OVERVIEW OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

1. Introduction

1.1  Background of the University

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) is one of the new public universities of the country established to play as a forefront changing actor in the technological transformation of the country by creating strong linkage with industries. As it was stated in the Five-Year Growth and Transformation Plan (2010-2015 G.C) plan, the establishment of well institutionalized and strong science and technology universities and institutes of technology will serve as a cornerstone to build an economically developed and industrialized state of Ethiopia. As a result, AASTU was founded in 2011 under the Directive of the Council of Ministers No. 216/2011 as well as amended by regulation numbers 314/2014 by admitting the first batch (2000 students) in November 2011. Intentionally located in an industry zone, AASTU envisioned becoming a recognized hub of science and technology – having a strong relationship with local industries and businesses.

Over the recent few decades, Ethiopia has launched different academic and research institutions targeting the transformation and industrialization of the existing agriculture-based economy. Starting from 2015 till now, the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University follow nationally harmonized undergraduate program curriculum. Given the importance of curriculum development in higher education institutions, designing standardized curriculum has become a dynamic process due to the rapidly increasing and changing demands of modern industries and business systems in Ethiopia. Focused on the strategic direction of Ethiopian development, the 5 Colleges of the University are working aggressively to produce qualified, competent, and socially responsible professionals in the fields of science and technology through promoting research-oriented science and technology. To achieve this, the curricula of the undergraduate programs is revised to meet the requirements of accreditation which relays on principles of outcome-based education (OBE) and also emphasis on continuous quality improvements (CQI). Enhancing the quality of our programs via curriculum accreditation helps to assure the structure and content of a program to meet internationally recognized standards. Hence, it becomes a high time to change the curriculum to meet the requirement of internationally recognized accreditation which focuses of continuous quality improvement (CQI).

In January 2016, the Ministry of Education (Education Strategy Center) developed a concept note to reform the education sector in accordance with the national vision and national

development goals. Hence, one of the strategic plans that proposed in the Ethiopian education road map has included common courses a total of 40 credit hours as a national requirement that led to the development of fundamental changes to the Ethiopian educational system. In line with the given strategic direction of Ethiopian development, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University strives to be:

• a problem solver of the industry by looking ahead,
• leading in the nation research,
• delivering world-class

The current 5 Colleges (the major academic units) at AASTU are College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, College of Architectural and Civil Engineering, College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, College of Social and Natural Sciences, and College of Applied Sciences. Presently, the University has enrolled more than 8000 undergraduate (under regular and continuing education program) and close to 700 postgraduate students under its 5 Colleges. AASTU is a university in the making, and much of its short-term plans aim at establishing academic infrastructures and facilities, staff recruitment and manpower development. So far, the University has managed to recruit about 472 academic staff and 391 administrative staff. For the sake of achieving high quality in education and excellence in its undergraduate programs, AASTU has stared enrolling top scorers throughout the country, who passed a special qualification examination in addition to the national entrance exam.

As indicated earlier, to meet the increasing national demand for qualified professional in science and technology, the University has given special attention to improve and standardize its academic programs starting with accreditations of all of undergraduate programs. To this end, the University has launched the revision of the entire undergraduate program curriculum from the point of view accreditation. The main goal of the accreditation is not only to improve of academic quality and public accountability but to ensure the education provided by the University are at an acceptable level of quality. This undergraduate curriculum for Software Engineering is developed based on the requirement of the Washington accord and ABET for engineering   program   and   applied   science   program   accreditation   respectively.

1.2  Vision and Mission of the University

Vision

To be internationally recognized Ethiopian Hub of science and technology with strong national commitment and significant continental impact by 2030.

Mission

Delivering world-class education and training in strategically prioritized science and technology disciplines based on national economic demand, conducting problem-solving applied research to support the productivity and competitiveness of industries, serving as a center for knowledge and technological adaptation, innovation and transfer, building technical and managerial capabilities of industries, and becoming a national hub of science and technology

1.3  Background of the Program 

Software Engineering is essential for modern industries in the 21st century. Broadly, software engineering can be defined as the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation and maintenance of software. Software engineers are responsible for the specification, design, and development of software programs that support computer and computer-controlled systems or products. In other words, software engineering is an ideal field for creative, detail–oriented individuals who enjoy solving-problems by using technology. This undergraduate program in software engineering is aimed at equipping students with the major principles and concepts in software production, management and design. The students will learn how to develop, create, and troubleshoot computer software, programs, and applications, mastering the skills needed to work in software development and other information technology fields.

Although the field of Software Engineering was established more than 30 years ago, Bachelor degree programs in Software Engineering in Ethiopia came into existence in the last few years. According to the GTP (Growth and Transformation Plan) goals and strategies set by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST, the ministry focuses on creating an enabling environment for ICT professionals to be engaged in digital innovation, creativity, and research activities. The Ministry had been supporting GTP reform to ensure sustainable development, poverty eradication, human resource development and capacity building through the application of well- designed information communication technology. Taking these facts into account, the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology under the School of Electrical

Engineering and Computing had opened a new program in Software Engineering that was aimed at producing well-qualified and skilled graduates in the field of Software Engineering to satisfy the growing demand of manpower in the country.

To this end, the former Department of Computer Science and Information Technology (CS&IT) established at AASTU in 2011 as undergraduate program within the School of Electrical Engineering and Computing. Five years later, the undergraduate program in Software Engineering is launched within Department of Computer Science and Information Technology. In other words, the undergraduate program in Software Engineering had been launched during the 2014-2015 academic year by admitting students in the regular program under the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Though this undergraduate program was initially four- year program, it becomes five-years program in September 2019 as a result of 15 new courses are prearranged from MOSHE as a common course to be delivered in all higher institutions in Ethiopia.

The Software Engineering program of the Department is structured in such a way that supports the study of both theoretical and practical aspects of software design and development. The program tries to find the balance between breadth and depth to provide a solid foundation in principles of software development methodologies on one hand, and comprehensive exposure to software applications, professionalism, and leadership skills on the other hand.

Students are guided to pursue their interest in software engineering by studying the fundamental principles and application of software construction including basic concepts, techniques, and methods of software development through the core required courses such as data structures, discrete mathematics, algorithms, object-oriented programming, fundamental of software engineering, etc. followed by tailored individual education through the selection of elective courses. Moreover, every senior student is required to undertake a research project under the guidance of a senior academic advisor. Students are encouraged to participate in multidisciplinary research projects at the Excellence Centers of the University.

1.4  Rationale for the Program

The Department of Software Engineering is committed to inspire, nurture, and educate leaders in tomorrow’s technology-centric environment while contributing to the solution of the most challenging problems of local industries and businesses. Modern society depends upon systems of increasing complexity to sustain our quality of life, and the engineered systems being conceived and developed today have an increasing and significant percentage of their functionality allocated to software. This requires our future engineers to be strongly rooted in the fundamentals of engineering and science, while also being equipped with a strong capability to develop and integrate software as a central feature in these systems. The software aspect of engineered systems today is not just another component of the system. It also provides the overarching integration framework, allowing systems to be both rich in functionality and capabilities, while being adaptive to context and control.

Since modern industries and business systems are based on the application of digital technologies, software systems are the driving force behind many exciting developments in a service-oriented digital economy. The advent of Software Engineering is a natural result of the continuous quest for software quality and reusability, and the maturing of the software development industry. As software continues to transform society in dramatic and powerful ways, we must improve our ability to reliably develop high-quality systems. From early incarnations as just an idea or set of requirements to when software is actually built, deployed and customized in the field, many challenges exist across the lifecycle that make creating software still a non-trivial endeavor today. This undergraduate program in Software Engineering focuses on the best practices, current methodologies, emerging technologies, and their applications in various industries. It teaches the principles of modern software engineering, together with the tools, methods and techniques that support their application. The program emphasizes key skills in requirements analysis, architectural design, and construction that are needed in successful software project development and management.

A preliminary observation conducted by the Department shows most of the existing industries in Ethiopia are based on manual systems and services, with very limited automated or semi- automated components. In order to automate and modernize these traditional industries, the availability of well-qualified software engineers is crucial. Currently, there is an increasing demand for software engineers who can operate under very dynamic and challenging environments. To fill the gap in qualified software engineers and information system developers, it becomes necessary to open an accredited BSc Degree program in Software Engineering at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU). In line with the future strategic plan of AASTU), the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering has developed a proposal to introduce the Software Engineering program at undergraduate level in order to meet the increasing demand of industries and business institutions. In particular, the Department of Software Engineering at the college has proposed and developed a curriculum for undergraduate program, which aims at producing well-skilled engineers and professionals in the field of Software Engineering. The curriculum encompasses all important aspects of software engineering, including requirements engineering, software architecture and design, software construction, software testing and quality assurance, software maintenance, and software project management.

Software engineers in Ethiopia can be engaged in professional works across a variety of industries from tech startups and healthcare organizations to departments within the government and more. Graduates of this program may pursue career opportunities in a variety of entry-level positions, including Software Requirement Engineer, Software Architect or Designer, System Analyst, software developer, software tester, web application developer, software applications analyst, software project manager and web applications analyst As the minimum credential for many positions in the field, earning a bachelor’s degree in software engineering can lead to greater employment opportunities. A bachelor’s is also ideal for candidates who are considering pursuing a master’s or a doctoral degree. Many specialized research and teaching positions require advanced degrees, and earning a bachelor’s degree in software engineering online is the first step toward graduate and postgraduate study.

2. Structure of Program

2.1  Credit Hour Requirements and Semester Load

Duration of study for the undergraduate Software Engineering degree regular program shall be five-years. The total minimum and maximum credit hour requirements of the program is 180 Cr. hrs. and 190 Cr. hrs. respectively (article 91 senate legislation July 2017).

The duration of study for undergraduate degrees in the continuing education program is six years (sub-article 90.1.2. senate legislation July 2017). However, the total credit hour requirement for the continuing education program   is the   same as the regular program.

The normal semester load for five years’ program is 17 Cr. hrs. to 19 Cr. hrs. However, a curriculum may have 20 Cr. hrs. per semester twice except the final year.

The normal semester load in continuing education program shall be 8 to 12 credit hours. However, the summer semester load shall be 6 to 8 cr. hrs.

Table 1: Semester load for the Regular Program

2.2  Mission of the University

• Delivering world-class education and training in strategically prioritized science and technology disciplines based on national economic demand,
• Conducting problem-solving    applied   research   to    support   the                     productivity          and competitiveness of industries,
• Serving as a center for knowledge and technological adaptation, innovation and transfer, M-4 Building technical and managerial capabilities of industries, and

M-5    Becoming a national hub of science and technology

2.3     Program Education Objectives (PEOs)

The program education objective of the Software Engineering program is shown in table 2.

Table 2: Program Education Objectives (PEO)

2.4     Mapping of PEO and University Mission

Table 3: Mapping of PEO with University Mission

2.5     Program Outcome (PO)

Graduates of the Software Engineering program expected up on their graduation to demonstrate the ability to:

Table 4: Program Outcome (PO)

2.6     Mapping of PO and PEO

Table 5: Mapping of PO with PEO

2.7    Admission Requirement

2.7.1      Admission requirement for undergraduate regular program

The admission requirements for the undergraduate regular program are as stated in the Senate legislation July 2017, Article 78. Hence, admission to the undergraduate programs of AASTU shall be based on the completion of the preparatory and obtaining the necessary pass marks in the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEE) or equivalent academic achievements from foreign countries as well as obtaining pass mark in the STU entrance examination to be set by the Ministry and/ or AASTU. Moreover, the student may require to take entrance exam set by the department and obtain pass mark.

2.7.2   Admission requirement for undergraduate continuing education program

The admission requirements for the undergraduate continuing education program are as stated in the senate legislation July 2017, Article 79. However, admission to the undergraduate continuing education program of AASTU shall be based on obtaining the necessary pass mark in the AASTU entrance examination.

2.8     Duration of Study

The duration for study of the undergraduate programs shall be as stated in the university senate legislation July 2017, Article 90. Accordingly, under normal circumstances, five and six years of study are required to complete the program in regular and continuing education program delivery respectively. However, if the program is not completed and extended for some reason; the extension for completing the program does exceed twice the normal duration of study.

2.9     Teaching and Learning Approach

The basic teaching approach is a student centered supported by lecture, tutorial, group discussion, supervised study, student presentations, demonstration and hands-on activities, practical laboratory exercises, seminar, workshop, project work, problem based learning, research design, simulation, invited speakers, independent studies, lectures by industry professionals, a combination of these and others. E-learning and audio-visual supports are also used to aid lectures and tutorials. Students are assigned to work on projects to enable them enhance innovative and independent working ability. The industry internship is also an integral part of the teaching/learning process.

2.10   Mode of Delivery

The program is delivered both in regular and continuing education program learning mode.

2.11   Assessment and Evaluation Mechanisms

The different abilities that graduates of this program must acquire are assessed as follows.

• Cognitive Abilities: Cognitive abilities are assessed by a combination of written examinations and continuous assessment, including class tests, oral examination, oral
• presentation, report about an internship, and summative assessment such as final exams, computer programming problems
• Practical and transferable skills: Practical Abilities are assessed mostly by continuous assessment. Some of practical abilities are assessed as part of individual/group project module; whereas some skills, like the use of software tools and ability to communicate orally and in written form are directly assessed, in assignments or projects, other skills are not directly assessed but their effective use will enhance the student’s overall
• Affective skills: Even though not directly assessed, students’ behavior will be evaluated considering school protocol, class room discipline, laboratory usage and equipment care and safety etc.

Evaluation will be done based on the continuous assessment (written test, quiz, assignments, laboratory sessions demonstrations, project work, and seminar) and final exam. Each course will be evaluated out of 100% (50% continuous assessment and 50% final exam).

2.12   Grading system

Examinations are graded on letter grading system as stated in the university senate legislation July 2017, Article 92. For any course having lecture, laboratory or practice and tutorial, raw mark evaluation should contain continuous assessment and final exam.

Table 6: Grading system

2.13   Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirement for all undergraduate programs should satisfy the following minimum requirements as stated in the university senate legislation July 2017, Article 109.

• All the required courses (a total of 185 credit hrs.) set in the program should be
• A cumulative grade point average CGPA of 00 must be obtained;

• A cumulative grade point average CGPA of 00 in major area courses;

• No” F” grade in any course taken for undergraduate program;

• Successfully defended his/her senior project/senior essay

• Should score 50/100 and above national exit exam

2.14   Degree Nomenclature

The name of the degree program should be written in both English and Amharic as follow;

In English:

In Amharic:

“Bachelor of Science Degree in Software Engineering”

“የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በሶፍትዌር ምህንድስና”

2.15   Course Coding

Every course shall be identified by a four-digit code preceded by four letters “SWEG” without any hyphen or space which has the form “SWEGabcd”.

• The first digit (a) represents the year (level) in which the course is given,

• The second digit (b) indicates the category number to which the course belongs,

• The last two digits (cd) indicate the semester in which the course is given. All courses given in the first semester represent by odd number (01, 03, 05, 07 …etc.), whereas all courses given in the second semester represent by even number (02, 04, 06, 08…etc.)

2.16   List of Courses and Category

2.16.1   Course Category

There are four course categories:

Category 0 = Common (National and University) and Supportive Course, Category 1 = Core/Compulsory Course,

Category 2 = Core Elective Course, Category 3 = Stream / Focus Area Courses

Table 7: Distribution of credit hours for all course categories

2.16.2   List of Courses

Table 8: List of core courses

Table 9: List of elective courses

Table 10: List of common courses and supportive courses

2.17   Course Breakdown in Semesters+

This section catalogs the list of courses sequence in each semester indicating the Credit Hour (Cr.hr) and European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) equivalent. The course breakdown in semesters is presented as follow.

Table 11: Year I, Semester I

Table 12: Year I, Semester II

            Table 13: Year II, Semester I

Table 14: Year II, Semester II

Table 15: Year III, Semester I

                Table 16: Year III, Semester II

Table 17: Year IV, Semester I

Table 18: Year IV, Semester II

Table 19: Year IV, Semester Summer

Table 20: Year V, Semester I

Table 21: Year V, Semester II

Department of Software Engineering Staff profile

Table 1: Academic staffs’ profiles

Table 1: Mechanical Engineering Department laboratory lists