Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is the
department located?
A. The Computer Information Technology Department
(formally Computer Science) is located in Delaware Hall.
The main office is in 259 Delaware Hall. Faculty
offices are located on the second floor of Delaware
Hall.
Q. Who can I talk to
for general information?
A. Computer Information Technology's main office is
open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The office associate is Lori Rich (287-5009
lrich@cscc.edu).
Q. What degree programs
do you offer?
A. We offer programs in four different areas, called
“tracks.” The tracks are: Network
Administrator Track, Software Developer Track, User
Support Track and Web Developer Track. For more specifics on these
tracks, please see your advisor.
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Q. How do I talk to an
advisor?
A. Advisors are listed on the backs of the
plans of study, and are divided by last name. Email
addresses or phone numbers are listed for those
advisors. If you need to see someone immediately, you
may see anyone who has office hours at the time you need
advising.
Q. Do I need to
take prerequisites?
A. Most courses are built upon a foundation
which presumes previous knowledge and skills. Even
though you may have been exposed to certain concepts,
faculty need to be sure that you have the necessary
capabilities to handle the material in that particular
class.
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Q.
How do I register for
classes?
A.
Registration should be completed as soon as the
registration period begins for a new quarter, so you
won’t get closed out of a particular class you may want.
You may go to online registration at
http://cscc.edu. Also,
you may register in person at the registrar’s office in
Madison Hall. If you do not register by the deadline
posted for that quarter, only a faculty member may sign
you into that course, and there may be a $75 late
registration fee applied.
Q.
Will my credits transfer
to another institution?
A.
That depends upon the institution to which you are
transferring. Traditionally, Columbus State has had most
of its traditional credit courses accepted by other
institutions. If you get an associate’s degree from
Computer Information Technology and are transferring to
a four year institution, you may go into that
institution as either a sophomore or a junior.
Non-traditional credit is for the purpose of completing
a degree only at Columbus State. Non-traditional credit
is not transferable.
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Q. Will Columbus
State accept my courses from another institution?
A.Again that depends on many factors, including the
institution from which the credit was given, the time
elapsed since the credit was given, and the course
objectives which were covered. To give you the best
chance of having your credit accepted, please provide
the Columbus State Records and Registration department
and your advisor with official transcripts from the
granting institution. Also, please provide your advisor
with a catalog from the granting institution so a
determination may be made whether the courses meet our
technical specifications. If you have questions about
this, please see your advisor.
Q.
Can I
complete my degree in two years?
A. Our plans of study do allow for completion in a
two year period. However, most students do take a
little more time because of work and child care related
issues.
Q. What certifications
can I get?
A. Although the department doesn’t offer
certifications directly, some courses are aimed at
popular certifications. For example, CIT 121 and
CIT 125 offer coursework in PC software and hardware
that can lead to sitting for the CompTIA A+
certifications.
Q. What if I already
have certifications?
A. This is usually dealt with on a case-by-case
basis. However, if you have passed the A+
certification test in the previous three years, you can
get credit for CIT 121 and CIT 125. Keep in mind,
however, that these credits will not transfer to another
institution.
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Q. How can I test out
of a class?
A. If you feel you have the required expertise
in certain classes, you can attempt to test out of that
class. The cost is $50.00 per class and must be
paid in the Cashier's Office prior to taking the test.
You must make arrangements with the lead instructor of
the particular class to take the test. Please call
the department’s main office to find the lead instructor
for a particular course.
Q. What happens when
the curriculum changes?
A. As you can imagine, the curriculum of a
computer science department changes regularly. When
students enroll in one of our plans of study, they are
enrolled in a current catalog of courses. When and
if the plan of study changes, the student has the option
to stay with their original plan or change to the new
one. The student’s faculty advisor can help the
student decide which plan would be the most
advantageous. You do not have to change your plan of
study.
Q. Why do I pay a lab
fee if I'm registered for a distance learning course?
A. The lab fee assists in maintaining the
learning management system, i.e. Blackboard, which is
your virtual classroom.
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