From: paul@svl.cdc.com (Paul Kohlmiller)
Newsgroups: comp.object
Subject: Advanced Degrees in OOP
Summary: Setting up a MS or PHD program in OOP
Keywords: OOP education
Date: 1 Sep 92 05:39:23 GMT
Distribution: usa

I would like to get an advanced degree in CS with an emphasis in
OOP. Since I am not able to quit work to do so, I need a program
that allows me to do most of the course work at home or in my
office. Even without that limitation, there aren't a lot of OOP
programs that I know of. AT best, there are a few courses.
What I would like to see is a program similar to the University of
Phoenix program that leads to an MBA.
I hope that this starts a thread of ideas that we can use to come up
with some kind of program. I have no idea how we could get this program
accredited but I'm really looking for some way that we could get a
program that would be honored by people who are hiring OOP professionals.
I'm looking for something like this:
a. About 200-400 course hours.
For example, the APDA OOP course claims to be about 50 hours long. It will
talke less than that if you already know the Mac and MPW but that's okay.
Borland also has a course like this but I think there would be a lot of overlap.
How many times can you learn what override means? For that reason I lean
toward the 200 hour mark. The other hours would consist of books or
other course that I hope you might know about.
Also, it might make excellent sense to add some of the odd courses laying
around. In the Bay Area there are courses taught by UC Santa Cruz extension.
Bjarne Stroustrup taught a 3 day class. Stanford also has a one week class
in the summer. I propose that we can add these to the curriculum but that
doesn't help people living in Omaha.
b. Some kind of test. I hate this one but without it this program won't have
much respect. I have no idea where to go for this one. I'm a lapsed CACMer so
they may have done a short quiz which could be a part of this.
c. Practicum. This is the heart of it. Every "student" would have to write one
class. The other students "blindly" inspect the class and try to use it in their
own programs. The class is judged by the other students. I propose that this 
be written in Smalltalk or C++. I'm sure others will want to use other
languages and the coursework should include some familiarity with the other
languages (at least the non-proprietary ones). I suspect that most students
will have to refine the class over several iterations. BTW, I propose that this
class be of some unique type (not another string class). Also, the finished 
class must be put into the public domain. This reduces the likelihood that
someone could copy a class and get away with it. If the class is found to be
a copy after the degree is issued, the degree would be revoked.

As to getting respect for this degree, I think it needs a University to
offer it. I have no problem with a University making money on it as long as
it is reasonable. The cost to the University is only for administration.
The class cost (like the Stanford or Santa Cruz short courses) is paid by
the student just like it is for any other class.

Questions:
1. What is the chance that employers would give this degree any credence?
2. Would computer professionals give the time (and money) to such a program?
3. Would a University take this on given that it could take away from some
current program? Would it make sense for a University that did not have any
advanced degree program in C.S.? Would the program have any credence if the
administration part was done by a Community College like De Anza (in the
bay area)? Or like Hayward State which I think is a 4-year school but  I think
has no advanced degree program in any area?

--
     // Paul H. Kohlmiller             //  "Cybers, Macs and Mips"    //
     // Control Data Systems, Inc.    // Internet: paul@svl.cdc.com  //
     // Acronym under construction.  // America Online: Paul CDC    //
     // All comments are strictly my own. I won't lie but my       //
     // perception of reality is at best a personal hunch.        //