CSC 4700 Software Engineering Spring 2008

SYLLABUS
Meetings
 MWF 11:30-12:20, Mendel Science Center G87
Instructor Dr. Thomas Way
160A Mendel Science Center

 Email:   thomas.way@villanova.edu
IM:       DrTomWay
Phone:  (610) 519-5033
Office hours (See my web site)
Teaching Assistant See instructor for help. General help is available from Programming Assistants.
Office hours: see Programming Assistants' schedule on CS Dept. web site
Textbook None. We will use online resources.
Web site
 http://www.csc.villanova.edu/~tway and follow the link for CSC 4700
Course
description
 Management and production of software systems; the software life cycle; software design techniques and methodologies; participation in a team software development project. Writing Intensive. Prerequisite: CSC 1052. (3 Credits)
Objectives
  • Survey the discipline of software engineering, including development processes, life-cycle models, quality issues, requirements analysis, design techniques, testing, and project management.
  • Provide experience as a team member of a medium-scale software development project, focusing on requirements elicitation, specification, and design.
  • Study and practice oral and written communication skills with respect to software development projects.
  • Explore modern software development tools.
  • Gain a strong enough foundation in Software Engineering that it could lead to a career.
What to Expect
 By the end of the semester, you should feel prepared to accept an entry level position as a Software Engineer. We will study the latest and most relevant topics, learn about current and popular development tools and approaches, and do some hands-on software engineering including prototyping, requirements specification, software development and testing.

Learning will consist of some traditional lecture, along with a lot of hands-on activities and guided experimentation. At times we will work, in class, as a single, large team to try to solve some specific challenge or case study in software engineering.

You will participate in a small group project in addition to some individual work, including a variety of small quizzes, homework assignments, design exercises, online detective work and two exams. Participation is important, and could be a deciding factor in your grade.

Due to the team project part of this course, there will be a number of class periods that will be designated for team meetings where the class will not meet as a whole, using the time to meet either with the instructor or as a team.
Writing Intensive
 By the end of the semester, you should feel prepared to accept an entry level position as a Software Engineer. We will study that latest and most relevant topics, learn about current and popular development tools and approaches, and do some hands-on software engineering including prototyping, requirements specification, software development and testing.

You will participate in a small group project in addition to some individual work, including a variety of small quizzes, homework assignments, design exercises, online detective work and two exams. Participation is important, and could be a deciding factor in your grade.

Due to the team project part of this course, there will be a number of class periods that will be designated for team meetings where the class will not meet as a whole, using the time to meet either with the instructor or as a team.
Topics
 The topics we will learn about this semester will be all, or most, of the following:
  • Introduction to Software Engineering
    • History
    • Careers in Software Engineering
  • Architectural Design
    • Requirements Specification
    • Technical Writing
    • Figures & Tables
    • UML
    • OO Design
    • User Interface Design
  • Development Approaches
    • Software Processes & Lifecycles
    • Prototyping
    • Agile Development
    • XP, Pair Programming
    • Waterfall
    • Evolutionary
    • Experimental
    • Model-Driven
    • Aspects
    • Refactoring
    • Design Patterns
  • Verification and Validation
    • Testing Plans
    • QA
  • Project Management
    • Business Models
    • Managing People
    • Cost Estimation
  • Tools
    • Platforms
    • Databases
    • Programming Languages
    • Software, IDEs, APIs
    • Design Libraries
Grading policy
 25%  Homework assignments, quizzes, reading reviews, etc.
20%  Individual project tasks
20%  Two exams
30%  Team project, including final presentation
  5%  Participation (attendance, class discussion, intellectual contribution to class)
Final grades
92 A 88 B+ 78 C+ 68 D+
90 A- 84 B 74 C 64 D
80 B- 70 C- 60 D-
Makeup
Policy
 No missed tests without prior excuse. Each case will be handled separately based on its own merits. Makeup tests will be much more difficult than regularly scheduled tests. Each student is responsible for what is covered and assigned in any classes which they miss. Abuse of this policy will result in a loss of leniency.
Late Assignment Policy
 No assignments will be accepted late without the direct consent of the instructor prior to the due date of the assignment.  Typical penalty is 10% off for each day an assignment is late. Absolutely no assignments will be accepted beyond the date of the final exam.
Academic Integrity Please be cognizant of the difference between individual and group projects, and used good judgment in following the University's policy on Academic Integrity. Severe academic penalities will be imposed for violations of this policy, such as receiving at a minimum 0% credit for an assignment, or at the maximum a failing grade for the course, at the discretion of the instructor.

Last updated: 1/16/07