Syllabus for CIS–351
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
Software Engineering immerses the student in the process of software engineering, which involves identifying the components of a software system, breaking complex components into smaller and more manageable abstract pieces, and modeling the entire system. These tasks help software teams better handle the design, planning, and development of software systems. In this course the student will be exposed to a variety of techniques for planning and modeling along with strategies for gathering user input and for executing software development.
After completing this course, you should be able to:
You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.
ISBN-13: 978-0073375977
Software Engineering is a three-credit online course, consisting of five modules. Modular study assignments include text readings and study aids in the form of links to the chapter summaries and self-tests offered by the text publisher's Web site. Several modules include multimedia lectures on key topics; modules also contain interactive exercises that allow you to check your understanding of important concepts. Modules include learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.
For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete written assignments, and take two proctored online examinations—a midterm and a final. See below for more details.
Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.
One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this document.
In addition to an ungraded "Introductions" forum, Software Engineering requires you to participate in four graded class discussions.
Communication with the mentor and among fellow students is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct assignments: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses.
You will be evaluated both on the quality of your responses (i.e., your understanding of readings, and concepts as demonstrated by well-articulated, critical thinking) and quantity of your participation (i.e., the number of times you participate meaningfully in the assigned forums). Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.
Meaningful participation in online discussions is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement.
Deadlines for posting responses to the discussion questions are given in the Course Calendar.
Specific directions for these assignments, and the questions to be discussed, are given in the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.
Software Engineering has five written assignments. For the assignment topics and questions, see the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.
The written assignments are the primary means for you to express yourself verbally during the semester, controlling content and meaning. Due dates for each assignment are listed in the Course Calendar.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site, and read through the written assignment question before you begin the reading for that assignment.
Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the readings and concepts. They should also adequately answer the questions posed. If you need help in writing, take a look at The Writing Center: University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Also, formulate responses in your own words. Do not merely copy answers from your reading materials. When quoting or paraphrasing from the text or other sources, be sure to cite the source of information properly according to APA guidelines (see also Basic Documentation Rules). If you have further questions, your mentor will guide you in accordance with the correct style of documentation.
Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.
Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.
You are required to take two proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams require that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.
The midterm is a closed-book, proctored online exam. It is two hours long and covers material in Chapters 1 through 7 (Modules 1 through 3). It consists of several short essay questions and one longer essay question.
You will find help in preparing for your exam in the study guides found in each module. Each includes a list of concepts you should be sure you understand before you move on to the next module. When you are studying for your exams, you may use this information as a preparation guide.
The final is a closed-book proctored online exam. It is two hours long and covers material in Chapters 8 through 12 and Appendix 2 (Module 4 and Module 5). It consists of several short essay questions and one longer essay question.
You will find help in preparing for your exam in the study guides found in each module. Each includes a list of concepts you should be sure you understand before you move on to the next module. When you are studying for your exams, you may use this information as a preparation guide.
Online exams are administered through the course Web site. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.
You will find a sample online examination in the Tests & Quizzes area of this course site. Use this sample exam to familiarize yourself with the online testing setting and format before you take your online exam. Keep in mind the following potential differences between the sample exam and your online exam:
You are on your honor not to cheat during an exam. Cheating means:
If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in an exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
A | = | 93–100 | C+ | = | 78–79 | |
A– | = | 90–92 | C | = | 73–77 | |
B+ | = | 88–89 | C– | = | 70–72 | |
B | = | 83–87 | D | = | 60–69 | |
B– | = | 80–82 | F | = | Below 60 |
To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Consider the following study tips for success:
To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.
For more, see:
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