Software Engineering Program Brochure
Software Engineering is the driving force behind the new
technologies that are transforming the way we live and work:
distributed computing and the internet, multimedia applications,
new telecommunication systems. The
phenomenal growth in computing and the related
information technology industry has resulted in a tremendous demand for
software engineers—people who are qualified to develop timely,
reliable, economical, high-quality software systems. Carleton
University has responded with the B.Eng. in Software
Engineering offered through the Department of Systems and Computer
Engineering.
Software Engineering is much more than computer programming.
Correctness, timeliness of responses,
presentation in an comprehensible format, and understanding and
satisfying the true
needs of the end user are all concerns of the software engineer. And
when we use the software for our air traffic control and for our
banking and financial systems, reliability and security of information
both in storage and during communication are vital. As our software
grows, so does its complexity; languages and design notations are
required to capture the needs and model the
solutions of these complex systems.
When we buy software, as an individual or as a company, we want our
investment to last. It turns out that software has a "life cycle"
through which it must be maintained and during which it will
evolve. Software engineering deals with the difficulties of this
software evolution, of adding new features, of merging isolated
software systems into cooperating systems. Rapid design of new
systems with sufficient
flexibility for reusability and for future changes are additional
concerns that must be addressed at the same level as due regard for
safety, economy, and efficiency and
speed of execution.
The B. Eng of Software Engineering builds on the Department's
long history of education in software development that began with our
first course entitled "Software Engineering" at the graduate level
in 1974 and at the undergraduate level in 1977. Our innovative
B.Eng. in Computer Systems Engineering has included a significant
element of software engineering since it's inception in 1981.
A co-op
option gives students access to real-world
experience at one of Carleton's industry partners right at the
centre of Canada's high-tech capital.
The B.Eng. in Software Engineering leads to a Professional
Engineering (P.Eng.) designation.
B.Eng. in Software Engineering