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Graduate Catalogue

Section XIV

College of Science and Technology

In various forms, science and technology have played a pre-eminent role in the development of all major civilisations. This has particularly been the case in the past century, and together they promise to be of ever-increasing importance for our lives in the present century.

Cambodia was rich in natural resources, although these are fast being depleted by a few individuals in a short-sighted, self-serving manner. The graduate Biology program aims to provide students with insights into the problems which present practices are engendering, and also possible solutions: how research, educational and legislatory-cum-administrational developments could help future generations of Cambodians to not only survive but prosper by:

·       containing and reversing the effects of selfish actions which will only benefit a lucky few in the present generation; and

·       developing what remains of Cambodia's natural resources as national, and sustainable, value-added assets for eco-tourism and other forms of utilisation (including biomedical research).

As with the rest of the world, Information Technology is a key for Cambodia's future development and integration into the international community. To this end, we offer a program which will benefit participants in pursuing this endeavour.

1. DEGREE OFFERINGS

·       Biology (MS/PhD)

·       Information Technology (MS)

Note: MS - Master’s Degree; PhD - Doctoral Degree.

2. ADMISSION AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Writing Samples

Students wishing to enter a Master’s degree program in the College of Science and Technology should submit an original writing sample along with their application.

Language Requirements

Students in the Master’s degree program are required to take a written examination to demonstrate comprehension in one foreign language. To pass the examination, they must be able to read and adequately comprehend research materials in their field of study at a reasonable speed. For Cambodian students, English is considered a foreign language.

No limit is placed on the number of times students may take the examination. However, it must be passed before students begin preparing for either their thesis or the Comprehensive Exam. The foreign language exam does not contribute to the credit-requirements of a degree.

Course Requirements

All Master’s degree students in the College of Science and Technology must take at least 54 credit hours which includes:

Exams

Each of the foundation, core and elective courses is followed by an exam on that course.

Students must also take a Final Exam upon completion of their thesis, when they have to defend it. This exam covers the subject of the thesis as well as related areas within the chosen field of study. Students failing the exam may repeat it only once upon petition approved by the Coordinator of the College. Students who fail the exam a second time are dropped from the program and lose their status as registered graduate students.

DOCTORAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Writing Samples

Students wishing to enter a Doctoral degree program in the College of Science and Technology should submit an original writing sample along with their application.

Language Requirements

Applicants for the Doctoral degree program are required to take a written examination to demonstrate comprehension in one foreign language and the ability to read and adequately comprehend research materials in their field of study at a reasonable speed. For Cambodian students, English is considered a foreign language.

No limit is placed on the number of times students may take the examination. However, it must be passed before students can be advanced to candidacy. The foreign language exam does not contribute to the credit-requirements of a degree.

Course Requirements

Doctoral candidates must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 54 credit hours (excluding foreign language courses).

Registration in courses is governed by the judgment of advisers or faculty in charge of the relevant program of study. The importance of particular coursework is determined in relation to the training and preparation of the candidate for taking the Comprehensive Exam and the writing of the dissertation.

Exams

Comprehensive Exam The Comprehensive Exam is given upon the successful completion of course work and research in the student’s respective discipline and the foreign language requirement. It consists of four separate written exams, at least 4 hours each, and covers knowledge acquired in the student’s respective field of study. The four written exams are followed by an oral exam where the student is given a chance to defend answers in the written exams.

A student who fails the Comprehensive Exam may repeat it once at the discretion of the Coordinator of the College of Science and Technology. A student who fails the exam a second time is dropped from the program and loses registered graduate student status.

A student who passes the exam is granted a University certificate indicating that all Doctoral requirements except for the dissertation (all-but-dissertation or ABD) have been completed and can proceed to prepare a Doctoral dissertation.

Final Exam/Defense A Final Exam in defense of the dissertation may also cover related subjects and is required of all candidates for the Doctoral degree. The exam is oral and is conducted by the candidate’s  Doctoral Committee and a representative from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. It is never less than one hour in length. Arrangements for the Final Exam must be made at least one month prior to the date of exam, since an announcement must appear in the Bulletin of the University of Cambodia.

A candidate who fails the Final Exam may be allowed to repeat it upon approval by the graduate faculty concerned and the University President. A candidate who fails the exam twice is dropped from the program and loses registered graduate student status.

A candidate who passes the exam, and who has met all other requirements, will be awarded the Doctoral degree at the end of the appropriate term.

3. BIOLOGY

Biology is the study of living organisms, from the molecular level all the way up that of populations and ecosystems; and how they change over time as a result of adaptation and, over the generations, evolution.

A knowledge of Biology has been of considerable economic importance throughout history (although our ancestors might not have been aware that they were, loosely speaking, biologists): for example, for the obtaining of food (from the wild or by farming); for improving medical knowledge and care-provision (partly as a result of studies on other animals); and for trying to create or recreate suitable environments to live in. Such contributions have been most marked over the past 50 years, as accumulating knowledge and increasingly sophisticated techniques have resulted in the birth of the biotechnology industry.

At present, Cambodia is primarily a nation which derives benefits from its natural resources, through agriculture, forestry, fisheries and mining. Whilst tourism to cultural sites is another established source of revenue, eco-tourism represents an additional income-generator. However the present short-term, selfish abuse of these natural resources means that Cambodia is sacrificing its future for the selfish gains of a small proportion of the present generation: there is the need to try to optimise resource-use for the long-term benefit of the country as a whole.

Thus, there is the need for qualified professionals who have a knowledge of various aspects of Biology, most especially in areas related to ecology, conservation and the sustainable utilisation of natural resources in agriculture (including aquaculture), fisheries and forestry.

MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Academic Background

Applicants are required to have a good Bachelor's degree in Biology, or in one of its subdisciplines or a related field, from a reputable university.

If they do not meet these minimum requirements, then they will be expected to obtain a Certificate in Biology by attending, and passing with a minimum of a grade B, selected relevant background 'fill-in' courses (exemptions may be granted, based on an assessment of the applicant's undergraduate record), based on consultation with the Coordinator of the College of Science and Technology. The credit hours for these 'transitional' courses cannot be counted towards the minimum of 54 required for a Master's.

Course Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 54 credit hours which includes:

Foundation Courses (3 credits each)

BIO501 (= FDN501): Research Methodology

BIO502 (= FDN502): Statistics for Research

BIO503 (= FDN503): Research Paper Writing

Core Courses (3 credits each)

BIO511: The History of Science and Scientific Thinking

BIO512: Ethics in Science

BIO513: History of Genetics

BIO514: History of the Biomedical Sciences

BIO515: Agriculture, History and Society

BIO611: Current Issues in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Elective Courses (3 credits each; do at least five courses)

BIO612: Current Issues in Animal and Plant Physiology

BIO613: Current Issues in Neurobiology

BIO614: Current Issues in Taxonomy and Evolution I

BIO615: Current Issues in Taxonomy and Evolution II

BIO616: Current Issues in Behaviour and Ecology I

BIO617: Current Issues in Behaviour and Ecology II

BIO618: Current Issues in Conservation and Biodiversity I

BIO619: Current Issues in Conservation and Biodiversity II

Research Proposal and Thesis (12 credits minimum)

BIO691 (= RPT601): Proposal Writing (3 credits)

BIO692-4 (= RPT602-4): Thesis Research and Writing (3 credits each)

4. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Information Technology, even though it is a relatively new field, touches virtually every area of human endeavor. It is the systematic study of algorithmic processes — their theory, analysis, design, efficiency, implementation, and application. Fundamentally, Information Technology is a science of solving problems — creating the right model for a problem and devising the right computer manipulations to solve it.

The graduate degree program in Information Technology has two focus-groups.

1) Computer Science (CS) This concentrates on computer and network hardware systems, their design and management, and programming principles and languages.

2) Information Science (IS) This concentrates on the fundamental techniques and knowledge used in designing and implementing information processing systems with an emphasis on systems software design and computer organization.

Students with a graduate degree from the Information Technology Department find ready employment in almost any area of computer use: managing networks, developing software solutions, or designing systems for organizations, businesses, and government institutions as well as in teaching.

DEGREE OFFERINGS

Note: MS - Master’s Degree.

MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Academic Background

Applicants are required to have a good Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, or in one of its subdisciplines or a related field, from a reputable university.

If they do not meet these minimum requirements, then they will be expected to obtain a Certificate in Information Technology by attending, and passing with a minimum of a grade B in each case, selected relevant background 'fill-in' courses (although exemptions may be granted, based on an assessment of the applicant's undergraduate record), based on consultation with the Coordinator of the College of Science and Technology. The credit hours for these 'transitional' courses cannot be counted towards the minimum of 54 required for a Master's.

Course Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 54 credit hours which includes:

The choice of elective courses depends on whether the student is focusing on Computer Science or Information Science.

Foundation Courses (3 credits each)

ITE501 (= FDN501): Research Methodology

ITE502 (= FDN502): Statistics for Research

ITE503 (= FDN503): Research Paper Writing

Core Courses (3 credits each; choose six courses)

ITE511: Management Information System

ITE513: Fundamentals of Computer Systems

ITE514: Data Communications and Networking    

ITE516: Information Systems Design and Database Concepts

ITE517: Organisational Behaviour (cannot be read by students who have done BUS615)

ITE518: Computer-Based Decision Support Systems

ITE519: Information Systems Policy

Elective Courses (3 credits each; choose at least five courses from one track)

Computer Science Concentration

ITE521: Network Systems Management

ITE522: Network Architecture and Protocols    

ITE523: Information Systems and Electronic Commerce

ITE524: Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction

ITE525: Virtual Societies

ITE526: Object-Oriented Programming with Java

ITE621: Wireless Technology

ITE622: Programming Environments in Information Systems 

ITE623: System Analysis and Design

Information Science Concentration

ITE531: Introduction to Electronic Commerce

ITE532: Web Development

ITE533: Information Systems and Electronic Commerce

ITE534: Virtual Societies

ITE535: Strategic Leadership in Technology- Based Organizations

ITE631: Advanced Data Management Systems

ITE632: Management of Corporate Resources

ITE633: Organizations as Information-Processing Systems

ITE634: Information Systems Analysis and Design

Research Proposal and Thesis (12 credits minimum)

ITE691 (= RPT601): Proposal Writing (3 credits)

ITE692-4 (= RPT602-4): Thesis Research and Writing (3 credits each)

 

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THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBODIA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THESE CATALOGS AS IT SEES FIT, SO THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY IN AN EVER-EVOLVING WORLD.

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Last modifiedMay 1, 2007 14:49

© University of Cambodia, 2007