Academics

 

 

Introduction to software engineering program

Software Engineering Degree

Admission info Software Engineering

 

 

Introduction to software engineering program

 

Beginning in 2003 SDSU will offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering—the newest accredited engineering program. Software Engineering combines the principles of engineering with the science of computing. Almost everything we touch today—the appliances in our homes, the car we drive, even the checkout line at the mall—has a computer involved and requires well engineered software. This rapidly growing field is providing many exciting career opportunities. Software Engineers are in demand in places such as aerospace and automotive, biotechnology and banking, communications and computers, design and development, and in manufacturing and medicine, just to name a few.

 

 

Preparation for the Major

High school preparation should emphasize mathematics, science, communications skills, and, if possible, computers. Although not required, most students will find a great benefit in owning a Windows-based PC. Students will find that most assignments will involve the computer, ranging from coding to word processing for written reports.

 

 

The Curriculum

Since Software Engineering is a blend of engineering and Computer Science, the curriculum contains elements of both fields. Students are required to take courses in physical science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, as well as in Software Engineering. In addition, extensive work in mathematics (7 courses) is required. All students are also required to complete a general studies core. The Software Engineering Curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad background of knowledge related to software, its development, architecture, configuration, revision, human interface, and quality assurance. In response to local and regional industry needs, the curriculum also focuses on interfacing software to various types of hardware devices. In the senior year students are required to take 10 credits of technical electives. This allows tailoring the program for individual interests. The Senior Design sequence is the capstone event of the student’s educational experience. Here students work in design teams to take a project from customer requirements all the way through the design and development process to produce a working prototype. During this experience students are exposed to all aspects of the design process and may have the opportunity to work with students from other engineering disciplines. The Senior Design Conference allows students to present their work to their peers, the faculty, and industry.

 

 

Special Student Opportunities

Students in Software Engineering have numerous opportunities to gain part-time employment and technical experience while completing their degrees. Faculty in the department typically employ several undergraduate students per semester to work as research assistants. Students gain valuable technical experience while earning spending money. Local industries such as Daktronics also provide numerous part-time employment opportunities with work hours that are flexible for the student. Many of these outside employment opportunities beginning at the end of the freshman year and often lead to offers for permanent employment with the company following the student’s graduation. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to pursue cooperative  education opportunities with local and regional industry where the student takes a semester off to work full time for a company and earns credits towards graduation at the same time.

 

 

Department Highlights

Software Engineering is offered through the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Software Engineering. This newly formed department offers faculty the opportunity to work closely together on multi-disciplinary projects with respect to research, academics, and outreach activities and also provides an exciting learning environment for students. During their educational experience in the program, students will be exposed to a variety of laboratories spanning electrical engineering and computer science and will have the opportunity to work ‘hands-on’ with computer software and hardware ranging from Motorola microcomputers to IBM RS6000 servers and a variety of operating systems. Faculty in the department cover the disciplines of Software Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering. New faculty are being added to the program to support the Software Engineering major. All faculty are dedicated to undergraduate education, academic advising, as well as research and outreach activities. Many student organizations exist on campus including intramural sports, music, drama, and others too numerous to mention. In addition several student organizations within the department conduct a variety of activities including industrial trips to places such as Daktronics, EROS Data Center, National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO, and other locations. The Computer Science Club actively participates in the regional computer science contest and has been invited to nationals twice since 1998.

 

 

Software Engineering Degree

 

System and Institutional Gen. Ed. Core:

Course	Cr. Hours
English 101	3
English 379	3
Speech 101	3
Wel 100	2
Humanities	8
Social Sciences	8
Stewardship	2
Natural Sciences (Physics 211 & 213)	8
Total	37

(Note: 3 cr. Math requirement met below)

 

College of Engineering Requirement:

Course	Cr. Hours
GE 101 Introduction to Engineering	1
Total	1

 
Math Courses:

Course	Cr. Hours
Math 123 Calc I	4
Math 125 Calc II	4
Math 215 Matrix Algebra	2
Math 253 Elem. Logic & Set Theory	3
Math 316 Discrete math	3
Math 321 Differential Equations	3
Stat 381 Intro. To Prob. & Stat	3
Total	22

 

Software Engineering Courses:

Course	Cr. Hours
SE 270 Foundation of Soft. Engineering	3
SE 320 Soft. Reqt. & Formal Specs	3
SE 330 Human Factors & User Interface	3
SE 340 Soft. Architecture	3
SE 410 Soft. Testing &Quality Assurance	3
SE 420 Soft. Project Management	3
SE 440 Embedded Systems Programming	3
SE 464 Senior Design I	3
SE 465 Senior Design II	3
Total	25

Computer Science Courses:

Course	Cr. Hours
CSC 150 Computer Science I	3
CSC 250 Computer Science II	3
CSC 285 Data Structures	3
CSC 290 Programming languages	3
CSC 430 Graphical User Interface Prog	3
CSC 456 Operating Systems	3
CSC 484 Database management Systems	3
Total	21

Electrical Engineering Courses:

Course	Cr. Hours
EE 300 /301 Basic Electrical Engineering I	3
EE 302/303 Basic Electrical Engineering II	3
EE 345/346 Digital Systems	4
EE 347/348 Microcomputer Systems Design	4
Total	14

Total Required Credit Hours: 120
Technical Electives: 12
Total Credits: 132

Suggested Elective Courses:

Course	Cr. Hours
EE 440/440A VLSI Circuit Design	3
CSC 474 Computer Networks	3
CSC 332 Struct. Sys. Analysis & Design	3
Math 471 Numerical Analysis	3
CSC 303-Ethical & Security Issues in Computing	3
CSC 314-Assembly Language	3
CSC 354---Systems Programming	3
CSC 428-Compiler Construction	3

 

 

Admission of Software Engineering Program

Students may declare a Software Engineering major upon being accepted into the university. However, once in the program the student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and a minimum grade point average for all courses taken in the major.

 

For More Information
Contact the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Software Engineering, South Dakota State University, Box 2220, Brookings, SD, 57007, or call us at 605-688-4526.

Website:  http://www.engineering.sdstate.edu/~softeng

South Dakota State University
Office of Admissions

Box 2201

Brookings, SD 57007

1-800-952-3541 (Toll Free)

(605) 688-4121

E-mail: SDSU_Admissions@sdstate.edu