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Technology and Information Management

2014-15 General Catalog

Baskin School of Engineering
(831) 459-2158
http://www.soe.ucsc.edu

Faculty | Course Descriptions

Program Description

Technology and Information Management (TIM) is a multi-disciplinary program that focuses on the integration of engineering, computer science, information technology, and business management for two purposes: the technology of management, which includes the design of information technology to solve business problems, and the management of technology, which includes the management of new-product development and entrepreneurship.

The program offers a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree as well as a minor. At the graduate level, it offers a professional masters of science in TIM and a Ph.D. in TIM.

TIM is a rigorous, challenging major for those students wanting to pursue careers in the management of information and technology. TIM students will receive a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles and practices of technology (in particular, computer science and computer engineering) and management, and the scientific, mathematics, and economics principles upon which they are built. In particular, they will become proficient in the following areas: strategy, planning, innovation, entrepreneurship, information technology, software design, product development, and supply-chain management.

The essence of the technology and information management major at UCSC is the integration of fundamental intellectual content from the disciplines of computer science, computer engineering, business management economics, and finance. TIM students learn how to apply the fundamentals of these diverse disciplines to solving problems that require the integration of management and technology, e.g., developing information technology systems to manage all activities and operations in a firm, e-commerce, managing and commercializing a new technology, and starting a new high-technology company.

To graduate with a B.S. in technology and information management, students normally complete 23-24 required courses (with four laboratories, totaling 120-123 quarter credits) plus four elective courses (20 quarter credits) for the technology and information management major program. To plan for completion of these course requirements within the normative time, students should consult with an adviser as early as possible. Honors students are likely to find the rigorous management and leadership elements of the new program of significant interest. Industrial interactions and projects are key features of this major.

Technology and Information Management Policies

Admissions Policy

Admission to the technology and information management major is selective.  First-year applicants may receive direct admission at the time they apply to UCSC based on their high school record and test scores.

To be admitted to the major after a student has entered UCSC, students need to complete a total of six courses chosen from the following:

At least one course chosen from the following list of mathematics courses: 

  • MATH 19A or MATH 20A

  • MATH 19B or MATH 20B

  • MATH 22 or 23A

  • CMPE 16

At least one course chosen from the following list of engineering courses:

  • CMPS 12A/L, or CMPS 5J and CMPS 11, or CMPE 13/L

  • CMPS 12B/M

  • CMPE 12/L

At least one course chosen from the following list of economics and technology and information management courses: 

  • ECON 1

  • ECON 2

  • ECON 10A

  • TIM 50

At least three additional courses must be chosen from the following:  

  • CMPS 12A/L (or CMPS 5J and CMPS 11) or CMPE 13/L

  • CMPS 12B/M

  • CMPE 12/L

  • CMPE 16

  • ECON 1

  • ECON 2

  • ECON 10A

  • MATH 19A or 20A

  • MATH 19B or 20B

  • MATH 22 or 23A

  • TIM 50

In addition, students who have passed six qualifying courses and who have received more than one grade of NP, D, or F in the qualifying courses are not eligible to declare the major.

Students who are informed that they are not eligible to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting a letter to the department chair within 15 days from the date the notification was mailed. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student, college, and Office of the Registrar of the decision.

Letter Grade Policy

Please refer to the letter grade policy in the School of Engineering section.

Transfer Students

Transfer students must have completed all of the foundation courses listed above.  A student lacking one foundation course may be admitted if they have completed at least one of AMS 5 or Math 22 (or 23A) or Econ 10A.

Admission of transfer students will be based on performance in all foundation and other courses transferable to the Technology and Information Management major.

Students should consult assist.org to determine which courses at other institutions in California are transferable to UCSC.

School of Engineering Policies

Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for additional policies that apply to all School of Engineering programs. These policies include admission to the major and the need for UCSC students to obtain pre-approval before taking courses elsewhere.

Preparation for the Major

The technology and information management major is intended for students with an interest in both technology and business. It is recommended that students intending to declare this major have completed four years of mathematics (through advanced algebra and trigonometry) and three years of science in high school. Completion of business-oriented computer literacy and basic programming courses is of benefit to students entering this major. Completion of any economics and/or business-related courses in high school is also beneficial, but the faculty realizes that these courses may not be available at many high schools. Completion of comparable college courses at other institutions serves to strengthen the preparation of a student for the technology and information management major.

Requirements of the Technology and Information Management Major

In addition to completing UCSC general education requirements, students must complete 23 required courses (with four laboratories, totaling 120-123 quarter credits) plus four elective courses (20 quarter credits) for the technology and information management major program. To plan for completion of these course requirements within the normative time, students should consult with a School of Engineering adviser as early as possible. These 27-28 courses include the following:

Required Courses (23-24 courses plus four laboratories)

Applied Mathematics and Statistics (one 5-credit course)

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 5, Statistics

Mathematics (five 5-credit courses)

19A-B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics; and

22, Introduction to Calculus of Several Variables; or 23A, Multivariable Calculus, and

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 10 and 20, Mathematical Methods for Engineers I and II;

or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 10A and 20A, Basic Mathematical Methods for Engineers I and II (3 credits each); or Mathematics 21, Linear Algebra and Mathematics 24, Ordinary Differential Equations

Economics (five 5-credit courses)

1 Introductory Microeconomics: Resource Allocation and Market Structure

2 Introductory Macroeconomics: Aggregate Economic Activity

10A, Economics of Accounting

100A, Intermediate Microeconomics; or

100M, Intermediate Microeconomics Math Intensive

113, Introduction to Econometrics

Computer Engineering (three 5-credit courses and two 2-credit laboratories)

12/L, Computer Systems and Assembly Language/Laboratory

16, Applied Discrete Mathematics

150/L, Introduction to Computer Networks/Laboratory

Computer Science (three or four 5-credit courses and two 2-credit laboratories)

12A/L, Introduction to Programming(Accelerated)/Laboratory; or 5J, Introduction to Programming in Java and 11, Intermediate Programming

12B/M, Introduction to Data Structures/Laboratory

182, Introduction to Database Management Systems

Technology and Information Management (five 5-credit courses and one 2-credit seminar)

50, Business Information Systems

58, Systems Analysis and Design

101, Management of Technology Seminar

105, Management of Technology I

125, Management of Technology II

158, Business Strategy and Information Systems

Elective Courses (four courses)

Two 5-credit School of Engineering courses

  • Students select two upper-division School of Engineering electives on the basis of their particular interests. These electives may be any 5-credit upper-division or graduate School of Engineering courses, with the following limitations:

  1. either Computer Engineering 153 or Electrical Engineering 153, but not both;
  2. either Applied Mathematics and Statistics 131 or Computer Engineering 107, but not both;
  3. at most one independent or field-study course (193, 195, 198, 199) with prior approval from the department to be used as an elective.

  • One 5-credit upper-division economics course

  • One 5-credit, upper-division School of Engineering or economics course (the limitations on School of Engineering electives given above apply)

Technology and Information Management Major Planners

The following are two sample academic plans for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the technology and information management major. Plan One is recommended for students who are more proficient in mathematics and programming and Plan Two is recommended for students who need more time to develop proficiency in mathematics and programming.

Plan One

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

1st
(frsh)

ECON 1

ECON 2

TIM 50

MATH 19A

MATH 19B

MATH 22 or 23A

college core

2nd
(soph)

CMPS 5J

CMPS 11

ECON 100A

ECON 10A

CMPE 16

AMS 10

Plan Two

Year

Fall

Winter

Spring

1st
(frsh)

CMPS 10

CMPS 5J

CMPS 11

MATH 3

MATH 19A

MATH 19B

college core

2nd
(soph)

TIM 50

CMPE 16

ECON 10A

ECON 1

ECON 2

MATH 22 or 23A

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in technology and information management is satisfied by completing course 158.

Comprehensive Requirement

Students complete two project-intensive courses, Technology and Information Management 158 and Technology and Information Management 105, which constitute the comprehensive requirement for the technology and information management major, based on the dual aspects (technology of management and management of technology) of the program. Course 158 deals with the technology of management, and course 105 deals with the management of technology. Both courses involve a substantial amount of critical thinking and writing within the context of comprehensive projects.

Technology and Information Management 158, Business Strategy and Information Systems, requires that students understand and use a structured methodology to evaluate the competitive use of information systems within an enterprise. This is accomplished by a team project as well as by an individual project that involves researching and writing a comprehensive analytical term paper using a methodology taught as part of this course.

Technology and Information Management 105, Management of Technology I, requires that students understand and apply structured methodologies for the development, management, and commercialization of technologies and products. Students will work in teams on a comprehensive term project in the development, commercialization, and management of technologies such as computers, networks, semiconductors, mechatronics, and biotechnology.

Honors

The TIM program awards honors to students whose academic performance is excellent. Students with a GPA between 3.5 and 3.7 will be awarded honors. Students with a GPA of 3.7 receive highest honors. Students who have been found guilty of academic misconduct are not eligible for either honors or highest honors.

Minor in Technology and Information Management (TIM)

Purpose  

There is a growing need in today’s increasingly complex socio-technological world for the fusion of information systems, technology, and business management for two important purposes: the use of information systems to solve business problems, and the management of technology, which includes new product development and enterprise management. The technology and information management (TIM) program therefore offers a minor in technology and information management (TIM) to provide undergraduates in the School of Engineering as well in other programs and divisions in the university, such as economics and business management economics, the physical and biological sciences, and arts, the opportunity to expand the breadth of their knowledge and training to include the management of information systems and the management of technology.

Rationale for the Courses

Courses for the technology and information management minor will include a combination of courses from the TIM program, computer engineering, computer science, and economics as well as the chains of prerequisites behind these courses. The TIM program courses for the technology and information management minor will include a mix of information systems and management of technology courses, providing students with a strong foundation in both the management of information systems and the management of technology.

Course Requirements

Requirements for the minor in technology and information management are the following:

Lower-Division Requirements

Mathematics (2 courses)

Mathematics 19A, Calculus (or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 11A/Economics 11A, Mathematical Methods for Economists, or Mathematics 11A, Calculus, or Mathematics 20A, Honors Calculus)

Mathematics 19B, Calculus (or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 11B/Economics 11B, Mathematical Methods for Economists, or Mathematics 11B, Calculus, or Mathematics 20B, Honors Calculus)

Computer Science (1 course)

Computer Science 5J, Introduction to Programming in Java; or Computer Science 5C, Introduction to Programming in C/C++

Technology and Information Management (2 courses)

Technology and Information Management 50, Business Information Systems; and

One of the following courses:

  • Technology and Information Management 58, Systems Analysis and Design; or
  • Technology and Information Management 80C, Starting a New Technology Company

Upper-Division Requirements

Mathematics (1 course)

One of the following courses:

  • Economics 113, Introduction to Econometrics; or
  • Computer Engineering 107, Mathematical Methods of Systems Analysis: Stochastic; or
  • Applied Mathematics and Statistics 131, Introduction to Probability Theory

Upper-Division Electives (4 courses)

Four upper -division courses selected from the following:

  • Technology and Information Management 105, Management of Technology I
  • Technology and Information Management 125, Management of Technology II
  • Technology and Information Management 158, Business Strategy and Information Systems
  • Computer Engineering 150/L, Introduction to Computer Networks/Laboratory
  • Computer Science 180, Database Systems I or Computer Science 182, Introduction to Database Management Systems
  • Economics 100A, Intermediate Microeconomics or 100M, Intermediate Microeconomics, Mathematics Intensive
  • Economics 100B, Intermediate Macroeconomics or 100N, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Mathematics Intensive

With pre-approval from the technology and information management undergraduate director, up to two graduate technology and information management courses may be used to satisfy upper-division elective requirements.

Graduate Programs

Technology and Information Management Ph.D. and Master’s Degrees

Technology and information management (TIM) is a new and distinct discipline within engineering, combining technology management, systems engineering, and information technology. TIM’s research and academic programs, combining information technology with both knowledge management and systems management, address problems facing firms today as they deal with more complex decisions in a global environment, facing new business models (e.g., “services”) and business practices. TIM places special emphasis on research arising from challenges faced in creation and management of knowledge-based services and enterprises. TIM themes include:

Management and optimization of enterprise systems, which is the integration of business, technology, and management perspectives to enable an entity to achieve enhanced growth and profitability through use of analytical methods including stochastic models, optimization, game theory and knowledge management.

New product, technology, and services management, which is the design and development of products and services, the design and risk management of product portfolios, and pricing.

Financial engineering, which addresses the management of rise, reward, and allocation of resources in technology development and deployment.

Information retrieval and knowledge management, which includes semantic mining and machine learning, linking business to knowledge management.

TIM offers a master of science (M.S.) degree as a terminal degree for engineers who wish to prepare for careers in management in high-tech enterprises, providing the appropriate breadth and depth of courses for preparation of theses engineering managers.

The TIM doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree focuses on research, with emphasis on analytic methods for managing high-tech enterprises, including product, services, and business-process innovation and development; financial engineering for technology and enterprise management; entrepreneurship; operations and supply-chain management; costing and strategy; marketing engineering; data mining; and the applications of information technology to knowledge-management.

Base Requirement

Most entering students are expected to come from undergraduate engineering programs. Students with quantitative undergraduate preparation in the sciences, economics, or mathematics would also be prepared if they had significant industry experience in a technology field or if they are prepared to take extra courses and/or an internship in industry to obtain this background. The TIM M.S. attracts students now employed in industry and also recent B.S. graduates who have not yet entered the workforce. For this latter group, industrial experience will be encouraged though internships with local companies. TIM M.S. students may take up to two upper-division, undergraduate, prerequisite courses and, with adviser approval, may count these as credit toward the M.S. degree. (These courses will not count as credit toward the Ph.D. degree.)

Mathematics

Probability and statistics (AMS 131)—Focus on probability models, random variables, maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation

Linear algebra (AMS 10 or MATH 21)

Differential equations (AMS 10 or MATH 24)

Computer Science

Abstract Data Types (CMPS 101)—Focus on abstract data types and common algorithms
Programming project (e.g., CMPS 104A, CMPS 115, CMPS 111)—Any upper-division, computer science course that involves a large programming project

Database systems (CMPS 180, 181)

Computer Engineering

Probability and Statistics for Engineers (CMPE 107)

Computer networks (CMPE 150, 151)

Computer Architecture (CMPE 110)

Applied Graph Theory and Algorithms (CMPE 177)

Economics

Microeconomics (ECON 100A)

Macroeconomics (ECON 100 B)

Managerial Economics (ECON 101)—Includes pricing schemes, non-price competition, and game theory

Field examinations and/or other pre-qualifying examinations

The graduate record examination (GRE) General Test is required for admission and a GRE subject advanced test—preferably in computer science, engineering, physics, or mathematics—is highly recommended. Chemistry and biology students with adequate training in mathematics and physics may also be considered. Student GPA of 3.5 or higher is recommended for admission into the program.

Relationship of Master’s and Doctor’s programs

The M.S. and Ph.D. programs have the same admission requirements. As in other SOE graduate programs, students admitted to the M.S. program may be subsequently admitted to the Ph.D. program by departmental approval. Ph.D. students may receive the M.S. degree upon fulfillment of the M.S. degree requirements.

Master’s Requirements

Masters students must complete a minimum of 45 credits, comprised of the following:

Core Courses (4 required)

  • TIM 204, Introduction to Optimization in Business (5 credits)

  • TIM 205, Management of Technology I (5 credits)

  • TIM 215, Organizations and Leadership (5 credits)

  • TIM 245, Data Mining (5 credits)

With appropriate preparation and/or student interest, proposals will be accepted to allow substitution of another graduate course for one of the core courses. This proposal will require approval of the faculty adviser and the TIM graduate director.

Seminars (2 required)

  • Two TIM graduate seminars (5 credits total)

Other Courses (15 credits minimum)

  • A minimum of fifteen credits (three courses) must be from graduate elective courses approved by the adviser and the TIM graduate director. The program offers a wide variety of electives.

  • One upper-division undergraduate course can be substituted for one of the three required graduate courses with the approval of the adviser and TIM graduate director. 

  • When necessary to strengthen students’ preparation for graduate study, up to two additional upper-division undergraduate courses may be required by agreement of the adviser and TIM graduate director.

  • Students serving as teaching assistants or who plan to pursue a Ph.D. must take Applied Mathematics and Statistics 200, Research and Teaching in AMS (3 credits), or Computer Science 200, Research and Teaching in Computer Science and Engineering (3 credits) before or during their first teaching-assistant (TA) assignment.

TIM Master's Project

TIM 297. This is a substantial applied research project carried out independently by the student under the guidance of a faculty member. The topic and completed project must be approved by the faculty adviser (5 credits).

Ph.D. Requirements

The research areas in TIM are varied, and each will require a different sequence of classes to develop appropriate depth in analytical methods and technology. The selection of graduate courses will be in consultation with the dissertation supervisor.

Although there is no teaching requirement, students will be encouraged to gain teaching experience by becoming teaching assistants (TAs).

Where appropriate, research internships with companies, government laboratories, or elsewhere are recognized (and may be required) as an integral part of the research leading to the dissertation.

Ph.D.  students must complete a minimum of 62 credits, comprised of the following:

Four TIM core courses (same as TIM-MS Core).  Up to two of these courses may be substituted with other 5-unit courses with approval of the faculty advisor and reported to the graduate director (20 credits);

Two TIM seminars (4 credits minimum);

Two elective graduate courses (10 credits) offered by TIM;

Three additional graduate electives (15 credits) chosen with approval of the adviser and TIM graduate director. Students may substitute other appropriate courses for the TIM core courses or electives with the approval of their adviser and TIM graduate director;

A minimum of 10 credits of dissertation research or independent study;

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 200, Research and Teaching in AMS (3 credits); or Computer Science 200, Research and Teaching in Computer Science and Engineering (3 credits)

Ph.D. Qualifying Examination and Dissertation

Each student writes a Ph.D. dissertation. The dissertation must show the results of in-depth research, be an original contribution of significant knowledge, and include material worthy of publication. As the first step, a student submits a written dissertation proposal to a TIM faculty member. By accepting the proposal, the faculty member becomes the dissertation supervisor. The dissertation proposal is formally presented in an oral qualifying examination given by a qualifying exam committee approved by the graduate committee.* The student must submit his or her written dissertation proposal to all members of the committee and the graduate assistant one month in advance of the examination.

*Sentence revised on 12/5/14 to remove reference to "graduate council."

Students are advanced to candidacy after they have completed the course requirements, passed the qualifying examination, cleared all incompletes from their records, have an appointed dissertation reading committee and have paid the advancement fee. Students who have not advanced to candidacy by the end of their fourth year will be placed on academic probation.

The appointment of the dissertation reading committee is made immediately after the qualifying examination and is necessary for advancing to candidacy. Each Ph.D. candidate submits the completed dissertation to a reading committee at least one month prior to the dissertation defense. The candidate presents his or her research results in a public seminar sponsored by the dissertation supervisor. The seminar is followed by a defense of the dissertation to the reading committee and attending faculty, who will then decide whether the dissertation is acceptable or requires revision. Successful completion of the dissertation fulfills the final academic requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Revised: 12/05/14