Software Engineering
ITCS 3155
Fall 2008
Course Syllabus
Please note that this syllabus is subject to change over the course of the semester.
Updates will be announced in class, via email, or made available on the course website.
Course Information
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Location: Woodward 130
Catalog Description
The system development cycle is examined in detail from the aspects of software
engineering. Current tools and techniques of systems design-data dictionary, data flow
diagrams, structured walkthroughs, and capacity planning will be taught and presented in
conjunction with case studies and class problems.
Instructor
Dr. Jamie Payton
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
email: payton@uncc.edu
web: www.cs.uncc.edu/~payton
office: Woodward 435B
phone: 687-8188
office hours: TBD in class; also by appointment
Textbook
Introduction to Software Engineering Design: Processes, Principles, and Patterns with
UML2 , Christopher Fox , Addison Wesley, first edition, 2006.
Supplementary: The Mythical Man Month: Essays on Software Engineering, 20th
Anniversary Edition. Frederick P. Brooks (ed.), Addison Wesley, first edition.
Course Objectives
In this class, we will study the basic principles of designing, developing, and deploying
software systems. In this course, you will:
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Learn about multiple software development processes
Learn how to capture software requirements
Learn the basic principles and best practices of software engineering
Learn how to model a software system
Learn how to design/apply a software architecture
Learn the basic principles of software reuse and approaches to reuse
Grading
Student performance in the class will be based on in-class quizzes, take-home problem
sets, two exams, and the course project. Letter grades will be determined by a scale that is
based on the performance of the class. Each graded item (assignment, exam, project
deliverable) will be assigned a point value. For each item, letter grade cut-offs will be
determined based on the performance of the class. The final grade cut-offs will be the
sum of the cut-offs for all assignments. The letter grading scale for individual graded
items and the final grade will be no worse than a traditional scale of 90% (A) – 80% (B)
– 70% (C) – 60% (D). The point values for assignments will be structured so that graded
items contribute to your final grade in approximately the following way:
Homework and quizzes: ~30%
Exam 1: ~20%
Exam 2: ~20%
Course Projects: ~30%
Assignments will be made available online. Students should follow the submission
instructions given on each assignment.
Late Policy
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the posted due date unless the
assignment explicitly states otherwise. Late submissions will not be accepted for credit
unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor and only in the event of extreme
circumstances.
Expectations
• Attendance. While attendance is not mandatory, it is in your best interest to come
to class. If you miss class, you miss the opportunity to participate in and benefit
from class discussion. You may also miss important announcements, clarification,
or discussion about homework assignments and exams.
• Class Participation. All students are expected to participate in classroom
discussion of ideas related to the topics presented. Ask questions. Discuss ideas.
Class participation also includes interacting with fellow students on your project
team at project team meetings. Failure to participate in your group will impact
your final project grade.
• Academic Integrity. Software development is often a team effort. You are
encouraged to discuss assignments with fellow students. However, you should
NEVER copy verbatim or present the ideas provided by someone else as if they
were your own work. This is unethical and is considered to be plagiarism, a
serious academic offense that can result in failing the course and dismissal from
the university. You should always cite the sources that you use to complete an
assignment, including conversations with classmates, and turn in a list of these
sources with your assignment. Also, you may not collaborate on any exam. If you
are found to be in violation of this policy or the university's Code of Academic
Integrity, serious penalties may be imposed, including course failure. Each
student enrolled in this class must read the Code of Academic Integrity. If you are
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unsure of what constitutes plagiarism, view the examples posted on the
university’s website, or ASK ME!
Communication: Students are expected to check their UNCC provided email
accounts on a regular basis for course communication. Failure to do so may result
in missing important announcements about course content and assignments!
Course Schedule
The course schedule can be found on the course website.