Overview
CMIS 214 will help you learn about the many features you can build into Windows-based business applications using C# (pronounced C Sharp). You will be introduced to related tools and technology, and you will explore applications programmed with these tools. This course is not intended to provide an exhaustive study of C# Windows programming as this is well beyond the scope of a single course. However, once you complete this course you will have a good foundation to enable you to continue to develop these skills. Follow-up CMIS courses build on this knowledge and explore Web-based business applications built with C#.
This course uses custom built online material, including a course Web site and multimedia presentations. In addition, a reference textbook is provided for additional background material. Each of the seven units includes theory as well as practical tutorials and hands-on activities.
The reference textbook uses the C# programming language within the Visual Studio for Windows Desktop programming environment, part of the Microsoft .NET architecture. The online course material uses Visual Studio, which is a proprietary product available from the Microsoft site. We use the Community Edition of Visual Studio because it is easy to use, and because it represents the current state of software technology used by most software manufacturers. The knowledge and skills you develop in this course can easily be adapted to other programming environments. The reference textbook provides extensive coverage of the C# language and includes many code fragments to illustrate the topics. The course website will direct you to the specific pages in the reference textbook that relate to the topic being covered. As you explore C# topics after completing this course, you will want to continue to use this reference textbook.
Outline
This course has been organized into seven units as follows:
- Unit 1: Introduction to Visual Basic
- Unit 2: Working with Objects and Properties
- Unit 3: Decision Logic in C#
- Unit 4: Repetition Logic in C#
- Unit 5: Procedures in C#
- Unit 6: Arrays and Collections in C#
- Unit 7: Objects, Classes, Inheritance, and Polymorphism in C#
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, you will submit four assignments and write a Final Examination. You will also be graded on your participation in online discussions. You must achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on the examination, and a minimum overall course grade of D (50 percent). The chart below describes the credit weight associated with each course requirement.
Course Assignments: Each assignment is based on work covered in this course website, the multimedia presentations, and resources from the reference textbook. Each assignment has two parts. Part A consists of at least one practical exercise, and Part B is an online quiz. To complete the practical exercises (Part A) you will develop applications and submit these applications by uploading .zip files.
| Activity | Weight | Complete by |
| Assignment 1 (1A and 1B) - One practical exercise (8%) and an online quiz (2%) | 10% | After Unit 2 |
| Assignment 2 (2A and 2B) - One practical exercise (8%) and an online quiz (2%) | 20% | After Unit 4 |
| Assignment 3 (3A and 3B) - Two practical exercises (16%) and an online quiz (4%) | 20% | After Unit 6 |
| Assignment 4 (4A and 4B) - One practical exercise (13%) and an online quiz (2%) | 15% | After Unit 7 |
| Online Discussion - Post five messages (from at least three units) before submitting your last assignment or writing the Final Examination. | 5% | ongoing |
| Final Examination - Cumulative online exam comprised of multiple-choice and short answer questions | 30% | after Unit 7 |
| Total | 100% | |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University鈥檚 online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Boehm, A., & Murach, J. (2015). Murach’s C# 2015 (6th ed.). Fresno, CA: Mike Murach & Associates, Inc. ISBN 9781890774943
Other Materials
Student data files are provided (as .zip files) on the course website for some tutorials and hands-on activities.
Software Requirements
The minimum computer requirements:
- Microsoft Windows 7 (or higher)
- A 1.8GHz or faster processor
- At least 4 GB RAM
- 50 GB of available hard disk space
- Video card that supports a minimum display resolution of 720p (1280 by 720)
- Internet connectivity