In an effort to give the traditional liberal arts education more high-tech flavor, School of Arts and Sciences Dean Samuel Preston yesterday announced a new information technology program that will allow SAS students to receive a certificate in technological aptitude. Beginning next spring semester, students will be able to choose from a list of courses related to information technology to fulfill the four-course program requirements. Students who complete four of the courses listed will receive a computing aptitude certificate on their transcripts, which are seen by potential employers and graduate schools. Preston said the new program is a part of an effort to increase the role of information technology in humanities courses at Penn. "In the long term, we would like to see the availability of information technology spread throughout the school," Preston said. "I see this as an important component of the instruction in the school, but it's also an opening wedge in incorporating information technology into our existing programs." The certificate will serve much like the current foreign language proficiency indicator that appears on students' transcripts. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Beeman said that although the program is not the only means of incorporating technology into SAS courses, he believes it fits well into the school's strategic plans. "I think that the IT certificate is a vital part of the strategic plan's proposal to incorporate the revolution in information technology into SAS courses and departments," Beeman said in an e-mail statement. The school will also create an Information Technology Venture fund, which will provide incentives to faculty members who want to develop courses with an IT component. The program, which was initially suggested at an alumni meeting, was developed by a faculty committee headed by Associate Dean of Graduate Studies Joseph Farrell, a classical studies professor. Farrell said the first step will be to create an introductory course in computer science for SAS students. He said that more 200- and 300-level courses would be added over time. "Last year, it occurred to us that there was a content area that we needed to pay attention to," Farrell said. "Many College students said they wanted more integration between their courses and computing." But Beeman said that the groundwork for the program has already been laid by interested students. "A substantial -- and ever growing -- number of College students are going over to the Engineering School to take existing computer science courses," Beeman said. "In addition, we are involved in discussions with Computer Science about other courses that they might design with College students in mind." Preston said that a large number of the courses on the initial list would be existing computer science courses, but that more would be added in the future. Farrell said the program -- officially approved at a faculty meeting on Tuesday -- has already drawn interest from faculty in many different departments. "We have faculty who have been doing this stuff in their research for years, but haven't been able to incorporate it into their classes," Farrell said. "It's got pretty wide publicity among the faculty." Beeman said he believes that the new program is a natural progression for faculty and students alike. "The most important incentive for SAS departments to incorporate information technology into the content of their courses resides with the professional development and self-interest of individual faculty members within the departments," Beeman said. Preston said that Penn would devote a sizeable amount of resources to the project to help it catch on with faculty and students. The school is currently searching for a director for the new program. "We're going to make some substantial investments in this," Preston said. "This is a testimony that students have achieved a level of technological ability in a subject."
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
