Engineering Software Engineering

Description

Website: https://computing.unl.edu

Email: computing@unl.edu

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln School of Computing offers Nebraskas only comprehensive program of higher education, research, and service outreach in computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering.

The School of Computing offers a unique and challenging baccalaureate degree program in software engineering, incorporating hands-on learning and an integrated computer science and software engineering core curriculum to prepare graduates for professional practice in a wide range of industries and for post-graduate education. The Software Engineering (BSSE) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Software and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Software engineers work on multidisciplinary teams to identify and develop software solutions and to maintain software intensive systems of all sizes. The focus of this program is on the rigorous engineering practices necessary to build, maintain, and protect modern software intensive systems. Consistent with this focus, the software engineering baccalaureate program consists of a rigorous curriculum of science, math, computer science, and software engineering courses.
 

Students completing the major will have the ability to:

  • Apply disciplined software engineering practices and principles to the design, architecture, development, analysis, testing, and maintenance of complex software systems to meet the desired needs of the stakeholders within realistic constraints.
  • Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems using computational resources.
  • Contribute their expertise by effectively collaborating and communicating with other stakeholders in multidisciplinary teams.
  • Adapt to rapid advances in computing and software engineering tools, technologies, principles, and practices.

Students will also have:

  • The background and perspective for post-graduate education. Studies develop skills in the application of theory, experimentation, and lifelong learning/professional development.
  • Insight into the world of practicing professionals for collaborations, mutual support, and representing the profession to government and society. Studies include teamwork, communication, and hands-on experience, plus students are provided with multiple opportunities for involvement in organizations such as ACM, UPE, and IEEE.

The School of Computing also offers a degree of bachelor of science in computer engineering and a bachelor of science in computer science. All students with a major in the School of Computing should see their advisor during the first semester to ensure they understand the requirements for each School of Computing undergraduate degree program. Majors should consult with their advisors each semester for registration advising.


Introductory Courses. Entering students take SOFT 160 Software Engineering I, the first course in the software engineering core series. The software engineering core courses (SOFT 160, SOFT 161 Software Engineering II, SOFT 260 Software Engineering III, SOFT 261 Software Engineering IV) provide an introduction to fundamental software engineering concepts and foundational computer science topics to prepare students for more advanced software engineering and computer science courses.

Graduate Programs. The School of Computing offers several graduate degree programs: master of science in computer science, master of science in computer science with a computer engineering specialization, master of science in computer science with a bioinformatics specialization, doctor of philosophy in computer science, doctor of philosophy in engineering with computer engineering specialization, doctor of philosophy in computer science with bioinformatics specialization, and joint doctor of philosophy in computer science and mathematics. See the Graduate Studies Catalog for details.

Major Department Admission

Students are expected to meet minimum college entrance requirements. After being admitted to the college, students desiring to pursue a degree in software engineering must go through the Professional Admission process, which is automatically performed for qualifying students at the end of the sophomore year. In order to be considered for Professional Admission to the software engineering program, students must receive at least a C in SOFT 260 Software Engineering III (RAIK 283H Honors: Software Engineering III), SOFT 261 Software Engineering IV (RAIK 284H Software Engineering IV), and CSCE 235 Introduction to Discrete Structures (RAIK 184H Honors: Software Development Essentials) and a GPA of at least 2.5 (semester and cumulative). If a student’s cumulative GPA drops below 2.4, the student may be placed on restricted status, may be removed from the College, and may not be able to graduate.
 

College Requirements

College Admission

College Entrance Requirements

Students must meet both the University and College of Engineering entrance requirements.  The following includes both the University and College of Engineering entrance requirements.

Students must have high school credit for (one unit is equal to one high school year):

  1. Mathematics – 4 units: 2 of algebra, 1 of geometry, and 1 of precalculus and trigonometry
  2. English – 4 units
  3. Natural sciences – 3 units that must include 1 unit of physics and 1 unit of chemistry (chemistry requirement waived for students in construction management or computer science)
  4. Foreign language – 2 units of a single foreign language
  5. Social studies – 3 units
  6. Students having a composite ACT score of 28 or greater (or equivalent SAT score) will be admitted to the College of Engineering even if they lack any one of the following: trigonometry, chemistry, or physics. Students without test scores who are missing a full unit of trigonometry/pre-calculus/calculus or chemistry or physics will be evaluated through College Review.
  7. Students having an ACT score of 19 or less in English (or equivalent SAT score) or a grade lower than B in high school English, must take ENGL 150 Writing and Inquiry or ENGL 151 Writing for Change.

A total of 16 units is required for admission.

Engineering requires that student performance meet one of the following standards: composite ACT of 24, SAT of 1180, ACT Math subscore of 24, SAT Math subscore of 580, or a 3.5 cumulative GPA. 

 

Any domestic first-year student who does not gain admission to Engineering but does gain admission to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will be reviewed through College Review. College Review is conducted through the College Review Committee which considers factors beyond standardized testing. Any first-year student who is not admitted through college review is placed in Pre-Engineering (PENG) with the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center (Explore Center). Students in the Explore Center can transfer to the College of Engineering once college admission requirements are met. 

Students for whom English is not their language of nurture must meet the minimum English proficiency requirements of the University. 

Students who lack entrance units may complete precollege training by Independent Study through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of On-line and Distance Education, in summer courses, or as a part of their first or second semester course loads while in the Explore Center or other colleges at UNL. 

Students should consult their advisor, their department chair, or Engineering Student Services (ESS) if they have questions on current policies. 

Other Admission Requirements

Students who transfer to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from other accredited colleges or universities and wish to be admitted to the College of Engineering (COE) must meet COE first-year student entrance requirements, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, and be calculus-ready. Students not meeting either of these requirements must enroll in the Explore Center or another University college until they meet COE admission requirements. Students transferring from UNOUNL, or UNK to the College of Engineering must be in good academic standing with their institution. 

The COE accepts courses for transfer for which a C or better grade was received. Although the University of Nebraska–Lincoln accepts D grades from the University of Nebraska Kearney and the University of Nebraska Omaha, not all majors in the COE accept such low grades. Students must conform to the requirements of their intended major and, in any case, are strongly encouraged to repeat courses with a grade of C- or less.

Students who were previously admitted to COE and are returning to the College of Engineering must demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to be readmitted to COE.

College Degree Requirements

Grade Rules

Grade Appeals

In the event of a dispute involving any college policies or grades, the student should appeal to their instructor, and appropriate department chair or school director (in that order). If a satisfactory solution is not achieved, the student may appeal their case through the College Academic Appeals Subcommittee. 

Catalog Rule

Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year in which they are first admitted at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In consultation with advisors, a student may choose to follow a subsequent catalog for any academic year in which they are admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at Nebraska in the College of Engineering. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year. The catalog which a student follows for degree requirements may not be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation. 

Students who have transferred from a community college may be eligible to fulfill the requirements as stated in the catalog for an academic year in which they were enrolled at the community college prior to attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  This decision should be made in consultation with the student’s College of Engineering academic advising team (e.g., ESS professional advisor and the chief faculty advisor for the student’s declared degree program).  The chief faculty advisor has the final authority for this decision. Eligibility is based on a) enrollment in a community college during the catalog year the student wishes to utilize, b) maintaining continuous enrollment of at least 12 credit hours per semester at the previous institution for at least 2 semesters, and c) continuous enrollment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln within 1 calendar year from the student’s last term at the previous institution.  Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year and within the timeframe allowable for that catalog year. 

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the software engineering program will have:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The above student outcomes have been approved by the ABET Engineering Area Delegation for use beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, and have been adopted by the School of Computing faculty.