CSC 5930 Multimedia Technology & Systems FALL 2003

SYLLABUS
Meetings
 Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:00pm-2:15pm, Mendel Science Center G86
Instructor Dr. Thomas Way
160A Mendel Science Center

 Email:   thomas.way@villanova.edu
IM:       DrTomWay
Phone:  (610) 519-5033
Office hours Mon 5:00-6:00pm, Tues 10:00-11:00am, Thurs 12:00-1:00,
and before/after class or by appointment
Textbook No required text.  We will make use of the wealth of state-of-the-art information online.
Prerequisite
 MATH 1500, MATH 2310, at least Junior standing
Web site
 http://www.csc.villanova.edu/~tway and follow the link for CSC 5930
Course
description
 Technical and theoretical issues behind multimedia content authoring and delivery, and the application of those concepts in the design and use of multimedia.  Although this is a Computer Science course, filled with core concepts and issues, there also will be significant opportunity for artistic and creative expression.
Course organization
 The course is a combination of lecture and practical application.  Typically, Tuesday meetings will consist of lecture and demonstration, while Thursday meetings will often be hands-on development, experimentation and research.  There will be 5-10 graded homework assignments, approximately 3 small multimedia projects, a student-directed multimedia tutorial, and a final project requiring a significant effort in lieu of a final exam.  The student will spend a fair amount of time inside and outside of class looking for information online and learning how to use a number of freely-available multimedia tools.
Topics
 Among that multimedia and related topics we may cover are:
  • Compression of text, images, audio and video
  • Analog vs. Digital
  • Digital watermarking
  • Encryption
  • Copy protection
  • Representation (formats) of html, graphics, audio and video
  • Content delivery - streaming, downloading, etc.
  • Animation
  • CD/DVD authoring - including disk materials and formats
  • Copyright issues
  • Graphics bandwidth minimization techniques
  • Tools: Photoshop, Macromedia Flash, Quicktime, Realmedia, DVD Studio Pro Authoring, etc.
  • Human factors issues
What to expect
 This is a brand-new course, and as a result, what we actually cover during the semester may differ from what we expect to cover at the start.  The field of multimedia is constantly evolving, so this flexibility is a good fit.  When new technologies arise we can immediately study and use them.
Grading policy
 20%  5-10 Homework assignments
20%  3 Workshop projects
25%  Multimedia tutorial
30%  Final project
  5%  Participation, intellectual contribution, attendance
Final grades
Earning the following percentage of points in the class will guarantee that you earn at least the associated grade.
A
A-
 92
90
 B+
B
B-
 88
84
80
 C+
C
C-
 78
74
70
 D+
D
D-
 68
64
60
Late Assignment Policy
 Deadlines for all homeworks and projects should be considered immovable, subject to the whims of fate and the mood of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
 Although this course will contain some amount of collaborative learning, most if not all assignments will be individual, so it is up to the student to maintain the highest standards of acadmic integrity as outlined in the Villanova Univerity policy on Academic Integrity.  Please refamiliarize yourself with the policy.  URL: http://www.academics.villanova.edu/AcademicIntegrity.html

Last updated: 8/26/03