MSWE -- Master of Software Engineering

MSWE 601 Issues in Software Engineering (3) An overview of the general process of software engineering, including an introduction to the following topics: systems engineering, software life cycle methods and techniques, software specification and analysis, software environments, databases, and software project management. Case studies will be used to consider specific software life cycle models and a software development project.

MSWE 603 Systems Engineering (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 601. An examination of the systems engineering process to include: an overview of system theory and structures, elements of the system life cycle (including systems design and development), risk and trade-off analyses, modeling and simulation, and the tools needed to analyze and support the systems process.

MSWE 605 Information Risk Assessment and Security Management (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 601. Threats of electronic intrusion into corporate information systems due to advances in computer and telecommunications technologies examined. Managing the risk associated with these threats in the design of applications and systems level software. Computer and telecommunications security challenges impacting the software engineering professional. Software design and cost, convenience and "user-friendliness". Key technical and management issues concerning security of public-switched network and corporate databases. Issues of risk and security related to software engineering within specific industries and government. How major technological advances in information technologies place corporate assets at risk. Quantitative and qualitative techniques for risk assessment and decision-making under uncertainty.

MSWE 607 Software Life Cycle Methods and Techniques (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 601. Software life cycle models and various methods and technologies for the stages of the life cycle are covered. The emphasis is on the requirements, design and test phases, and at least one method and technique in each area is presented in detail. Students are expected to apply the approaches learned on team projects.

MSWE 609 A Quantitative Approach to Engineering Software (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 607. The engineering of software is presented via a continuous improvement paradigm for software development, using quantitative models of the various software processes, artifacts, and experiences, e.g. resources, defects. Software improvement and assessment paradigms are discussed. Experimentation, modeling building, and measurement approaches are presented.

MSWE 611 Software Specification and Analysis (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 607. Mathematical techniques for describing software systems, proving properties of a system's behavior prior to its implementation, and determining if the system has been correctly implemented. Description mechanisms for requirements and designs (state machines, Z), proof systems (natural deduction, term rewriting, model checking), static analysis (abstract interpretation, inspections, fault-tree analysis), dynamic analysis (test oracles, executable assertions, coverage metrics).

MSWE 613 Software Environments (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 607. Reviews life cycles, process models, and product assurance principles. For perspective studies individual tools and tool sets used in support of software development, then presents configuration management issues. Integrated SDEs and CASE tools are examined. Considers environment architectures and models with case studies. Laboratory projects consist of comparison and assessment of existing environments plus design of a domain-specific integration framework.

MSWE 615 Project Management (3) Prerequisite: MSWE 607. Project planning, organizing, and control; team building; project management styles; and ethics involved in project management are stressed. The organizational systems that support project operations, the difference between line and project management and project authority are examined. Emphasis is placed on the creativity and innovation involved in defining projects, designing technical performance measures, measuring cost effectiveness, and managing the project team. Project management microcomputer software will be used for creating the project plan and managing the project.

MSWE 617 Software Engineering Project (3) Prerequisite: all core courses. Laboratory experience in applying the software engineering techniques. Large-scale software development of novel applications systems.