To meet the students’ multiple needs in the age of globalization and provide more options for them, the Executive Master’s Program of Business Administration offers five new cross-major optional courses for the students in the 10 departments of EMBA. In addition, to foster the future-oriented objective, EMBA opens a “Scenario Exercise” course for the would-be executives. “Through integrating educational resources, the new courses will be more substantial and multiple for students from different departments,” indicated Wang Chu-ching, Executive Director of EMBA.

In the EMBA curriculum, there are totally 10 cross-major courses separated in two semesters. Since the 2008 academic year, every new student is required to take at least one course from the ten options in addition to the departmental credits. The five new cross-major options include “Encouragement and Leadership,” “Management of Wealth,” “Management of International Trade,” “Distance Education on Enterprise Resources Design,” and “Information Technology and Application.” In fact, these courses are quite popular, for the total amount of every class overpasses the original tap number—50. Tuang Shu-mei, first year EMBA student who takes the course of “Distance Education on Enterprise Resources Design,” remarks that the course is very attractive for its multiplicity.

“Scenario Exercise” is a Yale-styled EMBA course, which is characterized by case studies. Different from traditional case studies, which are focused on examining traditional cases, this course discussion is future-oriented. “Scenario Exercise” simulates situations of the enterprise from a futurist perspective. It is aimed at exercising in the non-linear, quick changing environment. Dr. Wang Chu-ching indicates that there will be more courses of this kind, and the instructor of such a course is expected to guide students to do scenario practices. Dr. Wang believes these would realize the future-oriented objective of TKU.

TKU has put lasting effort in information-oriented education for 40 years. To upgrade the educational quality and raise the students’ information proficiency, the curricular committees have decided to integrate and develop the cross-major course of “Introduction to Information Science.” The content of practices, conducted by teaching assistant, will be unified. Exhibition of students’ works will be held respectively in the two semesters. The would-be teaching assistant has to pass qualification test hold by Center for Learning and Teaching.

College of Engineering (excluding Dept. of Computer Science and Information Engineering), Dept. of Information Management, Dept. of Information and Library Science, Dept. of Mass Communication, Dept. of Information and Communication, Dept. of Chemistry, Dept. of Educational Technology, are excluded from this course renovation program. The “Introduction to Information Science” courses for all other departments are designed and conducted by Dept. of Computer Science. Dr. Kuo Ching-hwa, Chair of Dept. of Computer Science and Information Engineering, indicates that a resource and communication platform for such a course will be set up for sharing learning experience and displaying creative works by students. Responding to some students’ compliant about the difficulty of such a course, Dr. Kuo asserts that the teaching materials and methodology will be improved to increase students’ interest. Dr. Chen Yu-fang, Lecturer of Dept. of Computer Science and Information Engineering, indicates that in the past, teaching assistants use their own materials and experience to guide the students; the present program is conducted by unified teaching materials, and it is expected to have a management of educational quality and heighten the effect of learning. ( ~Chen Chi-szu )