> On undergraduate classes, I feel the departments numbering of almost
> every class as 400-level is inappropriate. Some are simply to easy to be
> in there. Moving some introductory classes into the 300 level would
> help, although a total renumbering would be better.
>
> CS330: I had it with Virgil, so it was horrible. However, I heard that
> Matt Bauer is teaching it and Math330 is optional.
>
> CS331: The C++ labs are *excellent* and Prof. Roberge was great. I
> haven't heard good things about any of the newer instructors. I'd leave
> in C++ rather then Java.
>
> CS350: Talk to Dr. James Stine (ECE) who taught ECE-485 last semester.
> His curriculum, with the addition of MIPS assembly labs (derive from
> CS470) and VHDL labs would make it great. I learned very little due to a
> last-minute replacement instructor.
>
> CS351: We won't even go there...
>
> CS425: Never took, but hear its too easy.
>
> CS430: Great class!
>
> CS440: Not a wonderful instructor or book. Could be much better.
>
> CS441: Sat in for 2 weeks, left. It is inappropriate for a college-level
> class - just how to program in JAVA. See "seminars" for ideal
> replacement.
>
> CS445: EXCELLENT!  Keep instructor at all costs and convince him to
> teach other classes!!!
>
> CS447: Could be a great class, just need different instructor and book.
>
> CS450: Good class, although I hear Dr. Manov makes it to easy at times.
> My instructor (graduate student) was great though.
>
> CS455: Hear good and bad things about it - never took. I *really* like
> ECE-545: Computer Networks. The top-down approach is much better then
> the bottom up, and the text is far superior to Tanenbaum's (Computer
> Networks). ECE-545 projects are excellent. Talk to Dr. Lueng.
>
> CS470: FIRE VIRGIL!!! He is horrible, rude, consistently absent, and
> teaches nothing. It is a waste of a class - but he fails majority of
> people to make it look difficult. Correct answers are deemed wrong and
> when shown to the department, it is shuffled under the rug. He seems to
> have powerful friends. Remove and combine labs into new CS350.
>
> CS471: Not taught anymore, but seemed to teach VHDL and have labs.
> Combine labs into new CS350.
>
> CS487: Totally remake. Boring, slow, old. Teach DFDs for those needing
> it in lower-level languages, but focus mostly on UML, modeling, and
> newer approaches like XP.
>
> CS485: A great class for a free 3crh A. Otherwise, useless.  It could be
> remade to focus on how to job-hunt or be an independent contractor, in
> addition to other things. Or remove.
>
> Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior Seminars:
> Create a 1crh class for ever semester or every year. This is not a
> typical seminar with guest lecturers, but a standard lecturer covering
> relevant topics that are inappropriate to be a standalone class.
> Examples are:
> - Advanced Programming for: C, C++, Java, Lisp
> see "Large Scale C++ Software Design" or "Modern C++
> Design" as example books
> - Secure Programming and Optimizations
> - Design Patterns and Architecture (e.g. CS586)
> - Current Topics (e.g. Aspect Oriented Programming, Game
> programming)
>
> This would provide students with a more well-rounded education that is
> relevant in the industry, but not for the focus of a class. It help make
> a CS student less of a scientist and more of a designer. This would be a
> wonderful addition to the curriculum.
>
> Graduate Courses...
> These are riddled with problems. My feeling is that IIT uses foreign
> graduate students as a pure money-maker and therefore hands out degrees
> for zero effort. The majority of the classes seem horrible and
> professors know this. The only good classes are those where the
> instructor tries to make it hard and worthy of a graduate course (e.g.
> CS550 with Prof. Lan). If IIT wishes to not sell graduate degrees but
> make them worth something, this should change. Examples worth removing
> are CS521 and CS531.
>
> Best regards,
> Ben
>