I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Introduction to Computer Applications

2. Course Prefix & Number:
COMP 1120

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course covers the current computer application software most used in the business and education worlds, the Microsoft Office suite of Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint. Some of the topics to be covered include: formatting Word documents; creating research papers and resumes using templates; using Excel to create worksheets and embedded charts; using Excel formulas and functions; creating what-if analysis; creating and querying an Access database; creating a PowerPoint presentation with a unified design; pictures and sound elements. Career Preparation: The studies in this course will help students prepare for careers in Business, Management, and general use of computer applications for nearly all organizations. It will also prepare students for careers in Computer Support, Information Technology, Database Management, and Help Desk, Administrative Support and Administrative Assistant. Students are expected to know how to use a current operating system including navigation, saving files, file management/hierarchy structure, compression, extraction, installation of programs, setting up user accounts.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

8. Prerequisite (Entry) Skills:
Students are expected to know how to use a current operating system including navigation, saving files, file management/hierarchy structure, compression, extraction, installation of programs, setting up user accounts.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Century College, CAPL 1010 Introduction to Software Applications, 3.0 cr.

Rochester Community and Technical College, COMP 1112 Introduction to Computers With Applications 3.0 cr.

3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:

• Advanced Standing
• Military Experience
• Written
• Oral
• Demonstration
• Portfolio

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Computer IT Security and Networking, AAS Degree

Computer IT Security and Networking, Diploma

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Create documents, spreadsheets, databases and presentations.
Utilize appropriate technology	Use current industry software applications.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Create and Edit a Word Document;
• Create a Research Paper;
• Create a Worksheet and an Embedded Chart;
• Implement Formulas, Functions, Formatting;
• Create, Query, Maintain and Use a Database; and
• Create and Edit a Presentation.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

Word   

• Enter text in a document
• Check spelling as you type
• Save a document
• Format text, paragraphs, and document elements
• Undo and redo commands or actions
• Insert a picture and format it
• Print a document
• Change document properties
• Correct errors in a document
• Change line and paragraph spacing in a document
• Use a header to number pages of a document
• Modify paragraph indentation
• Create and modify styles
• Insert and edit citations and their sources
• Add a footnote to a document
• Insert a manual page break
• Create a bibliographical list of sources
• Use the Research task pane to look up information
• Format characters and paragraphs
• Insert and format clip art
• Set and use tab stops
• Insert the current date
• Insert a Word table, enter data in the table, and format the table
• Indent paragraphs
• Add a border to a paragraph

Excel   

• Enter text and numbers in a worksheet
• Use the Sum button to sum a range of cells
• Copy the contents of a cell to a range of cells using the fill handle
• Save a workbook
• Format cells in a worksheet
• Create a 3-D Clustered Column chart
• Change document properties
• Use the AutoCalculate area to determine statistics
• Correct errors on a worksheet
• Enter formulas using the keyboard and Point mode
• Apply the AVERAGE, MAX, and MIN functions
• Verify a formula using Range Finder
• Apply a theme to a workbook
• Add conditional formatting to cells
• Change column width and row height
• Check the spelling of a worksheet
• Set margins, headers and footers in Page Layout View
• Preview and print versions of a worksheet
• Rename sheets in a workbook
• Rotate text in a cell
• Create a series of month names
• Copy, paste, insert, and delete cells
• Format numbers using format symbols
• Freeze and unfreeze titles
• Show and format the system date
• Use absolute cell references in a formula
• Use the IF function to perform a logical test
• Use the Format Painter button to format cells
• Create a 3-D Pie chart on a separate chart sheet
• Color and rearrange worksheet tabs
• Change the worksheet view
• Answer what-if questions
• Goal seek to answer what-if questions
• Control the color and thickness of outlines and borders

Access 

• Create a database
• Create a table and add records
• Close a table
• Close a database and quit Access
• Open a database
• Print the contents of a table
• Create and print custom reports
• Create and use a split form
• Create queries using the Simple Query Wizard
• Print query results
• Create queries using Design View
• Include fields in the design grid
• Use text and numeric data in criteria
• Create and use parameter queries
• Save a query and use the saved query
• Use compound criteria in queries
• Sort data in queries
• Join tables in queries
• Create a report from a query
• Perform calculations in queries
• Calculate statistics in queries
• Create crosstab queries
• Customize the Navigation Pane
• Add, change, and delete records
• Search for records
• Filter records
• Update a table design
• Format a datasheet
• Use action queries to update records
• Specify validation rules, default values, and formats
• Create and use single-valued and multivalued Lookup fields
• Specify referential integrity
• Use a subdatasheet
• Sort records
• Create reports and forms using wizards
• Group and sort in a report
• Add totals and subtotals to a report
• Resize columns
• Conditionally format controls
• Filter records in reports and forms
• Print reports and forms
• Add a field to a report or form
• Include gridlines
• Add a date
• Change the format of a control

PowerPoint 

• Select a document theme
• Create a title slide and text slides with single- and multi-level bulleted lists
• Save a presentation
• Copy elements from one slide to another
• View a presentation in Slide Show view
• Open a presentation
• Display and print a presentation in grayscale
• Create slides from a blank presentation
• Change views to review a presentation
• Change slide layouts
• Add a background style   
• Insert, move, and size clip art        
• Insert a photograph from a file
• Delete a placeholder         
• Change font color
• Format text using the Format Painter
• Add and size a shape
• Apply Quick Styles to placeholders and shapes
• Select slide transitions
• Add a picture to create a custom background
• Add background graphics to slide masters
• Add slide numbers and the date to slide masters
• Apply a WordArt style
• Format WordArt
• Apply effects to pictures
• Insert and modify text boxes
• Apply effects to shapes
• Create a SmartArt graphic
• Use the Text pane to enter placeholder text
• Apply a SmartArt style to a graphic
• Modify an entire presentation by changing the theme colors and fonts
• Insert pictures and clips into slides without content placeholders
• Format pictures and clips by applying styles and adding borders
• Create a presentation that includes animation
• Apply effects to pictures and clips
• Add hyperlinks to a slide
• Create and format a table
• Create a chart
• Find synonyms using the thesaurus
• Display guides to position slide elements
• Hide slides