The Computer Science component of the University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) British Studies Program (BSP) consists of two 3-semester hour credit courses. Although these courses are listed as Computer Science courses, because of the nature of the material contained in them, they are equally applicable to Management Information Systems students. Although the Computer Science component of the BSP is referred to as the Computer Science "course" in this document, it is actually two 3-semester hour courses. The two courses are entitled:
These courses may be taken for either undergraduate (CSC 485/486) or graduate credit (CSC 585/586). NOTE: If you wish to participate in the program, you must take both courses. The Computer Science course is just one of some 20 different courses that the university offers each summer in England. Other courses include Art, History, Criminal Justice, English, Business, Nursing, Geography, Speech and Hearing, Theatre, and lots more. This program is the largest British Studies program in the U. S. A total of 160+ students, faculty and support personnel comprised the summer 2004 program. The Summer of 2005 will mark the 28th year of the USM British Studies Program and the 17th time the Computer Science course will be offered. The program has a long track record of a very high quality academic program.
The Computer Science Department at USM has had Computer Science Accreditation Board (CSAB) accreditation since 1987. The department offers both B. S. and M. S. degrees in Computer Science and a PhD degree in Scientific Computing (a mixture of Math, Physics, and Computer Science). We currently (Fall 2004) have 15 full time faculty members and 200+ majors.
I hold the rank of full professor in the Computer Science Department at USM and have been a member of the faculty since 1973. I also have served as the Director of Graduate Studies from 1973-1996.
My academic background is as follows:
My academic interests include Software Engineering, Database Management Systems, Stochastic Simulation & Modeling, Ada Programming, the Internet, CGI Programming, Java Programming and Expert Systems. This summer will be the 16th year that I direct the Computer Science course.
For more information about me, please see my home page
The mechanics of program are as follows. Each course must secure a certain quota of students to have the class "make". This is usually the number of students whose fees cover the course expenses. In the past few years the quota for the Computer Science course has been about 10 students. I would assume that it will be the same this year. In past years I have taken anywhere from 4 to 33 students (quotas were lower in the earlier days of the program) on the Computer Science course. Four is too few and 33 is way too many. I like to keep my class size down to about 10-11 students. The reason for this low number is that some of our field trip locations will not allow any more than 12 visitors (11 students and me) into their computer facilities for security reasons. Tis past summer's course had seven students.
The Computer Science course is conducted in conjunction with the London School of Economics (usually called the LSE). The LSE is one of the oldest and most respected universities in the world. It is a part of the University of London which is probably the largest university in the world. The course consists of lectures, field trips, a class project, and a final exam.
Normally we have 2-3 days of lecture (usually from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the LSE in the Department of Information Systems. The lectures are conducted by members of the Information Systems faculty and are designed to introduce the students to Information Systems and to "normalize" the knowledge level of all the students in the course.
The person in charge of conducting the majority of the class lectures is Dr. Steve Smithson. Dr. Smithson is a member of the LSE Information Systems faculty where he holds the rank of Senior Lecturer, the British equivalent to Associate Professor. Dr. Smithson is also Director of the LSE's MSc program in Information Systems and the former chairman of the Department of Information Systems at he LSE.
Once the class lectures are complete, we will visit various British organizations with interesting and unique information systems. Dr. Smithson also handles the task of scheduling the field trips. The schedule is usually finalized in either May or June. In past years, we have visited such installations as:
In these field trips various Information Systems and/or components of Information Systems will be described. Field trip personnel will describe the things that make their systems interesting and unique. Normally we have 7-9 of these field trips each summer. Field trips usually last anywhere from 2 to 5 hours.
For grading purposes and to have the students reflect on what they have seen and learned, each student will write a short (two hand-written pages) summary of each field trip.
Students are randomly placed on project teams. There will be a group project assigned to each team. A problem scenario is presented and each team will develop the specifications, requirements and a prototype solution to the problem. There will be no writing of computer code involved in the solution to the problem. The project will be formally presented to the class faculty for evaluation and grading. Normally the review team includes myself, and when available, Dr. Smithson and some of the industrial people that have presented field trip lectures.
Each team will have the same project. Teams will represent competing consulting firms attempting to solve the same problem. Upon completion of all of the presentations, on project will be selected as the one to be implemented -- although no implementation will actually be done.There will also be a written final examination which is constructed and graded by me. The date of the final examination and project presentation will usually be the scheduled two days before the end of the class.
Course prerequisites include a basic understanding of computer systems. Students should know about such things as files, records, data items, what I/O devices are, what programming languages are, etc. If you do not have this level of understanding, you will not be able to comprehend the lectures at the LSE or understand what information is being presented to you during the field trip lectures. When evaluating your transcripts, I will check to ensure that each student has successfully completed at least one computer related course in which he/she have done some coding in any high level programming language, such as Pascal, C, C++, COBOL, Ada, Java etc. It is not important which language it is as this only indicates a certain level of computing maturity. Remember you will not have to write any code in conjunction with the course. Once I determine the level of computing background of each member of the class, I will transmit this information to Dr. Smithson so that he can prepare his lectures accordingly.
Program prerequisites include the completion of at least 28 semester hours with an overall GPA of at least 2.0/4.0. Graduate students must have graduate standing.
Students who have participated in this course literally come from all over the United States. In past years, I have had students from
These student's academic majors include Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Statistics, Business Data Processing, Accounting, Finance and Pre-Med. Students have ranged from the Ph.D. level to undergraduate sophomores.
One of the questions that is usually posed by non-USM students is "How do I get credit for this course?" The answer is that you will take the two courses through USM and transfer the credit back to your school. Where you get credit in your specific degree program depends upon your academic advisor. I certainly can not tell your academic advisor where to give you credit. However, in the past Computer Science students have received credit for courses such as Systems Design, Software Engineering, Senior Project, and/or Computer Science elective courses. Management Information Systems students have received credit for Systems Design, Software Projects, Senior Project, Applied Database, Computer Science minor courses, and MIS electives. MBA students have received credit for two graduate level courses in Computer Science.
In the 16 previous years that this course has been offered, we have never had any school or degree program refuse credit for the it. My suggestion is to go to your academic advisor and discuss it with him/her and see where you could get credit for these courses. If they have any problems or questions, please have them contact me at the address shown at the end of this document. If this is going to be a problem, let's get it solved early.
All of the students, faculty, and support personnel are housed in a university hall of residence (dormitory) located in London. The university where we are lodged is King's College. The hall is located on Stamford Street which is near the Waterloo Station tube/rail station. This location is just south (one tube stop) of the Thames River near the heart of London. Note: The Waterloo train station is the terminus for Channel Tunnel trains (aka EuroStar) to the European continent.
The hall of residence is a fairly new facility that opened in September of 1996. The facility is called The Stamford Street Apartments. It is part of the King's College residence hall system. All rooms are single person rooms organized in eight room suites. The rooms will each contain its own shower, wash basin, water closet (potty), and small refrigerator. Each suit is equipped with kitchenette facilities including a microwave oven. Access to each suite is through a swipecard.
There are six levels of security getting to your room.
The cost of the summer 2005 program have been set at $4999 for undergraduates and $5299 for graduates. This price includes the following:
* = Normal U. S. departure points are New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, and Atlanta. (Departure points have not been set for this year.)
If you are located close to one of these cities, our travel agent can usually work out a very reduced air faire (most times free) to get you to and from one of these departure points. If you are far away (i.e., the west coast of the U. S.) our travel agent can usually work out some type reduced faire plan to get you to one of the departure points.
Financial aid for the British Studies Program is available. You should check with the Financial Aid Office at your university for more details. If you need assistance with this, please contact Mrs. Frances Sudduth at the phone/FAX/E-mail address presented at the end of this document. Students normally secure regular student loans to participate in the program. If you have exceeded your loan limit or you feel that your parents make too much money to qualify for a student loan, you should check into the Parent Plus Loan. You can check with your lending instution for more information on these loans. Again if you have any questions concerning financial aid, please contact Mrs. Sudduth.
The arrival and departure dates for this summer's program tentatively are as follows:
Depart from U. S.: Thursday, July 7, 2005
Return to U. S.: Sunday August 7, 2005
All work and no play make Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl. Although the primary focus of this program is academic, there is a sufficient amount of free time allocated to allow you to sightsee in London and the rest of the U. K. or even parts of the European continent. In addition to being the course coordinator, I enjoy playing the role of tour guide. On non-academic days I usually escort my class to visit such British traditions as:
There is a four day minibreak during the third week of the class. During the mini break I have escorted students to such places as: and many others.London is also renowned for its theatre and museums. No trip to London would be complete without a visit to either or both of these.
When we determine that there will a free day(s), as a class we usually decide where we wish to go and since I have done the majority of these things I can get you there fast and relatively cheap -- you pay only your transportation and entrance fees (if applicable).
Being a certified golf nut, I attended the 2004 British Open Golf tournament held at Troon, Scotland. I plan to do the same this year. The 2005 Open Championship is scheduled for St. Andrews, Scotland. It is scheduled July 15-18 (Thursday through Sunday)this coming summer. When I go to the Old Course, I usually stay in the residence halls at the University of Edinburgh. If you wish to accompany me to St. Andrews, you are certainly welcome to come. I usually leave on Friday, watch the Saturday and Sunday rounds and return to London either Sunday night or Monday morning - depending upon our field trip/lecture schedule.
Please be aware that there is a finite amount of residence hall space allocated for the USM British Studies Program and this space fills up rather quickly. Also, because of security concerns by the field trip organizations the class size is usually has a limited enrollment. What this means is that if you are interested, you should send in your deposit to register for the course as soon as possible. To be fair to everyone iI accept students on a first come, first served basis as long as they meet the course and program prerequisites.
To register for the course requires three things be done.
If you wish to secure your place in this course, please send in your application as soon as possible.
If you have any questions concerning the USM British Studies program itself or student loans, please contact Mrs. Frances Sudduth, at the USM Center For International Education.
Mrs. Frances SudduthIf you or your academic course advisor have any questions concerning the Computer Science courses, please contact me at any of the following addresses:
Dr. Ralph B. Bisland, Jr.
Itinerary For The 2004 British Studies Course In Computer Science
July 1: Left USA for London
(THU)
July 2: Arrive in London at about 9:00 GMT. Opening Night Party
(FRI) Location: Stanford Street Apartments Courtyard
Time: 6:30 pm
July 3: First class meeting
(SAT) Location: King's College classroom
Time: 8:00 am
Program Meeting
Location: King's College Auditorium
Time: 11:00 am
After meeting took the class on a walking tour of London
Viewed: Parliament, Big Ben, Wesminster Abbey, Buckingham
Palace, #10 Downing St., Leichester Square,
Picadilly Circus, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge,
and the Globe Theatre.
Went to Opening night party in the Stamford Street Apartments
courtyard.
July 4: Free day
(SUN) Took class to Hampton Court Palace down the Thames River.
Yes, we spent the Fourth of July in London!!!!!
July 5: Lectures at the London School of Economics (LSE)
(MON) Location: LSE
Access via tube
Lectures Begin At: 9:00 AM (All Day)
July 6: Lectues at the London School of Economics
(TUE) Location: LSE
Access via tube
Lectures Begin At: 9:00 AM (All Day)
Class Project Assigned and Progect teams determined
July 7: Field Trip: Westferry Printers
(WED) Location: London (Docklands Area)
Access via minivan
Field Trip Begins At: 10:00 PM
July 8: Field Trip: Nationwide Building society
(THU) Location: Swindon, England (3 hours from London)
Access vi coach
Field Trip Begins At: 11:00 AM
July 9: Free Day - Took class to Edinburgh, Scotland
(FRI) Access via train
July 10: Free day - Took claas to Loch Ness, Scotland
(SAT) Access via train
July 11: Free day - Returned home from Edinburgh
(SUN)
July 12: Class Project Meeting (by team)
(MON) Location: Kitchenette in my suite
July 13: Free Day
(TUE)
July 14: Field Trip: Y/Lin Consulting
(WED) Location: St. Katherines Dock, London
Access via tube
Field Trip Begins at 10:00 AM
July 15: Field Trip summary Meeting
(THU) Location: Kitchenette in my suite
Time: 10:00 AM
July 16: Project Progress Reports Due
(FRI) Time: 10:00 am
I left for the British Open at Troon, Scotland
in the afternoon
July 17: Free Day
(SAT) I went to the British Open
July 18: Free day
(SUN) I went to the British Open and returned to London
July 19: Field Trip: Parliament
(MON) Location: London, England
Access via footpower (15 minute walf from our
hall of residence
Field Trip Begins At: 11:15 AM
July 20: Lecture: Configuration Management
(TUE) Location: Classroon at LSE
Access via tube
Lecture begins At: 10:00 AM
July 21: Free Day
(WED)
July 22: Mini Break Day #1
(THU) Left for Brussels, Beggium
Toured Brussels
Access via EuroStar train
July 23: Mini Break Day #2
(FRI) Toured Paris, France
Access via Rail Europe train
July 24: Mini Break Day #3
(SAT) Toured Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Access via Rail Europe train
July 25: Mini Break Day #4
(SUN) Took Rail Europe trin to Brussels
July 26: Mini Break Day #5
(MON) Toured Waterloo Battlefield (15 miles outside Brussels)
Access via local train
Returned to London via Euro Star train
July 27: Project Reports Due
(TUE) Students worked on class project
July 28: Field Trip: Bletchley Park
(WED) Location: Milton Keynes, Encland (50 mile north of London)
Access via train
Field Trip Starts at
July 29 Term Project Final Presentation and Final Exam
(THU) Location: A classroom at the Stanford Street Apartments
Times: 9:00 and 10:00
July 30: Returned to US
(FRI)
July 31:
(SAT)
Aug 1: Returned to U.S.A.
(SUN)
The following is a tentative schedule for the 2005 course.
Please be aware that the field trip schedule is
usually not finalized until approximately May or June. Dates of
the field trips and other activities will be added to the schedule as
they are confirmed.
| Day | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | July 7 | Leave for London |
| Friday | July 8 | Arrive London/Opening night party @ 6:30 |
| Saturday | July 9 | First class meeting 8:00 am-9:15 am & Orientation 11:00am - 12:15 pm |
| Sunday | July 10 | Non-Academic Day |
| Monday | July 11 | |
| Tuesday | July 12 | |
| Wednesday | July 13 | |
| Thursday | July 14 | |
| Friday | July 15 | |
| Saturday | July 16 | Non-Academic Day |
| Sunday | July 17 | Non-Academic Day |
| Monday | July 18 | |
| Tuesday | July 19 | |
| Wednesday | July 20 | |
| Thursday | July 21 | |
| Friday | July 22 | |
| Saturday | July 23 | Non-Academic Day |
| Sunday | July 24 | Non-Academic Day |
| Monday | July 25 | |
| Tuesday | July 26 | |
| Wednesday | July 27 | |
| Thursday | July 28 | Mini Break Day #1 |
| Friday | July 29 | Mini Break Day #2 |
| Saturday | July 30 | Mini Break Day #3 |
| Sunday | July 31 | Mini Break Day #4 |
| Monday | August 1 | Mini Break Day #5 |
| Tuesday | August 2 | |
| Wednesday | August 3 | |
| Thursday | August 4 | |
| Friday | August 5 | |
| Saturday | August 6 | Final Exam and Project Presentations |
| Sunday | August 7 | Return to U.S. |