MAKERERE UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Computing & Information

Technology
Department of Computer Science

Bachelor of
Science in Computer Science degree programme

DAY/EVENING PROGRAMME
September 2009

1
Contents
1 Background 5
1.1 The B.Sc Computer Science Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2 The Program 5
2.1 Nature of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3 Tuition Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.4 Target Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3 Regulations 6
3.1 Admission requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2 Weighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.3 Semester Load and Minimum Graduation Load . . . . . . . . 7
3.4 Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.5 Grading and Pass mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.6 Progression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.7 Retaking a course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.8 Degree Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.9 Discontinuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4 The Proposed Curriculum 9

4.1 Course outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.1 Semester 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.2 Semester 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.3 Year I Recess term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.4 Semester 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.5 Semester 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.6 Year 2 Recess Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.7 Semester 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.1.8 Semester 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.2 Knowledge Areas Covered in the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3 Content Distribution by Knowledge Area . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5 Detailed Curriculum 13
5.1 Semester 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.1.1 CSC 1100: Computer Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.1.2 CSK 1101: Communication Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5.1.3 CSC 1104: Computer Organization & Architecture . . 15
5.1.4 CSC 1105: Numerical Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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 5.1.5 CSC 1106: Programming Methodology I . . . . . . . . 18
5.2 Semester 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.2.1 CSC 1204: Research Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.2.2 CSC 1206: Computational Mathematics . . . . . . . . 22
5.2.3 CSC 1207: Programming Methodology II . . . . . . . . 23
5.2.4 CSC 1208: Individual Project I . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.2.5 CSC 1209 Logic Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.3 Year I Recess Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.3.1 CSC 1301: Practical Skills Development . . . . . . . . 27
5.3.2 CSC 1303: Cisco Certified Network Associate (Au-
dited) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.4 Semester 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.4.1 CSC 2100: Data Structures and Algorithms . . . . . . 27
5.4.2 BSE 2105 Formal Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.4.3 CSC 2109: Discrete Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5.4.4 CSC 2111: Database Management Systems I . . . . . . 31
5.4.5 CSC 2113: Software Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.4.6 CSC 2114 Artificial Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.5 Semester 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.5.1 CSC 2200: Operating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.5.2 BSE 2203 Computer Networks & Data Communication 39
5.5.3 CSC 2209: Systems Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.5.4 CSC 2210 Automata, Complexity and Computability . 41
5.5.5 CSC 2212 Individual Project II . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.5.6 BSE 2201 Network Applications Development . . . . . 43
5.5.7 CSC 2214 Cryptology and Coding Theory . . . . . . . 44
5.6 Year 2 Recess Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.6.1 CSC 2301 Industrial Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7 Semester 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7.1 CSC 3103: User Interface Design . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7.2 CSC 3110 Database Management Systems II . . . . . . 48
5.7.3 CSC 3111 Operations Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.7.4 CSC 3112: Principles of Programming Languages . . . 50
5.7.5 CSC 3113 Emerging Trends in Computer Science . . . 51
5.7.6 BIS 3100: Modeling and Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . 52
5.7.7 CSC 3105 Computer Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.7.8 CSC 3114 Selected Topics in Computer Science . . . . 54
5.7.9 CSC 3115 Advanced Programming . . . . . . . . . . . 55
5.7.10 BIT 3102 Entrepreneurship and Business . . . . . . . . 56
5.8 Semester 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
5.8.1 BIT 3204 Enterprise Network Management . . . . . . . 58

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 5.8.2 CSC 3205 Compiler Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
5.8.3 CSC 3206 Group Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
5.8.4 CSC 3207 Computer Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5.8.5 BIT 3200 Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing 63
5.8.6 BSE 3202: Distributed Systems Development . . . . . 64

6 Resources and Infrastructure 65

6.1 Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6.2 Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6.3 Lecture Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6.4 Computer Laboratories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6.5 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
6.6 Library Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

7 Quality Assurance 66
7.1 Feedback from students enrolled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
7.2 Class meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
7.3 Use of ICT in availing lecture materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
7.4 Peer review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
7.5 External examiners’ reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
7.6 Industrial Training placement reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
7.7 Tracer studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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1 Background
1.1 The B.Sc Computer Science Program
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is a day/evening full time
programme. It targets A’level leavers and Diploma holders. The objectives
of the program are to:
1. Develop professionals with theoretical and practical skills in Computer
Science;
2. Strengthen capacity and institutional building in Computer Science in
tertiary institutions, the private and public sector;
3. Build capacity with a practical orientation needed to link up the Com-
puter Science sector with Government and Industry under the broader
perspective of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and
4. Provide most of the ICT professionals needed in Uganda and neighbor-
ing countries.

2 The Program
2.1 Nature of the Program
The program is full time thatis conducted both in the day and in the evening.

2.2 Duration
The duration of the program shall be three academic years consisting of six
semesters and two recess terms. Each semester lasts seventeen (17) weeks
two of which are for examinations. ecah recess term is 10 weeks.

2.3 Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for privately sponsored students shall be 2,520,000 Uganda Shillings
per year for Ugandans and 3,780,000 Ugandan Shillings per year for interna-
tional students.

2.4 Target Group

The programme targets two categories of people. These are A’ level leavers
and diploma holders in relevant disciplines.

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3 Regulations
3.1 Admission requirements
To be admitted to the B.Sc (Computer Science) program, a candidate must
satisfy the general admission requirements for Makerere University. In addi-
tion, the following regulations shall hold:

a Direct Entry
Candidates seeking admission through this avenue must have obtained:-

• At least a subsidiary pass in Mathematics in the Uganda Advanced

Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent
• At least two principle passes at the same sitting in UACE in any of
the following subjects: - Mathematics, Economics, Entrepreneur-
ship, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture, Tech-
nical Drawing and Food & Nutrition.
• A minimum weighted point set by the Makerere University Ad-
missions Board.

For purposes of computing weighted points, the A’ level subjects shall

be grouped and weighted as follows:-

Group Weight Subjects

Essential 3 Any two best done of the above subjects
Relevant 2 The third done of the above subjects
Desirable 1 General Paper, Subsidiary Mathematics
1
Others 2
All others

b Diploma holders:
For a candidate to be admitted via the diploma scheme, he/she must:

• Have at least 5 passes got at the same sitting of Uganda Certificate

of Education or its equivalent
• Have at least 1 principle pass and 2 subsidiary passes from the
same sitting of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education
(UACE) or its equivalent
• Have a Diploma in Computer Science and Information Technology
of Makerere University 1 or have at least a second class (lower di-
1
Students with at least a second class (lower division) class enroll on the second year
of the program. Those with third class start in first year

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 vision) diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Business Stud-
ies, Information Technology, Statistics or any other diploma with
Mathematics, Computer Science or Information Technology as one
of the subjects. The diploma must be from an Institution recg-
nised by the National Council for Higher Education (of Uganda).

3.2 Weighting
The weighting unit is the Credit Unit (CU). The Credit Unit is a contact
hour per week per semester. A contact hour is equal to (i) one lecture hour
(LH), (ii) two practical hours (PH) or (iii) two tutorial hours (TH)

3.3 Semester Load and Minimum Graduation Load

The normal semester load is between 16 and 24 credit units. The minimum
graduation load is 127 credit units of which 111 credit units are from core
course units. The remaining 16 credit units are to be got from elective course
units in semesters where elective courses are offered.

3.4 Assessment
Assessment is to be done by progressive assessments (like tests, assignments,
group work) during the semester and final examination. The final examina-
tion may be purely written, purely practical or having a written and practical
component. Progressive assessments constitute 40% of the final score and the
final examination will constitute 60%.

3.5 Grading and Pass mark

Grading will be based on the final score for each examination using the ranges
bellow

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 Marks Letter Grade Grade Point
90-100 A+ 5 Exceptional
80- 89 A 5 Excellent
75- 79 B+ 4.5 Very good
70- 74 B 4 Good
65- 69 C+ 3.5 Fairly good
60- 64 C 3 Pass
55- 59 D+ 2.5 Marginal fail
50- 54 D 2 Clear fail
45- 49 E 1.5 Bad fail
40- 44 E- 1 Qualified fail
0 - 39 F 0 Qualified fail
A student with a grade point greater or equal to 2 (letter grade D) in a
certain course unit is considered to have passed the course unit.

3.6 Progression
A student is considered to be under normal progression if he/she has a grade
point of at least 2 in all the courses that make up his/her full semester load.
A student is under probational progression if he/she has at least a course
unit in his/her full semester load where the grade point is less than 2.

3.7 Retaking a course

A student will retake every course from which he/she obtains a grade point
less than 2

3.8 Degree Classification

The degree will be classified using the cumulative grade point average (CGPA)
Ãi=n ! Ãi=n !
X X
CGP A = GPi × CUi ÷ CUi
i=1 i=1

where GP and CU represent grade points and Credit units respectively.

The degree will be classified in accordance with the table below

CLASS CGPA
First Class 4.40 - 5.00
Second Class - Upper Division 3.60 - 4.39
Second Class - Lower Division 2.80 - 3.59
Pass 2.00 - 2.79

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3.9 Discontinuation
A student will be discontinued from the program if

• Fails to complete the program in five years

• Fails a course unit three times

• Has a CGPA of less than 2 for three consecutive semesters

4 The Proposed Curriculum

4.1 Course outline
4.1.1 Semester 1
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 1100 Computer Literacy 4 30 60 – 60
CSK 1101 Communication Skills 4 45 30 – 60
CSC 1104 Computer Organization & Architecture 4 60 – – 60
CSC 1105 Numerical Methods 3 45 – – 45
CSC 1106 Programming Methodology I 3 30 30 – 45
Total 18

4.1.2 Semester 2
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 1204 Research Methodology 3 30 – 30 45
CSC 1206 Computational Mathematics 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 1207 Programming Methodology II 4 30 60 – 45
CSC 1208 Individual Project I 4 15 90 – 60
CSC 1209 Logic Programming 3 30 30 – 45
Total 18

4.1.3 Year I Recess term

Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 1301 Practical Skills Development 4 – 120 – 60
CSC 1303 Cisco Certified Network Assiciate (Audited) 5 150 100 – 200
Total 4

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4.1.4 Semester 3
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 2100 Data Structures and Algorithms 4 45 – 30 60
BSE 2105 Formal Methods 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 2109 Discrete Mathematics 3 30 – 30 45
CSC 2111 Database Management Systems I 3 30 30 – 45
CSC 2113 Software Engineering 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 2114 Artificial Intelligence 3 30 – 30 45
Total 21

4.1.5 Semester 4
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 2200 Operating Systems 4 45 – 30 60
BSE 2203 Computer Networks & Data Communication 4 45 30 – 60
CSC 2209 Systems Programming 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 2210 Automata, Complexity & Computability 3 45 – – 45
CSC 2212 Individual Project II 3 – 90 – 45
1 elective
BSE 2201 Network Applications Development 3 30 30 – 45
CSC 2214 Cryptology and Coding Theory 3 45 – – 45
Total 21

4.1.6 Year 2 Recess Term

Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 2301 Industrial Training 4 – 120 – 60
Total 4

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4.1.7 Semester 5
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
CSC 3103 User Interface Design 4 30 – 60 60
BIT 3102 Enterprenuership and Business 3 30 – 30 45
CSC 3111 Operations Research 3 30 – 30 45
CSC 3112 Principles of Programming Languages 3 45 – – 45
CSC 3113 Emerging Trends in Computer Science 4 15 90 – 60
2 electives
CSC 3110 Database Management Systems II 3 45 – – 45
BIS 3100 Modeling and Simulation 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 3105 Computer Graphics 3 30 – 30 45
CSC 3114 Selected Topics in Computer Science 3 45 – – 45
CSC 3115 Advanced Programming 3 30 – 30 45
Total 23

4.1.8 Semester 6
Code Name CU LH PH TH CH
BIT 3204 Enterprise Network Management 4 45 – 30 60
CSC 3205 Compiler Design 3 45 – – 45
CSC 3206 Group Project 5 – 135 – 60
2 electives
CSC 3207 Computer Security 3 45 – – 45
BIT 3200 Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing 4 45 30 – 60
BSE 3202 Distributed Systems Development 4 45 30 – 60
Total 15

4.2 Knowledge Areas Covered in the Curriculum

The curriculum is based on 8 broad knowledge areas. These are:-

1. Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS)

2. Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science (TFCS)

3. Data Structures, Algorithms and Programming (DSA&P)

4. Organizational Aspects of Software Development (OASD)

5. Study and Optimization of Operational Systems (SOOS)

6. Computer Networks (CN)

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 7. Research and Development (R&D)

8. Soft Skills (SS)

Graduates from the program are expected to exhibit competent knowledge/skills

in all the subject areas above. Each of them, therefore, has to be adequately
covered so as to produce good quality graduates. Analysis of the coverage
for the different subject areas is done in Section 4.3.

4.3 Content Distribution by Knowledge Area

The table bellow summarizes the distribution of the different course units
in the different knowledge areas. The total number of credit units is also
summarized.

Knowledge Area
Sm DSA&P OASD SOOS CN R&D MFCS TFCS SS
I CSC 1106 CSC 1106 CSC 1105 CSC 1104 CSK 1101
CSC 1100
II CSC 1207 CSC 1207 CSC 1204 CSC 1206
CSC 1209 CSC 1208
rtI CSC 1303 CSC 1301
III CSC 2100 CSC 2111 CSC 2109
CSC 2113
BSE 2105
CSC 2114
IV CSC 2209 BSE 2201 BSE 2203 CSC 2212 CSC 2200
BSE 2203 CSC 2210
CSC 2214
rtII CSC 2301
V CSC 3115 CSC 3103 CSC 3111 CSC 3113 CSC 3111 CSC 3110
CSC 3110 BIS 3100 CSC 3105
CSC 3112
VI BIT 3200 BIT 3204 CSC 3206 CSC 3207
P BSE 3202 CSC 3205
21 32 14 16 26 13 29 8
NB: Credits from audited courses are also included
From the table above, the largest proportion of the contact hours are in
TFCS, OASD, R& D and DSA&P. This is aimed at having students with (i)
hands on skills (ii) ability to research and learn new subject matter on their
own and (iii) ability to udertake advanced studies.

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5 Detailed Curriculum
5.1 Semester 1
5.1.1 CSC 1100: Computer Literacy
(a) Description
In this course, students are to learn about the basic organization, con-
cepts and terminologies in a computerized environment. They are also
to get an in depth understanding of common computer applications.
The use of related applications in different operating systems will be
explored.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course unit are to:

• Equip students with basic knowledge about computer organiza-

tion;
• Equip students with skills of using common office applications;
• Expose students to different operating systems;
• Equip students with skills of how to use the Internet and
• Equip students with knowledge about common text editors in dif-
ferent operating systems.

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course unit, the student should be able to:

• Describe the different parts of a computer;

• Describe the historical evolution of computers;
• Competently use the common office applications in at least two
operating systems;
• Competently use common text editors in at least two operating
systems.

(d) Teaching and learning pattern

Teaching will be by lectures and laboratory demonstrations/practicals

(e) Indicative content

• General computer organization

• Historical perspectives of computing

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 • Common Microsoft office packages
• Office packages in other operating systems
• Text editors
• Common Linux commands
• Using the web

(f) Assessment method

The assessment will be in form of tests and assignments (40%) and
final written exam (60%)

(g) Reading list

(i) Computer Literacy by John Preston, Robert Ferrett and Shelly

Gaskin, 2007.
(ii) Practical Computer Literacy by Jelne Janrich and Dan Oja, 2001

5.1.2 CSK 1101: Communication Skills

(a) Description
This course provides students with skills of effective communication.
These include verbal, written, and gestural. The course aims at facili-
tating students appropriately and clearly communicate with others.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• Improve the communication competencies of the students;

• Improve problem solving strategies of students;
• Improve the art of critical thinking within the student;
• Improve the student’s ability to collect and synthesize information;
• Provide students with knowledge to utilize the library and other
educational resources.

(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching and Learning will be by classroom lectures, demonstration
and students practical projects

(d) Indicative Content

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 • Writing Skills:
Thinking critically/ selectively before the writing process; Select-
ing the relevant details; Organizing the relevant details logically;
Writing the reports essays, letters and taking notes in appropriate
register; Avoiding ambiguities, fallacies, irrationalities; Providing
supportive evidence; Editing documents, proof reading; Writing
and expanding information; Quoting and citing references; Writ-
ing a curriculum vitae.
• Reading Skills:
The use of skimming; scanning inference and prediction in read-
ing; Intensive and critical reading; Acquisition of specific reading
skills; Interpretation of non linear texts; Locating information and
comprehension.
• Speaking and Listening Skills to Enhance Effective Public Rela-
tions:
The art of persuasion in e.effective speaking; Conducting inter-
views; Conducting meetings; Participating in group discussions
and tutorials; Non verbal communication crues; Presentation sem-
inars, seeking clarification etc.; Expression of politeness; Public
speaking; Proper listening skills.
• Examination Skills Preparing for examinations
How much one gets from group discussions; Proper revision; Un-
derstanding examination rubric; Budgeting time during examina-
tion process; Writing examinations and following instructions.

(e) Assessment Method

Assessment will be in form of coursework and tests (40%) and written
examination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) 101 ways to improve your communication skills instantly, by Ben-

nie Bough, 4th Edition, 2005
(ii) The hard Truth About soft skills: Work Place Lessons Smart
People wish they had learned sooner, by Peggy Klavs, 2008

5.1.3 CSC 1104: Computer Organization & Architecture

(a) Description
This course introduces the logical architecture and organization of com-
puter systems. It highlights the lower end operations in a typical com-

15
 puter as well as the way computers manage their resources during op-
eration. The course opens up a student to be an informed user of the
computer rather than a passive recipient of the computer services.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• To introduce to students the concepts of computer organization;

• To highlight to students the way computers process and store the
data;
• To highlight internal management issues in computer systems.

(c) Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will be able to know the organi-
zation, processing and storage mechanisms of computer systems.

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be in terms of lectures as well as tutorials

(e) Indicative Content

• Data Representation:
Integer Formats, Binary, Octal and Hexadecimal Systems, Nega-
tive integers and 2’s Complement, Floating Point Formats, BCD
Formats, Alphanumeric Codes.
• Basic Digital Circuits:
Logic gates, Karnaugh maps, Combinatorial Circuits, Binary Adders,
Multiplexers and Demultiplexers, Comparators, Decoders and En-
coders, Code Converters, ROMS and PLA’s, Sequential Circuits,
Flip Flops and Latches, R-S flip flops, J-K flip flops, T flip Flops,
D flip flops, Registers, Shift Registers and Data Transmission, Se-
quential Network Design.
• Micro Computer Architecture:
CPU, Memory, I/O Devices and Interfaces, System Bus, Exam-
ples of CPU Structures, The Intel / Pentium CPU, The Z-80 or
Motorolla, Machine Language Instructions, Instruction Formats
and Addressing Modes.
• The Processing Elements: Macroinstruction execution, Internal
Bus Transfers, Detailed Internal Architecture, Microcontrol, Hard-
wired Control, Microprogrammed Control, Reduced Instruction
Set Computers.

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 • I/O Programming:
Programmed I/O, Interrupt I/O, Polling, Priority Interrupt Sys-
tem, Direct Memory Access, I/O processors.
• Memory Systems and Memory Management:
Memory Hierarchy, Main Memory, Auxiliary Memory, Associative
Memory, Cache Memory, Virtual Memory, Memory Management
Hardware

(f) Assessment method Assessment will be in form of tests and assignments

(40%) and final examination (60%)

(g) Reading list

(i) Computer Systems Architecture by M. Morris Mano, Prentice

Hall, 1993
(ii) Structured Computer Organization by Andrew S. Tanebaum, Pren-
tice Hall 1984.
(iii) Computer Systems Concepts and Design by Glenn B. Gibson,
Prentice Hall, 1991
(iv) Computer Organization and Architecture by William Stallings,
Prentice Hall 2003.

5.1.4 CSC 1105: Numerical Methods

(a) Description
The course is to sharpen the students’ skills in using numerical ap-
proaches to solve mathematical/real life problems. The focus will be
on the ability to correctly formulate numerical problems and schemes
that solve them. Emphasis will be put on the precision and robustness
of the schemes.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are

• To provide a solid basis on the numerical approaches to computa-

tional problem solving;
• To provide students with problem analysis and solving skills to be
able to handle typical computational problems in practice.

(c) Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student should be able to

17
 • Derive schemes for different set ups of numerical problems
• Test for convergence of different schemes
• Correctly use the schemes to generate solutions to the numerical
problems to the required precision

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

The course will be taught theoretically. The developed schemes can be
implemented and run in any programming language.

(e) Indicative Content

• Numerical solutions to non linear equations;

• Numerical solutions for systems of linear equations;
• Fast - Fourier transforms;
• Numerical differentiation;
• Numerical integration;
• Numerical solutions for differential and difference equations.

(f) Assessment method

At least 2 (1 hour) tests and 1 assignment (40%) One 3-hour examina-
tion (60%)

(g) Reading lists

(i) Numerical Analysis by Richard L. Burden and J. Douglas Faires,

Wardsworth, 1993.
(ii) A.K. Kaw, E.E.Kalu and D.Nguyen(2008) Numerical Methods
with Applications

5.1.5 CSC 1106: Programming Methodology I

(a) Description
The course is to create a strong base in the principles and practice of
functional programming. A high level programming language like C is
to be used. Students are to cover both theoretical principles and hands
on practical skills. The main concepts to cover include program struc-
ture, data structures, syntactical and semantic correctness, planning
and segmentation in programming as well as working with files.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are to provide the student with:

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 • Comprehensive knowledge about structured oriented programming;
• Knowledge in planning and organization of programming projects;
• Knowledge and techniques of evaluating syntactic and semantic
correctness of a computer program;
• Strong practical basis in programming.

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

The course will be taught with a big practical component. Students
will be expected to have one supervised practical sessions per week.
They will so be given several programming assignments some of which
will be marked and contribute to the coursework scores.

(d) Indicative content

• Program structure
• Variables and Operators
• Conditional statements
• Looping statements
• Arrays and strings
• Functions
• Advanced data types
• Pointers
• Dynamic memory allocation and dynamic structures
• Working with files
• GUI

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will be in form of at least one (practical) assignment and
one test (40%), A practical exam - (30%) and a final written examina-
tion (30%)

(f) Reading list

(i) C Programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M.

Ritchie; Prentice Hall, 2000.
(ii) C: A Reference Manual (5th Edition) by Samuel P. Harbison; Pren-
tice Hall, 2002.

19
5.2 Semester 2
5.2.1 CSC 1204: Research Methodology
(a) Description
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with types of sci-
entific research relevant for anyone working in the field of computer
science. It will enable students to develop capacity to conduct small,
simple research projects while at the university.

(b) Aims
The aims of this course unit are to:

• Enable students become competent in understanding the research

process;
• Provide skills that will enable students undertake independent re-
search using a variety of appropriate methods, using primary and
secondary data, as well as qualitative and quantitative techniques;
• Provide students with skills to produce a research proposal;
• Highlight ethical research practices to students.

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be:

• Capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas to

conduct research;
• Able to contribute in an entrepreneurial and innovative way within
their business, workplace or community in the field of research;
• Able to operate effectively and ethically in conducting research in
groups/teams
• Adaptable and manage change to handle different research situa-
tions according to different contexts;
• Aware of research and research methodology in subsequent years
of study.

(d) Intellectual, Practical and Transferable skills

At the end of the course, students should have the ability to demon-
strate:

• Appreciation of the different functions and applications of scien-

tific research in the field of computer science;

20
 • Basic knowledge of the different research methodologies relevant
for computer science;
• Knowledge of which methods to use in what circumstances;
• Knowledge of what a research proposal entails;
• Application of quantitative and qualitative research methods and
techniques;
• Judgment of the quality of research proposals as well as the prod-
ucts (articles, papers, theses etc.) of scientific research.

(e) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be in form of formal lectures, tutorials and seminars.
Classes will be interactive and students are expected to come to class
prepared to participate and contribute regularly to class activities and
discussions.

(f) Indicative Content

The content of this course will include:

• Introduction to scientific research;

• Formulating and clarifying the research topic and research prob-
lem;
• Conducting a literature review;
• Different research approaches;
• Ethics in research;
• Sampling;
• Use of secondary data;
• Collection methods for primary data;
• Analyzing qualitative data;
• Analyzing quantitative data and writing a research proposal and
project report.

(g) Assessment method

The course will be assessed by course work and tests (40%) and final
examination (60%)

(h) Reading lists:

• Cooper, H. (1998). Synthesizing Research: A Guide for Literature

Reviews. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

21
 • Saunders, M, Lewis, P & Thornhill, A (2003), Research Methods
for Students, 3rd edn, UK, Financial Times, Prentice Hall.

5.2.2 CSC 1206: Computational Mathematics

(a) Description
The course gives the students a strong mathematical base to be able
to tackle other computer problems. The course brings together math-
ematical topics which are commonly used in the general area of com-
puter science. It builds a foundation for other courses that need special
mathematical backgrounds.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• To provide students with a mathematical base that is to be used

to solve computer science problems
• To improve the problem solving skills of students

(c) Teaching and learning pattern

The teaching will largely involve lectures, together with tutorials and
take home assignments.

(d) Indicative content

• Calculus
– Sequences and limits
– Limits of functions & continuity
– Advanced differential calculus
• Statistics
– Discrete Random variables and distributions
– Continuous distributions
– Basics of Monte Carlo simulations
• Further topics
– Mathematics for image processing
– Mathematics for signal processing

(e) Assessment method

The assessment will be by tests/assignment (40%) and final examina-
tion (60%)

22
 (f) Reading list
(i) Calculus and Analytic Geometry (9th Edition) by George B. Thomas,
Ross L. Finney Addison Wesley, 1995.
(ii) Introduction to Statistics by R. E Walpole, 3rd Ed, Prentice Hall,
1982

5.2.3 CSC 1207: Programming Methodology II

(a) Description
The course is to give an in depth understanding of Object Oriented
programming. It is to cater for Object Oriented programming prac-
tices like inheritance, interfaces, exception handling, action handling,
security, software reuse and robustness.
(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to
• Move the students’ programming skills from basic to advanced
• Avail students with skills to handle non functional program as-
pects like robustness and security
• Train students to develop complete computer applications
(c) Teaching and learning pattern
This will include lectures, practicals and lab assignments
(d) Indicative content
• The object oriented paradigm
• Classes and objects
• Inheritance and visibility modifiers
• Interfaces and abstract classes
• Graphical user interface and action handlers
• Exception handling
• Working with files
• Working with databases
• Sessions and user management
(e) Assessment method
The assessment will be done by tests and take home assignments (40%),
practical examination (30%) and written examination (30%)

23
 (f) Reading list
(i) Java Software Solution: Foundations of Program Design (6th Edi-
tion) by John Lewis and William Loftus, Addison-Wesley, 2009.
(ii) A Programmer’s Guide to JavaT M Certification: A comprehensive
Primer by Khalid A. Mughal and Rolf W. Rasmussen, Addison-
Wesley, 1999.

5.2.4 CSC 1208: Individual Project I

(a) Description
This course is to give students an experience of developing simple but
complete applications. Focus will be put on programming and program
documentations as well as realization of the objectives.
(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:
• To practically give students skills of integrating different concepts
of programming into a single application.
• To introduce the student to hands on aspects of software develop-
ment.
• To nurture the student’s ability to independently read different
sources of literature so as to identify what (s)he can use to develop
his/her application.
(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern
Learning will be largely by self study/ research. Students will be given
programming Assignments that will be submitted after a specific period
of time. The skills which that will be expected in the assignment will
be indicated to the student. A member of staff will meet students at
the issue of each of the assignment and address any outstanding issues
as well as expectations. A minimum of six assignments will be given.
(d) Indicative content
The main content in the course is translation of a real life problem into
a working computer program.
(e) Assessment method
Two assignments (each taking two weeks) and three assignments (each
taking 3 weeks) will be given. The first two assignments will constitute
the coursework (40%) while the last three assignments will constitute
the examination mark (60%).

24
 (f) Reading lists
Students can read any literature like books and online tutorials that
can help in addressing the problem in the project at hand.

5.2.5 CSC 1209 Logic Programming

(a) Description
This course introduces a paradigm where computation arises from proof
search in a logic according to a fixed, predictable strategy. It thereby
unifies logical specification and implementation in a way that is quite
different from functional or imperative programming. This course pro-
vides a thorough, modern introduction to logic programming. It intro-
duces the basic concepts and techniques of logic programming followed
by successive refinement towards more efficient implementations or ex-
tensions to richer logical concepts. It covers a variety of logics and
operational interpretations.
(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to provide a basic introduction to the logic
programming language, Prolog. It aims at introducing a number of
logical systems of importance in computer science.
(c) Learning outcomes
By the end of the subject, students should:
• Be conversant with the syntax and semantics of propositional and
predicate logic
• Be familiar with a variety of applications of predicate logic in
software verification, databases and knowledge-based systems
• Be able to write specifications in predicate logic expressing state
constraints
• Understand the notion of formal proof, and be able to construct
simple proofs in a natural deduction proof system for predicate
logic
• Be aware that there are inherent expressiveness and computational
limitations to the applicability of logical systems, and be famil-
iar with a number of restrictions under which the computational
limitations can be overcome
• Be able to write programs in a logic programming language,
• Understand both the top-down and the bottom up operational
semantics of logic programs

25
 • Be familiar with a logic for reasoning about sequential programs,
and capable of constructing correctness proofs for simple programs

(d) Teaching and Learning pattern

The course consists of a traditional lecture component and a project
component. The lecture component introduces the basic concepts and
techniques of logic programming. The project component will be one
or several projects related to logic programming.

(e) Indicative content

• Introduction
• Pure logic (relational) programming
• The Prolog Language
• Programming in Prolog.
• Efficient Prolog Programming
• Combining Logic Programming, Functional Programming, Higher
Order, Objects.
• Review of first order predicate logic and resolution.
• Fundamental results.
• Semantics of logic programs.
• Implementation of logic languages and advanced compilation.
• Parallelism, concurrency.
• Other LP/CLP languages

(f) Assessment method

Assessment will be by assignments and/or tests (40%) and written
examination (60%)

(g) Reading list

(i) Logic in Computer Science, Modeling and Reasoning about Sys-

tems, M.R. Huth and M.D. Ryan, Cambridge University Press
2000
(ii) SWI Prolog Home Page, http://www.swi-prolog.org/

26
5.3 Year I Recess Term
5.3.1 CSC 1301: Practical Skills Development
The course aims at imparting practical skills in areas chosen by the faculty.
The students are to be supervised by staff with in the faculty. Areas of
practica skills development include

• Implementation of projects

• Network and system administration

• Hardware maintainance

• Computer assembly

This can be done within the Faculty of Computing and Information Technol-
ogy or any other unit in Makerere University. Students will write a report
at the end of the course.

5.3.2 CSC 1303: Cisco Certified Network Associate (Audited)

In this course, students will cover the course content of the CCNA interna-
tional curriculum.

5.4 Semester 3
5.4.1 CSC 2100: Data Structures and Algorithms
(a) Description
The course gives students a firm foundation of data structures and
algorithms. The course trains students on systematic development and
analysis of algorithms. The importance of algorithm complexity on
computer performance is emphasized. Typical computational problems
and their solutions/analysis are to be covered.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are to

• Make students appreciate the role of data structures and algo-

rithms in computer programs;
• Improve students’ problem solving skills by subjecting them to
step by step analysis and design of computer algorithms;
• Introduce students to concepts Data structures;

27
 • Introduce students to concepts of algorithm analysis;
• To expose students generic algorithmic problems and apply them
to other computational scenarios.

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

The teaching pattern is by lecture, practical lab work, group discussion
and class presentations.

(d) Indicative content

• Complexity analysis (Big-O notation, orders of growth, worst case,

average case and amortized analysis);
• NP-complete problems;
• Greedy algorithms;
• Dynamic programming;
• Design patterns for data structures;
• Graphical representation of optimization problems
• Parallel algorithms.
• Sorting and searching;
• Divide-and-conquer algorithms;
• Elementary data structures;
• Recursive data structures (stacks, queues,linked lists, trees);
• Storing and searching (hash tables, search trees);
• Graph algorithms on graphs (shortest path, spanning trees).

(e) Assessment method

The assessment will be done by tests/assignment (40%) and final ex-
amination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) Data Structures and Algorithms by Alfred V. Aho, Jeffrey D.

Ullman, John E. Hopcroft. Addison-Wesley, 1983
(ii) The Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms by Alfred V.
Aho, Addison-Wesley Longman, 1974
(iii) Introduction to Algorithms 2nd Ed by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles
E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein, McGraw-Hill,
2008

28
5.4.2 BSE 2105 Formal Methods
(a) Description
The course provides students with skills of solving generic formal prob-
lems in science. It covers the intellectual and practical skills necessary
for problem formalization.
(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:
• To provide students with factual knowledge including the mathe-
matical notations and terminologies used in formalizing scientific
problems
• To provide students with fundamental principles including the
laws and theorems arising from the concepts covered in this course;
• To be able to apply course material along with techniques and
procedures to solve practical problems;
• To provide programming skills by writing numerical programs like
Matlab programs, to solve numerical problems.
(c) Teaching and Learning Patterns
Teaching will be by Lectures and practical demonstrations
(d) Indicative Content
• Predicate Logic Specification:
Foundations; Basic concepts; Verification; Z; Tools and systems;
Z animation Miranda and ZANS; Nitpick and the Z Notation.
• Algebraic Specification:
Foundations; Basic concepts; Verification; Tools and systems; Mi-
randa; The OBJ family of languages; LARCH.
(e) Assessment Method:
Assessment will be in terms of tests and practical assignments (40%)
and final written examination (60%)
(f) Reading list
(i) Z: An Introduction to Formal Methods, by Antoni Diller, 2nd
edition, Wiley, (June 1994), ISBN-10: 0471939730
(ii) Logic in Computer Science: Modeling and Reasoning about Sys-
tems, by Michael Huth and Mark Ryan, Cambridge University
Press; 2nd Edition (August, 2004), ISBN-10: 052154310X

29
 (iii) Formal Methods and Models for System Design: A System Level
Perspective, by Gupta, R., Le Guernic, P. Shukla, S.K. and Talpin,
J.P. (Eds.), 2004, ISBN: 978-1-4020-8051-7

5.4.3 CSC 2109: Discrete Mathematics

(a) Description
The course applies mathematics to finite or discontinuous quantities in
order to master the process of problem-solving, communication, rea-
soning, and modeling. It gives a basic understanding of mathematical
structures that are fundamentally discrete. Objects studied in discrete
mathematics are largely countable sets such as integers, finite graphs,
and formal languages. Applications of such concepts to computer sci-
ence are to be studied. Concepts and notations from discrete mathe-
matics are useful in studying and describing objects and problems in
computer algorithms and programming languages.

(b) Aims
The aim of this course is to provide the student with: -

• A basic understanding of mathematical objects that assume only

distinct, separate values, rather than values on a continuum.
• The main ideas studied in the broad area of Discrete Mathematics
especially clear algorithmic aspects.
• An understanding of what the relation between problems is.

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

Teaching and learning will be by lectures and tutorials

(d) Indicative content

• Logics and set theory

• Number theory
• Relations and functions
• Languages
• Finite state machines (and optionally Finite state automata)
• Groups and Modulo Arithmetic
• Number of solutions of a linear equation
• Recurrence relations

30
 • Searching algorithms

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will be by assignments and/or tests (40%) and written
examination (60%)

(f) Reading list

(i) Bobrow, L.S. and Arbib, M.A. Discrete Mathematics: Applied

Algebra for Computer and Information Science. Philadelphia, PA:
Saunders, 1974.
(ii) Dossey, J.A.; Otto, AD.; Spence, L.; and Eynden, C.V. Discrete
Mathematics, 3rd ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1997.
(iii) Balakrishnan, V.K. Introductory Discrete Mathematics. New York:
Dover, 1997.

5.4.4 CSC 2111: Database Management Systems I

(a) Description
The course is provide students with a strong foundation in system-
atic approaches to design and implementation of database applications.
Preliminarily operations like requirements gathering and database plan-
ning will be covered. The course will also introduce students to devel-
oping of application programs that talk to the database. These appli-
cations may be online or off line.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are to:

• Provide a background for the evolution of database (management)

systems
• Provide the students with the steps one has to go through when
developing good database applications
• Give hand on experience and knowledge in developing database
(driven) applications

(c) Teaching and Learning patterns

Teaching will be by lectures, take home reading assignments/class pre-
sentations and laboratory practicals

(d) Indicative content

31
 • Background to databases
• Evolution of database systems
• Database organization and architecture
• Database models
• The database development life cycle
• Database design
• Tuning of operational systems
• Querying databases
• SQL/PL SQL
• Scripting

(e) Assessment Methods

Assessment will be in terms of tests and take home assignments (40%),
A practical examination (30%) and a final written exam (30%)

(f) Reading list

(i) Thomas Connolly and Carolyn Begg: Database Systems: A Prac-

tical Approach to Design, Implementation and Management. 2nd
Edition, Addison-Wesley, 2004.

5.4.5 CSC 2113: Software Engineering

(a) Description
This course introduces students to the foundations of software engi-
neering as a discipline. Students are introduced to the evolving role of
software engineering, especially with emphasis on software engineering
process and process models. Key topics covered include Software con-
figuration management, Requirement analysis, Software Specification,
Design methods, Software testing, Software project management tech-
niques; Software project planning, Risk management; Software Quality
Assurance; Software reuse; and Computer aided software engineering:
CASE tools and application.

(b) Aims and Objectives

• To introduce software engineering and to explain its importance

• To set out the answers to key questions about software engineering

32
 • To introduce ethical and professional issues and to explain why
they are of concern to software engineers

(c) Learning outcomes

On successfully completing of this unit students will be able to

• Demonstrate competence in handling software engineering projects.

• Know the fundamental software engineering processes and models
• Know what is involved in a typical software engineering project’s
life cycle.
• Employ good project management principles in handling projects
and know why these principles are important in constructing qual-
ity software.
• Be competent in using CASE tools in real world projects.

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching and learning is to be implemented through lecture, lab and
tutorial sessions. Students are also expected to make presentations of
their work.

(e) Indicative Content

• Evolving role of software, software characteristics; Systems and

environment; system engineering hierarchy, information and knowl-
edge engineering; Information strategy; Business Area analysis,
modeling enterprise and business-level data modeling, system ar-
chitecture and associated information flow; writing system speci-
fication.
• Software Engineering as a layered technology: Software process,
software process models. Software configuration management: the
SCM process, Identification of objects in software configuration,
version control, change control, configuration audit, SCM stan-
dards.
• Requirement analysis: Communication techniques, Information
gathering tools; organizing and structuring information; analysis
principles; Analysis modeling.
• Software Specification: Design process, principles and concepts:
Abstraction, refinement, modularity, control hierarchy, structural
partitioning, information hiding, functional independence, cohe-
sion, coupling, design heuristics;

33
 • Design methods: data design, architectural design, transform map-
ping, design optimization, human computer interface design, pro-
cedural design and tools; Design documentation.
• Software testing: Testing objectives, Testing principles, Testabil-
ity, test case designing, white box testing; Basis path testing: Con-
dition testing, data flow testing, loop testing; Black box testing:
graph based testing methods, equivalence partitioning, Boundary
value analysis, comparison testing; Testing documentation and
help facilities; Software testing strategy: unit testing, integration
testing, validation testing, system testing.
• Software project management techniques: project metrics, soft-
ware measurement and metrics, software quality metrics;
• Software project planning: objectives of planning, resources, project
estimation and estimation models, project decomposition tech-
niques, make-buy decisions; automated estimation tools.
• Risk management: software risks, risk identification, risk projec-
tion, risk mitigation, monitoring and management; Project Schedul-
ing: people and effort relationships, defining tasks, defining task
network, scheduling techniques; Software teams and intra-team
relationships; role of project manager.
• Software Quality Assurance: Concept of quality, quality control
vs. quality assurance, cost of quality, factors that affect quality,
quantitative view of quality, quality metrics, defect removal ef-
ficiency SQA activities, ISO standards and CMM practices, SEI
levels, Software reviews, Formal approaches to SQA, Statistical
Quality Assurance. Software reliability, reliability metrics, relia-
bility models, meeting reliability requirements.
• Effective metrics for software process: Measurement principles,
attributes of software metrics, metrics for analysis model, metrics
for design model, metrics for source code, metrics for maintenance.
• Software reuse: difficulties in reuse, hardware reuse vs. software
reuse, reusable artifacts, domain engineering approach, analysis
design and construction of reusable components, classification and
retrieval of components, economic impact of reuse and reuse met-
rics.
• Computer aided software engineering: CASE tools and applica-
tion.
(f) Assessment method

34
 • Continuous assessment through practical exercises and Course-
work, together with two scheduled tests (40%)
• Final exam at the end of the Semester and accounts for 60% of
the final grade.

(g) Reading lists

(i) J.F. Peters, W.Pedrycz,Software engineering: An Engineering ap-

proach, John Wiley, 2000.
(ii) R.S. Pressman, Software engineering: A Practitioners Approach,
5th Edition, McGraw Hill, 2005.
(iii) Sommerville, Software engineering, 8th Edition, Addison Wesley,
2008.
(iv) D. Ghezzi, M. Jazayeri, D. Mandrioli, Fundamentals of software
Engineering, Prentice Hall of India, 2004.

5.4.6 CSC 2114 Artificial Intelligence

(a) Description
This course examines the concepts, techniques, applications, and theo-
ries of Artificial Intelligence. The focus of the course is on the theory
and application of artificial intelligence. Topics include logic, search,
and reasoning with an emphasis on fundamentals and recent advances
in AI. Given the broad range of topics addressed by the AI field, topics
for discussion must, necessarily, be limited. Therefore, this course will
focus on issues of search, knowledge representation, reasoning, decision
making, and learning from the perspective of an intelligent agent.

(b) Aims and Objectives

• To give students an advanced understanding of, and competence

with, the theories, concepts, technologies and techniques of Com-
puter Games development.
• To produce graduates possessing awareness, knowledge and prac-
tical skills in the field of Computer Games enabling them to follow
a programme of study that will offer relevant specialization and
career options.
• To develop students professional attitudes, interpersonal and en-
trepreneurial skills which are required by a practitioner in the
industry.

35
 • To provide students with critical and evaluative perspectives re-
lated to Computer Games development and develop students ca-
pacity for independent and self-reflective learning, ensuring their
future contribution to research and development.

(c) Learning outcomes

At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• Formulate and assess problems in artificial intelligence.

• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of several methods for repre-
senting knowledge.
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of several AI algorithms in ar-
eas such as heuristic search, game search, logical inference, statis-
tical inference, decision theory, planning, machine learning, neural
networks, and natural language processing.
• Implement software solutions to a wide-variety of problems gen-
erally considered to require artificial intelligence.

(d) Intellectual, Practical and Transferable skills

This course describes and discusses several algorithms and techniques
within the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning. These
are algorithms and techniques that have practical applicability in com-
puter science fields. Theoretical and practical understanding of these
areas equips the student with the insights and tools required for solving
complex and difficult problems, and for implementing them in software.

(e) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching and learning is implemented through lecture, lab and tutorial
sessions. Students are expected to make presentations of their assign-
ments for discussion in class.

(f) Indicative Content

• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Simulation of Intelligence

behavior, in different areas;
• Problem solving: games, natural language question answering,
visual perception, learning; Aim-oriented (heuristic) algorithms
versus solution-guaranteed algorithms.
• Understanding Natural Languages: Parsing techniques, context-
free and transformational grammars, transition nets, augmented
transition nets, grammar-free analyzers, sentence generation.

36
 • Knowledge Representation: First-order predicate calculus; PRO-
LOG and LISP languages; Semantic nets; partitioned nets; Pro-
duction rules; knowledge base, the inference system, forward and
backward deduction.
• Expert System: Existing systems (DENDRAL, MYCIN), Domain
exploration; Meta-knowledge, expertise transfer, self-explaining
systems.
• Pattern Recognition Structured Descriptions: Symbolic descrip-
tion, machine perception, line finding, interpretation, semantics
and models, object identification and speech recognition.

(g) Assessment method

Assessment will be by continuous assessment through practical exer-
cises and Coursework (40%) and final exam (60%)

(h) Reading lists

(i) R. Duda, P.Hart, Pattern Classification and Scene Analysis, Wi-

ley, 1973.
(ii) E.A. Feigenbaum, J.Feldman; Computers and Thoughts, AAAI
Press, 1995.
(iii) N.J. Jilsson, Problem Solving Methods in Artificial Intelligence,
McGraw-Hill, 1971.
(iv) J.Lloyd, Foundation of Logic Programming, Springer-Verlag, 1993.

5.5 Semester 4
5.5.1 CSC 2200: Operating Systems
(a) Description
Operating Systems course introduces students to software that con-
trols hardware and makes the hardware usable. Its interaction with
other computer devises and how it controls other computer processes
is explored.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• To provide students with a detailed understanding of how operat-

ing systems work.

37
 • To provide students with skills to write basic programs to utilize
underlying operating system infrastructures.

(c) Learning outcomes

The dominant categories of operating systems are Windows and UNIX
(Linux, Mac OS, Solaris, etc). Students of operating systems are ex-
pected to have a proper understanding of the differences between these
two. Students should be able to understand different design principles
for operating systems and various software tools that make operating
systems usable.

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

The teaching pattern is by lectures, lab sessions and group projects.

(e) Indicative Content

• Operating Systems Structures

• Processes and threads
• Thread creation, manipulation and synchronization
• Deadlock
• Implementing Synchronization operations
• CPU scheduling
• Memory management
• File systems and file system implementation
• Monitors
• Segments
• Disk Scheduling
• Networking
• UDP and TCP

(f) Assessment method

The assessment will constitute Practical assignments on at least 5 chap-
ters of the course and written course work (40%) and written Exam
(60%)

(g) Reading list

(i) Operating Systems: Internals and Design Principles 5th Ed by

William Stallings, Prentice Hall, 2005.

38
5.5.2 BSE 2203 Computer Networks & Data Communication
(a) Description
This course examines principles, design, implementation, and perfor-
mance of computer networks and data communication. The aim is to
sharpen student’s understanding and skills in computer networking and
data communication. Subjects for discussion include: Internet proto-
cols and routing, local area networks, wide area networking, wireless
communications and networking, performance analysis, congestion con-
trol, TCP, network address translation, multimedia over IP, switching
and routing, mobile IP, peer-to-peer networking, network security, and
other current research topics and technologies.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are

– To provide a solid basis on the theoretical and practical under-

stand of data communication networks
– To introduce students to standards and guidelines in computer
and data communication networks
– To impact knowledge and skill relevant for the design, implemen-
tation and maintenance of modern computer communication net-
works
– To introduce students to emerging technologies in data communi-
cation

(c) Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able
to

– Describe theoretical concepts of computer communication sys-

tems, including standards, protocols, and infrastructure devices
e.g. routers and switches.
– Design, install and manage a simple Local Area Network or A
campus Wide Area Network
– Describe emerging communication technologies particularly wire-
less and fiber optic technologies
– Deploy sound network security practices and tools
– Describe emerging research directions in computer communication
networks

39
 – To write a few network scripts
(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern
The course will be delivered inform of lectures, tutorials, lab experi-
mentation, and group assignments.
(e) Indicative Content
– Network services and applications: DNS, HTTP, SMTP, peer-to-
peer systems
– Network transport architectures, TCP, UDP, TCP congestion con-
trol
– Routing and forwarding, intra-domain, inter-domain routing algo-
rithms and Mobile IP
– Link layers and local area networks, Ethernet, WiFi, and mobility
– Multimedia communications and quality of service
– Network measurement, inference, and management
– Network security (ACL, IPSec, etc)
– Network programming
– Network experimentation and performance analysis
– Protocol verification
(f) Assessment method
Assessment will be in terms of tests and Assignment (40%) and final
examination (60%)
(g) Reading lists
(i) James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross. Computer Networking - A
Top Down Approach Featuring the Internet, 3rd edition, Addison-
Wesley, 2004, ISBN 0-321-22735-2.
(ii) L. Peterson and B. Davie, Computer Networks: A Systems Ap-
proach. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1999.

5.5.3 CSC 2209: Systems Programming

(a) Description
Systems programming is aimed at teaching students how to write pro-
grams using system level services. The system of instruction is UNIX
due to availability of free system tools that have been largely developed
by and for the academia.

40
 (b) Aim
Skills in tools provided by systems, their commands, system calls and
understanding for model of computation.

(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern

The teaching pattern is by lectures, lab sessions and projects.

(d) Indicative Content

• Introduction and Unix Standardization

• File input and output
• Standard I/O Library
• Files and Directories
• System Data Files and Information
• Process Environment
• Process Control
• Process Relationships
• Signals
• Threads
• Advanced I/O
• Interprocess Communication

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will be in form of tests and practical assignment (40%) and
final written examination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) Advanced programming in the Unix Environment, by W. Richard

Stevens, Addison-Wesley 2008

5.5.4 CSC 2210 Automata, Complexity and Computability

(a) Description
The course introduces students to the concept of automata and com-
plexity. It sets a background for more advanced studies like compiler
construction and principles of programming languages.

(b) Aims The aims of the course are:

41
 • To introduce students to the concepts of complexity, automata
and computability
• To prepare students for advanced studies in compiler construction
and principle of programming languages

(c) Teaching and learning pattern Teaching will be in form of class lectures
and tutorials

(d) Indicative content

• Finite state machines and regular languages:

• Deterministic and non deterministic machines;
• Equivalence and minimization;
• Regular expressions and regular grammars;
• Kleene’s theorem.
• Push-down automata and context free grammars;
• Normal forms of grammars; Top-down and bottom-up parsing.
• Turing machines and computability;
• Church’s thesis;
• NP-Computable problems.

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will be in terms of Assignments and tests (40%) and final
written examination (60%)

(f) Reading list

• John E. Hopcroft, Rajeev Motwani, Jeffrey D. Ullman: Introduc-

tion to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation; Addison
Wesley, 2000.
• Daniel I. A. Cohen Introduction to Computer Theory; John Wiley
and Sons, Inc, 1996.

5.5.5 CSC 2212 Individual Project II

(a) Description
The course is to strengthen the students’ hand on skills on integra-
tion of the different skills into a programming project. Students are
expected to develop a running computer application bigger in size and

42
 more polished than in CSC 1208 Individual Project I. More empha-
sis will be put on creativity, robustness, data validation, security and
completeness.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• To provide an avenue for students to integrate different subject

areas into a single application
• To sharpen the students problem solving skills
• To improve student’s ability to read on his/her own as an avenue
for solving a certain real life problem

(c) Teaching and Learning patterns

A list of problems to be addressed will be given to students at the be-
ginning of the semester. The expected characteristics of the developed
system will be indicated. Each student will pick a problem of his/her
own choice and he/she will be free to consult any member of staff.

(d) Indicative Content

The content is to be determined by the problem the student intends to
address

(e) Assessment Methods

Assessment will be by demonstrations of students to lectures as the
lecturers award marks. The demonstrations will be in phases as the
project progresses.

(f) Reading lists

Students will be required to read any literature related to the project
at hand

5.5.6 BSE 2201 Network Applications Development

(a) Description
This course gives students theoretical principles and hands on experi-
ence of developing network applications. It caters for functional and
non functional issues peculiar to network applications. These include
security, robustness and performance.

(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to:

43
 • Give students theoretical and practical skills of developing network
applications
• Equip students with security and performance aspects of network
based applications
• Expand the applications of students programming skills

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

Teaching will be in terms of lectures and laboratory programming prac-
tical sessions

(d) Indicative content

• Design principles for network-based applications;

• Design and development of Java Servlets, JSP, Web services and
.NET;
• Principles of information security in network-based applications;
• http and https protocols.

(e) Assessment Method

Assessment will be in terms of coursework and tests (40%) and final
examination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) Core Servlets and Java Server Pages, Volume 1: Core Technologies
by Marty Hall (2nd Edition), Prentince Hall , 2000.

5.5.7 CSC 2214 Cryptology and Coding Theory

(a) Description
This course provides a foundation for further studies in information se-
curity. The course introduces students to the exciting fields of cryptol-
ogy and coding theory. Fundamentally, it deals with the mathematics
that underlies modern cryptology. Cryptology combines the studies of
cryptography, the creating of masked messages, and cryptanalysis, the
unraveling of masked messages. Coding theory is the study of coding
schemes used to detect and correct errors that occur during the data
transmission.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are

44
 • To understand the building blocks of crypto systems and error
correction
• To gain historical understanding of the evolution of crypto sys-
tems.
• To develop tools necessary to crypto analyze crypto systems
• To gain insights in the practical application of cryptology and
error correction in the modern information age.
• To understand the goals and trade-offs associated with encryption
and error-control coding systems.

(c) Indicative Content

• History of cryptology and coding theory

• Shift registers
• Classical crypto-systems
• Stream ciphers
• Block ciphers
• Information theory
• Crypto analysis techniques
• Introduction to Elliptic curve cryptography
• Basic Algebra
• Coding theory fundamentals
• Linear codes
• Hamming codes
• Secret sharing schemes
• Introduction to Complexity
• Hash functions
• PGP & PKI Deffie-hellman key exchange protocol

(d) Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able
to

• Deploy sound cryptographic practices and tools

• Discuss the goals and trade-offs associated with encryption and
error-control coding systems.

45
 (d) Teaching and Learning Pattern
The course will be delivered inform of lectures, tutorials, and group
assignments.

(f) Assessment method

At least 2 tests and 1 assignment (40%)One 3 hour examination (60%)

(g) Reading lists

(i) Handbook of Applied Cryptography, by A. Menezes, P. van Oorschot,

and S. Vanstone, CRC Press, 1996 Trappe & Washington,
(ii) Introduction to Cryptography with Coding Theory, Prentice-Hall,
2001 ISBN 0130618144
(iii) Introduction to Cryptography with Coding Theory by Trappe and
Washington, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall, 2006.
(iv) The Code Book by Simon Singh, Doubleday, 1999
(v) Introduction to Algebraic Coding Theory with Gap, Sarah Spence
Adams, 2005.

5.6 Year 2 Recess Term

5.6.1 CSC 2301 Industrial Training
During Industrial training, students are to go and work in an organization
with an IT department. The student is to be under the supervision of one of
the workers in the organization. The student is assigned duties in line with
the operations of the organization. Staff from Makerere University will make
visits to get the students’ view of the organization as well as the organization’s
view about the student. The supervisor will be given a form to evaluate the
students and the student will make a report about his experience. The two
reports will be used to evaluate the student.

5.7 Semester 5
5.7.1 CSC 3103: User Interface Design
(a) Description:
The course introduces the principles of user interface development, fo-
cusing on design, implementation and evaluation.

(b) Aims
The course aims at providing the skills listed below to students:

46
 • Developing efficient, flexible and interactive User Interfaces(UI)
• Provide ability to identifying system users, the tasks they want to
carry out and the environment in which they will be working;
• Creating a conceptual designs;
• Designing various kinds of UI, in particular graphical user inter-
faces (GUIs) and web sites; evaluating UIs;
• Appreciation of realities of developing usable UIs in an organiza-
tion.

(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern

The teaching pattern is by lectures, lab sessions and projects.

(d) Indicative content

• Usability
• User-Centered Design
• UI Software Architecture
• Human Capabilities
• Output Models
• Conceptual Models and Metaphors
• Input Models
• Design Principles
• Paper Prototyping
• Constraints and Layouts
• Graphic Design
• Computer Prototyping
• Heuristic Evaluation
• User Testing
• Experiment Design
• Experiment Analysis

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will be in form of a assignments and tests (40%), practical
Exam (30%) and final written exam (30%)

(f) Reading List

47
 (i) Norman, D. A. The Design of Everyday Things. New York, NY:
Doubleday, 1990. ISBN: 0385267746.
(ii) Nielsen, J. Usability Engineering. Burlington, MA: Academic
Press, 1994. ISBN: 0125184069.
(iii) Mullet, K., and D. Sano.Designing Visual Interfaces: Communica-
tion oriented techniques. Prentice Hall, 1994. ISBN: 0133033899.

5.7.2 CSC 3110 Database Management Systems II

(a) Description
The course gives students advanced knowledge in the operation of
database management systems. Operational aspects like speed and se-
curity are to be extensively addressed. Internal operations of database
management systems like indexing, query processing and transactions
are to be covered. These are to create a strong basis for future advanced
studies/research.

(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to equip students with fundamental knowledge
of the operation of database systems and how they interact with the
operating system.

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

Teaching and learning will be in form of lectures and class discus-
sions/presentations.

(d) Indicative Content

• Enhanced ER modeling
• Tuning (operational) systems to improve performance
• Advanced scripting
• Data validation
• Relational algebra and Relational calculus
• Low level output representation using relational calculus
• Query processing
• Transactions management
• Indexing and hashing

48
 (e) Assessment Method
Assessment will be in terms of tests and assignments (40%) and final
examination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) R. Elmasri, S. B. Navathe: Fundamentals of Database Systems,

4th Edition. Benjamin/Cummings, 2003, ISBN 0-8053-1748-1

5.7.3 CSC 3111 Operations Research

(a) Description
The course is to introduce students to the broad concepts of operations
research. students will learn how to interprete and analyze OR prob-
lems, formulate them as problems and use existing techniques to solve
them.

(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to improve students’ problem solving skills by
subjecting them to real life problems and guide them through formula-
tion of their solutions. The choice of the cases chosen depends on their
applicability in real life computing environment.

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student should be able to

• Correctly formalize real life problems into OR problems

• Adequately solve typical OR problems
• Make post optimality analysis on OR solutions

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern Teaching will be in form of lectures and
Tutorials

(e) Indicative Content

• Linear programming
• Network Analysis
• Decision trees
• Markov processes

(g) Assessment method Assessment will be by assignments and tests (40%)

and final written exam (60%)

49
 (h) Reading lists

(i) Linear Programming and Network Flows by Mokhtar S. Bazaraa,

John J Jarvis and Hanif D Sherali, John Wiley, 2005
(ii) Operations Research: Applications and Algorithms by Wayne L.
Winston. Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997

5.7.4 CSC 3112: Principles of Programming Languages

(a) Description
The course introduces students to the low level organization and op-
eration of programming languages. It covers semantic and syntactic
as well as operational issues in programming languages. The building
blocks of programming languages are explored.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are

• To give students fundamental knowledge in the organization and

operation of programming languages
• To make students appreciate the possible future evolutions of pro-
gramming languages
• To expose students to causes of operational (like performance,
security, etc) characteristics of programming languages

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand common language paradigms

• Know the different building blocks of a programming language
• Know how the different blocks of a programming language interact

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be largely by lectures, tutorials and class assignments

(e) Indicative Content

• Overview over programming language paradigms

• Common principles: syntax, syntax trees, formal semantics (de-
notational and operational), variables and binding

50
 • Types: role of types in programming and programming languages,
types and their operations: products, sums, functions, recursive
types, reference and array types
• Primarily imperative issues: control flow, arrays, pointers and
references, parameter-passing mechanisms, scoping
• Type systems: strongly typed languages type checking (static vs.
dynamic), type equivalence (by name vs. structural), overloading,
coercion, polymorphism, type inference
• Binding: declarations and environments. Block structure: scope
and visibility, stack discipline. Bound occurrences: static vs. dy-
namic binding.
• Encapsulation: information hiding, modules, abstract data types,
classes
• Language implementation: parsing, code generation, garbage col-
lection.
(f) Assessment method
Assessment will be by Tests and Assignments (40%) and final written
examination (60%)
(g) Reading lists
(i) Friedman, Wand, and Haynes, Essentials of Programming Lan-
guages, MIT Press, 2001

5.7.5 CSC 3113 Emerging Trends in Computer Science

(a) Description
The course is to expose provide students with an opportunity to search
for knowledge in an area of interest. It is to allow a student do
lightweight research and explore the current trends in a certain com-
puter science area.
(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:
• To aid a student get an in depth understanding of the develop-
ments in one area of computer science
• To improve the student’s research skills
• To develop confidence in the students on the ability to search for
knowledge with little guidance.

51
 (c) Teaching and Learning pattern
Students will be grouped in theme areas which will be covered by a set
of staff. Staff will guide students on the specific themes/topics in the
area as well as where to search for information. Staff will also address
experiences and hardships found.

(d) Indicative content

The content is not specific but will be dependent on the area the student
chooses to pursue.

(e) Assessment Method

Students will present their findings in a report. The study report will
be an outline and explanation of what the student has found out in the
state of practice in the area of choice. The write up will be evaluated
and the final mark awarded

5.7.6 BIS 3100: Modeling and Simulation

(a) Description
The course gives students theoretical and practical skills in modeling
and simulation of dynamic systems with a view of learning their be-
havior and the sensitivity of that behavior to certain parameters.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• Familiarize students with modeling and simulation techniques that

are applicable under varying circumstances
• Equip students with practical experiences of composing models
and running simulations under varying circumstances
• Equip students with skills of correctly representing simulation re-
sults

(c) Teaching and Learning Method

Teaching and Learning will be in form of Lectures and laboratory
demonstrations

(d) Indicative Content

• Simulation of operational systems

• Simulation as a decision making methodology
• Model development and validation,

52
 • Design of simulation experiments,
• Generation of appropriate values of random variables,
• Interactive procedures and interpretation of results.

(e) Assessment Method Assessment will be in form of tests and assignments

(40%) and final examination (60%)

(f) Reading List

(i) Business Modeling and Simulation by Les Oakshott, 1997, Trans-

Atlantic Publications
(ii) System dynamics modeling a practical approach by R.G. Coyle,
Chapman & Hall/CRC, 1996.

5.7.7 CSC 3105 Computer Graphics

(a) Description
The course covers general purpose graphics systems and their use. It
gives an in depth knowledge of computer graphics and graphical user
interfaces.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• Introduce students to the concepts of graphical representation on

computers
• Teach students the design of good graphical user interfaces

(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be in terms of class lectures and tutorials

(d) Indicative Content

• Graphics hardware,
• Geometrical transformations,
• Surface and volume visualization,
• Design and implementation of graphical user interfaces.
• Two dimensional imaging processes.
• Computer graphics applications.
• Display system organization;

53
 • Display devices and modes;
• Display file construction and its structure;
• Graphic primitive - device initialization,
• view porting and windowing;
• Line drawing,
• simple and symmetrical Digital Differential Analysis (DDA);
• Arch and circle generating DDA Line; and polygon clipping algo-
rithms;
• Curve plotting;
• Transformations- projections and perspective views;
• Picture segmentation: Graphics standards - PHIGS and GKS.
(e) Assessment method Assessment will be in terms of assignments and
tests (40%) and final exam (60%)
(h) Reading lists
(i) Introduction to Computer Graphics by James D. Foley, Andries
van Dam, Steven K. Feiner, John F. Hughes and Richard L.
Phillips, Addison Wesley, 2003.
(ii) Fundamentals of Computer Graphics by Peter Shirley. AK Peters,
2002.

5.7.8 CSC 3114 Selected Topics in Computer Science

(a) Description
The course is to give an avenue for visiting or local staff to design
content for an area that they are researching in but not covered in the
curriculum. This could be an upcoming field yet to be incorporated
in the curriculum or some outstanding state of practice in a certain
computer science area.
(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to provide an avenue for exposing students to
new interesting areas of computer science which are not (yet) incorpo-
rated into the curriculum.
(c) Teaching and learning pattern
The teaching and learning pattern is to be designed by the lecturer with
approval of the head of department (or another senior staff appointed
by him/her)

54
 (d) Indicative content
The content is to be determined by the lecturer. The head of depart-
ment (or senior staff appointed by him/her) may have to be convinced
it is sufficient in depth and breadth.

(e) Assessment method

The lecturer concerned has to propose the assessment method but has
to be comprehensive enough, in the view of the Head of Department,
to examine the content.

(f) Reading List

The textbooks are to be determined by the lecturer. These depend on
the content he/she is going to deliver.

5.7.9 CSC 3115 Advanced Programming

(a) Description
This course highlights programming practices that are vital in the day
today work of a programming professional. While many systems are
described by functionalities, some important aspects like security, ro-
bustness, and maintainability are ignored. Students are to get an in
depth understanding of these concepts as well as exploring the current
trends in the programming environment.

(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to concretize the student’s past programming
experience as well as highlighting critical practices in programming that
are necessary for a professional programmer

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student should be:

• Able to implement non functional but critical aspects of program-

ming like robustness and security
• Able to develop well documented and well structured software that
can easily be maintained
• Knowledgeable in other programming practices like mobile pro-
gramming
• Aware of newer programming paradigms like service oriented and
cloud computing

55
 (e) Teaching and Learning Pattern
Teaching will be by lectures and lab demonstrations.
(f) Indicative Content
• Programming for Security:
• Programming for Robustness
• Programming for Maintainability
• Trends in Programming Paradigms
(g) Assessment method
Assessment will be by tests and practical assignments (40%) and final
written examination (60%)
(h) Reading lists
(i) Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment by W. Richard
Stevens and Stephen A. Rago Addison WEsley 1992

5.7.10 BIT 3102 Entrepreneurship and Business

(a) Course Description:
This course offers an overview of the entrepreneurial process. Students
will develop a business plan using their own business idea. They will
learn skills and characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, techniques
for evaluating business opportunities, planning tools, selling and mar-
keting basics, financial analysis, record keeping, laws and regulations
of Uganda, and step by step procedures for starting a small business.
(b) Aims:
A student that undertakes this course should be able to:
• Identify the talents and skills required to become a successful en-
trepreneur.
• Describe the various types of business opportunities and successful
entry strategies.
• Specify the various steps employed in starting a business in Uganda.
• Identify sources of information and assistance available to those
who desire to start their own business.
• Analyze and research how a selected business markets and sells its
products. Be able to prepare a report summarizing the findings
of this analysis and research.

56
 • Provide a general company description for the student’s start-up
business.
• Identify products and services which will be offered in the start-up
business.
• Outline the components of a business plan including marketing,
operations, finances, and management and organization
• Be able to use the business plan as an integral tool in small busi-
ness management.

(c) Learning Outcomes: On completion of this course unit, the students

will be able to:

• Describe the Ugandan business environment with respect to own-

ing and operating a small business;
• Compare advantages and disadvantages of different types of busi-
ness start-up and purchase opportunities;
• Conduct research and field work to determine viability of a busi-
ness idea;
• Perform a competitive analysis within a selected industry;
• Develop and present a detailed business plan including market and
legal analysis financial requirements, facilities and management
plans and promotional strategies and;
• Determine social and ethical responsibility.

(d) Teaching and Learning pattern:

The teaching and learning approaches will combine classroom lectures,
discussions and group activities, quizzes and take home assignments. A
group project shall form part of the coursework. The material presented
in class will overlap that of the text but will contain additions and
variations.

(e) Indicative content:

• Identification of talents and skills required to be a successful en-

trepreneur: Personal talents, Technical skills, Educational back-
ground
• Overview of business opportunities: Trade association reports,
Government reports, Demographic information, Surveys

57
 • Business entry strategies: Steps in starting a business, Purpose
of business, Description of business, Starting a business versus
buying a business
• Planning: Setting goals, Operational approach, Laws and regula-
tions affecting a small business in Uganda, CAP and Local bye
laws.
• Sources of information and assistance: Trade association and other
non-governmental sources, Local, state, and federal governmental
sources, Small business analysis
• Description of a comprehensive business plan: Reason for prepar-
ing a business plan, Types of business plans, Form of business
plan, Contents of a successful business plan
• Outline of a business plan: Preparation of an executive summary,
Establishment of company strategy, Development of a marketing
plan, Sales strategy, Financial plan
• Completion of the business plan: Writing the plan, Outside review
of the plan, Social and Ethical Responsibility

(f) Assessment method:

Assessment will be in terms of tests and practical exercises (40 %)and
a final examination (60%)

(g) Reference Books:

• Bruce R. Barringer & R. Duane Ireland (2006). Entrepreneurship:

Successfully Launching New ventures. Published by Pearson-Prentice
Hall. 1/e Edition. ISBN 0-13-061855-1
• Thoma W. Zimmerer and Norman M. Scarborough (2005) Essen-
tials of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. 4th
Ed. ISBN 0-13-191856-7

5.8 Semester 6
5.8.1 BIT 3204 Enterprise Network Management
(a) Description
The course is to equip students with knowledge of managing enterprise
computer/data networks. This caters for enterprise critical aspects like
reliability, security and user management.

58
 (b) Aims
The aims of the course are to equip students with skills to plan, manage
and monitor large computer networks.

(c) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be in terms of lectures and Tutorials

(e) Indicative Content

• The infrastructure for network management.

• The Internet and ISO models. SNMP, ASN.1.
• Structure of management information and MIB.
• Events and managed objects. EMS vs. NMS . NOC,
• Remote and Web-based management tool.
• OAM&P Focus:
• Operation, maintenance, performance monitoring.
• Introduction of traffic engineering and load balancing.

(f) Assessment method Assessment will be in form of coursework and tests

(40%) and final examination (60%)

(g) Reading lists

(i) Effective management of local area networks by Kornel Terplan,

McGeaw-Hill, 1992

5.8.2 CSC 3205 Compiler Design

(a) Description
In this course unit, students shall understand the complete process
of translating a program in a high-level language to machine language.
The course gives an introduction to the design and implementation of a
compiler with emphasis on principles and techniques for program anal-
ysis and translation. It also gives an overview of the tools for compiler
construction. Lexical analysis, token selection, transition diagrams,
and finite automata. The use of context-free grammars to describe
syntax, derivations of parse trees, and construction of parsers. Syntax-
directed translation schemes; Intermediate code; Symbol table; Code
generation; Detection, reporting, recovery and correction of errors.

59
(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to allow students to examine how a high-level
language program is accepted as input and translated into assembly
language or machine language so that the central processing unit re-
ceives instructions which it understands and can execute.
(c) Teaching and Learning pattern
The course consists of a traditional theoretical component and a project
component. The lecture component introduces the basic concepts of
compiler writing. The project component will involve students in writ-
ing a compiler for a specified programming language.
(d) Indicative content
• Language translators: Introduction to compilers and interpreters.
• The structure of a compiler: lexical analysis, parsing, semantic
analysis.
• Intermediate code generation, register allocation, global optimiza-
tion.
• Lexical scanning
• Parsing
• Automatic parser construction. FIRST and FOLLOW functions.
LL(1) parsers. LR parsers. Conflicts in LR grammars and how to
resolve them
• Semantic analysis: Attributes and their computation, tree-traversals,
visibility and name resolution. Inherited attributes and symbol
tables. Name resolution in block-structured languages
• Type checking: Type systems, varieties of strong typing, over-
load resolution, polymorphism and dynamic dispatching. Type-
checking and type inference, unification
• Run-time or Run-time organization: storage allocation, non-local
references, parameter passing, dynamic storage allocation. Excep-
tion handling, debugging information
• Intermediate code generation: control structures, expressions, sim-
ple register allocation. Aggregates and other high-level constructs
• Global optimization
(e) Assessment method
Assessment will be by assignments and/or tests (40%) and written
examination (60%)

60
 (f) Reading list

(i) Compiler construction by William McCastline Waite, Gerhard

Goos Springer Verlag 1994

5.8.3 CSC 3206 Group Project

(a) Description
The course is to allow students, in groups, to integrate the knowl-
edge acquired over the previous five semesters into solving a non trivial
problem through a computer application. Emphasis will be put on the
systematic development methodology, the documentation of the devel-
opment process, and how well the developed system address the prob-
lem to be solved. Non functional attributes like robustness, usability,
security and reliability will also be tested.

(b) Aims
The aim of the course is to give students experience in

• Group and collaborative work

• Proper procedures in development of computer systems
• Proper documentation of the software development process
• Development of big not trivial computer projects.

(c) Teaching and Learning pattern

Students will be under the supervision of a member of staff (at least at
a rank of Assistant lecturer). The supervisor will guide them in the day
today progress of the project. When the supervisor feels the students
have addressed the problem at hand, (s)he will sign off their report and
recommend them for examination.

(d) Indicative content

The content is to be determined by the students under the guidance of
the supervisor.

(e) Assessment Method

Students will submit the signed report for examination to the depart-
ment. The department will appoint an examination panel of at least 5
people who will evaluate the report as well as testing the system. Stu-
dents will be required to present their work and answer any questions
from the panel. Each member of the panel will award a mark depending
on his/her view on the worthiness of the developed application.

61
5.8.4 CSC 3207 Computer Security
(a) Description
Computer security is a branch of technology concerned with digital
security or information security applied to computers. Since the largest
part of the computer that users interact with is software, computer
security pays big attention to development of secure software.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are:

• To introduce students to threats faced by computers in the con-

nected digital world.
• To introduce students to techniques that are used to protect com-
puters against various threats.

(c) Teaching and Learning Patterns

The teaching pattern is by lectures, lab sessions and group projects

(d) Indicative content

• Digital security principles

• Hardware based security mechanisms
• Secure operating systems
• Security architecture
• Security by design
• Secure coding (Software Security)
• Access Control Lists
• Security Applications

(e) Assessment method

Assessment will constitute Practical assignments on at least 5 chapters
of the course and written course work (20%) and written Exam (60%).

(f) Reading list

(a) Ross J. Anderson: Security Engineering: A Guide to Building

Dependable Distributed Systems, Willey 2001.
(b) Robert C. Seacord:Secure Coding in C and C++. Addison Wesley,
2005.

62
5.8.5 BIT 3200 Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing
(a) Description
This course covers techniques and software tools that can assist man-
agement that deals with large amounts of data in management and
business decision making. The course covers the fundamental differ-
ences between databases and data warehouses, the techniques of de-
veloping data warehouses as well as manipulating them to generate
business strategic decisions.

(b) Aims
The aims of the course are

• To give students the understanding on the role and operation of

data warehouses
• To equip students with skills of developing data warehouses
• To equip students with skills of maintaining existing data ware-
houses
• To equip students with skills of manipulating data warehouses to
generate information for business decision making

(c) Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student should be able to

• Distinguish the roles of a database from that of a data warehouse

• Develop a data warehouse
• Populate and manipulate a data warehouse

(d) Teaching and Learning Pattern

Teaching will be in form of class lectures, tutorials, lab demonstrations
as well as class presentations.

(e) Indicative Content

• Data warehouse concepts: partitioning, granularity, record of source,

and meta data
• Building viable decision support environments.
• Architect development,
• Data migration and integration,
• Use of operational data stores, and transactional systems.

63
 (f) Assessment method Assessment will be in form of tests and practical
assignments (40%) and final written examination (60%)

(g) Reading lists

(i) Data warehousing fundamentals by Paulraj Ponniah Wiley 2001.

5.8.6 BSE 3202: Distributed Systems Development

1. Description
This course gives students theoretical and practical skills on develop-
ment of distributed systems and applications. This include distributed-
system-specific challenges like reliability and robustness.

2. Aims
The aim of the course are to equip students with skills of developing
distributed systems

3. Teaching and Learning patterns

Teaching will be by class lectures and laboratory practicals/demonstrations

4. Indicative content

• Event-driven software architectures,

• Distributed object computing,
• Development, documentation and testing of distributed applica-
tions
• Techniques for reusable, extensible and efficient software systems
• Maintainability and concurrence in distributed systems
• Abstraction based on patterns and object-oriented techniques

5. Assessment Method
Assessment will be in form of tests and (practical) assignments (40%)
and final examination (60%)

6. Reading list

(i) S. Tanenbaum and M. V. Steen, Distributed Systems: Principles

and Paradigms, Second Edition, Prentice Hall, 2006.
(ii) R. Anderson, Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Depend-
able Distributed Systems, John Wiley & Sons, 2001.

64
6 Resources and Infrastructure
The Department of Computer Science and the Faculty of Computing and
Information Technology have the enough resources and infrastructure to suf-
ficiently run the programme.

6.1 Funds
Fees payable by the students will enable the University to sustain the pro-
gramme. The fees and the numder of students to be admitted are the same
as those on the old curicullum.

6.2 Staff
The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology has a big pool of staff
who can competently teach the courses. The list of staff members in the De-
partment of Computer Science is in Appendix B. The department also relies
on staff from other departments like Information Technology, Information
Systems and Networks together with visiting staff from other universities.

6.3 Lecture Space

Initially, the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology housed in
a 2,500 square meter building (Block A). In January 2009, a new 12,000
square meter building (Block B) was officially opened. Block B has Six
Lecture Theaters each of which can accomodate up to 500 students.

6.4 Computer Laboratories

The old and new faculty buildings have general laboratories (strictly for stu-
dents practice), teaching laboratories and specialized laboratories. These
laboratories are shared among the departments of the faculty and are sched-
uled by the ICT services unit. In all, the faculty has 6 general labaratories
and 4 specialised labaratories. Currently, the faculty has approximately 2000
computers and 5000 students. This leads to a student to computer ration
of 1: 2.5 which is adequate for the practical components of the curriculum.
More

65
6.5 Software
On top of the physical computers, students need software for the different
practical sessions. Different computers are installed with different software
depending on their focus. Most of the software is available as free distri-
butions for academic purposes. The faculty and department therefore have
(and can access) enough software that can run the practical aspects of the
program.

6.6 Library Services

Makerere University Library supports a book bank system which is operated
at the Faculty level (Block B Building). The book bank is stocked with up
to date literature. The books in the book bank have been acquired through
supplies from the Makerere University Library and purchases by the Faculty
for books that are difficult to purchase by the main library. In addition to
this facility the Makerere University main library provides access to books,
print journals, e-journals, a well stocked reference section and connections to
many remote databases. The Online Journals which are also accessed though
the main University library provide a range of products from abstracts to full
text papers. The University Library has also acquired a wide range of online
books which are to access and this is in line with promoting e-learning.

7 Quality Assurance
Several activities will be carried out as quality assurance measures so as to

(a) Measure the general extent to which the required skills have been
achieved

(b) Ascertain the implementation of the methodological changes proposed

(c) Create a feedback benchmark for possible future revisions in the cur-
riculum

The following activities will be carried out in the process of monitoring and
assuring quality in the proposed program.

7.1 Feedback from students enrolled

In the current set up, each class has 4 student representatives (2 day, 2
evening). These representatives are in constant contact with the Head of

66
Department in case there are any quality related matters in a particular
class. This set up is to be maintained.
At the end of the semester, samples of students are given questionnaires
to respond to several quality related matters like staff punctuality, delivery
mode, course content and the general perceived usefulness of the course unit.
The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology is the process of
creating a computerized system that will capture and analyze the data. With
the computerized system:

(i) Every student will be required to assess every lecturer teaching him/her,
the sample space will therefore be increased

(ii) No time will be required in the analysis of the results. Staff and faculty
management will be able to get the feedback instantly

(iii) Data will be easily archived and therefore the trend of staff performance
in specific areas will be easy to visualize

7.2 Class meetings

The departmental management makes at least 1 meeting with every class
every semester. In this meeting, general quality issues are addressed. Stu-
dents are also given a chance to raise any questions that are answered and/or
addressed by the department management. This set up will also continue

7.3 Use of ICT in availing lecture materials

Currently, Makerere University has the blackboard e-learning tool on its
Intranet. Students in the Department of Computer Science have adequate
access to computers. This creates a good environment for e-learning blended
teaching. All courses in the new curriculum will be taught in a blended
way. All course materials will be put on blackboard. Staff will, as much
as possible, make use of e-learning facilities like discussion forum and drop
boxes for assignments. This will increase student activity/participation and
reduce staff effort (e.g. staff will not need to dictate notes). This in turn
will, in turn, increase the material covered and taken in by the students.

7.4 Peer review

All members of staff will enroll (as students) to all classes taught in the
department. They will therefore be able to view contents of courses taught
by their peers. Staff will be free to advise fellow staff on the content, depth

67
and presentation of materials. Consequently, for every course, students will
access the best possible material in the view of all staff in the department
not the course instructor

7.5 External examiners’ reports

Like it is everywhere in Makerere University, student results are reviewed
every semester by a senior external academician. This is to bring a ’foreign
view’ of the quality of the program. External examiners write reports on
their view of the curriculum/examinations. Some recommendations can be
implemented immediately while others have to be implemented in a longer
term. The department will make the maximum possible use of external
examiners’ reports as a means of assuring quality in the program.

7.6 Industrial Training placement reports

Students will get Industrial placementsin the programme. This will help
exose them to the world of the industry. Reports from the placements will
be used to gauge the effectiveness of the curriculum. They are also to be
used to identify and address the deficiencies in the curriculum.

7.7 Tracer studies

The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology is devising ways of
keeping in contact with its alumni together with their employers. This is
with a view of making a tracer study of its graduates. The Department of
Computer Science will use outputs of the tracer studies to gauge the quality
of the program and whenever necessary, improve it.

68
 Staff
No Name (Highest Qualification) Rank Comment
1 Venanius Baryamureeba (Ph. D) Professor Dean
2 Jose G. Quenum (Ph. D) Senior Lecturer
3 John Quinn (Ph. D) Lecturer
4 John Ngubiri (Ph. D) Lecturer Head of Department
5 Narcis T Rwangoga (M. Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ass. Head of Dept
6 Florence Tushabe (M.Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
7 Richard Ssekibuule (M. Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
8 Jonathan Kizito (M. Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
9 Engineer Beinomugisha (M.Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
10 Ronald Azairwe (M.Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
11 Rose Nakibuule (M.Sc) Ass. Lecturer Ph. D. Student
12 Doreen Tuheirwe (B.Sc) Teaching Assistant M. Sc. Student
13 Joab Ezra Agaba (B.Sc) Teaching Assistant M. Sc. Student

69
 Staff and Load Distribution
Staff Specialisation Old Ld New Ld Old Ld New Ld
Programing,
V. Baryamureeba MCS MCS MCS MCS
Theoretical 3 3 3 3
(PhD, Professor) 9100 9100 9200 9200
computing
Theoretical MCS MCS MCS
computing, 7117 9102 7215 MCN
J.G.Quenum Compiler MCS MCN MCS 7207
9 9 9 6
(PhD, S. Lecturer) Theory, Dis- 8102 7105 7218 MCS
tributed MCS MCN MCS 9202
Systems 8101 7118 9202
Image pro-
cessing, MCS MCS MCS
MCS
Mathematical 7116 7216 7217
J. Quinn CSC
Comput- MCS MCS MCS
9 2109 9 9 9
(PhD, Lecturer) ing, Image 8104 7217 7224
MCS
processing, MCS MCS MCS
9101
Pattern 7101 9201 9201
Recognition
Programing,
Disributed
MCS
Systems, MCS MCS MCS
J. Ngubiri CSC
Mathematical 7115 7202 7202
9 2111 9 9 6
(PhD, Lecturer) Computing, CSC CSC MCS
MCS
Database 3100 1201 7220
7109
Systems,
Algorithms
Software En-
gineering, Ar- CSC CSC CSC CSC
N.T. Rwangoga tificial Intelli- 3101 1100 2204 1204
12 12 12 12
(MSc, A. Lecturer) gence, Infor- CSC CSC CSC CSC
mation Secu- 1100 2112 2206 3204
rity
Optimization,
CSC CSC CSC CSC
F Tushabe Image Pro-
1103 3111 2208 3111
12 12 12 12
(MSc A. Lecturer) cessing, CSC CSC CSC CSC
Programing,
3102 3100 1204 1206
Foreinsics
Programing, CSC CSC CSC CSC
R Ssekibuule Security, 3103 3103 1200 2209
12 12 12 12
(MSc A. Lecturer) Distributed CSC CSC CSC CSC
Systems 2102 3115 1202 3205

70
Staff Specialisation Old Ld New Ld Old Ld New Ld
Programing,
Theoretical
CSC CSC CSC CSC
computing,
J. Kizito 2100 1106 3203 2210
Compiler 12 12 12 12
(MSc A Lecturer) CSC CSC CSC CSC
Theory,
3106 2100 2201 1209
Mathematical
Computing
Image Pro-
cessing, CSC CSC CSC BSE
E. Beinomugisha Theoretical 2101 2105 3200 2203
12 12 12 12
(MSc A. Lecturer) Computing, CSC CSC CSC BIT
Networked 1101 2114 2200 3204
Systems
Programing,
CSC CSC CSC BSE
Optimiza-
R. Azairwe 1102 1105 1203 3202
tion, Artifi- 12 12 12 12
(MSc A. Lecturer) CSC CSC CSC CSC
cial Intelli-
2103 2214 2203 2214
gence
Theoretical
computing, CSC CSC CSC CSC
R. Nakibuule Computer 2104 1104 2202 1207
12 12 12 12
(MSc T. Assistant) Graphics, CSC CSC BIT CSC
Image pro- 1102 3105 3204 2200
cessing
Programing,
DCS DCS DCS
D. Tuheirwe Theoretical
1103 1103 DCS 1208
comput- 12 12 12 12
(BSc T. Assistant) DCS DCS 1204 DCS
ing, Health
1105 1107 1206
Informatics
Programing,
DCS DCS DCS
Software De-
J.E. Agaba 1104 DCS 1200 1205
velopment, 12 6 12 12
(BSc T. Assistant) DCS 1108 DCS DCS
Database
1200 1202 1207
Systems

71