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National College Credit Recommendation Service

Board of Regents  |  University of the State of New York


Data Communications (085)*

Various approved locations throughout the United States.
Version 1: 30 hours (5 weeks). Version 2: 48 hours (8 weeks).

Version 1: August 2003 - July 2006. Version 2: August 2006 - December 2019. 

Instructional delivery format: 
Traditional classroom model
Learner Outcomes: 

Version 1: Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: identify the key components in a data network, the categories of data communications, and the function of DTE and DCE as related to a data network; describe the features of analog and digital signals; discuss the advantages of digital signals over analog technology; describe the features and functions of transmission circuits; identify the features and benefits of the primary form of transmission technology services; discuss the features and functions of host computers; differentiate between display and non-display terminals and between smart and dumb terminals; discuss the function of smart and dumb terminals in a data communication network; identify components of a local area network (LAN); construct and troubleshoot a LAN. Version 2: Students will be able to: discuss the fundamentals of data communication and the agencies and organizations involved in its regulation; discuss how a phone network is constructed; describe twisted pair, coaxial and fiber optic cable, and how they are used in networks; identify the advantages of one media over another in terms of cost, speed, and data reliability; explain how computers and modems communicate; describe the role of multiplexers in signal transmission; describe the difference between serial and parallel transmissions; identify the differences between asynchronous and synchronous transmission; define digital transmission and explain how it works; describe the role of software in a data communications network; differentiate between wide area and local area network protocols; list the differences among circuit-switching, message-switching, packet-switching, and cell-switching networks; describe the difference between a public network and private network; illustrate the difference between a LAN and a WAN; describe the functions of the Internet and intranets; describe the topologies used in wide area networks and metropolitan area networks; discuss the security duties of a network administrator, the types of physical and software security, and firewalls; list and explain the objectives, standards, and techniques of network management and the effects that wireless networks and e-commerce have on network management; describe Internet services such as search programs, newsgroups, and mailing lists; differentiate between narrowband and wideband communications services; list the differences between narrowband ISDN and broadband ISDN; differentiate between voice-grade and wideband analog circuits; and explain how a synchronous optical network (SONET) operates.


Version 1: Major topics include: types of data network topologies and signals; analog and digital signals; bandwidth; encoding; DTE, DCE, modems, CSU, and DSUs; transduction; definition of hertz; binary number system; bits; bits per second; crosstalk; transmission service providers; transmission circuits; dedicated transmission; switched circuits using PTSN; analog and digital dedicated circuits; data terminal devices; network operations; host computers; display terminals vs. non-display terminals; smart vs. dumb terminals; LANs and WANs; hierarchical WANs, linked LANs; value-added networks (VANs); features and functions of Systems Network Architecture (SNA); hierarchical architecture; network addressable units; logical units; physical units; function of TCP/IP layers; how TCP/IP transports information; TCP/IP applications; overview of data transmission; DTE to DCE protocols and DCE to DCE protocols; LAN protocols; packet technologies features; Synchronous Optical Networks (SONET); data communications equipment; analog and digital communication devices; modulation; line coding; multiplexers; different types of transmission media; twisted pair cable; coaxial cable; fiber optic cable; infrared; microwave; satellites. Version 2: Topics include: fundamentals of data communications; constructing a phone network; communications, media, servers, and clients; wiring cable; communications equipment; data transmissions; protocols; setting up file sharing and sharing files; network concepts; wide area and metropolitan networks; setting up an FTP server; local area networks; network security; network management; the Internet; communication services.

Credit recommendation: 

Version 1: In the associate degree/certificate category OR in the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 1 semester hour as a technical elective or 1 semester hour in a Trades curriculum (5/03). Version 2: In the associate degree/certificate category OR in the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 2 semester hours as a technical elective  or 2 semester hours in a Trades curriculum (8/06) (1/15 revalidation). NOTE: Portions of this course overlap with Digital Communications and Computer Literacy (Bell South) (090). Credit should not be awarded for (090) if both courses are completed. *NOTE: Course numbers on transcripts may reflect different prefixes depending upon where a course is offered.