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OSKALOOSA, Aug 16, 2009 (The Oskaloosa Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- They could be called cutting-edge majors.

At William Penn University this fall, three new majors are being introduced. With programs focused on software engineering, computer science and information technology, future graduates will be better prepared for the "real world" after graduation.

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Judy Williams, assistant professor of applied computer science, said the applied computer science classes encourage students to work together in groups. Williams said this is all part of acclimating students to real-life work environments. More often than not, those with computer science backgrounds are faced with the needs of their clients.

"There are very few cowboys who program in a cave all by themselves," joked Williams. "Basically, on the job, people are working in teams, so you might as well get used to it." Williams, who has taught at William Penn since 1981, said the university has had a long-standing relationship with computer technology. Penn graduated their first applied computer science students in 1983, said Williams.


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"I think we've been on the cutting edge," she said.

From the very beginning, Penn's approach to computer science has been an applied one, rather than one based on theory. This means computer science students at the university have taken a more hands-on approach from the beginning.

Williams said that, with these new majors as with past computer science programs at the university, communication is key. She said students are instructed on how to translate computer jargon to language understood by the average person, including future clients of theirs.

"We decided, at Penn, that we would provide these liaison people that could communicate both ways," said Williams. "They need to know how to make the customer happy." Over the years, Penn's applied computer science programs have adapted to the ever changing world of technology, said Williams. An advisory committee to the university, professors from other schools and Penn alumni all help their computer science programs stay current, Williams added.

By the mid-'80s, applied computer science students at Penn knew they were not at all behind the times.

In 1986, Williams took a group of students to the Special Interest Group Computer Science Education conference. Once there, Williams and her students quickly realized they were ahead of the curve. Most schools at the time taught computer science using lecture courses only.

"In 1981, we had our first micro-computer lab," Williams said.

With the three new applied computer science majors, separate computer labs will be provided for students in the Musco Technology Center on Penn's campus. This will be especially needed, once students begin taking the upper-level courses in these majors, said Williams. Many of these courses will include tweaking certain security measures within a computer network. With the new labs, students won't do any of this kind of testing on the computer network used by the entire Penn campus.

"Our idea is, over here we could have our own stand-alone network," said Williams.

------ Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com To see more of The Oskaloosa Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.oskaloosaherald.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Oskaloosa Herald, Iowa Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.