Truman State UniversityAda Programming Certificate

Your solution for enhanced programming

expertise.

The Ada Programming Certificate is an opportunity for computer science graduates to earn experience that compliments a growing need in the workplace for advanced software programming expertise. The program offers an alternative to an advanced degree in computer science, while allowing students the requisite skill development to make a greater contribution to their jobs and to advance in their careers. The proposed program fulfills a distinct need for employees working in fields requiring the specific attributes the Ada language provides, including defense, banking, aviation, and com-munications. The language is of particular benefit to those in the security field and the certificate shares two courses in common with Truman’s Computer Security Certificate.

Truman State University has used Ada in classes since 1988 and the language has served as the language for our introductory course for Computer Science majors for many years. Faculty members have considerable experience in teaching Ada and in the differences with other common languages.

This program is intended for people who have experience in programming in another high-level language with object-oriented features, such as C++ or Java, and are familiar with common data structures.

The program is designed with two facets. The first facet is an optional, CEU-based preparatory program designed to acclimate students unfamiliar with the Ada language in the environment. The program consists of four short-duration online programs with a roughly 12-contact hour equivalent. These workshops will cover the fundamentals of the Ada language for programmers fluent in other computer languages but who are not for-mally part of the certificate program described here. Students needing language basics to prepare for the certificate can enroll in these programs.

The second facet is a four-course certificate program that assumes the workshops described above (or the equivalent undergraduate experience) as prerequisite.

Students not admitted to the graduate certificate program, and possessing the necessary prerequisite experience are welcome to take individual courses as non-degree seeking students to expand their experience in the field.

Coursework is offered entirely online.

What is Ada Programming?

Is this program right for me?

The Ada Programming Certificate requires completion of four classes. All courses are three credit hours each.

The Ada Programming Certificate has been proposed for inclusion in Truman State’s accreditation relationship with the Higher Learning Commission. This proposal was reviewed in Spring 2011, with formal action expected by Summer 2011.

The certificate is intended for practicing computer professionals who want to update and enhance their programming skills, or for working professionals with the requi-site computer background who want to reorient their career path. While not imme-diately portable into an MS degree, the certificate experience is potentially appealing to those students contemplating a broader graduate experience in computer science.

Coursework

• The program is ideal for the student wanting to improve his or her career training who does not have the time to enroll in or pay for a full degree program.

• Truman has one of the most affordable tuition rates in the region at just over $300 per credit hour for in-state students.

• For Truman graduates, the Ada Program- ming Certificate adds outstanding value to an already outstanding degree.

• Highly qualified Truman faculty and expe- rienced programmers offer the Ada Pro- gramming Certificate courses entirely online.

• Qualified Boeing employees are eligible for tuition assistance under the Boeing Learn- ing Together Program. Other businesses may also qualify. Ask your employer.

• The entire program can be completed in about one calendar year!

To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:

• Students must complete an application for Graduate Studies as a Graduate Certificate Student.

• Students must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited post-secondary institution (or its international equivalent).

• Students must have at least a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or demonstrate sufficient professional experience to prepare them for the proposed field of study.

• Applicants are encouraged to submit a copy of undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts to demonstrate sufficient preparation at the time of application. Students may not enroll beyond their second course without provid- ing an official transcript.

• Assessment and enforcement of student qualifications shall be at the discretion of the Graduate Dean or his/her designate.

Applications can be completed online by visiting http://institute.truman.edu/graduate.asp.

Course DescriptionsPreparatory Workshops and Short Courses The following courses are CEU-based workshops designed to transition students with limited or no exposure to the Ada programming language to a level of competency suitable for the Ada certificate. CEU courses will be offered once a year, normally in the Summer.

Intro to Ada for Java/C Programmers (1 CEU)This short course covers the history of the Ada language, Ada program structure, IO, predefined types, control structures, records, arrays, subpro-grams, parameter passing, and conventions.

Ada Data Types, Packages, and Libraries (1 CEU)This course covers Ada access types, numeric types, subtypes, derived types, packages, and libraries.

Ada Generics and Exceptions (1 CEU)This course covers generic objects, types, and sub-program parameters, generic library units, predefined exceptions, exception handling, declaring exceptions, scope of exceptions, and suppressing exceptions.

Objects in Ada (1 CEU) This course covers objects, tagged types, type exten-sion and composition, multiple inheritance, iterators, and polymorphism.

CS 630G Concurrent Programming in Ada (Required) This course covers parallelism, the Ada rendezvous, timing and scheduling, protected objects, conditional calls, signaling, activation, and termination.

CS 631G Ada Real-Time Programming (Required) This course covers Ada suitability for hard real-time and safety-critical applications, the Ada real-time annex, problematic Ada features, and the Ravenscar Profile.

CS 632G Safety-Critical Programming in Ada (Required) This course explores concepts of safety and security critical systems, the integrity of information in programs, and Ada language features designed to support safe and secure software development of programs upon which lives or significant property depend.

CS 633G Ada Programming Using the SPARK Approach (Required)This course explores the SPARK restricted Ada-subset, annotated meta-information in SPARK and Ada comments, component behavior and runtime requirements, design-by-contract principles, formalization and validation of runtime behavior.

Online System RequirementsStudents participating in the certificate program will

take their courses entirely online. Students access course

content and submit assignments by the Blackboard system

(http://blackboard.truman.edu). Students using Blackboard

will need a broadband Internet connection, a computer

with sufficient processing speed, and a compatible web

browser. For most operating systems (Windows XP,

Vista, or Windows 7; Mac OSX) Microsoft Explorer 7

or 8, Mozilla Firefox 3.5x or 3.6x, or Safari 4 will work

with Blackboard. For a complete list of compatibility tests

and certifications for different operating systems

and browsers, visit http://kb.blackboard.com/pages/view-

page.action?pageId=38830689.

Students in this particular certificate program will be given accounts on the Math

and Computer Science departmental Linux server. Students will also need the software

package VNC installed on their local machine in order to securely access the Math and

Computer Science server. This software is freely available on the Internet for both the

PC and Mac environments.

Graduation RequirementsDetailed graduation requirements are described on the program website, including

a minimum required GPA of a 3.0 and stipulations regarding continuous enrollment.

Interested students should review these requirements carefully before enrolling.

For more information contact: The Truman InstituteTruman State University100 E. Normal Ave. Baldwin Hall 110Kirksville, MO 63501Phone: 660-785-5384Fax: 660-785-7202E-mail: institute@truman.eduFor more information on the program, and links to apply online, visit: http://institute.truman.edu/graduate.asp