Teaching a service course in software engineering

The development of stand-alone software engineering curricula has spawned the need for a reevaluation of the survey courses designed to introduce software engineering to the non-software engineer (e.g. computer engineers or computer scientists). The Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Software Engineering (SE2004) and the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) are two widely accepted guidelines for knowledge areas within software engineering. This paper will examine the recommendations in these guidelines and suggest an appropriate subset of course topic areas and depth of coverage for a software engineering service course. The syllabus for senior-level 4-credit quarter-long service course in software engineering for computer engineers will be presented along with anecdotal evidence of its success as the course is taught at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Recent curriculum changes in computer engineering at MSOE have shifted the software engineering service course from 4-credits in the senior year to 3-credits in the sophomore year and the proposed syllabus for this new course will be presented as well.