Software Engineering

Department Head:	Dr. Michele Van Dyne
	(406) 496-4855
	MUS 204B

Administrative Assistant:	Tami Windham
	(406) 496-4366
	MUS 201

Department FAX:	(406) 496-4756

The Software Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commision of ABET, http://www.abet.org. It is housed in the Computer Science department which provides instruction and laboratory experience to students from most other majors on campus. Software engineers specialize in designing, building, testing, and maintaining software systems. They are responsible for the usability, safety, and reliability of their products.

Students in the program enjoy low class sizes and a low student-to-faculty ratio. The Computer Science department laboratory is centrally located between faculty offices, enabling significant student-faculty interaction. This lab contains computers running MS Windows and access to the department Linux servers.

(Note: If you are interested in a career in computing science outside of pure software development, also see the Computer Science program description in this catalog.)

Program Mission

Our program prepares students to develop quality software systems using proven software engineering methodologies. Our graduates positively influence how software products affect society and carry on our institution’s tradition of excellence. Our graduates have excellent skills, a “can do” attitude and meet industry expectations right out of college.

Educational Objectives

During the first three to five years after graduation our SE graduates will have:

Adapted, thrived, and contributed in an industry setting or completed a graduate program;
Contributed to improved software quality and the state of the art by promoting the adoption of best practices and supporting those best practices that are already being used;
Demonstrated an ongoing commitment to professional development.

Student Outcomes

At the time of graduation, all students will have demonstrated:

an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, polititcal, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
an ability to communicate effectively;
the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and social context
a recognition of the need for, and an abililty to engage in lifelong learning;
a knowledge of contemporary issues;
an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

	Sec. 1	the ability to analyze, design, verify, validate, implement, apply, and maintain software systems.
	Sec. 2	the ability to appropriately apply discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, and relevant topics in computer science and supporting disciplines to comples software systems;
	Sec. 3	the ability to work in one or more significant application domains;
	Sec. 4	the ability to manage the development of software systems.

Programs

Bachelor of Science