Southern Polytechnic State University
Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering

Course Scheduling
The Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering is a three-semester program that includes six (6) – three (3) semester credit-hour courses. The first semester you must take SWE 6623 - Software Engineering I. You must also take one additional course chosen from the list on the following pages.

Course Locations
Classes will be held on campus at Southern Polytechnic State University. Exact room numbers are listed in the Registration Bulletin.

Course Materials
Books for each course can be purchased in the campus bookstore.

Successful Completion
A GPA of 3.0 is required to successfully complete the certificate. The "C" grade policy will be consistent with that for both the MSCS and MSSWE programs, namely, only grades of "C" or better may be applied to meet the certificate requirements. An overall GPA of 3.0 (‘B’) or better is required for graduate coursework attempted. A maximum of 2 ‘C’s may be applied if offset by the same number (or more) of ‘A’s at the same level or above.

Registration Fees and Payments
SPSU credit tuition applies to all courses in the certificate program. Please see a current Registration Bulletin for tuition rates and payment deadline. Please note: students are responsible for meeting all published deadlines including payment and withdrawal dates.

Applying for the Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering
To apply for admission to this program please complete and return the Graduate Certificate Application for Admission and other required documentation along with your $ 20.00 application fee to the Admissions Office. Please note that each semester you will be registered for courses by the School of Computing and Software Engineering.

Admission Process
Once your file is complete, your application will be reviewed by the GCSWE Admissions Committee. You will be notified by the School of Computing and Software Engineering of your acceptance status by phone and/or a confirmation packet will be mailed to you.

Six Courses Required
The primary goal of the Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering (GCSWE) is to give practitioners, (with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a closely related field and at least one (1) year of work experience already in the computer software field), the opportunity to advance into leadership positions. The focus is on sharpening capabilities to function effectively in software engineering teams producing higher quality software. The GCSWE is an on-campus program including two (2) classes each semester for three (3) semesters.

Required Courses (9 hours)

SWE 6623 Software Engineering I

SWE 6633 Software Project Management

SWE 6723 Software Engineering II

SWE 6343 User Interface Design and Implementation

SWE 6743 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design

SWE 6753 Computer game Design & Development

SWE 6763 Software Metrics and Quality Management

SWE 6783 User Interaction Engineering

SWE 6813 Component Based Software Development

SWE 6823 Embedded Systems Analysis and Design

SWE 6843 Embedded Systems Construction and Testing

SWE 6883 Formal Methods in Software Engineering

User Interface Engineering

CS 6323 Human Factors

CS 6353 Computer Graphics and Multimedia

CS 6153 Advanced Database Systems

SWE 6343  User Interface Design and Implementation
3-0-3
Prerequisite: SWE 6623
This course covers the major frameworks, methods, and approaches to designing, engineering, implementing, and testing user interfaces.  It covers user and usability requirements gathering, task analysis, user-interface design, implementation of the user interface, and evaluation with respect to requirements and the users' tasks.  Illustrative design and implementation projects are completed throughout the term.

SWE 6623  Software Engineering I
3-0-3
Prerequisite: CS 5123/3424
This course covers the initial phases of the software-development life cycle.  Topics include planning, requirements analysis, requirements specification, and design.  A number of techniques for performing analysis and design are explored and applied in a major project.

SWE 6633  Software Project Management
3-0-3
Prerequisites: SWE 6623
Focus on organizational and technical roles in software engineering.  Emphasis on: models of software life cycle, software maturity framework, strategies of implementing software, software process assessment, project planning tools, software configuration management, managing software quality and usability, leadership principles, and professional and ethical issues.  A required project combines technical and managerial techniques for assessing software design and development.

SWE 6723  Software Engineering II
3-0-3
Prerequisite: SWE 6623
This course covers the entire software development life-cycle.  Emphasis is placed on advanced topics including prototyping, verification and validation, formal methods, and quality management.  A major component is a group project that utilizes a Computer Assisted Software Engineering (CASE) tool to assist in the in the analysis, design, and implementation of a system.

SWE 6743  Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
3-0-3
Prerequisites: CS 5183/3663 and SWE 6623
This course explores the object-oriented software development process including analysis, design, and programming. Emphasis is on the object-oriented paradigm.

SWE 6753 Computer Game Design & Development
3-0-3
Prerequisite: CS 5123 Advanced Programming and Data Structures
Topics include graphics, multimedia, visualization, animation, virtual reality simulation concepts, methods, and tools of game design and developments using the software engineering life cycle are emphasized.  A team project on a game prototype is required

SWE 6763 Software Metrics and Quality Management
3-0-3
Prerequisite: SWE 6623
This course covers the principles of software measurement such as, scaling, validity, and reliability. The various software metrics on volume, effort, quality, and cost estimation are explored. The theory and principles of software verification and validation effectiveness, and reliability models are studied. The application of these measurements to software customer satisfaction and total quality management is explored.

SWE 6783  User Interaction Engineering
3-0-3
Prerequisites: CS 5183/3663 and SWE 6623
This course follows a complete software-engineering cycle to produce software objects (classes and/or components) that support users in effective, efficient, and enjoyable interactions with computers.  Class exercises and a project incorporate concepts and methods including ethnographic and user analysis; cognitive ergonomics; usability metrics and criteria; software-engineering practices, conventions, standards, and documentation; device-user action mapping; person-system function allocation; quality management systems; conceptual prototyping; embedded systems in support of ubiquitous computing; and function-behavior analysis.

SWE 6813  Component Based Software Development
3-0-3
Prerequisites: CS 5123 and CS 5183
This course covers the concepts, foundations, and architectures of component-based software development (CBSD) and its related technologies.  Component-based tools and languages, approaches for implementation of CBSD, including designing, building, assembling, and deploying reusable COTS and in-house software components are discussed in depth.  The current concrete realizations of component technologies will be explored.  Students will do projects focused on the life cycle of software components.

SWE 6823  Embedded Systems Analysis and Design
3-0-3
Prerequisite: SWE 6623
This project-oriented course focuses on using modern methods, techniques, and tools for specification and design of embedded systems.  Topics include analytical methods, design/development methods, and notations.  Performance evaluation based on modeling and simulation techniques is also covered.

SWE 6843  Embedded Systems Construction and Testing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: CS 5243/3243
This project-oriented course focuses on the use of current software building technology, testing, reliability analysis, and benchmarking.  Topics include component-based development (CBD), implementation technologies, and real-time operating systems (RTOS), with emphasis on the use of measurement tools, and domain libraries.  The course also covers issues in hardware software co-design.

SWE 6883  Formal Methods in Software Engineering
3-0-3
Prerequisites: CS 5423 and SWE 6623
This course involves a study of formal methods applicable to software development with an emphasis on methods that support formal specification and verification.  Such methods may include transformational techniques, logic-based formalisms, algebraic and model-based specifications, tools, etc.

SWE 6901-6903  Special Topics
1 to 3 hours
Prerequisite: As determined by the Instructor and Program Head
Special topics selected by the program head.  Offered on a demand basis.  A student may repeat this course with special permission.

SWE 7903  Software Engineering Capstone
3-0-3
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of the MSSWE core (SWE 6623, SWE 6633, SWE 6723, SWE 6743, SWE 6763, and SWE 6883)
This course is designed for students to give a professional focus to their degree.  The students work in designated teams under the supervision of the course instructor (a CSE faculty member), on a project of practical significance in software engineering.  Each of the teams will deliver a final working product, generate a substantial final report, and give a final presentation on the project.

CS 6323  Human Factors
3-0-3
The psychological, social, and technological aspects of interaction between humans and computers.  Includes usability engineering, cognitive and perceptual issues, human information processing, user-centered design approaches, and development techniques for producing appropriate systems.  Major project included.

CS 6353  Computer Graphics and Multimedia
3-0-3
Prerequisites:  CS 5123/3424 and CS 5423
A study of the hardware and software of computer graphics and multimedia systems from the programmer's perspective. Includes a survey of display and other media technologies, algorithms and data structures for manipulation of graphical and other media objects, and consideration of user interface design. Major project included.

CS 6153  Advanced Database Systems
3-0-3
Prerequisite:  CS 5153/3153 and CS 5423
An advanced course in database systems emphasizing design issues and implementation tradeoffs.  It covers the theory, algorithms, and methods that underlie distributed databases.  Relational algebra is discussed.  The client-server architecture and application development are also covered.

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This page was last updated on 01/31/2007