Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering Donald J. Bagert, P.E. Mark A. Ardis Cary Laxer Department of Computer Science & Software Engineering February 4, 2003

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Introduction Software Engineering (SE) has existed since the late 1960’s Has been rapidly developing as an undergraduate academic discipline over the last five years The emergence of SE as an academic discipline is in response to industrial need for students better- educated in the development and maintenance of complex software systems The Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE) is therefore proposing a new Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering (BSSE)

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Background There are currently more than 20 schools in the U.S. with a degree titled Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering, including: –Three major state colleges (Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State) –Four AITU schools (Clarkson, Drexel, Milwaukee School of Engineering & RIT) –Three schools in the U.S. News and World Report Top 10 engineering schools in Rose-Hulman’s category (RIT, MSOE and Embry-Riddle), plus one other pending (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo) From ABET/EAC Criteria for Software Engineering: –“The program must demonstrate that graduates have: the ability to analyze, design, verify, validate, implement, apply, and maintain software systems; the ability to appropriately apply discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, and relevant topics in computer science and supporting disciplines to complex software systems; and the ability to work in one or more significant application domains.”

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Background (continued) The Computer Science (CS) degree at Rose-Hulman has contained a 16-hour software engineering requirement for its non-thesis students since 1989 An increase to 20 hours starting in has already been approved by the Curriculum Committee –CSSE 371 Software Requirements and Specification –CSSE 372 Software Project Management –CSSE 497 Senior Project I –CSSE 498 Senior Project II –CSSE 499 Senior Project III

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Background (continued) The roots of the proposed program are primarily based in two documents –Guidelines for Software Engineering Education (1999) –1989 SEI Report on Graduate Software Engineering Education

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Vision To be the #1 baccalaureate software engineering program in the world by means of excellent instruction, continuous curriculum innovation, and software engineering education leadership.

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Mission The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering will be to educate students for careers as software professionals. To achieve these goals, the program will provide students the basic knowledge and fundamental principles upon which software engineering is based, encourage critical thinking and innovative approaches to problem solving, and introduce the students to the ethical and professional issues with which they must be concerned.

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Educational Objectives Software engineering graduates will have been –educated in the theory, principles, tools and processes involved in the engineering of complex software systems (including analysis, design, construction, maintenance, quality assurance and project management) and given opportunities to put that knowledge into practice. –endowed with a sound background in computer science and mathematics. –shown how to solve problems in a team environment through effective use of written and oral communication skills. –introduced to the global issues presently involved in effectively performing duties as a software practitioner in an ethical and professional manner for the benefit of society, and to the reasons why lifelong learning is needed in order to keep current as new issues emerge. –provided with instruction sufficient to develop software in at least one application domain.

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Measurable Outcomes Software engineering graduates will have demonstrated –the ability to apply software engineering theory, principles, tools and processes, as well as the theory and principles of computer science and mathematics, to the development and maintenance of complex software systems. –the ability to design and experiment with software prototypes. –the ability to design and run experiments with software metrics. –the ability to participate productively on software project teams involving students from both software engineering and other majors. –effective communication skills through oral and written reports and software documentation evaluated by both peers and faculty. –(continued on next slide)

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Measurable Outcomes (continued) Software engineering graduates will have demonstrated –the ability to elicit, analyze and specify software requirements through a productive working relationship with project stakeholders. –the ability to evaluate the business and impact of potential solutions to software engineering problems in a global society, using their knowledge of contemporary issues. –the ability to apply appropriate codes of ethics and professional conduct to the solution of software engineering problems. –the knowledge required to understand the need for and the ability to perform in lifelong learning. –the basic knowledge required in a software engineering application domain track.

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Current and Proposed Timeline for Program White paper written by SE faculty for CSSE fall retreat on August 23 Interdisciplinary Committee meets in fall, submits report October 31 Presentation to CSSE Board of Advisors on October 11 CSSE faculty drafts proposal for BSSE (November-early December) External review (mid December-mid January) Presentation to Departments (mid-January) Consideration by Curriculum Committee (January 23) First reading at RHIT Faculty Meeting (February 4) Second reading and vote at RHIT Faculty Meeting (March 11) Approval by Board of Trustees (May) First SE majors, new SE courses first taught (Fall 2003) First BSSE graduates (No later than May 2005) Receive ABET/EAC accreditation (Summer 2007)

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Breakdown of Curriculum Hours Engineering Topics: 72 (same as number required by ABET) –Software Engineering – 36 –Computer Science – 28 –CSSE Electives - 4 –Electrical and Computer Engineering: 4 Math and Basic Sciences: 51 (required by ABET: 48) –Mathematics - 35 –Lab Sciences – 16 General Education: 37 –Humanities and Social Science - 36 –College and Life Skills - 1 Other: 32 –Application Domain Track: hours –Free Electives: hours Total of 192 hours (same as for CS)

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Application Domain Track To provide students background in one potential software application domain area –Fundamentals of Engineering (rest of Sophomore Curriculum) –Electrical Engineering –Scientific Computing (math-based) –Commercial Applications Future possibilities include –Real-Time Systems –Bioinformatics –Scientific Computing (science-based) –Image Processing

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Software Engineering as a Second Major Normally, a double major student must satisfy all degree requirements of the primary major and take all of the major subject courses in the second major (including their prerequisites). However, it is essential that all SE double majors satisfy ABET/EAC software engineering accreditation criteria So someone with SE as a second major must also satisfy the application domain track requirements, and math and lab science courses totaling at least 48 hours, including at least one course in probability and statistics e.g. MA 223 (Engineering Statistics I) or MA 381 (Introduction to Probability with Statistical Applications)

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Differences Between Proposed SE and CS Curricula There are four new SE courses are required for SE but not CS –CSSE 373 Formal Methods for Specification and Design –CSSE 374 Software Architecture and Design –CSSE 375 Software Construction and Evolution –CSSE 376 Software Quality Assurance The senior project sequence must be taken in SE There are five CSSE electives in CS –One of them must be a theory course –None of them can be from among the new SE courses –There is only one CSSE elective for SE MA 381 is required in CS while MA 223 is required in SE RH 330 (Technical Communication) is required in SE but not in CS ECE 332 (Computer Architecture II) is required in CS but not in SE SE requires the application domain track

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Effect on CSSE Department The four new SE courses Faculty –Some shifting of teaching assignments will be needed –Can be done with current faculty, but one additional SE faculty member is preferred Projected Number of Majors –By 2006: about one-third of CSSE department students (80 SE majors) –By 2011: about one-half of CSSE students (120 SE majors) Percentage of RHIT students in CSSE department projected to be the same Numbers assume a 10% increase in RHIT undergraduates over next few years

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Effects on Other Departments Mathematics – shift one section of MA 381 to MA 223; some loss of Math electives expected ECE – possibly cancel one section of ECE 332 HSS – one new section of RH 330 Other Academic Departments – minimal Registrar – Keep Track of New Major Admissions – New Major to Promote

Proposal for a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering - February 4, Support for Proposal Steve J. Nieuwsma, Vice President Engineering, Commercial Systems, Rockwell Collins Todd R. Eigenschink (CS ’93), Senior Partner, TEK Interactive Group, Inc., Fort Wayne, and member of the CSSE Board of Advisors Dennis J. Frailey, Principal Fellow, Raytheon Company, Dallas TX and member of the CSSE Board of Advisors Bob Cannon, past President of the Computer Sciences Accreditation Board (now the lead society in the ABET/EAC accreditation of software engineering degree programs) and member of the CSSE Board of Advisors From Michael J. Lutz, Motorola Professor of Software Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology