communication skills using modern information processing techniques.
Algebra II is a prerequisite for all Computer Science majors. Algebra II competency may be verified with a passing score on the College’s placement test or by completing the appropriate course. Students must also have a grade of “C” or better in algebra II and geometry.
Network Administration and Support Option of the CIS program leads to the Associate in Applied Science Degree in Computer Science. Students learn network administration of Windows and LINUX operating systems. Problem solving skills are taught through the use of the object oriented programming language C++ or Java and the event driven programming Visual Basic. This program prepares students to take the certification tests for a PC Hardware operating systems technology, networking and security and Microsoft Windows MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional). Through a cooperative education program, students can gain work experience and earn college credits during their studies at Middlesex County College.
Articulation agreements with public and private institutions offer students who earn the A.A.S. degree the opportunity to transfer all of their coursework to the four-year institution. Students in specialized programs, or who earn an A.A.S. degree should discuss the transfer process with an advisor.
Once students complete developmental coursework (if needed), the degree can be completed in two years of full-time study. They can shorten the amount of time by taking courses in the summer and winter sessions. They can complete the certificate in one year.