BCS430 Senior Project
WID Proposal

Paula Maurino
Computer Systems Department, School of Business

Course Description

The primary objective of this capstone course is to give Computer Programming and Information Systems students an opportunity to integrate techniques and concepts acquired in their other courses.  Elements will be drawn from Systems Analysis and Design, Database, and other courses in the student’s selected track of study.  Understanding of basic accounting is also useful.  The course is experiential in nature, i.e., the student will be required to produce results for use by real individuals and will be evaluated both on process and product.

Course Objectives

Students will demonstrate the ability to

1. Develop an information system project that includes design, analysis, synthesis, planning and organization of a real life or simulated work situation
2. Create the following reports

• Preliminary Investigation Report
• Systems Requirement Report
• Systems Design Specification Report
• Systems Implementation Report
• Systems Operation and Support Report

3. Present seminars on each phase of the project
4. Implement and demonstrate the project
5. Maintain a journal/diary describing the step-by-step progress of the project
6. Integrate all work and reports into a cumulative capstone document

High Stakes Writing Requirement

Each phase consists of a narrative with supporting documents.  The narrative ranges from 2 to 5 pages.  There are five phases.  The total report will thus be 10 to 25 pages.  This requirement does not included required tables, graphs, charts, etc. or the journal.

The report is completed in phases (stages).  Each phase is graded and returned to the student for revisions (if needed).  One phase must be completed and accepted as satisfactory before the next phase can be started.

Low Stakes Writing Requirement

Students are required to maintain journals.  They do not have to be typed and are informal as to format. 

Supporting Data

Students must perform original research from interviews, observations, surveys, etc.  Other pieces of supporting data will include graphs, charts and tables of various types.
All supporting data is included in an appendix.  (See examples from syllabus.)

Grading Criteria

Item	Percentage of Grade
Phase 1:  Preliminary Investigation Report	10%
Phase 2:  Systems Requirement Report	10%
Phase 3:  Systems Design Specification Report	10%
Phase 4:  Implementation Demonstration and Report	10%
Phase 5:  Systems Operation and Support Report	10%
Final Report:  Synthesis of the above reports/demonstrations/seminars	10%
Journal and Class Participation	20%
Seminar Presentations	20%