Rationale
As mentioned in the overview, the Applied Computer Science (ACS) program officially started in the mid 1980s. In terms of student enrollment, the program peaked in 2001-2002 with 143 students. Over the past decade, the program has seen negligible structural changes. During the recent curriculum revision process (2005-2006), the primary focus was conversion to the four-credit system, and not structural changes.
The field of computer science is a very dynamic and increasingly competitive one. In recognition of this, the Computer Science Department has decided to take the necessary steps to have our ACS program recognized as an excellent program. The department is attempting to take proactive measures to ensure that the ACS program remains competitive and relevant for the present and future market demands. The changes made have been agreed upon by the department after thorough examination of various competitive programs offered by other institutions, as well as industry standards set by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM). Appendix 1 provides a summary. The department considered and rigorously debated various proposals over a two-year period, until consensus was reached on the current proposal.