Successful Graduation Projects

1. Successful Graduation Projects

2. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Pre-registration • Project coordination • Project milestones • Evaluation forms and grading policy • Questions and discussion

3. Introduction • The graduation project is a capstone of the undergraduate curriculum • Graduation project offers an opportunity to undergraduate students to apply knowledge comprehensively in solving a reasonably complex and realistic problem • Graduation project should reflect majority program outcomes as achieved by the students • Through the graduation projects, the college wishes to train its students towards successful professional careers

4. Importance of Graduation Projects • The successful completion of graduation project is an indication of the students’ readiness to pursue a professional career. • The variety and qualityof graduation projects in the college reflect the academic profile and achievement of CCSIT. • CCSIT offers three distinct programs in CS, IS and CN – variety of projects/topics can be pursued • Multi-disciplinary and externally sponsored projects are encouraged

5. Benefits of a Graduation Project • Nomination by the department for recognitions (awards or prizes) • Participation in regional/national competitions representing the college/university • Presentation in conferences, workshops or any other form of publications • Other types of creative contribution in the form of commercial products or services • Contribution to university/college operations and missions in terms of community engagement and community service • Sponsorship from industry partners and collaborators • Increased job prospects • Satisfaction of innovation and creation!

6. Graduation Project Committee (GPC) • The college has appointed GPC • GPC consists of representatives from each department • GPC Coordinator in each department facilitates and coordinates successful graduation projects in the department

7. Graduation Project - General Overview • Graduation Project is generally conducted over two consecutive semesters (Semester 7 and 8). • In most cases, students will conduct their graduation projects in group and under the close guidance of a supervisor. • The supervisor nominates co-supervisors (if needed). • The department approves two committee members for each project • A Pre-registration process is initiated at the end of 6th semester • Project Proposal is completed in 7th semester. • Project Implementation is completed in 8th semester.

8. Pre-registration • Pre-registration involves project selection, project allocation and committee appointment • Project proposals (topics) are proposed and allocated at the end of the 6th semester • For each project a suitable supervisor must be found. • The department approves/finalizes project topics and committee appointment

9. Who proposes the project (topic and idea)? • Students (strongly encouraged) • Faculty members • External partners

10. What is an acceptable project? An acceptable graduation project should: • Comprise significant realistic challenges and constraints • Provide opportunity to integrate knowledge from various courses in the curriculum and beyond • Offer opportunity for creativity • Emphasize design, experimentation and hands-on skills • Provide major challenges in terms of planning, analysis, design, implementation, comparisons and validation • Reflect scientific and technical methodology and approach throughout • Require significant efforts corresponding to the credit requirement • Allow teamwork among students in one or more majors • Include acceptable and measurable deliverables as agreed by both the supervisors and committee members • Be realizable within two semesters

11. Key Stakeholders and their Roles • Students • Supervisor • Co-supervisor • Committee members • Graduation Project Committee • Departments • College

12. Students • Students actively progress through each milestone of their graduation projects under the guidance of their supervisor and committee • It is students’ graduation project and students must do the real work • Students must be willing to acquire new skills as necessary and take up new challenges • Supervisors and committee members are the facilitators - offering useful advice and guidance to the students

13. Supervisor and Co-supervisor • The supervisor plays the key role in guiding the students and the project. • Supervisor may nominate a co-supervisor, if necessary. • Multidisciplinary – e.g., CCSIT with College of Education or Medicine • Industry sponsored project – e.g., CCSIT with Aramco or SABIC • Coordination with female students/faculty

14. Committee Members • The department appoints a committeeof two faculty membersfor each project. • The committee members evaluate the project at various milestone • More importantly, they provide appropriate advice and feedback to enhance students’ skills and improve the quality of students’ project.

15. GPC, Department and College • GPC traces and tracks progresses and problems; acts as a mediator and facilitator; organizes workshops and seminars to guide and train students • Departments and college provided necessary resources and support for each project • GPC together with the College and departments archive and promote students’ project and encourage students to showcase their projects in various events

16. Project Coordination (Bi-weekly Meetings) • Biweekly meeting forms are signed by the students and submitted to department coordinator by the supervisor regularly • They are used for progress tracking and dispute resolution • Project supervisor should report all progresses and problems to the department coordinator

17. (16th Week) (9th Week) (16th Week) (9th Week) (5th Week)

18. Grade Distribution Project Proposal Project Implementation

19. GPC Publications • Graduation Project Handbook detailing regulations and guidelines • Templates for Report and Presentation • Various Forms • Pre-registration form • Biweekly meeting form • General request form • Supervisor evaluation forms for project proposal project implementation • Committee evaluation forms for 5 milestones • For more information, project ideas, handbook, forms and templates, please visit: http://www.kfu.edu.sa/en/Colleges/Computer_Science/Pages/graduation_projects.aspx

20. Contact Us! • Graduation Project Coordinators: • Computer Sciences (CS) • Male – Mr. Zahid Qaiser • Female – Ms. Fatima Rajeena • Computer Information Systems (CIS) • Male – Dr. Qazi Mudassar Ilyas • Female – Ms. Janice Dela Vega • Computer Networks (CN) • Male – Dr. Muhammad Mehboob Yasin

21. Questions and Discussion