Graduate Courses I
Actuarial ScienceAdministrative Studies
Advertising
Arts Administration
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Gastronomy
Health Communication
Interdisciplinary Studies
Preservation Studies
Urban Affairs and City Planning
Please note, other schools and colleges within the University have different course requirements for degree candidates. Candidates for degrees in programs other than those offered by Metropolitan College should receive approval from their respective schools and colleges before registering in Metropolitan College courses.
Explanation of Course Number and Level System
|
Course Numbers |
Level |
|
000–099 |
non-degree credit |
|
100–199 |
general undergraduate |
|
200–299 |
intermediate undergraduate |
|
300–399 |
advanced undergraduate |
|
400–499 |
advanced undergraduate |
|
500–599 |
advanced undergraduate or general graduate |
|
600–699 |
general graduate |
|
700–799 |
graduate degree candidates |
|
800–899 |
advanced graduate |
|
900–999 |
graduate directed study and research |
General level assumes no special level of training and competence beyond that expected of a student meeting entrance requirements for the degree program.
Intermediate level assumes a level of training and competence beyond that of the normal entering degree candidate, either through prerequisites or equivalent work elsewhere.
Advanced level assumes a high level of training and competence based on intermediate- or higher-level work in the particular discipline.
Students in Metropolitan College may receive graduate credit for any course at the 500 level or above with the consent of their advisors. Students who have applied or who intend to apply to graduate school at Boston University or elsewhere should speak to an advisor in the department in which they plan to enroll for information about requirements, course sequences, and prerequisites. Because the requirements for graduate-level work differ, students must obtain approval from the department and from the professor of each course before they begin the course. Students will not receive graduate credit from Boston University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences unless they obtain these approvals.
Year course indicates that the material in the course is conceived as one continuous unit from the first semester through the second semester. Students who wish to register for the second semester without having taken the first should check with the instructor. Students should consult individual course descriptions for enrollment limitations.
See the Metropolitan College Course Schedule and the addenda for possible changes in courses, fees, days, and hours of class meetings.
Actuarial Science
MET AT 601 Laboratory for Actuarial and Financial Data Analysis I
Prereq: consent of instructor. The seminar provides students with knowledge and skills to develop actuarial and financial databases, and implement statistical modeling techniques as an integral part of automated data analysis. Real data will be used so that students may have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in assisting decision making related to the actuarial field and financial market. Microsoft Access, especially Access Basic and DLL (Dynamic Link Library), as well as SAS will be used as major computer tools. Seven sessions. 2 crMET AT 602 Laboratory for Actuarial and Financial Data Analysis II
A more in-depth seminar than AT 601, covering the same topics in greater detail. Ten sessions. 3 crMET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest
Prereq: MET MA 225 Multivariate Calculus. This course develops uses of interest as it relates to the theory of finance. It will develop an understanding of interest calculations as they relate to bonds, mortgages, annuities under continuous and discrete payment schemes, and for instruments with non-level payment schemes. 4 crMET AT 722 Finance for Actuaries
Prereq: MET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest. This course covers basic models and tools of corporate finance. Topics include net present value valuation, internal rate of return and profitability index models, capital budgeting models, and efficient market hypotheses. These tools will be used to understand and apply basic principles of option pricing theory, including the Black-Scholes formula with application to binomial lattice valuation. 4 crMET AT 731 Actuarial Mathematics I
Prereq: MET MA 225 Multivariate Calculus, MA 581 Probability, and MET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest. This course covers the fundamental principles of actuarial science. It begins with a discussion of survival models, including the functions that define them and special cases. A comparison is made between discrete and continuous models. Topics in the actuarial aspects of insurance will be covered, as will determination of annuities. Finally, the course will discuss the methodology of calculation of premiums. For all these topics, a basic framework will be presented, then more sophisticated models will be developed. 4 crMET AT 732 Actuarial Mathematics II
Prereq: MET AT 731 or consent of instructor. This course builds on the topics developed in MET AT 731. Insurance reserves are introduced, and methods for determining reserves are studied. The course covers multiple life functions and multiple decrement functions. The latter part of the course focuses on ruin models. 4 crMET AT 741 Actuarial Statistics I
Prereq: MET MA 582 or CAS MA 582 Mathematical Statistics. This course covers distributions of the size and frequency of insurance claims. Topics include empirical estimation, parametric estimation, Bayesian estimation, models for incomplete data, and evaluation of estimation processes. It also includes modeling problems that arise from truncation and modification at zero, compound frequency, as well as the interaction of frequency with severity and exposure. The course emphasizes applications ofstatistical principles in actuarial models and modeling. 4 crMET AT 742 Actuarial Statistics II
Prereq: MET MA 582 or CAS MA 582 Mathematical Statistics. This course covers: compound model for aggregate claims; credibility theory, including the Buhlmann-Straub credibility model; and empirical Bayesian methods. Also included are process models for insurance, discrete, and finite-time ruin probabilities. The course emphasizes applications of statistical principles in actuarial models and modeling. 4 crMET AT 743 Regression and Time Series
Prereq: MET MA 582 or CAS MA 582 Mathematical Statistics or consent of instructor. Part I of this course will cover simple and multiple regressions, serial correlation and heterscedasticity, analysis of residuals, and stepwise analysis techniques. Part II will cover time series analysis including smoothing and extrapolation of time series, linear time series models, model building procedure, and forecasting, as well as case studies. 4 crMET AT 751 Individual Insurance Applications of Actuarial Principles
This course covers the application of basic actuarial principles to individual life and annuity financial security systems. Material covered will include the purpose of these systems, the development of financial security products, risk classification, actuarial pricing assumptions, the calculation of product cash flows, the purpose of reserves and different reserve methods. Taxation, required capital, profit measurement, and reinsurance considerations will also be studied. 4 crMET AT 752 Group Insurance Applications of Actuarial Principles
This course covers the application of basic actuarial principles to group life and group health financial security systems. Material covered will include the purpose of these systems, financial security product design and development, underwriting and risk management, premium determination, and the funding and valuation of group life and group health financial security systems. Group systems in the United States will be emphasized, but the course will also review the Canadian health system. 4 crMET AT 753 Actuarial Valuation and Financial Statements
Prereq: MET AT 731 or consent of instructor. This course will cover actuarial reserving and financial reporting under the US Statutory, US GAAP, and Canadian GAAP accounting systems. The course will review in detail the valuation and financial presentation of the major life and annuity products: traditional life, universal life, variable life, deferred annuities, and payout annuities. Cash flow testing of reserves and the valuation actuary concept will also be covered. 4 crMET AT 761 Mathematics for Investment and Portfolio Theory
Prereq: MET MA 225 Multivariate Calculus, MET MA 581/CAS MA 581 Probability, and MET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest. This course covers the risk and return characteristics of primary financial products, fundamental principles of modern portfolio theory, term structures and yield curves, Markowitz Portfolio Selection Model, CAPM and its applications to portfolio management, derivative securities, duration, immunization, and interest rate risk management. 4 crMET AT 762 Mathematical Finance for Actuarial Science
Prereq: MET MA 225 Multivariate Calculus, MET MA 581/CAS MA 581 Probability, and MET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest. This course covers the analysis of derivative products and their use in insurance and risk management strategies. It covers selected aspects of the rational valuation of derivative products like put-call parity, binomial option pricing, and the Black-Scholes option pricing model. 4 crMET AT 782 Pension Mathematics and Mortality Tables
Prereq: MET MA 581 or CAS MA 581 Probability, and MET AT 721 Mathematics of Compound Interest. This course covers pension actuarial funding methods and the use of life contingencies. Included are analyses of the funding methods allowable under ERISA, their computation, and uses. We will also review the use of mortality tables, and discuss the various actuarial functions that are used in pension actuarial calculations. Finally, the course will review implications for pension funding under the IRS Code. 4 crMET MA 581 Probability
Prereq: MET MA 225, or CAS MA 225 or MA 230 or consent of instructor. Basic probability, conditional probability, independence. Discrete and continuous random variables, mean and variance, functions of random variables, moment generating function. Jointly distributed random variables, conditional distributions, independent random variables. Methods of transformations, law of large numbers, central limit theorem. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS MA 590. Stamped approval required for all non-MET students. See Department of Mathematics & Statistics. 4 crMET MA 582 Mathematical Statistics
Prereq: MET MA 581 or CAS MA 581. Point estimation includingunbiasedness, efficiency, consistency, sufficiency, minimum variance unbiased estimator, Rao-Blackwell Theorem, and Rao-Cramer inequality. Also includes maximum likelihood and method of moment estimations; interval estimation; tests of hypothesis, uniformly most powerful tests, uniformly most powerful unbiased tests, likelihood ratio test, and chi-square test. Stamped approval required for all non-MET students. See Department of Mathematics & Statistics. 4 crMET MA 603 SAS with Statistical Applications
Prereq: CAS CS 111, MET CS 201 or equivalent, and MET MA 214 Applied Statistics. The course offers a unified and in‑depth coverage of the statistical computer package SAS, and its statistical applications. Topics include the language of SAS, data formatting, creating and storing SAS data sets, file manipulations, macro procedure, and graphics. Also included are procedures for statistical techniques selected from analysis of variance, regression, factor analysis, scoring, and categorical data analysis. Several large data sets will be used as case studies emphasizing hands-on experience with SAS for Windows. Laboratory course. 4 cr
Actuarial Internships
MET AT 981 Internship in Actuarial Science I
Prereq: successful completion of MET AT 722 and MET AT 731, and an overall cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. The course is offered to students who seek practical application of actuarial principles in insurance companies, financial institutions, pension consulting firms, and other related fields. Variable crMET AT 982 Internship in Actuarial Science II
Prereq: successful completion of MET AT 722 and MET AT 731, and an overall cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. The course is offered to students who seek practical application of actuarial principles in insurance companies, financial institutions, pension consulting firms, and other related fields. The course requires students to participate in an internship program within the industry. Students need to submit monthly progress reports and a final semester report to the Chairman, Department of Actuarial Science at Boston University.Variable cr
Seminar and Directed Studies
MET AT 990 Seminar in Actuarial Science
Seminars are offered for special topics related to actuarial science, life insurance, casualty insurance, insurance medicine, mortality and mobility, health outcomes, economics, policy, pension, social insurance, mathematical finance, statistics, and other related fields.Variable crMET AT 991 Directed Studies I
Prereq:consent of instructor. The course is offered to students who plan to engage in special research topics under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Application is made through the Department of Actuarial Science. Variable cr
MET AT 992 Directed Studies I
Prereq:consent of instructor. The course is offered to students who plan to engage in special research topics under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Application is made through the Department of Actuarial Science. Variable cr
Preparation Courses for SOA/CAS Professional Actuarial Examinations(These courses are offered occasionally. See department for more information.) The following preparation courses are offered for students and working actuarial professionals who plan for the SOA/CAS examinations. These are short-term intensive courses that cover topics related to the professional examinations in the most recent catalogs of SOA and CAS.
MET AT 651 Mathematical Foundations of Actuarial Science
(2 cr)MET AT 652 Interest Theory, Economics, and Finance
(2 cr)MET AT 653 Actuarial Models
(2 cr)MET AT 654 Actuarial Modeling
(2 cr)MET AT 655 Applications of Basic Actuarial Principles
(2 cr)MET AT 656 Finance and Investments
(2 cr)Administrative Studies
MET AD 500 Computers for Business
Examines the application of computer spreadsheet and databases in solving information problems in business. Not open to degree candidates in computer science or computer information systems. Lab course. 2 crMET AD 501 Business Communications for International Students
Techniques for effective written and oral communications. This course is a special offering for studentsfor whom English is a second language. Departmental approval required for non-M.S.A.S. students. 4 crMET AD 510 Mathematics for Management
(Formerly OM 500.) Provides an overview offundamental mathematical concepts, with emphasis on the solution of word problems. Topics covered include quadratic equations, signed numbers, polynomials, graphs, roots and radicals, and basic concepts of differential and integral calculus. This is a prerequisite course that may not be used for graduate credit. 2 crMET AD 555 International Commerce Regional Field Experience
Enhances thetheoretical regional business course (750 series) for a specific commerce area of the world. Course offers on-site experience exposing students to the region’s geopolitical andcultural environment and examines business activities through lectures, tours of company and government locations, as well as cultural activities. 4 crMET AD 600 Economic Development and Tourism Management
Provides a market-oriented, strategic planning framework to address a broad range of tourism and regional economic and development issues that relate to tourism industry development and growth. The combination of theory and practice will prepare students to analyze tourism markets, assess area, regional, and national weaknesses and strengths as well as the security, infrastructure/ logistics, marketing, and costs associated with tourism. 4 crMET AD 603 Evaluating and Developing Markets for Cultural Tourism
This course introduces themes of cultural tourism, including the relationship between the tourist industry and the cultural heritage manager; conservation and preservation vs utilization of a cultural asset; authenticity vs commodification; stakeholders’ rights and obligations; tangible and intangible tourist assets; the role of government, private industry, and the nonprofit sectors in tourism planning: and sustainable economic development. We will examine these themes in the art industry, historical sites, cultural landmarks, special events and festivals, theme parks, and gastronomy. 4 crMET AD 610 Introduction to Business Continuity, Security, and Risk Management
This overview course examines the management issues involved with assessing the security and risk environments in both the private and public sectors in order to assure continuous system-wide operations. The course studies the elements of risk assessment and operational continuity using the project management framework of planning, organizing, and control. Students are exposed to the role of the firm in crisis response and management as well as the terms, systems, and interactions necessary to assure continuous operations. Topics include: the role and need for comprehensive assurance strategy and planning; the security aspects of the firm; an overview of the system-widestructure—as well as the organizations within that structure—designed to plan for and respond to local or national crisis; the social and emotional impact on the workforce as well as its effect on productivity; and the organizational infrastructure relating to national, regional, and international compliance. 4 crMET AD 611 The Social and Psychological Elements of Workplace Disruption
This course focuses on the human-factor aspects of crisis management as they relate to maintaining reasonable business activity while facing continuity disruption, and the important areas of proactive versus reactive leadership during crises. In addition, the course will discuss the leadership qualities that are essential during crisis periods. The course will assist thestudent in understanding that, at times, the human resource elements of the workforce recovery may be even more complicated than the logistical ones. In fact, the "best practices" for mitigating the impact of crises/disasters on personnel are often not well understood or sufficiently prioritized. Students will learn to appreciate that the reactions and needs of employees may vary and change over time. 4 crMET AD 612 COO—Public Emergency Management
This course examines emergency management from national, state, local, and family perspectives of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. The course encompasses knowledge of the specific agencies, organizations, and individual behaviors in emergency management as well as the interlinking partnerships between/among these groups. Areas of discussion include: responsibilities at federal, state, community, and individual levels; guidelines and procedures for operations and compliance such as the National Response Plan; Incident Command Systems (ICS); exercises; plandevelopment, command, and control; communication; partnership development and maintenance; leadership; and numerous otherelements related to effective emergencymanagement. The unique and critical roles of private and public partnerships are reviewed and particular attention is paid to the interplay and interdependency among national, state, community, business (public and private), and the individual. 4 crMET AD 613 System-Wide Risk Planning, Strategy, and Compliance
Students are exposed to the important issues relating tocorporate and organizational security and risk from both the perspective of systems designed to protect against disasters and aspects of emergency preparedness should such systems fail. Security areas of study include information technology, terrorism, and other organizational disruptions. Students study proactive risk assessment though management risk analysis techniques and simulations. Students will be able to design a company or agency global assurance plan, organize the strategy to make the plan operational, and implement control measures to assess the plan’s degree of success. The course also provides explanations of legal/regulatory, auditing, and industry-specific requirements related to compliance, control, and reporting issues in business risk management. The role of establishing and maintaining standards by local, national, and international agencies is discussed, as is the importance of these agencies in certifying operations. 4 crMET AD 614 Incident Response and Disaster Recovery
This course covers the preparation, organization, and prevention issues related to incident response and disaster recovery including unauthorized network intrusion and loss of financial systems. Principles of incident response and disaster recovery are presented along with methods to identify vulnerabilities and take appropriate countermeasures to prevent and mitigate failure risks. The course also lays the foundation for disaster recovery principles and planning, and presents strategies for minimizing extended downtime that can lead to loss. 4 crMET AD 630 Financial and Managerial Accounting
(Formerly AC 630.) Introduction to the concepts, methods, and problems of financial and managerial accounting. Includes data accumulation, accounting principles, financial statement analysis, measurement and disclosure issues, cost analysis, budgeting and control, production costs, and standard costs. 4 crMET AD 632 Financial Concepts
(Formerly FI 657.) Introduction to the concepts, methods, and problems of accounting and financial analysis. Includes accounting principles, measurement and disclosure issues, financial statement analysis, time value of money, cash flow projection and analysis, capital budgeting and project evaluation, bond and equity valuation, cost of capital and capital structure. 4 crMET AD 642 Project Management
(Formerly AD 742.) The course examines the concepts and applied techniques for cost-effective management of projects. Project management principles and methodology are introduced. Key topics of focus include developing a project plan and scheduling resources; work breakdown structures; and project networks. 4 crMET AD 643 Project Communications Management
To succeed in project management, you must be a strong leader and an effective communicator. This course examines the current philosophies of leadership as applied to project management and identifies various styles of communication and conflict resolution. Through case studies and various exercises, you will develop enhanced leadership, communication, conflict management, and negotiation skills. 4 crMET AD 644 Project Risk and Cost Management
This course introduces the art and science of project risk as well as continuity management and cost management. Managing the risk of a project as it relates to a three-part systematic process of identifying, analyzing, and responding is examined through actual case studies. Students learn the process of cost management, early cost estimation, detailed cost estimation, and cost control using earned value method. Students study the issues of project procurement management and the different types of contracts. 4 crMET AD 646 Program Management
This course will provide a detailed understanding of program management and will present concepts that promote efficient and effective communication and coordination among various groups. Students will understand PMI® program management processes and use tools that automate and enforce processes for managing scope changes, risk, quality, issues, schedules, resources, releases, and costs. You will learn how to design a program and manage program costs, risks, and communications within the context of Project Portfolios. 4 crMET AD 647 Program Monitoring and Evaluation
This is a comprehensive course on evaluation, covering in-depth program evaluations and performance monitoring. Students will also understand project interdependencies and determine the optimal pacing for a program to enable appropriate planning, scheduling, executing, monitoring, and controlling of the projects within a program in the future. It covers evaluation methods that will be useful at various levels of government and in nonprofit organizations. This course will help project and program managers, analysts, consultants, educators, and managers in government, nonprofit, and private institutions to assess program results and identify ways to improve program performance. Other topics include: logic modeling; evaluation for small nonprofit organizations; assessing and improving planning, implementation, and effectiveness; evaluation methodology and models; using evaluation tools and applications to assess factors linking projects under one program and provide the best allotment of resources between those projects; monitor complex, multi-project programs, and drill into current project details; enable collaboration and stakeholder alignment throughout a project lifecycle. 4 crMET AD 648 Introduction to Electronic Commerce, Systems, and Web Design
Provides a detailed examination of how businesses can successfully use Internet, wireless, and enhanced web technologies throughout the business structure to improve operations and better communicate with business partners and consumers. Students are introduced to the concepts and issues of electronic commerce. Topics include comparison of e-commerce procedures, payment mechanisms, applications in different industry sectors, security, supply chain issues, and business-to-business relationships. Students design a business-grade website using commercial application programs such as Dreamweaver and Fireworks. 4 crMET AD 650 Economic Development via Tourism in the Developing World
Many branches of the tourism industry have become incorporated into the increasingly important economic paradigm of sustainable economic development in both the developed and developing world. In this course students will visit a developing country and learn how the tourist industry has developed in that country, determine how sustainable that development has been and potential directions for future growth. 4 crMET AD 655 International Business, Economics, and Cultures
(Formerly MG 650.) This course considers macroeconomic factors of relevance to the firm: aggregate economic activity, cyclical movements, and fiscal and monetary policies. The course reviews the problems of decision-making related to demand, production, costs, market structure, and price; as well as provides an analysis of the interplay between governments, economic systems, labor, and multinational corporations (MNCs). Topics include: the basis for the existence, organization, and growth of MNCs; a comparison of major economic and government systems; areas include the impact on the firm's business transactions and trade due to taxation, regulation, legal environments, and labor influences. This course additionally investigates the relationship between the interaction of national culture and development. Topics range from developing nations' rain forest and species management to pollution generated by developed nations. Culture, policy, and development are also discussed in relation to the impact of the business interactions (agriculture, fishing, technology transfer, etc.) among developing and developed nations. 4 crMET AD 657 Economic Sustainability, Development, and Competitiveness of a Tourist Destination
Students will learn how to develop and manage tourism destinations to perform effectively in an increasingly competitive international marketplace in ways that are environmentally, socially, and culturally sustainable. Topics will include: the evolving nature of competition and sustainability, dimensions of competitive destination, the global macro-environment for tourism, the competitive micro-environment, supporting facilities, and destination policy, planning, and development. 4 crMET AD 660 Databases, Security, and Web Design
(Formerly TM 660.) Prereq: MET AD 648 (can be taken concurrently). This course presents a complete immersion into web technology, Internet, World Wide Web architecture, search engines, and web page creation using thestandard HTML language. Other topics include dynamic HTML; scripting using JavaScript, VBScript, and XML; server-side components such as CGI, ASP, and PERL. Develops knowledge and skills for both electronic commerce payment mechanisms and data transactions, and security of information and informationsystems within organizations. Payment options for electronic commerce such as e-cash, SET, and credit cards; systems design; and methods of dealing with risks are covered. Other topics include: designing, implementing, managing, and auditing security at all levels; techniques for assessing risk associated with accidental and international breaches of security; ethical uses of information and privacy consideration; encryption; and digital certificates. (Not for computer science students). 4 crMET AD 661 Marketing, Database, and Enterprise/Customer Relation Management
(Formerly TM 740.) Prereq: MET AD 648 (can be taken concurrently). The course focuses on solutions to manage and coordinate information and activities across an enterprise. The course reviews a framework to manage an effective program including the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of a corporate ERM/CRM process. The course additionally provides lab work in the design and implementation of ERM/CRM database informationsystems. The lectures and assigned readings cover the ERM/CRM architectures; technologies, best practices, and a team project will allow all participants to use a set of frameworks and tools to demonstrate their strategic, operational, and technical understanding of ERM/CRM initiatives. 4 crMET AD 665 Supply Chain Management
(Formerly TM 750.) Provides an overview of the supply chain management process relating to the major, and often competing, supply chain challenges concerning the simultaneous standardization and differentiation of consumer preferences for products and the continued minimization emphasis in supply chains. Topics evolve from historical supply chains that focused on efficiencies and execution to more competitive strategy oriented chains that involve getting the “right” products to the consumer/marketplace at the right quality/price and quantity. 4 crMET AD 667 Innovation, Global Competitiveness, and National Economic Development
Examines various approaches todeveloping knowledge-based economies and competitive companies as a route to self-sufficiency and growth. Factors studied include structural reforms and government-sponsored initiatives in higher education; venture capital; grants to new ventures; and the creation of science parks. Students independently research and present studies of various countries. This is augmented by case studies, reading, and guest speakers on strategies in such countries as Taiwan, Thailand, and Mexico. 4 crMET AD 670 Creative Multimedia: Tools, Design, and Application
(Formerly TM 670.) Prereq: MET AD 648. This course will introduce creative aspects of web design using application programs such as Flash and Rixio/Adobe Multimedia. Students will have an opportunity to develop applications that integrate text content with video, digital photographs, computer animation, andcomputer graphics for website enhancement. This course will also focus on the exploration of a range of issues such as principles of good web design and use of multimedia/Flash in major business applications. Students will create projects that integrate digital media, digital sound, and computer animation for e-learning, e-commerce, and related application areas. 4 crMET AD 680 Global Service Sector and Supply Chain Strategy
This course analyzes the managerial activities required to support manufacturing and service industry international strategies to assure that products/services are delivered/provided in the quality and timely manner expected through the use of global supply chains, outsourcing relationships, and multi-country operations. The course focuses on contemporary strategic issues that affect both large and small corporations and includes the strategic role of the Internet, international trade and logistics, cross-cultural teaming, supply chain dynamics, information management, inventory scheduling and control, international coordination and transportation, and customer service. 4 crMET AD 682 Risk Assessment and Security Management
The course reviews the management issues involved with security and risk analysis. Topics include risk identification, risk management, and alternative response actions. Security is analyzed from the numerous perspectives to include: infrastructure, employee, visitor, and computer systems. Security is presented from the levels of the firm as well as the local, state, and national environment. Focus is on the proactive investment of resources to develop a comprehensive plan that identifies the elements of security and risk analysis as well as presents options for risk mitigation. 4 crMET AD 683 Infrastructure and Logistical Planning for Tourism Development
The course provides an in-depth examination of the role of infrastructure and logistics in economic and tourism development. Students are exposed to national and international examples of infrastructure and logistics models as they related to the successful, or unsuccessful, attempts to initiate economic/tourism development, growth, and/or maintenance. The role of national, regional, and local infrastructures is discussed as they relate to an integrated economic development plan. The use, types, and importance of infrastructure are presented. 4 crMET AD 700 Strategic Management in Health Care Services
This course will look at the fundamental problems and issues facing providers of health care in the United States. Major topics will include: managed care, capitation, medicare and medicaid reimbursement, consolidation and market share strategy, and managing quality in a tight margin business. 4 crMET AD 709 Case Studies in Current Corporate Financial Topics
(Formerly FI 709.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Covers finance forecasting and planning, capital budgeting, cost of capital, dividend policy, rate of return, and financial aspects of growth. Readings and extensive use of case studies. 4 crMET AD 712 Financial Markets and Institutions
(Formerly FI 712.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Investigation and analysis of organization, structure, and performance of U.S. money,capital, markets, and institutions. Examines regulation of the financial industry and the role of financial instruments. 4 crMET AD 713 Derivative Securities and Markets
(Formerly FI 732.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Provides an overview of operation, mechanics, and structure of the derivative markets and covers the concepts of options and futures pricing, arbitrage, and risk management. Emphasizes the theory of risk management andhedging opportunities offered by derivative securities. 4 crMET AD 714 Mergers and Acquisitions
(Formerly FI 733.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. This course examines the process by which takeovers and other corporate control transactions take place. Of particular interest will be the defensive measures by management against hostile bids, buyout transactions, valuation, the relation of takeovers to capital structure changes, and the insider trading in takeover contests. 4 crMET AD 715 Quantitative and Qualitative Decision-Making
The course exposes the student to practical quantitative approaches to mathematical decision-making as well as a wide variety of qualitative approaches for both the service and product industries. Emphasis is placed on the definition of the problem, analysis of the approaches available to solve the problem, and an understanding of the limitations and strengths of these approaches, as well as the resources necessary. The course additionally prepares the student with design and presentation skills necessary to organize the communications of stating the problem and its different solution or outcome possibilities. 4 crMET AD 716 Managing Financial Institutions
(Formerly FI 734.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Course acquaints the student with the role of financial management in the new broadfinancial service industry. Topics include the changing legal/regulatory environment in which financial institutions operate liquidity and reserve positions, asset-liability management marketing issues, as well as the tools necessary for managing financial institutions. 4 crMET AD 717 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
(Formerly FI 717.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Mechanics of securities markets, types of available investments, an introduction to determination of securities values, and portfolio optimization. Problems of investment policy are approached through studies of portfolio selection methods and the valuation of special classes of securities (e.g., growth stocks). 4 crMET AD 718 Overview of Mutual Funds Industry
(Formerly FI 735.) Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Provides a comprehensive review of the operations of the mutual funds industry. The organization and management of a mutual funds firm, back office operations, accounting procedures, and marketing processes are covered in-depth. The course provides a historical context of mutual funds, their development, and role of mutual funds in private, corporate, and retirement accounts. 4 crMET AD 720 Organizational Communication
Theory and techniques for effective verbal and nonverbal communication in professional environments. Emphasis on application of communication theory in practical assignments and critique of student work. 4 crMET AD 722 Legal Issues in the Financial Industry
(Formerly FI 720.) A review of the legal and regulatory issues that govern the financial industry. The course reviews SEC regulations as well as the financial legal environments that affect the financial system, the operations of financial firms, and protect shareholders and company employees. The course provides a historical context in which the legal and regulatory systems have evolved and relates that history to today’s complex financial environment. 4 crMET AD 725 Negotiations and Organizational Conflict Resolution
A communications skills course designed to better understand the nature of conflict and its resolution through persuasion, collaboration, and negotiation. Students will learn theories of interpersonal and organizational conflict and its resolution as applied to personal, corporate, historical, and political contexts. Students will assess their own styles, skills, and values, and develop techniques to better resolve disputes, achieve objectives, and exert influence. 4 crMET AD 728 Understanding and Managing Heritage Tourism
This course will examine the special characteristics of heritage tourism: how it differs from other forms of tourism in terms of product definition, development, audience, management, ethics, and relation to the local, national, and international communities. Topics include historic preservation, product presentation and interpretation, and issues of sustainability and place-making. 4 crMET AD 731 Corporate Finance
Prereq: MET AD 630. Emphasizes issues of accounting, finance, and economics that are important in most management contexts. Stresses understanding financial statements, planning and control, cost and benefit evaluation, cash flow analysis, and capital budgeting. 4 crMET AD 732 Financial Management
Prereq: MET AD 630. Major issues in managing the inflow and outflow of funds from the point of view of the chief financial executive. Includes financial analysis, forecasting financial needs, sources of funds, and efficient allocation of funds within the enterprise. 4 crMET AD 733 Leadership in Management
This course provides a comprehensive overview of leadership, skills, and abilities through an examination of traditional and contemporary models of leadership. Students examine personal attitudes and perceptions as they relate to their leadership abilities and explore such areas as team building, motivation, and reward. 4 crMET AD 735 Marketing in Technology-Based Industries
Using case studies and lectures, this course focuses on developing appropriate market mix strategies and sound competitive analysis for technology-based industries. Emphasis is placed on understanding consumers’ needs and wants, the competitive environment, effective market communications, and proper positioning techniques. 4 crMET AD 736 Statistical Analysis
(Formerly OM 735.) Statistical and mathematical solutions to business and financial decision-making. Basic concepts of probability theory. Data analysis centers on descriptive and inferential statistics. Sampling estimation, hypothesis testing, regression, and correlation analysis. 4 crMET AD 737 Innovative Marketing Techniques
Marketing approaches have been significantly altered with the advent of the Internet. This course provides a view of marketing for the twenty-first century. Special emphasis is provided on the impact of new Internet marketing techniques, research using data mining and metrics, search engine optimization, reaching consumer markets through the new business models associated with social communities, blogs, and other Web 2.0 structures. 4 crMET AD 738 Data Analysis and Operations Management
(Formerly MG 742.) The course examines concepts and applied techniques for managing the operations and projects of the service or manufacturing firm. Operations topics include areas of demand forecasting, quality determination, work flow and control techniques, and cost-effective management of both long-term development programs and smaller short-term projects. The course provides an understanding of the important element of operations (service or production) in the supply chain management process. Material is presented that relates to the major, and often competing, supply chain challenges concerning the simultaneous standardization and differentiation of consumer preferences for products and the continued minimization emphasis in supply chains. The evolution of supply chains is studied, from those that focus on efficiencies and execution to those that use a more competitive, strategy-oriented approach, getting the “right” products to the consumer/marketplace at the right quality/price and quantity. The course examines important concepts and applied techniques for cost-effective management of both major long-term development programs and smaller short-term projects. Special focus is on planning, controlling, and coordinating efforts of multiple individuals. 4 crMET AD 739 Marketing Management
(Formerly MK 743.) Provides basic marketing knowledge anddevelops analytical and decision-making skills. Marketing tools, issues, programs, institutions, and their relationship to other management functions. Consumer behavior, promotional tools, pricing, distribution channels, product policy, marketing organization, control, and information systems. 4 crMET AD 740 Planning and Operating New Ventures
Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Includes opportunity assessment and feasibility analysis, concept development, budgeting and financial operations, financial and human resource management, legal and organizational issues, role of boards and external advisors that lead to the writing of a business plan. 4 crMET AD 741 The Innovation Process: Developing New Products and Services
Studies the global challenge of innovation and the impact of marketing and management issues on the development of new products and services and their introduction. These concepts for creating added value will be applied to a range of innovations, radical and incremental, technological and procedural, and in different settings such as start-up companies and large corporations. 4 crMET AD 743 Managing Employees, Professionals, and Teams
Investigates the special management issues that arise in organizations that employ numerous professionals and that emphasize innovation in their products, services, and internal processes. Topics include: motivation, incentive systems, team and work flow management. 4 crMET AD 744 Venture Capital and Financing Innovation
Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Provides an analysis of the economics of innovation and the means by which firms secure the necessary capital to begin or expand operations. Procedures for raising venture capital through investmentinstitutions and individuals are discussed. 4 crMET AD 745 Competitive Strategies for Dynamic Environments
Reviews the process whereby organizations establish and pursue goals within internal and external constraints, resources, and opportunities. Topics include strategy and tactics; the process of strategic choice and adjustment; resource assessment; environmental and competitor analysis; stakeholders and values; and strategy implementation, control, and valuation. 4 crMET AD 746 Business Law and Regulation in a Global Environment
Examines legal issues that affect high-technology firms. Topics include copyright, reverse engineering, trade secrets, patents, international legal differences, the Uniform Commercial Code, and product liability. Cases drawn from high-tech industries are used to emphasize current and future developments. 4 crMET AD 747 Service: Quality, Delivery, and Productivity
Topics include the shift toward international service economies, theincreasingly large service component in “non-service” industries, integrating service in the development of products, and the critical role employees play in delivering service quality. 4 crMET AD 748 Business Strategy and Commercialization in Biotech and Medical Companies
Examines the special characteristics of the life science and medical fields that affect the "commercialization" process of turning new technologies and innovative approaches for improving medical care into clinically accepted products and services, and how this can be used to guide the development process, in such aspects as selection of clinical/disease targets, financing choices, and corporate partnerships. 4 crMET AD 749 International Economics
This course involves the study of the foundations of trade theory as well as moderninternational economics issues. It utilizes a self-directed approach through computer testing, electronic interaction with the instructor, videotape series, and a comprehensive researchproject. 4 crMET AD 750 International Commerce: Central, Eastern, and CIS Nations
Investigates the geopolitical environment and its relationship to business activity in this dynamic region of the world. The democratization of political institutions, reforms, and dramatic reorganization of economic institutions are discussed. 4 crMET AD 751 International Commerce: European Community
Explores the implications of the full economic integration of the European Community for those engaged in international business. Case studies, lectures, and projects addressed to corporations’ multinational strategies to adapt to the changing environment of an integrated European market. 4 crMET AD 752 International Commerce: South America
Analysis of the countries of South America and the trading relationships between them as well as the region’s trade with other nations. Course provides an evaluation of the impact of the region’s governments,economic systems, and labor on business activities. 4 crMET AD 753 International Commerce: Pacific Basin and East Asia
The fast-growing, newly industrialized economies of Asia are posting some of the world’s highest growth rates. What does that mean for global management strategies? The cultural, economic, and political aspects of Japan’s success are examined. 4 crMET AD 754 International Commerce: Middle East
Explores the geopolitical environment of the Middle East and its interaction with business. This course integrates the cultural impact on trade via governments, economic systems, and local labor. 4 crMET AD 756 Economics for Business
(Formerly ME 759.) Considers macroeconomic factors of relevance to the firm: aggregate economic activity,cyclical movements, and fiscal and monetary policies. Applies economic principles to the solution of problems in organizations usingoptimization procedures. Considers problems of decision making relating to demand, production, costs, market structure, and price. 4 crMET AD 757 International Business Law
(Formerly MG 721.) Provides the student with an understanding of different legal systems as they relate to international business transactions. The seminar builds the analytical skills required to evaluate legal processes, law, and legislation-related events in international business dealings. 4 crMET AD 758 Eco-Tourism
The course examines the emerging area of eco-tourism in both developing and developed nations. The issues discussed involve the purpose of eco-tourism, importance to GDP, infrastructure demands, return on investment, and the possible financial strains and returns to local areas. The course provides a thorough examination of potential benefits as well as liabilities of eco-tourism to the region, indigenous population, and nation. 4 crMET AD 760 Going International: Importing and Exporting Operations
Techniques and procedures for conducting international trade. The course focus is practical. Topics include operations, government agencies, and import/export channel networks, and the evaluation of international opportunities. Designed to provide students with the skills and tools necessary for international trade. 4 crMET AD 761 Comparative Economic, Industrial, and Governmental Environments
Analysis of the interplay between governments, economic systems, labor, and multinational corporations (MNCs). Topics include the basis for the existence, organization, and growth of MNCs; a comparison of major economic and government systems: areas include the impact of the MNC on trade, taxation, regulation, and legal environments; as well as labor influences. 4 crMET AD 763 Multinational Finance and Trade
Prereq: MET AD 630 and MET AD 731. Applies the concepts of corporate finance to the problems of multinational financial management. Majortopics include private and public institutions, foreign exchange rates, capital flows, speculation, analysis of alternative foreign investments, analysis of sources and uses of corporate funds abroad, multinational tax and profitplanning, international risk analysis, and capital budgeting. 4 crMET AD 764 Multinational Tactics, Strategy, and Positioning
Introduces thestudent to the contemporary world of international business through an examination of the social, cultural, economic, ecological, and commercial aspects that impact global operations. Emphasis is on both the thorough understanding of the effect that international business has on the different functional aspects of the enterprise as well as the manner in which firms organize, operate, and formulate strategies in order to maximize their chances of successful operations. 4 crMET AD 765 Management in a Changing Environment
The relationship between individuals, organizations, and the larger social context. Focuses on means for monitoring, analyzing, and interpreting the different business environments. Also covers the effects of public policy on organizations and the development of skills to anticipate, respond to, and advance social and technological changes. Case studies and readings illustrate the changed relationships of these groups from the development of U.S. managerial capitalism (1700s) to present multinational enterprises. 4 crMET AD 767 Culture and Development
Today, industry is global. To meet this large and expanding market many tourist companies have become either multinational or have formed working alliances with companies in other countries. This necessitates the need for managers to have an understanding of cultures beyond their own. In this course we will examine different cultures and see how culture has affected economic, social, political, and artistic development and its relationship to multinational commerce. 4 crMET AD 769 Cultural Tourism and the Art and Festival Industries
Festivals and events are found in all societies. They are increasingly seen as unique tourist attractions and as destination image makers. Ranging from mega events such as the Olympics to small community festivals, they constitute one of the most exciting and fastest growing forms of sustainable cultural tourism. In this course students will learn how to plan, develop, and market festivals and events as tourism attractions. 4 crMET AD 773 International Business Simulation
Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731. Includes an interactive computer-based simulation involving student teams performing analysis and decision-making for a company operating in a multinational environment. Team decisions are affected by exchange rates, tax rates, intercompany and local financing, and transfer pricing. Computer programming is not required. 4 crMET AD 775 Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Prereq: MET AD 731. The communications role of investor relations and corporate communications is discussed as it relates to all aspects of the company. The role of communications, channels of information, stakeholders, and legal/regulatory frameworks concerning information are the central themes of the course. 4 crMET AD 783 International Investments
(Formerly FI 843.) Pereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731, MET AD 717. Topics include the concepts of investment and portfolio management applied to the complex multinational and multicurrency environment; analysis of international money, capital and foreign exchange markets, as well asforeign company evaluation. Students are exposed to the concepts and techniques of risk management, global equity investing, and the world’s major stock markets. 4 crMET AD 790 Data and Transactions Security
(Formerly TM 790.) Prereq: MET AD 648 and MET AD 660. Develops knowledge and skills for both electronic commerce payment mechanisms and data transactions security of information and information systems within organizations. Payment options for electronic commerce such as e-cash, SET, and credit cards; systems design; and methods of dealing with risks are covered. Other topics include: designing, implementing, managing, and auditing security at all levels; techniques for assessing risk associated with accidental and intentional breaches of security; ethical uses of information and privacy consideration, encryption, and digital certificates. 4 crMET AD 800 Master’s Thesis
Prereq: six completed program courses. An extensive research project culminating in a written paper and oral defense. Research is conducted under intensive faculty supervision. Requires department approval and thesis supervisor from full-time faculty. May be credited toward concentration elective. 4 crMET AD 801 Master’s Thesis
Prereq: seven completed program courses including MET AD 800. The second course is an extensive research project culminating in a written paper and oral defense. Research is conducted under intensive faculty supervision. Requires department approval and thesis supervisor from full-time faculty. Considered a free elective. 4 crMET AD 810 Strategies for Electronic Commerce
Prereq: MET AD 648, MET AD 660 and either MET AD 661 or MET AD 790. This course focuses on a variety of issues ranging from strategic marketing, economics of electronic commerce, to opportunity and challenges for the government. Students from various industry sectors will have an opportunity to specialize according to their area of need. Utilizing a variety of learning tools such as lectures, case studies, group exercises, and discussions, the course will expose participants to the various strategic implications of electronic commerce. 4 crMET AD 850 Business Law
(Formerly MG 850.) Historical background of the judicial system. The principles of law as they relate to business transactions; law of contracts, sales, agency, and property; legal aspects of business organizations; creation, corporate structure, and dissolution; securities, regulation, antitrust and labor laws. 4 crMET AD 852 International Market Research
(Formerly MK 852.) Examination of major marketing issues affecting companies operating in a global environment. Students will achieve an understanding of the economic, political, and cultural differences among nations as they affect marketing opportunities and operations. Develop skills to identify and evaluate international marketing opportunities. 4 crMET AD 856 Market and Economic Research and Analysis
(Formerly MK 856.) The course is designed to prepare the student to undertake a comprehensive survey of the regional or national economic, social, logistical/infrastructure, and attraction market to determine the most appropriate allocation of resources and strategic positioning. Students are exposed to the development of tourism and regional development plans, the basis for segmentation and target markets. The methods and tools of market and economic research are presented and the role/interplay of private, local, national, and international institutions are discussed as they relate to data gathering and plan assessment and implementation. 4 crMET AD 857 International Marketing Strategy
(Formerly MK 857.) Strategic and operational marketing issues arising in the firm’s international operations. Topics include the decision to internationalize; market screening; entry strategies including exporting, competitive alliance, and the joint venture; the international marketing plan and implementation. 4 crMET AD 860 International Advertising
(Formerly MK 860.) Concepts, theories, and practice of international, multinational, and global advertising. A thorough and contemporary study of the impact of globalization on marketing communications and particularly advertising. The environment of worldwide advertising, the advertising mix, and worldwide management. 4 crMET AD 893, 894 Seminar: Special Topics
4 crAdvertising
MET CM 704 Contemporary Mass Communication
Overview of and current trends in the contemporary mass media labor force. Topics include career opportunities in print, film, broadcast, and digital media; changing relationships between media; contemporary patterns of ownership and audience attention; how the media select their content, how they are financed, and how they are related to agencies of control; and ethical issues and controversies regarding media content and influences. 4 crMET CM 707 Writing for Media Professionals
Introduction to basic formats, including news releases, editorials, features, profiles, scripts, and basic copy qualities such as readability, clarity, crispness, color, and organization. Emphasis on developing the ability to write copy for varied audiences. Regular writing assignments; considerable rewriting. Includes lead writing, editing, and interviewing. 4 crMET CM 708 Principles and Practices of Advertising
Overview of the nature, function, practice, and social, economic, and behavioral aspects of advertising. Student teams develop advertising plans, create campaigns, and explore problems of account management, creativity, production, and ethics. 4 crMET CM 711 Consumer Insight and Account Planning
Prereq: MET CM 708. Explores how to arrive at consumer insights that lead to better advertising and promotion. The course focuses on the set of skills necessary to create breakthrough advertising, including qualitative research, observation, interviewing skills, mapping, and presentation tools. Students learn to write effective, creative briefs. 4 crMET CM 716 Computers in Communication
Introduction to the personal computer as a tool for human communication. Shows how computers are used to design, produce, and deliver communication in publishing, advertising, entertainment, and education. Students learn to use basic computer tools to build works of communication in a variety of media, including text, images, numbers, sound, and video. 4 crMET CM 717 Fundamentals of Creative Development
Prereq: MET CM 707 and CM 708. Examines the creative process in advertising, including concept development, copywriting, layout, and campaign strategies. Emphasis is on print advertising, but radio and television commercials are also included. Assignments include consumer and trade advertisements for both new and mature products. 4 crMET CM 719 Interactive Marketing Communication
An overview of the theories, practices, and techniques in the emerging field of interactive marketing communication (IAMC). Students gain an understanding of the strategy and tactics of IAMC and its place in the more comprehensive business of marketing communications. In addition, students review IAMC’s relationship to and its effects on society, culture, and the economic system. 4 crMET CM 721 Advertising Management
Prereq: MET CM 708. Administration of acomplete advertising program. Case study method used to explore the marketing mix, budgeting, media strategy, planning, coordinating advertising with promotion, working with client or agency, and the social responsibility of advertisers. 4 crMET CM 726 Strategic Brand Solutions
Prereq: MET CM 708. Explores the impact of current advertising/marketing issues from business, economic, political, social, legal, and ethical perspectives. Modified case method, with lectures from experts on selected issues. 4 crMET CM 727 Portfolio Development for Advertising
Prereq: MET CM 708 and CM 717. A course for students intending to work in the creative area of the advertising industry. Throughout the semester, students develop a portfolio of advertising campaigns for presentation during their search for employment at advertising agencies. Print and broadcast ads are designed to provide solutions to clients’ marketing problems. 4 crMET CM 736 New and Traditional Media Strategies
Prereq: MET CM 708. Examines media planning, buying, and sales as performed by advertising agencies, clients, and the media. Research sources providing data on media audiences and product usage are evaluated. Examines contemporary trends in communications media and their effects on advertisers. 4 crFor descriptions of Advertising electives with prefixes AD or AR, please see the Administrative Sciences or Arts Administration sections.
Arts Administration
MET AH 588 The Arts in Cuba
A survey of the visual arts in Cuba from the early twentieth century to the present, with an emphasis on contemporary art and an examination of the role of the artist in Cuban society. Work will be discussed in its historical, social, economic, and cultural context. We will visit artists’ studios, talk with Cuban artists and arts administrators, and visit Havana’s important museums and artsorganizations. 4 crMET AR 550 Raising Funds and Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
An introductory course that will examine ways to raise funds from government, foundation, corporate, and individual sources. Reviews the research process, proposal and grant preparation, and board/staff support. 4 crMET AR 650 Writing for the Arts
Arts professionals straddle two worlds, the world of the artist and the world of the manager. As artists, their job entails challenging the world; as managers, they must accommodate it. The course gives students the opportunity to develop written materials such as cover letters, résumés, fundraising appeals, press releases, and exhibition and performance notes. Regular writing and critique assignments in a workshop format. 4 crMET AR 690 The Art World
An examination of the arts institutions, issues, and forces that shape the contemporary art world. Topics include government cultural policy, National Endowment for the Arts, museums, economic impact of the arts, symphonies, curators,critics, artists’ rights, public art, corporate support, censorship, feminism, and multiculturalism. Usually taken as a first course. Stamped approval for non-Arts Administration students. 4 crMET AR 700 Leadership and Career Development for Arts Administrators
This course will cover both the theory and practice of effective leadership and career development in the arts. Topics will include negotiation and presentation skills, decision-making, consensus building, management styles, self-assessments, mock interviews, résumé and cover letter strategies, and networking skills. Assignments will include experiential exercises, case studies, interviewing of leaders, public speaking, résumé, cover letter, and mock interviews. The course includes an experiential learning weekend. The weekend is a key component to the course that will allow students to experience real-life leadership and organizational dynamics, to make case studies come to life, and to get feedback and a chance to put leadership issues and personal goals into perspective. 4 crMET AR 711 Capital Campaigns
This course is designed to broaden the student’s understanding of capital campaign fundraising. Topics include: feasibility studies; strategic planning and budgeting; private and public phases; ethical responsibilities; staff, donor,volunteer, board, and trustee management; major gift solicitation; campaign communications; trend analysis; and evaluation. The course curriculum will include readings, case studies, guest speakers, and analysis of current capital campaign projects. Stamped approval for non-Arts Administration students. 4 crMET AR 720 Marketing and Audience Development for the Arts
Prereq: MET AR 690. This course is designed to provide fundamental background in the theory and principles of arts marketing and audience development used by nonprofit performing and visual arts organizations. Case analysis will be employed to review strategies and practices currently used in the cultural sector. Students will acquire the ability to develop a marketing plan for an arts organization. 4 crMET AR 722 Education in Cultural Institutions
Course will review the history, theory, and practice of educational programming and outreach in both museums and performing arts organizations. Emphasis will be on analysis of program design, implementation, and evaluation; teacher training and youth programs. 4 crMET AR 723 Individual Fundraising
This course will address the full range of issues related to attracting financial support from individuals. Topics will include: raising dollars annually for operations, raising funds through special events, cultivating and soliciting major gifts, and the basics of bequests and estate planning as well as ethical issues and working effectively with donors and volunteers. Coursework will include readings, case studies, and guest speakers. 4 crMET AR 730 Political and Public Advocacy for the Arts
Political and Public Advocacy for the Arts will address the politics of arts and culture through seminars with political and cultural leaders, class discussion, readings, and research. Students will develop advocacy campaign plans and analyze how cultural organizations interact with all levels of government. 4 crMET AR 740 Arts and the Internet
Explores topics relating to cultural institutions, the Internet, and digital technology. Special attention is given to critical examination of the virtual museum, performing arts organizations and website development, strategies, design, and tools. 4 crMET AR 750 Financial Management for Nonprofits
Analyzes issues of accounting, finance, and economics in the context of the not-for-profit organization. Stresses understanding financial statements, budget planning and control, cash flow analysis, and long-termplanning. 4 crMET AR 766 Arts and the Community
An analysis of issues that involve the engagement of cultural institutions with their immediate community. Includes examination of local arts centers, local arts councils, arts service organizations, agency/government relations, urban issues, multiculturalism, and festivals. 4 crMET AR 771 Managing Performing Arts Organizations
Prereq: MET AR 690. A review of topics essential for successful management of performing arts organizations. Examination of both facilities management and company management. Studies include organizational structure, trustee/staff relations, marketing, audience building, fundraising, tour management, box office management, budgeting, mailing list and membership management, human resource management and contract negotiation, performance measurement, and strategic planning. 4 crMET AR 774 Managing Visual Arts Organizations
Prereq: MET AR 690. Emphasizes museums, but also includes a review of alternative spaces, commercial galleries, and auction houses. Topics include the changing role of the museum, exhibition planning, fundraising, crisis management, audience development, and strategic planning. 4 crMET AR 777 Comparative Cultural Policy and Administration
Prereq: MET AR 690. Drawing on the resources of Boston University and Goldsmiths College, University of London, this course examines the nature of cultural policy in the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union from 1950 to the present. Through lectures and readings drawn from public policy, economics, and law, this course will discuss the impact of cultural and national differences on the cultural policy decisionmaking process. This course is held at Boston University and in London. 4 crMET AR 778 Legal Issues in Arts Administration
Analysis of legal implications of managing an arts institution. Topics include nonprofits and tax-exempt structure, contracts, copyright for performing and visual artists, artists’ moral rights legislation, royalties and artists’ economic rights, international movement of art (duties and immigration restrictions) and artists, nonprofit incorporation, and tax-exempt status for organizations. 4 crMET AR 779 Public Art Program Administration
An overview of public artprograms in the United States and of related management issues. Includes government-sponsored funds for art and other funding systems; and working with federal, state, and local governments; artists, architects, andcommunity groups in artist selection, site preparation, and long-term maintenance. 4 crMET AR 781 Special Topics in Arts Administration
Various course topics to be selected by program faculty to respond to current issues in the field of arts administration. 4 crMET AR 787 The Arts in Barcelona
Offered between semesters, this course will be taught in Barcelona, Spain, in English. Topics include cultural policy, museum systems, financing the arts in Barcelona, European copyright issues, and the theater and music institutional framework and support system. Classroom and on-site cultural institution visits with professionals in the field. 4 crMET AR 802/803 Internship in Arts Administration
Two consecutive 2-credit courses for planning (AR 802) and fieldwork (AR 803) phases of the internship. Students may not register for MET AR 803 or begin their actual internship until they have completed a minimum of six of the ten required courses. Arts Administration degree students only. 2 cr each courseMET AR 804 Advanced Management and Consulting For Arts Organizations
Prereq: a minimum of six courses must be completed to enroll; written approval from advisor is also required. This course improves students’ ability to analyze and solve problems that confront arts organizations. Students will apply financial, marketing, fundraising, and legal knowledge and techniques to (1) in-class discussion of key management issues of concern to senior leadership, and (2) a semester-long consulting project which partners a team of students with a local arts organization. 4 crComputer Science
MET CS 503 Windows .NET Application Programming with C#
Prereq: MET CS 341 or MET CS 342. In-depthexploration of the C++ programming language and Visual Studio .NET for development, debugging, and deployment of applications. Programming in C++ encompassing thefollowing topics: device I/O handling; .NET Framework application development classes such as window forms, splitters, views, controls, dialogs; resources such as menus, tool bars, bitmaps, and status bars. Customcontrols, visual inheritance, SDI, MDI, and extending the Visual Studio .NET interface. File I/O for reading and storing binary andtextual information. Data services for manipulating SQL-databases using ADO.NET. Graphics Services (GDI+) for 2-D vector graphics, imaging, and text rendering, including the newfeatures of gradients, anti-aliasing, double buffering techniques, zooming, off-screen image processing and rendering. Communication services: TCP and UDP sockets, broadcast, unicast, and multicast sockets. Utilizing idle time processing, timers, and threading for building responsive GUI applications. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 520 Information Structures
This course covers the concepts of the object-oriented approach to software design and development using the Java programming language. It includes a detailed discussion of programming concepts starting with the fundamentals of data types, control-structure methods, classes, applets, arrays, and strings, and proceeding to advanced topics such as inheritance and polymorphism, interfaces, creating user interfaces, exceptions, and streams. Upon completion of this course the students will be able to apply software engineering criteria to design and implement Java applications that are secure, robust, and scalable. 4 crMET CS 532 Computer Graphics
Prereq: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 (or consent of instructor). This course is primarily the study of design of graphic algorithms. At the end of the course you can expect to be able to write programs to model, transform, and display three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional display. The course starts with a brief survey of graphics devices and graphics software. Two-dimensional primitives such as lines and curves in 2-D space are studied and a number of algorithms to draw them on a rectangular surface are introduced, followed by a study of polygons, scan conversion, and other fill methods. Attributes of the primitives are studied as well as filtering and aliasing. Geometric transformations in two dimensions are introduced in homogeneous coordinates, followed by the viewing pipeline, which includes clipping of lines, polygons, and text. Hierarchical graphics modeling is briefly studied. The graphics user interface is introduced and various input functions and interaction modes are examined. Three-dimensional graphics are introduced through object representations through polygonal methods, spline techniques, and octrees. This is followed by 3-D transformations and the 3-D viewing pipeline. The course ends with a study of algorithms to detect the visible surfaces of a 3-D object in both the object space and the image space. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 535 Data Communications and Computer Networks
Prereq: MET CS 201 or MET CS 231 or MET CS 232. History of data communications, overview of LAN/WAN, encoding digital and analog signals, transmission media, asynchronous/synchronous protocols. Circuit, packet, message, switching, internetworking devices, topologies. LANs, ISDN, GIGANET, TCP/IP, wireless/satellite communications, and web framework. Labs on Internet technology. 4 crMET CS 546 Quantitative Methods for Information Systems
The goal of this course is to provide computer information systemsstudents with the mathematical fundamentals required for successful quantitative analysis of problems in the field of business computing. The first part of the course introduces themathematical prerequisites for understanding probability and statistics. Topics include combinatorial mathematics, functions, and the fundamentals of differentiation and integration. The second part of the course concentrates on the study of elementary probability theory, discrete and continuous distributions, linear regression, and correlation. 4 crMET CS 550 Signals and Systems in Telecommunication
Prereq: MET CS 546. This course presents the technical fundamentals of modern telecommunication systems. It starts with the review of the basic elements of a telecom system and defines the properties of signals. The main signal modulation techniques, amplitude, frequency, pulse, and digital, are explored in detail. The performance of communication systems in noisy environments is presented, followed by the fundamentals of multiplexing and Internet access technologies and the wire and wireless transmission media. The course concludes with a review of the physical plant of the principal telecommunication systems, such as PSTN, cable and television, and Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), satellite communication systems, cellular telephone systems, and the Internet. 4 crMET CS 560 Organization of Programming Languages
Prereq: MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 or consent of instructor. Organization of programming languages, especially the run-time behavior of programs. Discussion of imperative (Pascal, C), object-oriented (C++, Smalltalk, Java), functional (Lisp), logic (Prolog), and concurrentprogramming. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 563 Software Development with C++ for Mathematical Finance
Prereq: previous programming experience with functions, CAS CS 111 recommended, CAS MA 226 or equivalent. In-depth discussion of object-oriented programming with C++ for mathematical finance. Topics include: built-in types, control structure, classes, constructors, destructors, function overloading, operator functions, friend functions, inheritance, polymorphism with dynamic binding. Case study: finite differences solutions for the basic models of financial derivatives; design and development of modular, scalable, maintainable software for modeling financial derivatives. Laboratory course. 4 crNote: Only students in MA in Mathematical Finance and MS in Actuarial Science will receive graduate credit for this course.
MET CS 564 Advanced C++ Programming
Prereq: MET CS 221 or 342. Accelerated review of differences between C++ and Java in the areas of program structure, built-in types, control constructs, and arrays. Detailed coverage of enumerations, structures, unions and bit fields. Discussion of C++ functions and modes of parameter passing. Detailed study of C++ classes, constructors, destructors, operator functions, class composition, inheritance, multiple inheritance, and virtual functions. Review of techniques of programming with exceptions and with templates. Laboratory course. 4 crNote: Credit will not be given for this course if the programming prerequisites have been taken in C++.
MET CS 565 Advanced Java Programming
Prereq: MET CS 342 or equivalent knowledge of Java, or consent of instructor. Comprehensive coverage of object-oriented programming with cooperating classes. Implementation of polymorphism with inheritance and interfaces and in Java library containers. Programming with exceptions, stream input/output, and graphical AWT and Swing components. Threads, sockets, datagrams, and database connectivity are also covered in this course. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 566 Analysis of Algorithms
Prereq: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 or consent of instructor. Discusses basic methods for designing and analyzing efficient algorithms emphasizing methods used in practice. Topics include sorting, searching, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, advanced data structures, graph algorithms (shortest path, spanning trees, tree traversals), matrix operations, string matching, NP completeness. 4 crMET CS 568 Language Theory and Compilers
Prereq: MET CS 248, MET CS 272 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342. Automata theory, grammar, and language structure, lexical analysis, syntactic analysis, semantic analysis, code generation, and code optimization techniques. Students design and implement a compiler. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 572 Computer Organization
Prereq: MET CS 272 and MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 or MET CS 331 or consent of instructor. Computer organization ranging from large mainframes to minicomputers and microprocessors, with emphasis on processor, memory, and input/output systems. Includes microprogramming, virtual memory, peripheral device characteristics, and concurrent and distributed systems. 4 crMET CS 575 Operating Systems
Prereq: MET CS 272 and MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 or MET CS 331 or consent of instructor. Overview ofoperating system characteristics, design objectives, and structures. Topics include concurrent processes, coordination of asynchronous events, file systems, resource sharing, memory management, security, scheduling and deadlock problems. 4 crMET CS 579 Database Management
Prereq: MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 or MET CS 331 or consent of instructor. This course provides a theoretical yet modern presentation of database topics ranging from Data and Object Modeling to advanced topics such as using C++/Java to develop web-based database applications. Other topics covered—relational data model, SQL and manipulating relational data; applications programming for relational databases; physical characteristics of databases; achieving performance and reliability with database systems; object-oriented and distributed information systems. 4 crMET CS 593/594 Special Topics Course
Prereq: consent of advisor. 4 crMET CS 599 Biometrics
Automatic and reliable identification of individuals for issuing official documents (e.g., passport and visa) and providing access to secure facilities (e.g., military base) and proprietary information (e.g., corporate websites) has become an essential part of our modern networked society. Biometric recognition systems utilize the physiological or behavioral characteristics of an individual for identification. By using biometrics, it is possible to establish an identity based on “who you are,” rather than by “what you possess” (e.g., an ID card) or “what you remember” (e.g., a password). The events of 9/11 have generated huge interest in the design, deployment, and evaluation of biometric systems. 4 crMET CS 601 Web Application Development
Prereq (on-campus only): MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 or MET CS 331, or consent of instructor. This course focuses on building core competencies in web design and development. It begins with a complete immersion into HTML, essentially XHTML and Dynamic HTML (DHTML). Students are exposed to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), as well as Dynamic CSS. The fundamentals of JavaScript language, including object-oriented JavaScript, are covered comprehensively. AJAX with XML and JSON are covered, as they are the primary means to transfer data from client and server. Open source libraries such as Prototype, jQuery, and Mootools might optionally be covered, as they assist in building cross-browser web applications rapidly and efficiently. The PHP language will be presented and covered; however, students can use other server-side languages; such as ASP.NET, Java (JEE), or Ruby on Rails (RoR) for their projects. The course will focus on MySQL as a relational database system with the final project. Students may use other databases with instructor approval. Students will work with either IIS 6 (or better) or Apache 2, using any conventional operating system when working on their term projects and class laboratories. 4 crMET CS 605 Human-Computer Interface Design with .NET
Prereq: MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 or MET CS 331 or consent of instructor. Provides an introduction to human-computer interface design and evaluation, with an emphasis on graphical user interfaces for software products. Covers design principles and theory, web usability, and selected basic research in the areas of human factors and human cognition, hands-on application of learned principles using .NET. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 625 Business Data Communication Networks
This course presents the foundations of data communications and takes a bottom-up approach to computer networks. It begins with an overview of modern data communication requirements and basic distributed data concepts. A brief history of the Internet is presented followed by the basics of the OSI and TCP/IP computer networks models. The Physical Layer is presented in the form of basic data communication concepts over various transmission media, wireless transmission, and the telephone system. The Data Link Layer presentation deals with design issues and error detection and correction, and the Medium Access Sub-layer covers channel allocation problems, multiple access protocols, IEEE standard 802 for LANs and WLANs, as well as bridges, switches, and high-speed LANs. The basic functions of the Network Layer are explained in the context of design issues, internetworking, and the network layer in the Internet. The Transport Layer includes the transport service and elements of transport protocols, as well as the TCP and UDP Internet transport protocols. The Application Layer issues cover the main distributed applications, such as electronic mail, DNS, ftp, www, etc. The course concludes with an overview of basic network security and management concepts. 4 crMET CS 632 IT Project Management
This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the principles, processes, and practices of software project management. Students learn techniques for planning, organizing, scheduling, and controlling software projects. There is substantial focus on software cost estimation and software risk management. Students will obtain practical project management skills and competencies related to the definition of a software project, establishment of project communications, managing project changes, and managing distributed software teams and projects. 4 crMET CS 633 Distributed Software Development Management
During the first decade of the twenty-first century, a revolution has occurred in the creation of software applications. Low communication costs now allow many applications to be produced via geographically distributed development (GDD). In addition to the normal challenges of specifying and developing IT systems, GDD projects must accommodate differing cultures, time zones, and development methodologies. This course prepares students to justify, lead, participate in, and maintain such projects. Students study the technical and business implications of GDD. They also work in geographically dispersed teams to produce documented applications. No programming background is required. 4 crMET CS 635 Computer Networks: Design and Implementation
Prereq: MET CS 231 or MET CS 232 and MET CS 535, or consent of instructor. Concepts and fundamental design principles of computer networks and the Internet that have contributed to the modern networks implementation. Survey of new trends in networks and Internet/Intranet with design of real campus networks. Topics includediscussion of fundamental aspects of Internet applications layer (HTTP, FTP, DNS), TCP, UDP socket programming, reliable data transfer, congestion control, network layer (Ipv4 and Ipv6) and routing, link layer and Local Area Networks (LAN), multimedia networking (RTSP, RTP, RSVP, DiffServ), and security in computer networks. 4 crMET CS 650 Advanced Topics inTelecommunication
Prereq: MET CS 250. Introduces the theoretical foundations of computer networks, including pulse code modulation, line coding, information rate, equalization, amplitude modulation, angle modulation, noise in communication systems, and spread-spectrum communication systems. 4 crMET CS 651 Web Development with .NET
Prereq: MET CS 341 or MET CS 342, or consent of instructor. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to building web applications and web services using the Microsoft .NET (Version 3.5) development platform. The key technologies covered include the C# programming language (Version 3.0), the ASP.NET (Version 3.5) system for developing web applications and web services using C#, and ADO.NET and LINQ (Language Integrated Query) for data access. In addition to the above topics, we will also cover Windows Communication Framework (WCF) and Windows Presentation Framework (WPF). All programming will be based on Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 available through BU’s MSDNAA. A copy of the software will be provided to the students. 4 crMET CS 654 Network and Software Security
Prereq: MET CS 535 and MET CS 232 or consent of instructor. In-depth presentation of security issues in computer networks, systems, and applications. Internet and intranet topics include security in IP, routers, proxy servers, and firewalls, application-level gateways, web servers, file and mail servers. Discussion of remote access issues, such as dial-up servers, modems, VPN gateways and clients. Operating System security covers UNIX and Windows OS security model, memory protection, access control and authentication, file system security, backup and recovery management, intrusion and virus protection mechanisms. Application level security focuses on language level security and various security policies; conventional and public keys encryption, authentication, message digest and digital signatures and their implementations with Java APIs. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 660 Wireless Networks
Prereq: MET CS 535. This course is designed to give telecommunication professionals in-depth knowledge of wireless communications principles and cover new technologies in this domain. The course consists of three distinct sections. The first section of the course covers system engineering aspects of the wireless data networks. The second section is dedicated to wireless networks protocol-related issues. Medium Access methods and TCP/IP are the main focus of the second section. Quality of Service (QoS) is a very important issue in wireless data networks and it currently enjoys much attention from the research community. QoS in wireless data networks and related issues are also discussed in the second section. Modern wireless data networks are the focus of the third and last section of the course, covering the third generation of wireless networks, ad hoc networks, blue tooth, ultra wide band communications, and mobile satellite communications. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 662 Computer Language Theory
Prereq: MET CS 566 or consent of instructor. Theory of finite automata and regular expressions and properties of regular sets. Context-free grammars, context-free languages, and pushdown automata. Turing machines, undecidability problems, and the Chomsky hierarchy. Introduction to computational complexity theory and the study of NP-complete problems. 4 crMET CS 664 Artificial Intelligence
Prereq: MET CS 248 and MET CS 341 or MET CS 342. Study of the ideas and techniques that enable computers to behave intelligently. Search, constraint propagations, and reasoning. Knowledge representation, natural language, learning, question answering, inference, visual perception, and/or problem solving. 4 crMET CS 665 Design Patterns and Components
Prereq: MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 and MET CS 565 or consent of instructor. Investigation of the object-oriented paradigm; creational, structural, and behavioral design patterns; component technology; implementation in Java. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 667 Enterprise Java
Prereq: MET CS 575 or consent of instructor. The course begins with an overview of advanced Java concepts like databases, networking, and remote method invocation (RMI). The J2EE architecture is explored starting with the presentation layer which includes the servlets and Java Server Pages (JSP). The Struts application framework is presented as a case study. Hibernate and Spring framework will be covered extensively. The business layer is covered using the Enterprise Java Beans (EJB 2.1 and EJB 3.0). Advanced concepts like Java Messaging Service and Java Server Faces will be briefly covered. 4 crMET CS 669 Database Design and Implementation for Business
Students learn the latest relational and object-relational tools and techniques for persistent data and object modeling and management. Students gain extensive hands-on experience using Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server as they learn the Structured Query Language (SQL) and design and implement databases. Topics covered include: the relational and entity-relational models, data modeling, normalization, object modeling, SQL, advanced SQL, stored procedures, triggers, database design, database lifecycle, and transactions. Students are introduced to advanced topics including performance tuning, distributed databases, replication, business intelligence, data warehouses, internet databases, database administration, security, backup, and recovery. Students design and implement a database system as a term project. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 671 Systems Programming Using UNIX
Prereq: MET CS 575. Teaches students how to develop complex applications based on the UNIX/POSIX standard. Topics include UNIX standardization and implementation, shellprogramming, system calls, library function, process control and relationships, signals, file and terminal input/output, and interprocess communication. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 673 Software Engineering
Prereq: MET CS 341 or MET CS 342 and at least one programming intensive, 500-level computer science course. MET CS 564 or MET CS 565 recommended. Techniques for the construction of reliable, efficient, and cost-effective software. Requirement analysis, software design, programming methodologies, testing procedures, software development tools, and management issues. Students plan, design, implement, and test a system in a group project. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 674 Database Security
Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669 or consent of instructor. The course provides a strong foundation in database security and auditing. This course utilizes Oracle scenarios and step-by-step examples. The following topics are covered: security, profiles, password policies, privileges and roles, Virtual Private Databases, and auditing. The course also covers advanced topics such as SQL injection, database management security issues such as securing the DBMS, enforcing access controls, and related issues. 4 crMET CS 675 Operating Systems Design and Implementation
Prereq: MET CS 575. Detailed examination of operating system design at the programming level. Topics include file systems, proves control and scheduling, memory management, and input/output. Programming projects involving various aspects of system design. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 679 Enterprise Architecture
Prereq: MET CS 535 or MET CS 625 and MET CS 669 or MET CS 579. Client/server architecture, traditional and Internet-based open distributed systems; front-end client technologies presentations layer; server technologies; database access, integrity control, procedures and triggers; middleware; database retrieval; XML, XSL, SCHEMA, Web Services Model to meet business processing requirements; practical exposure: client and server design and implementation using Oracle, SQL Server, and Visual Studio .NET. 4 crMET CS 680 Business Structure and Strategy in the Telecommunication Industry
Market structure, market rivalry, regulations, and public policy will be discussed. Merger/ acquisition and strategic partnerships, as well as the cable, wireless, and satellite industries/ technologies. E-commerce and web-related issues will be examined. 4 crMET CS 682 Information Systems Analysis and Design
Prereq: Basic programming knowledge. Object-oriented methods of information systems analysis and design for organizations with data-processing resources. System feasibility, information requirements analysis, database utilization, including data dictionaries, software design and implementation management, project control, and systems-level testing and installation. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 683 Mobile Application Development
Prereq: MET CS 673. The course will be divided into two parts. The first two-thirds of the course covers the principles and problems associated with mobile device applications, using as examples Google Android, iPhone, and other platforms such as Nokia. The final third is an in-depth coverage of the open source Android development platform. Issues covered will include mobile hardware and cell networks, architectures, operating systems, languages, development environments and simulators, user interfaces, location-based services, storing and retrieving data. Students will accomplish the following: (1) learn the unique set of problems and challenges in developing mobile applications compared with desktop applications; (2) learn the platform, tools, technology, and process for developing mobile applications using Google Android and the Apple iPhone platforms as the main examples; (3) write applications for the platforms covered, simulate them, and test them on the mobile hardware where possible; and (4) work collaboratively with fellow students on their projects. 4 crMET CS 684 IT Security Policies and Procedures
This course enables IT professional leaders to identify emerging security risks and implement highly secure networks to support organizational goals. Discussion of methodologies for identifying, quantifying, mitigating, and controlling risks. Students implement comprehensive IT risk management plans (RMP) that identify alternate sites for processing mission-critical applications, and techniques to recover infrastructure, systems, networks, data, and user access. The course also discusses relatedtopics such as: disaster recovery; handling information security; protection of property, personnel, and facilities; protection of sensitive and classified information; privacy issues; and criminal, terrorist, and hostile activities. 4 crMET CS 685 Network Management
Prereq: MET CS 535. In-depth study of LAN and WAN network management. Topics include fault, configuration, performance, accounting management. Strong focus on problem-solving techniques and network management tools based on SNMP. Electronic commerce: payment protocols, electronic cash. Risk assessment. 4 crMET CS 689 Designing and Implementing a Data Warehouse
Prereq: MET CS 579 or CS 669 or consent of instructor. This course provides students with the technical skills required to plan, implement, and maintain a data warehouse using a DBMS such as Oracle Warehouse Builder. It describes basic data warehousing concepts. Key topics: design a data warehousing system; implement a database designed with a star schema;gather data from primary data sources; transform data; and load data into a DBMS. Students will create a cube using OLAP and analyze cube data using client applications. Upon successful completion, students will be familiar with the typical data warehouse components and architecture, and have an understanding of the practical uses of data warehousing. 4 crMET CS 690 Network Security
Prereq: MET CS 535 or MET CS 625; familiarity with OSI and TCP/IP protocol stack; background-familiarity with binary numbers, prime numbers, binary- hexadecimal-decimal conversions, etc.; and familiarity with computer programming concepts. This course will cover advanced network security issues and solutions. The main focus on the first part of the course will be on security basics, i.e., security services, access controls, vulnerabilities, threats and risk, network architectures, and attacks. In the second part of the course, particular focus and emphasis will be given to network security capabilities and mechanisms (access control on wire-line and wireless networks), IPsec, firewalls, deep packet inspection, and transport security. The final portion of the course will address network application security (e-mail, ad-hoc, XML/SAML) and services-oriented architecture security. As part of our course review we will explore a number of network use cases. 4 crMET CS 693 Digital Forensics and Investigations
Provides a comprehensive understanding of digital forensics and investigation tools and techniques. Learn what computer forensics and investigation is as a profession and gain an understanding of the overall investigative process. Operating system architectures and disk structures are discussed. Studies how to set up an investigator’s office and laboratory, as well as what computer forensic hardware and software tools are available. Other topics covered include importance of digital evidence controls and how to process crime and incident scenes, details of data acquisition, computer forensic analysis, e-mail investigations, image file recovery, investigative report writing, and expert witness requirements. Provides a range of laboratory and hands-on assignments either individually or in teams. With rapid growth of computer systems and digital data this area has grown in importance. 4 crMET CS 695 Enterprise Information Security
Prereq: MET CS 625. The course provides an in-depth presentation of security issues in computer systems, networks, and applications. Formal security models are presented and illustrated on operating system security aspects, more specifically memory protection, access control and authentication, file system security, backup and recovery management, intrusion and virus protection mechanisms. Application-level security focuses on language-level security and various security policies; conventional and public keys encryption, authentication, message digest, and digital signatures. Internet and intranet topics include security in IP, routers, proxy servers and firewalls, application-level gateways, web servers, file and mail servers. Discussion of remote access issues, such as dial-up servers, modems, VPN gateways and clients. 4 crMET CS 699 Data Mining and Business Intelligence
Prereq: MET CS 669 (face-to-face), MET CS 669 and MET CS 546 (online). Data mining and investigation is a key goal behind any data warehouse effort. This course provides an introduction to concepts behind data mining, text mining, and web mining. The course surveys various data mining applications, methodologies, techniques, and models. Topics include classification, decision trees, association rules, and clustering. The course wraps up with data mining case studies using large data sets taken from real-world projects. Algorithms will be tested on data sets using the Weka Data mining software and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (Business Intelligence Development Studio). 4 crMET CS 701 Advanced Web Application Development
This course builds upon its predecessor MET CS 601 Web Application Development and concentrates primarily on building rich client web applications in the browser. The course covers the following modules in depth: ActionScript 3.0 Flex 3/4, WPF, and Silverlight. Along with the fundamentals underlying these technologies, several applications will be showcased as case studies. Students obtain hands-on exposure with these technologies starting with simple applications and then examining real-world complex applications. At the end of this course, students will have mastered the latest and most widely used web application development methodologies. 4 crMET CS 703 Network Forensics
Prereq: MET CS 693. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of network forensic analysis principles. Within the context of forensics security, network infrastructures, topologies, and protocols are introduced. Students understand the relationship between network forensic analysis and network security technologies. Students will learn to identify network security incidents and potential sources of digital evidence and demonstrate the ability to perform basic network data acquisition and analysis using computer-based applications and utilities. Students will also identify potential applications for the integration of network forensic technologies and demonstrate the ability to accurately document network forensic processes and analysis. 4 crMET CS 713 Advanced Digital Forensics
This course provides an introduction to the advanced digital forensic topics relating to malicious software (malware), which represents an increasing information security threat to computer systems and networks. Students will review software engineering design fundamentals and reverse engineering techniques utilized to conduct static and dynamic forensic analysis on computer systems and networks. Students will learn about the importance of forensic principles, legal considerations, digital evidence controls, and documentation of forensic procedures. This course will incorporate demonstrations and laboratory exercises to reinforce practical applications of course instruction and will require an independent research paper related to the course topic. 4 crMET CS 732 Advanced Game Graphics
Prereq: MET CS 532. This is the second class in the four-course Graduate Certificate in Interactive Multimedia & Game Engineering. It assumes an understanding of computer graphics. The course is an update and reorientation of MET CS 732, an existing course that has not been offered for at least five years. The first half of this course applies the basics of computer graphics covered in CS 532. It extends these by exploring lighting, texture, and rendering algorithms. The second half explores geometrical techniques for 3-D representation and their application to intersection and collision. 4 crMET CS 733 Real-Time Multimedia Simulation
Prereq: MET CS 341, MET CS 342, or equivalent. Students who are not familiar with C++ will need to learn it as the course progresses because class projects will be in that language. This class examines core game engine techniques that form the basis for most modern computer games. Students will implement two games of their own, one built from scratch and the other using the OGRE 3-D Rendering Engine. Topics covered include Windows and DirectX programming, game engine architectures, user input, sound, an introduction to 3-D games architectures, animation, path planning and movement control, performance optimization, and networked multiplayer games. 4 crMET CS 734 Artificial Intelligence for Video Games
Prereq: Programming and an understanding of game architecture. The course explains the basic role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in game play. It covers languages and scripting that enable AI. AI is used in planning the paths of game-owned assets. The course shows how AI moves the story and its characters forward. The second half of the course shows how game programs can learn responses and generate plans and movements based on players’ actions. These ideas are applied to traditional video games, action games, strategy games, role-playing games, and other genres. 4 crMET CS 751 Web Services
Prereq: MET CS 565 or consent of instructor. Architecture of web services; review of XML schemas; SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol); WSDL (Web Services Description Language); UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration);web services in .NET; Sun and Apache tools; company-specific web service APIs; Java APIs for XML Messaging; Java application servers; review of security, transactions, and business process languages (e.g., BPEL) among web services. 4 crMET CS 763 Speech and Natural Language Processing
Prereq: MET CS 546 or MET CS 248 or MET MG 505. Computer applications of linguistics (syntax, semantics, and pragmatics), signal processing and mathematical modeling in automatic speech processing, in speech recognition, understanding, and synthesisapplications. 4 crMET CS 765 Mobile Communications
Prereq: MET CS 535 and MET CS 650. This course provides in-depth coverage of wireless communication systems. Discussions of PCS (Personal Communication Systems) technologies, including digital radio systems, cellular radio, digital cellular, wireless LANs, wireless data WANs, Mobile IP. Overview of PCN (Personal Communication Networks), and 3G. 4 crMET CS 767 Fuzzy, Expert, Genetic, and Neural Systems
Prereq: MET CS 566. It is also recommended that students enroll in this class only after taking the core courses for MS in computer science. Theories and methods for automating the solution of problems with inexact specifications, input, models, or output (e.g., text checkers, help desks). Expert systems, fuzzy methods, neural net architectures, and genetic algorithms are examined andcompared. Algorithms and a term project are implemented using shells and C++ or Java. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 770 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
Prereq: fluency in at least one object-oriented language (C++, or Java, or SmallTalk, or Object-Oriented Visual Basic); and MET CS 605, or MET CS 665, or MET CS 673 or consent of instructor. Reusability; application of the Unified Modeling Language to use cases, class models, dynamic models, and component models; frameworks; re-factoring; design for data management; object-oriented metrics. Requires a substantial programming project using an object-oriented language. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 771 Internet-based Application Development
Prereq: MET CS 665 and MET CS 673. The network, rather than the individual computer, is rapidly becoming the application platform of choice. Increasingly, applications consist of software from multiple sources, executing on a variety of physical platforms, and bound together by the Internet. This course is designed to investigate the technology options for this network-based application environment. Topics include: technology and development methods for Internet-based distributed applications, including the World Wide Web platform. Distributed application architectures, language systems (e.g. C#, Java, JavaScript, XML). Distributed Java features will be exploited. Distributed object standards (CORBA and .NET), and net-focused development methodologies. Internet agents. Term papers investigating current literature and an application project are required. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 773 Software Quality Management
Prereq: MET CS 673 or MET CS 682. Theory and practice of quality assurance and testing for each step of the software development cycle. Verification vs validation. Test case design techniques, test coverage criteria, and tools for static and dynamic analysis. Standards. Test-driven development. QA for maintenance and legacy applications. Experimental approaches. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 775 Broadband Networking
Prereq: MET CS 535. In-depth coverage of the architecture, interfaces, protocols, and technologies of high-speed broadband networks. Topics include broadband wide-area network (WAN) technologies such as gigabit routers with IP switching, MPLS, ATM and Frame Relay; broadband LAN technologies: Fast Ethernet and Ethernet Switching, Gigabit Ethernet, and FDDI; broadband access technologies: DSL and Cable modems, as well as discussion of congestion control and traffic management, provision of different levels of quality of service (QoS), resource reservation, unicast and multicast routing, and multimedia compression andsecurity of broadband networks. 4 crMET CS 779 Advanced Database Management
Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669. This course covers advanced aspects of database management systems, including advanced normalization and denormalization, query optimization, object-oriented and object-relational databases, data warehousing, data mining, distributed databases, XML, XSL, and databases for web applications. There is extensive coverage of SQL and database instance tuning. Students learn about the advanced object-relational features in DBMS such asOracle, including navigational query, BLOBs, abstract data types, and methods. Students learn about database programming in Oracle's PL/SQL language, including triggers, stored procedures, and methods. By the end of the course, students should understand the basic concepts in all of these advanced database topics. Students define independent advanced database term projects, which may be related to their work or other interests. Students prepare reports and audio-video presentations for their classmates using PowerPoint and Impatica. 4 crMET CS 780 Database Administration
Prereq: MET CS 579 or MET CS 669 or consent of instructor. This course prepares students to perform the day-to-day administration of a database system. While most of the examples in this course are based on Oracle database administration, the course also covers the differences in administering Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL and examples. The course covers administration on Windows, Linux, and UNIX platforms. The course is conducted in the MET computer laboratories, where students will use virtualizations of Oracle and MSSQL on virtualized platforms to perform exercises and gain experience administering databases. Students will also have the opportunity to install these virtualizations on their own PCs. Students interested in obtaining Oracle’s Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) Database certification will find this course very relevant. 4 crMET CS 782 IT Strategy and Management
Prereq: MET CS 682 or consent of instructor. This course provides an overview of contemporary information systems technology (IT) management. It explains the relevant issues of effective management of information services activities and highlights the areas of greatest potential application of the technology. No assumptions are made concerning the reader's experience with IT, but it is assumed that the reader has some coursework or work experience in administration or management. 4 crMET CS 789 Cryptography
Prereq: MET CS 248 and MET CS 566 or consent of instructor. Modernsymmetric ciphers (Data Encryption Standard, Advanced Encryption Standard), public key ciphers (the RSA cipher, ElGamal cipher), protocols (Diffie-Helman Key Exchange, Oblivious Transfer, Zero-Knowledge Proofs), random number generators, modern factorization attacks, elliptic curves. 4 crMET CS 795/796 Directed Study
Prereq: Consent of advisor. Requires prior approval of student-initiated proposal. Independent study on special projects under faculty guidance.Variable crMET CS 799 Advanced Cryptography
This course is a continuation of MET CS 789 Cryptography and introduces students to elliptic curves ciphers, digital signatures, cryptographic hash functions, block ciphers, and key management issues. 4 cr
MET CS 810, 811 Master’s Thesis in Computer Science
This thesis must be completed within 12 months. Students majoring in Computer Science may elect a thesis option. This option is available to Master of Science in Computer Science candidates who have completed at least seven courses toward their degree and have a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Students are responsible for finding a thesis advisor and a principal reader within the department. The advisor must be a full-time faculty member; the principal reader may be part-time faculty member with a doctorate. Permission must be obtained by the department. 4 crMET CS 893 Agile and Advanced Software Engineering Methods
Contemporary software engineering takes several distinct and rapidly changing forms. First, agile methods are based on the need for flexibility while applications are being built. Agile methods constitute a radical departure from pre-existing methods: they rely on newly developed technologies such as test-driven development, XUnit, and refactoring. A second form is the emergence of open-source development. This course teaches the architectural and operational implications of open source development and explores its relationship with agile methods. The course will also discuss aspect-oriented programming, the decomposition of applications into onshore and offshore components, design for security, and formal methods. Laboratory course. 4 crMET CS 894 Special Topics
Prereq: consent of advisor. Variable cr
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