Summary of CAC Criteria and Standards
(*not official*)

1. Objectives, Outcomes, and Assessment:
  1. Must have documented measurable objectives and expected outcomes for graduating students.
  2. Must use a documented process to regularly assess the extent to which its objectives and expected outcomes are being met.
  3. The results of the assessments must be used to develop and implement plans to effect continuous improvement of the program.

2. Student Support:

  1. Courses must be offered with sufficient frequency.
  2. Students must have ample opportunity to interact with instructors.
  3. Students must be offered timely, qualified advising about the program requirements and career alternatives.
  4. Graduates must meet all program requirements.

3. Faculty:

  1. Must be sufficient in number.
  2. Must oversee all course work.
  3. Must cover most of the total classroom instruction.
  4. All faculty must remain current.
  5. Must have the technical breadth and depth necessary to support the program.
  6. All faculty must have a level of competence normally obtained through graduate work in CS.
  7. all full-time faculty must have time for sholarly activities and professional development.

4. Curriculum: Must include (all hours are quarter-hours):

  1. 60 hours of computing:
    24 hours of broad-based core of fundamental CS material, providing basic coverage of algorithms, data structures, software design, concepts of programming languages, and computer organization and architecture;
    24 hours of advanced courses in CS to provide breadth and builds on the core to provide depth.
    Theoretical foundations, problem analysis, and solution design must be stressed within the core.
    Students must be exposed to a variety of programming languages and systems.

  2. 45 hrs of math & science (at least 22.5 hrs of math, 18 of science):
    Math must include discrete mathematics, differential and integral calculus, and probability and statistics;
    Science coursework must include the equivalent of a two-semester sequence in a laboratory science for science or engineering majors; additional science (such as social science) hours must be in courses that develop/apply the scientific method.

  3. 45 hours of general education courses.

  4. Oral communication skills must be developed and applied in program.

  5. Written communication skills must be developed and applied in program.

  6. Must include sufficient coverage of social and ethical issues in computing.

5. Labs/Computing facilities: (standard requirements; omitted.)

7. Institutional Support and Financial Resources: (standard requirements; omitted.)

8. Institutional Facilities: (standard requirements; omitted.)