ABET SELF STUDY REPORT for the Computer Engineering Program at Texas A&M University College Station, Texas July 1, 2010 CONFIDENTIAL The information supplied in this Self-Study Report is for the confidential use of ABET and its authorized agents, and will not be disclosed without authorization of the institution concerned, except for summary data not identifiable to a specific institution. ABET Self-Study Report for the Computer Engineering Program at Texas A&M University College Station, TX June 28, 2010 CONFIDENTIAL The information supplied in this Self-Study Report is for the confidential use of ABET and its authorized agents, and will not be disclosed without authorization of the institution concerned, except for summary data not identifiable to a specific institution. CONTENTS Background Information 3 .A Contact Information . .3 .B Program History . .3 .C Options . .4 .D Organizational Structure . .4 .E Program Delivery Modes . .6 .F Deficiencies, Weaknesses or Concerns from Previous Evaluation(s) and the Ac- tions taken to Address them . .6 .F.1 Previous Institutional Concerns . .7 .F.2 Previous Program Concerns . .9 I Criterion I: Students 11 I.A Student Admissions . 11 I.B Evaluating Student Performance . 12 I.C Advising Students . 14 I.D Transfer Students and Transfer Courses . 17 I.E Graduation Requirements . 18 I.F Student Assistance . 19 I.G Enrollment and Graduation Trends . 20 II Criterion II: Program Educational Objectives 23 II.A Mission Statement . 23 II.B Program Educational Objectives . 25 II.C Consistency of the Program Educational Objectives with the Mission of the Insti- tution . 25 II.D Program Constituencies . 27 II.E Process for Establishing Program Educational Objectives . 27 II.F Achievement of Program Educational Objectives . 29 II.F.1 Assessment Process; Overview . 29 II.F.2 Objective 1: “Graduates of the Program have the necessary knowledge, both in breadth and depth, to pursue the practice, or advanced study, of computer engineering.” . 31 II.F.3 Objective 2 : “Graduates of the Program understand the importance of life- long learning, and be prepared to learn and understand new technological developments in their field.” . 33 II.F.4 Objective 3: “Graduates of the Program understand the technical, social, and ethical context of their engineering contributions.” . 35 II.F.5 Objective 4: “Graduates of the Program have the communication, team- work, and leadership skills necessary to carry on the legacy of excellence of an Aggie Engineer.” . 36 II.F.6 Non-Scheduled Assessment of Objectives: 2002 LASSI Test . 38 II.F.7 Summary of Objectives Assessment (Spring 2010) . 38 II.G Planned Modifications to Program Objectives . 38 II.G.1 Proposed New Program Objectives (Strawman) . 39 II.G.2 Timeline for Introduction of New Objectives . 39 II.G.3 Adequacy of the Current Assessment Process . 40 III Criterion III: Program Outcomes and Assessment 41 III.A Process for Establishing and Revising Program Outcomes . 41 III.B Program Outcomes . 42 III.C Program Outcomes and Relation to Educational Objectives of Program . 43 III.D Relationship of Courses in the Curriculum to the Program Outcomes . 44 III.E Documentation . 45 III.F Achievement of Program Outcomes . 46 III.F.1 Assessment of Outcomes: Process . 46 III.F.2 Outcome Assessment: Chronology . 54 III.F.3 Outcome Assessment: Data Collection Results and Discussion . 60 III.F.4 Summary of Outcome Assessment Results . 86 IV Criterion IV Continuous Improvement 87 IV.A Improvement Plans: Overview . 88 IV.B Improvement Plan 2004 . 88 IV.C Improvement Plan 2005 . 90 IV.D Improvement Plan 2006 . 91 IV.E Improvement Plan 2007 . 91 IV.F Improvement Plan 2008 . 91 IV.G Improvement Plan 2009 . 92 V Criterion V: Curriculum 93 V.A Curriculum for Catalog 130 and Earlier (“Old Curriculum”) . 93 V.A.1 Professional Component . 98 V.B Curriculum for Catalog 131 and Later (“Curriculum-2008”) . 100 V.B.1 Professional Component . 105 V.B.2 Culminating Design Experience . 107 V.B.3 Cooperative Education . 108 V.C Additional Material Available for Review During the Visit . 109 V.D Tabular Data for Curriculum . 109 VI Criterion VI: Faculty 113 VI..1 Leadership Responsibilities . 113 VI.A Authority and Responsibility of Faculty . 113 VI.B Faculty . 114 VIICriterion VII: Facilities 119 VII.ASpace . 119 VII.A.1Offices (Administrative, Faculty, Clerical, Teaching Assistants) . 119 VII.BLaboratory Facilities, Equipment, and Infrastructure . 120 VII.B.1 Instructional Facilities . 120 VII.CResources and Support . 127 VII.C.1 Computer Resources, Hardware and Software used for Instruction . 127 VII.C.2 Equipment Planning, Acquisition and Maintenance . 129 VII.DStudent Access . 131 VII.D.1Institutional Facilities . 131 VII.D.2Departmental Laboratories . 131 VII.EDocumentation . 132 VII.E.1 Institutional Facilities . 132 VII.E.2 Departmental Laboratories (CSE) . 132 VII.E.3 Departmental Facilities (ECE) . 133 VII.FFaculty Access . 133 VII.F.1 Institutional Support . 133 VII.F.2 Departmental Support (CSE) . 133 VII.F.3 Departmental Support (ECE) . 134 VII.GSupport Personnel . 134 VII.G.1Institutional Facilities . 134 VII.G.2Departmental Laboratories (CSE) . 134 VII.G.3Departmental Laboratories (ECE) . 134 VIIICriterionVIII: Instit. Support and Financial Resources 135 VIII..4 Budget Process (CSE and ECE) . 135 VIII..5 Institutional Support, Financial Resources and Constructive Leadership (CSE and ECE) . 135 VIII..6 Faculty Professional Development (CSE and ECE) . 137 VIII..7 Support of Facilities and Equipment . 137 VIII..8 Adequacy of Support Personnel and Institutional Services . 139 VIII..9 Continuity of Institutional Support . 140 IX Criterion IX: Program Criteria 141 APPENDICES 145 A Appendix A: Course Syllabi 145 A.A Engineering Courses . 145 A.B Courses in CSE Department . 153 A.C Courses in ECEE Department . 223 A.D Support Courses . 328 B Appendix B: FacultyResumes 353 C Appendix C: Laboratory Equipment 459 D Appendix D: Institutional Summary 461 E Appendix E: Instruments for Assessment 467 E.A 2004 Alumni Survey Instrument for Outcome and Objective Assessment . 468 E.B Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design) . 473 E.B.1 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2004 . 473 E.B.2 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2005 . 474 E.B.3 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2006 . 475 E.B.4 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2007 . 476 E.B.5 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2008 . 478 E.B.6 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2009 . 482 E.B.7 Outcome Evaluation CPSC 483 (Capstone Design): Spring 2010 . 486 E.C Survey Instrument ELEN 405 / Spring 2003 . 492 E.D Outcome Assessment through Exit Interviews of Graduating Students . 495 E.D.1 Exit Interviews of Graduating Students: Spring 2007 . 495 E.D.2 Exit Interviews of Graduating Students: Spring 2008 . 503 E.D.3 Exit Interviews of Graduating Students: Spring 2009 . 519 E.E Assessment of ENGR 482 (Engr. Ethics) . 533 E.E.1 Assessment of ENGR 482: Spring 2004 . 533 E.E.2 Assessment of ENGR 482: 2009A . 534 E.E.3 Assessment of ENGR 482: 2010A . 537 1 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION .A Contact Information Dr. Costas N. Georghiades, Department Head of ECE, and Dr. Valerie E. Taylor, Department Head of CSE, are co-chairing the CE Curriculum Coordination Committee. Costas N. Georghiades Valerie E. Taylor Department of Electrical and Computer Department of Computer Science and Engineering Engineering Texas A&M University Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-3128 College Station, TX 77843-3112 phone: 979-845-7408 phone: 979-845-5820 fax: 979-845-6259 [email protected] [email protected] Dr. Riccardo Bettati is leading and coordinating the ABET related activities. He is also the pre-visit contact person for.