E-Commerce

An attempt to increase transactional efficiency and effectiveness in all aspects of the design, production, marketing and sales of products or services for existing and developing marketplaces through the utilization of current and emerging electronic technologies.

Rationale:

The Natural and Behavioral Sciences Division at the University of Maine at Fort Kent proposed a major in electronic commerce. This proposal resulted in part from an increasing trend in student interest to blend an education in computer technologies and business. It is the educational synergy that exists between such programs that the University aims to build upon and extend to students in a more focused and directed program of study. The electronic commerce program will enable students to maximize their preparation for careers and future academic aspirations related to the evolving Internet marketplace.

Program Goals:

The Bachelor of Science in Electronic Commerce will provide a liberal arts degree for students interested in careers in electronic commerce. The program will combine elements from the Bachelor of Science in Business Management and the Bachelor of Science in Computer Applications, as well as the area of electronic commerce. Students graduating from the program will be prepared to work for both small and large businesses who are preparing or who have entered the global economy of the information age. They will also be prepared to work in a variety of industries as e-commerce professionals and consultants.

Specific Goals

Prepare students to create and maintain electronic commerce initiatives in various size firms.
Provide student with broad based, objective exposure to current technologies in the E-Commerce Arena including the following:

Networks and Network security
Systems Analysis
Systems Management
Internet Programming

HTML and DHTML
XML
Active Server Pages
JAVA and JavaScript
VISUAL Basic and VBscript
Micrsoft's .NET initiative

Databases
Internet and Intranet Architectures

Provide students with technical and analytical skills to make solid and responsible decisions regarding E-commerce initiatives
Provide students with the management; project planning, financing and marketing skills to successfully take an e-commerce initiative from conception to implementation
Provide students with an understanding of the Social and Legal impact of E-commerce on Modern Business Climates
Through Seminars, Simulators and Internships, provide an opportunity for students to work, learn and explore in environments very similar to what they will experience when they ingress into the job market
Provide an outreach program for local and regional firms to get access and exposure to current E-commerce trends and technologies

Facilities:

The University currently has one computer classroom and two computer labs. The computer classroom will continue to be available for support of GIS/Graphics/Multimedia instruction and will continue to provide 25 student workstations in support of the Computer Applications, Business and E-Commerce programs. The University built a new health science and technology building (Nadeau Hall) which includes two adjoining computer classrooms containing 25 and 10 student workstations respectively and one faculty workstation. The new 10-workstation computer classroom will house specially configured server computers that students will use to develop their skills and work on individualized projects. Two additional computer labs will serve nursing students and the music program with 10 and 15 student workstations respectively. The addition of new computer classrooms and lab space will increase both the number of computer classrooms and the number of student workstations on campus by well over 150%. The University is contributing $200,000 to this project.