Bachelor of Software Engineering
Encyclopedia
A Bachelor of Software Engineering (B.SE.) is an undergraduate
academic degree
(bachelor's degree
) awarded for completing a program of study in the field of software development
for computer
s in information technology
.
"Software Engineering
is the systematic development and application of techniques which lead to the creation of correct and reliable computer software."
Students of a four year software engineering
course will typically have a similar first year of study as students of Computer Science
, including classes such as:
The first year is designed to build up a solid base of knowledge essential to any computing degree. The following years offer students more flexibility, allowing them to choose their classes from a range of related subjects. It is only in the later years that the course really differs from other Computer Science degrees. Students usually take a work placement between years 3 and 4, greatly expanding their skills and allowing them an insight into the current industry.
In following years a software engineering student will often have a much stronger focus on Software systems and data management. The inclusion of human factors in a software engineering degree has been heavily debated, arguing that products of software engineers often are too difficult to use by consumers.
Sample B.S. in Software Engineering Degree Information from the University of Virginia - Wise
Core SWE Requirements:
CS Requirements:
Math Requirements:
Employers generally seek applicants with strong programming, systems analysis and business skills
"A large difference exists between the software engineering skills taught at a typical
university or college and the skills that are desired of a software engineer by a typical
software development organization. At the heart of this difference seems to be the way
software engineering is typically introduced to students: general theory is presented in a
series of lectures and put into (limited) practice in an associated class project."
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
(bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
) awarded for completing a program of study in the field of software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...
for computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s in information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
.
"Software Engineering
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
is the systematic development and application of techniques which lead to the creation of correct and reliable computer software."
A four year degree
The course syllabus of software engineering has been heavily debated and still is. Institutions will often offer slightly differing course structures, many may have a stronger focus on mathematical foundations for example.Students of a four year software engineering
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
course will typically have a similar first year of study as students of Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, including classes such as:
- Computer ProgrammingComputer programmingComputer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
- Program designHow to Design ProgramsHow to Design Programs is a textbook by Matthias Felleisen, Robert Bruce Findler, Matthew Flatt and Shriram Krishnamurthi on the systematic design of computer programs published in 2001 by MIT Press. The book introduces the concept of a design recipe, a six-step process for creating programs from...
- Computer Systems analysisSystems analysisSystems analysis is the study of sets of interacting entities, including computer systems analysis. This field is closely related to requirements analysis or operations research...
- Fundamentals of HardwareHardwareHardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
- NetworkingComputer networkA computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
- Computer ArchitectureComputer architectureIn computer science and engineering, computer architecture is the practical art of selecting and interconnecting hardware components to create computers that meet functional, performance and cost goals and the formal modelling of those systems....
The first year is designed to build up a solid base of knowledge essential to any computing degree. The following years offer students more flexibility, allowing them to choose their classes from a range of related subjects. It is only in the later years that the course really differs from other Computer Science degrees. Students usually take a work placement between years 3 and 4, greatly expanding their skills and allowing them an insight into the current industry.
In following years a software engineering student will often have a much stronger focus on Software systems and data management. The inclusion of human factors in a software engineering degree has been heavily debated, arguing that products of software engineers often are too difficult to use by consumers.
Sample B.S. in Software Engineering Degree Information from the University of Virginia - Wise
Core SWE Requirements:
- Introduction to Software Engineering
- Software Requirements & Modeling
- Software Design & Construction
- Software Testing, Verification, and Validation
- Software Quality Assurance
- Software Project Management
- Software Configuration Management
CS Requirements:
- Fundamentals of Programming
- Data Structures
- Introduction to Algorithms
- Operating Systems
- Computer Architecture
- Programming Languages
- Human - Computer Interaction
- Discrete Mathematics
- Database Design
Math Requirements:
- Probability & Statistics
- Calculus I
- Calculus II
- Calculus III
- Linear Algebra
General skills acquired through a Bachelor's degree course in Software Engineering
Software engineering bachelors degree students should, by the time they graduate, be able to do many things.Employers generally seek applicants with strong programming, systems analysis and business skills
"A large difference exists between the software engineering skills taught at a typical
university or college and the skills that are desired of a software engineer by a typical
software development organization. At the heart of this difference seems to be the way
software engineering is typically introduced to students: general theory is presented in a
series of lectures and put into (limited) practice in an associated class project."