The Faculty of Computer Studies is one of the four faculties of the Arab Open University with the aim of making significant change in the way technology is taught and perceived in the modern world. The Faculty program of Information Technology and Computing provides its graduates with the actual means of technology while reflecting the aims and objectives of Arab Open University. It offers the finest technology for today's demanding world applying distance education methodology. In addition, it provides opportunities to students who wish to be educated but are unable to attend conventional universities. Those who will benefit from this particular program of study include:

· Students who were not able to enroll in educational institutions.
· People who have jobs during normal teaching hours.
· Those who live in remote regions where universities do not exist.
· Any young or old graduates with a recognized high school certificate as a minimum.

The Faculty of Computer Studies is dedicated to providing a high-quality, innovative program of teaching and learning, research and consultation, as well as offering professional education to clients who possess an extensive background in the field of Information Technology and Computing.

GOAL |
The Faculty of Computer Studies recognizes Information Technology and Computing as a fundamental and vital attribute of all human society. The primary aims of our program of study are to enable students to develop their own capacity for learning and meeting national, international and regional needs, as well as preparing themselves for employment and further higher educational study. The program of study aims to:

· Provide society with qualified and well-trained graduates to meet the needs of Arab Countries in various fields of interest in Information Technology and Computing.

· Undertake distance learning and research activity in the various practical and theoretical aspects of Information Technology and Computing.

· Develop confidence in the student and motivate different skills and maturity.

· Produce graduates with a wide range of transferable skills in Information Technology and Computing including independent learning and group work.

Program of Study |

The Faculty of Computer Studies offers the Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc.) in Information Technology and Computing.

Additional programs of study will be offered in the upcoming academic years. The program of study offered by the Faculty of Computer Studies is the same as that offered by the United Kingdom Open University (UKOU) based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, with respect to the specialized courses in the field of Information Technology and Computing.

The Faculty of Computer Studies offers its program in the English language as the AOU's textbooks are supplied by the UKOU. Other course materials, including examinations are prepared in English as well.

For program registration purposes, it is necessary to hold the General Secondary School Certificate (Thanwiyah) or its equivalent from a recognized school.

The B.Sc. Degree in Information Technology and Computing is awarded when the student has successfully completed a study program of not less than 130 credit hours, equivalent to 490 points according to the UKOU point system.

If the student has completed relevant study elsewhere, then he/she might be able to transfer the appropriate credit hours towards Arab Open University qualifications for equivalent courses. Transferred credit hours are awarded only in recognition of approved forms of study from other institutions.

Curriculum

The curriculum for this program of Information Technology and Computing offered by the Faculty of Computer Studies consists of 130 credit hours (490 points), and is distributed as follows:

The General University Requirements: (31) credit hours

A. Mandatory University required courses: (17 credit hours).

B. A minimum of (14) credit hours chosen from the following list of University electives:

Core Program Courses (99 credit hours):

Description of the Courses

Course Description of University General Requirements:

GR101- Independent Study Skills - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This course aims at helping students develop a wide range of effective study techniques and strategies necessary to help them succeed in their university studies. It focuses on note-taking and making use of different study media, writing reports, using study resource materials and references and preparing for examinations.

GR111 - Arab Islamic Civilization - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This course introduces the Islamic culture, civilization and its history. It deals with the beginning of Islamic civilization and its development. How did the Islamic civilization grow with the time? What is importance of education in Islam? How does Islam stress on thinking and research? How does Islam encourage learning from nature and wandering on the land of Allah and looking into the nature. How does Islam encourage and support academic research and development in all fields of life? What is political system of Islam? What are the fundamental principles to run and manage a state in Islam? How is the concept of religion and religious life in Islam different from other thoughts? What are outstanding features of social life in an Islamic country and Muslim society? What are the economic philosophy and guidelines of Islam? How was Islamic art considered as the best in medieval period?

GR131 - General Branch Requirement - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This course consists of major two parts. The first part deals with the brief history of establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Then it elaborates its legislative, administrative and judicial systems. Establishment of various governmental organizations along with their goals and functioning systems also has been included.

The Second part of the course deals with the educational systems of the Kingdom starting from the previous educational history. It focuses on the main features and goals of primary, secondary and higher educations in the Kingdom. Different educational methods have been included. The role of private sector and private organizations has been discussed. It also includes all related important features and characteristics of modern education.

AR111 - Arabic Communication Skills I - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This course aims at consolidating the students' skills and competence in listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing Arabic. It also aims at introducing the students to the basics of Arabic syntax, and literary appreciation.

AR112 - Arabic Communication Skills II - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This course builds on and extends the knowledge and skills developed in AR111, and introduces the students to different aspects of Arab culture as reflected in the writings of leading figures both old and new. It also trains the students in research methodology, and report writing.

EL111 - English Communication Skills I - 10 points /3 credit hours
This is a theme-based integrated skills course which aims to upgrade the student's proficiency level to the extent that he/she can communicate with ease and confidence and utilize English in pursuing his/her university education.

EL112 - English Communication Skills II - 10 points /3 credit hours
This course complements and builds upon English 111. It particularly seeks to develop the reading, writing, listening, and study skills which students need in order to meet the demands of distance learning university education.

MU120 - Open Mathematics - 30 points / 8 credit hours
This course builds students' confidence and helps them to incorporate mathematical thinking into their everyday life. It looks mathematically at matters of general interest including prices, earnings, health, music, art, maps, motion and rainbows. It develops the key skills of communication as well as students' own learning and performance. Students will cover statistical, graphical, algebraic and numerical concepts and techniques. In addition, they will be introduced to iteration and mathematical modeling, as well as being able to interpret slopes of graphs. Students will also learn how to use a graphing calculator. Formal calculus is not included.

TU170 - Learning On-line: Computing with Confidence – 10 points / 3 credit hours
This is a 12-week course that provides an introduction to computing and the on-line world. Students learn about software applications such as word processing, databases and electronic mail. They take part in on-line discussions, search the web and author simple web pages using HTML. This course is taught entirely on-line. The total teaching and assessment material is published on the course web site, to which only registered students have access. Students work both individually and in groups with fellow students on collaborative projects, supported by a personal tutor.

T172 - Working with Our Environment: Technology for a Sustainable Future - 30 points / 8 credit hours
This course is an introduction to environmental issues and the role of technology in today's fast paced computer world. It will suit the needs of students whether they intend to study technology or if they have a general interest in learning how to shape a sustainable future. It takes students progressively from environmental impacts of their lifestyle to the global issues of technological and economic development. They will also learn general skills such as basic numeracy, critical reading, report and essay writing. This course introduces more specific skills and knowledge required for higher-level environment or technology courses. The themes are: You and the Environment, Travelling Light, Food Chains, and Thinking Globally; supported by files on Energy, Resources, and Human and Ecosystem Health. The course also includes computer-based activities.

T173 - Engineering the Future - 30 points / 8 credit hours
From design concepts to the manufacturing of products, this course examines the range of human activity that is 'engineering'. It introduces the context of how engineers operate, including issues such as risk assessment and patented law. It looks at current engineering practice and at some of the developments in engineering methods and applications that will shape the future. It offers a general introduction both for those who simply have an interest in what engineering is and how it is practiced in modern society, and for those who are considering engineering at higher level of study.

DD121 - An Introduction to the Social Sciences (Part I) - 30 points / 8 credit hours
This course is about people and how they act individually and collectively. It deals with three major topics: questioning identity, interaction between the worlds of the natural and the social, and the ordering of lives.

Description of Core Program Courses :

T171 - You, Your Computer and the Net - 30 points / 8 credit hours
How did the PC and the Internet get to their present state? What are the implications of the computer revolution? How does the Internet affect business? This course will help students develop an understanding of the computer industry, the Internet and e-business. It will also help them to use the computer for effective information searching and analysis. They need to be familiar with the Windows™ environment and have some experience of navigating the web. The teaching and assessment for T171 are entirely online.

T209 - Information and Communication Technologies: People and Interactions - 60 points / 16 credit hours
This course develops and enhances key skills while providing students with the knowledge to understand current and future developments in information and communications technologies. The course comprises five independent modules. In Touch and Informed uses mobile telephony, personal digital assistants and the Internet to introduce the basic technology of computers and communications and the means to describe and model such systems. Talking with Computers identifies the central ideas of human technology interaction and, through a combination of software and design tools, enables students to construct speech recognition applications. Network Management provides an overview of how computer networks meet the needs of organizations, both through the deployment of networking components and through the associated management products such as SNMP. A simulation package enables students to design and model network configurations based on the CSMA/CD protocol. Cyborg explores some of the social dimensions and interpretations of our changing relationship with technology. A rich learning resource supports a group project in which students explore their own technologically mediated interactions. Security tackles the concerns posed by the explosive growth of communication systems and the associated issues of authentication, authorization, and repudiation. Simulation software enables students to explore various encryption algorithms, while the latest version of PGP supports experimentation with public/private key systems. The course includes three computer-marked assignments, four single-weighted tutor-marked assignments and one double-weighted group project tutor-marked assignment. An individual project undertaken during the final stages of the course provides the examinable component.

MST121- Using Mathematics - 30 points / 8 credit hours
It covers a broad introduction to the nature of mathematics and its uses in the modern world. This course shows how mathematics can be used to investigate and answer questions from science, technology and everyday life using a range of fundamental techniques, in particular, discrete mathematics (including matrices), calculus and statistics. Use of computer software (MathCAD) is an essential part of the course. The skills of communicating results and defining problems are also developed. This course will give students a complete foundation for higher-level mathematics and physics.

M206 - Computing: An Object- Oriented Approach - 60 points/ 16 credit hours
This course focuses on computing for the next decade covering the fundamentals of modern object and network computing. It's practical approach teaches new ideas and skills, such as analytical techniques that equip students to computer - based solution to real problems. They learn programming using the object - oriented language Smalltalk. This innovative course makes the best use of appropriate media: printed and computer - based materials, television, CD-ROM and Internet.

MT262 - Putting Computer Systems to Work - 30 points / 8 credit hours
This course tackles the problem of how to get a computer to do something useful It sets out to analyze problems and design solutions in such a way that a computer can be used to carry out the solution. The course develops skills in analysis and design, in addition to practical programming in a widely used C++ language, using non-object and object-oriented approaches. It includes elementary work with Windows™ programming.

M301 - Software Systems and Their Development - 60 points / 16 credit hours
This course investigates how large items of software are produced, from analysis through design to implementation and testing. It examines state-of-the-art topics such as Java programming, Unified Modelling Language (UML) for the analysis and design of applications, frameworks and patterns, and studying the principles underlying concurrent systems. Managing the process of developing quality software, human factors and professional issues are also addressed in this course. The course is based on three set books and a case study and includes a significant amount of practical work using the Java Integrated Development Environment and UML Modelling Tool provided with the course.

T305 - Digital Communications - 60 points / 16 credit hours
This course is appropriate for anyone with an interest in either telecommunications or data and computer communications, including the Internet. Examples are drawn from both mobile and fixed networks, and topics include: protocols (such as the internet protocols: TCP/IP); network management and reliability; digital representation of sounds and images; routing, switching and signaling; coding and modulation; and high-speed networks. Underpinning these topics include material on modelling, including time and frequency domain models, statistical concepts and the representation of complex systems. This course is set in context by material on the applications and issues of digital communications. There are six computer-marked and seven tutor-marked assignments.

CS490 - Selected Topics in Computer Science - 10 points / 3 credit hours
This advanced computing course offers perspectives on relational databases, based on the storage of data as tables. This course begins with an introduction to the use of the databases in information systems, with examples. This is followed by a theory of relations that are applied to the representation of models of data, and practical implementation in the database language SQL. The development of a database system is covered and finally, issues to do with a broader view of relational databases. In addition, topics in Artificial Intelligence, Neural Network and Pattern Recognition will be covered. A project has to be submitted by the student at the end of the course.