Course code: 2770 + Course abbreviation: BSE + Total credit points required: 192 + 4 years full-time (part-time only by special permission)
On-campus (Clayton)
The
course is offered by the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering,
with teaching involved from the School of Business Systems. The course aims to
prepare students for careers in software engineering, software project
management, and software development and integration.
Software engineering comprises the core principles consistent in software
construction and maintenance: fundamental software processes and life-cycles,
mathematical foundations of software engineering, requirements analysis,
software engineering methodologies and standard notations, principles of
software architecture and reuse, software quality frameworks and validation,
software development, and maintenance environments and tools.
Current industry-strength programming languages, technologies and systems
feature highly in the practical components, electives and projects of the
course, but are also taught with a view to understanding and applying
principles underlying their more ephemeral character. Experts estimate that
half of all current technologies become obsolete in approximately three years.
Entry to the course is normally through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). The prerequisites are VCE units 3 and 4 with a study score of at least 20 in each of English (any) and Mathematical Methods.
The
course commences with the establishment of a sound foundation in introductory
information technology and mathematics. All information technology units have
approximately one-third laboratory-based programs.
In the later years, the introduction of major software engineering projects
builds the students' self-reliance and planning capabilities in both individual
and team-based environments. Project management units strengthen the formal
basis of management skills. Elective units are provided to allow specialisation
in some aspect of the field of study, with free electives to permit broadening
of intellectual and personal horizons.
The course structure balances four major strands:
1. Synthesis: software systems construction and design, including methodologies
and notations.
2. Analysis: software artifact analysis including mathematical foundations,
evaluation and measurement.
3. Processes: software and team management including software lifecycle and
software projects.
4. Systems: understanding, abstracting, reusing and maintaining systems and
components, including exposure to the architecture and principles of large
systems such as operating systems and distributed systems.
The four-year course is based upon the four-year engineering degree structure,
from which it is derived. In particular, the honours program is integral with
the four years of study and is undertaken in the fourth year, with enrolment in
the honours program predicated upon students reaching a credit level of
performance in the first three-year levels. This standard of performance is
determined from a weighted average of results over the first three levels, with
first level having a weight of one, second level a weight of two, and third
level a weight of three. These results, together with results in the fourth and
final level, are used to determine final grades, with final-level results
having a weight of six and the overall result is graded according to the
honours system (1, 2A, 2B, 3).
To fulfil the degree regulations, students are required to complete the following core units, together with electives, to a total value of 192 credit points (see also 'Course map 12 - Bachelor of Software Engineering' in the back of the IT faculty section in this handbook).
* Students are required to
take 12 points of first-year mathematics or the equivalent. Examples of
approved mathematical sequences are:
+ MAT1841 (Mathematics for computer
science I) and MAT1830 (Mathematics for computer science II)
, or
+ MTH1020 (Analysis of change) and MTH1030 (Techniques for modelling)
requiring VCE Mathematical Methods units 3 and 4
, or
+ MTH1030 (Techniques for modelling) and MAT1830 (Mathematics for
computer science II) requiring VCE Specialist Mathematics units 3 and 4.
#
No more than 60 credit points of level 1 units and no more than 60 credit
points of level 2 units may be counted in the degree. This rule is to ensure
that not all electives are taken at too low a level.
Like other engineering degrees, the Bachelor of Software Engineering is graded - pass, H3, H2B, H2A, H1. A candidate is awarded a degree with honours for meritorious performance. No additional time is required. The grade is determined by a weighted average of core units in the course map for levels 3 and 4. Students who perform well in level 3 are invited to take the research project CSE4402, replacing the year 4 free electives. This unit will add to the weighted average to determine honours. CSE4402 is a 12-point honours research project, available only to students undertaking the honours version of the degree.
Inquiries: visit http://www.csse.monash.edu.au.
Dr Sita Ramakrishnan
Previous page | Next page | Section contents | Title and contents