Computing Curricula 2001

-- DRAFT (March 6, 2000) --

Appendix A
CS Body of Knowledge

The topics shown in Table A-1 represent the body of knowledge for programs in computer science, as developed by the knowledge area focus groups. For each area, topics that are considered essential for all undergraduate programs in computer science are underlined. Each of these core topics is also associated with an estimate of the minimum amount of time that must be devoted to that material.

Figure A-1. Tentative list of topics with minimum times for core

DS. Discrete Structures (37 core hours)    DS1. Functions, relations, and sets (6)    DS2. Basic logic (10)    DS3. Proof techniques (12)    DS4. Basics of counting (5)    DS5. Graphs and trees (4) PF. Programming Fundamentals (65 core hours)    PF1. Algorithms and problem-solving (8)    PF2. Fundamental programming constructs (10)    PF3. Basic data structures (12)    PF4. Recursion (6)    PF5. Abstract data types (9)    PF6. Object-oriented programming (10)    PF7. Event-driven and concurrent programming (4)    PF8. Using modern APIs (6) AL. Algorithms and Complexity (31 core hours)    AL1. Basic algorithmic analysis (4)    AL2. Algorithmic strategies (6)    AL3. Fundamental computing algorithms (12)    AL4. Distributed algorithms (3)    AL5. Basic computability theory (6)    AL6. The complexity classes P and NP    AL7. Automata theory    AL8. Advanced algorithmic analysis    AL9. Cryptographic algorithms    AL10. Geometric algorithms PL. Programming Languages (5 core hours)    PL1. History and overview of programming languages (2)    PL2. Virtual machines (1)    PL3. Introduction to language translation (2)    PL4. Language translation systems    PL5. Type systems    PL6. Models of execution control    PL7. Declaration, modularity, and storage management    PL8. Programming language semantics    PL9. Functional programming paradigms    PL10. Object-oriented programming paradigms    PL11. Language-based constructs for parallelism AR. Architecture (33 core hours)    AR1. Digital logic and digital systems (3)    AR2. Machine level representation of data (3)    AR3. Assembly level machine organization (9)    AR4. Memory system organization (5)    AR5. I/O and communication (3)    AR6. CPU implementation (10) OS. Operating Systems (22 core hours)    OS1. Operating system principles (2)    OS2. Concurrency (6)    OS3. Scheduling and dispatch (3)    OS4. Virtual memory (3)    OS5. Device management (2)    OS6. Security and protection (3)    OS7. File systems and naming (3)    OS8. Real-time systems HC. Human-Computer Interaction (3 core hours)    HC1. Principles of HCI (3)    HC2. Modeling the user    HC3. Interaction    HC4. Window management system design    HC5. Help systems    HC6. Evaluation techniques    HC7. Computer-supported collaborative work

GR. Graphics (no core hours)    GR1. Graphic systems    GR2. Fundamental techniques in graphics    GR3. Basic rendering    GR4. Basic geometric modeling    GR5. Visualization    GR6. Virtual reality    GR7. Computer animation    GR8. Advanced rendering    GR9. Advanced geometric modeling    GR10. Multimedia data technologies    GR11. Compression and decompression    GR12. Multimedia applications and content authoring    GR13. Multimedia servers and filesystems    GR14. Networked and distributed multimedia systems IS. Intelligent Systems (10 core hours)    IS1. Fundamental issues in intelligent systems (2)    IS2. Search and optimization methods (4)    IS3. Knowledge representation and reasoning (4)    IS4. Learning    IS5. Agents    IS6. Computer vision    IS7. Natural language processing    IS8. Pattern recognition    IS9. Advanced machine learning    IS10. Robotics    IS11. Knowledge-based systems    IS12. Neural networks    IS13. Genetic algorithms IM. Information Management (10 core hours)    IM1. Database systems (2)    IM2. Data modeling and the relational model (8)    IM3. Database query languages    IM4. Relational database design    IM5. Transaction processing    IM6. Distributed databases    IM7. Advanced relational database design    IM8. Physical database design NC. Net-Centric Computing (15 core hours)    NC1. Introduction to net-centric computing (9)    NC2. The web as an example of client-server computing (6)    NC3. Building web applications    NC4. Communication and networking    NC5. Distributed object systems    NC6. Collaboration technology and groupware    NC7. Distributed operating systems    NC8. Distributed systems SE. Software Engineering (30 core hours)    SE1. Software processes and metrics (6)    SE2. Software requirements and specifications (6)    SE3. Software design and implementation (6)    SE4. Verification and validation (6)    SE5. Software tools and environments (3)    SE6. Software project methodologies (3) CN. Computational Science (no core hours)    CN1. Numerical analysis    CN2. Scientific visualization    CN3. Architecture for scientific computing    CN4. Programming for parallel architectures    CN5. Applications SP. Social and Professional Issues (16 core hours)    SP1. History of computing (1)    SP2. Social context of computing (2)    SP3. Methods and tools of analysis (2)    SP4. Professional and ethical responsibilities (2)    SP5. Risks and liabilities of safety-critical systems (2)    SP6. Intellectual property (3)    SP7. Privacy and civil liberties (2)    SP8. Social implications of the Internet (2)    SP9. Computer crime    SP10. Economic issues in computing    SP11. Philosophical foundations of ethics

In future versions of this report, this body of knowledge will be supplemented with others that cover other disciplines within the computing field.

CC2001 Report DRAFT -- March 6, 2000 This report is a working draft and does not carry any endorsement from the sponsoring organizations