Course Policy
This page is organized as follows:
Exam
There will be one mid-term exam and the final exam. The mid-term exams will take place during the regular class session and will be 80 minutes in length. Refer to Important Dates for the tentative exam dates.
Make-up exams will be given only when you have unusual circumstances, such as incapacitating illness or presenting a research paper at a conference. If you believe that you have an unusual circumstance that warrants a make-up exam, notify us as soon as possible. If you will be attending a conference or other event, you must make arrangements for a make-up exam in advance. Under any circumstances, you may be required to provide official documentation before a make-up will be administered.
Assignments
There will be two kinds of assignments: in-class presentation and written homework assignments. Students are expected to read and present research papers related to software architectures. The number of presentations will be one or two depending on the class size. The suggested list of papers is found from the course website; the list is tentative, as the course topics will be decided upon during the first few course meetings. There will be occasional written homework or programming assignments. All assignments shall be done individually unless otherwise specified, and no late submission will be accepted.
Project
You should do a small semester-long class project. The purpose of this project is to apply the ideas and skills learned from the course to your thesis or dissertation research. Sample project topics will be suggested by the instructor, but you may choose your own project topics; your topics must be approved by the instructor. You are expected to write a project proposal, present your project in class, and submit a final project report.
Grading
Your grade is independent of anyone else's grade; that is, we do not grade on a curve. Everyone can get an A in this course. The purpose of grading is not to rank you, but to uphold a standard of quality and to give you feedback. The final letter grade will be based on a combination of assignments, project, exams, and class participation. The approximate percentages are as follows:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Assignments | 30% |
| Project | 35% |
| Exam | 35% |
There are also up to 5% bonus points for lecture attendance and class participation. To earn this, you must arrive at lecture on time and participate in class discussion in a constructive and prepared manner, e.g., by asking or answering questions that demonstrate that you have read and attempted to understand the material.
Although we will not always make fine distinctions in points, the nominal percentage-score-to-letter-grade conversion is as follows:
| Percentage | Grade |
|---|---|
| 90% or higher | A |
| 80-89% | B |
| 70-79% | C |
| 60-69% | D |
| below 60% | F |
I reserve the right to adjust these criteria downward, e.g., so that 88% or higher represents an A, based on overall class performance. The criteria will not be adjusted upward, however.
Attendance
Lecture attendance is not mandatory but is recommended. You should understand that your success in the course will improve greatly by attending class regularly. It is your responsibility to keep up to date with notes, assignments and exam.
Standards of Conduct
You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner, as prescribed by the UTEP Standards of Conduct. Graded work (assignments, projects, exams) is to be completed independently and should be unmistakably your own work, although you may discuss your work with others in a general way. You may not represent as your own work material that is transcribed or copied from another source, including persons, books, or Web pages. Instructors are required to-and will-report academic dishonesty and any other violation of the Standards of Conduct to the Dean of Students.
Disabilities
If you feel that you may have a disability that requires accommodation, contact the Disabled Student Services Office at 747-5184, go to Room 106E Union, or email dss@utep.edu.
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