Changes made to computer degrees
By Shannon Harrison, ne news editor

     The computer science (CSC) departments on all four campuses have gone major overhauls this semester as a result of the growing demand in the computer field.
     The three-year effort to change the computer science curriculum was completed earlier this year. This changeover, called the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM), was an effort by the four TCC campuses working with faculty from other two-year colleges to design the program best suited for students. WECM was state mandated to make sure that all the colleges throughout the state had the same course numbers and content.
     “In the past there were 22 CSC courses to choose from; now we have 44 courses, four degrees and 10 certificates,” Kirby Cox, NE division chair of science and technology, said.
     The advancement in the networking and web development field has resulted in the addition of computer-related degrees at TCC, Cox explained.
     “There are three certificate programs which are different and have more opportunity for web and network courses. This is a dramatic change,” he said.
     The two networking certificate programs are Microsoft and Cisco.
     These programs may lead to certification in these two areas.
     Microsoft supplies curriculum for people who want to become certified systems engineers or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE), Cox said.
     “It provided a challenge to us because we had Windows NT courses in the curriculum, and then Microsoft Windows 2000 came out. Now people who were in the prior plan have until the end of 2001 to convert,” he said.
     Cisco, a program used to train individuals in the connections between networks, differs from Microsoft, which deals with the networks themselves.
     The Cisco curriculum is split into two eight-week terms, Cox explained.
     “Cisco 1 and 2 can be taken during the Fall, and the third and final part of the course during the spring,” he said.
     Another degree plan is Web Development. It has been popular for several years. This degree is aimed at producing webmasters.
    “We’re trying to get on the cutting edge, and with the new equipment we are. This is a tremendous opportunity for TCC,” he said.
     South Campus is also doing Cisco and Microsoft, and SE has Microsoft and will begin Cisco in the spring.
     “We are trying to fill the community needs for information technology today,” he said.
     “We tried to involve all faculty in the undertaking of the computer science curriculum. Even though it was difficult and a lot of hard work, it was very successful,” he said.
     For more information, contact Penny Cypert, NE, at 817-515-6659, Bruce Elliot, NW, at 515-7752, Raydean Richmond, South, at 515-4729 and Kourosh Behzadnoori. SE, at 515-3420.