Program Requirements
The Software Engineering Minor provides a foundation in basic computer science, computer programming, and software engineering practice.
The Minor program does not carry professional recognition.
Students must complete 18 credits (six courses) as follows. Up to 6 credits (two courses) may be double-counted towards a degree program.
Required Courses (9 credits)
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ECSE 223 Model-Based Programming (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Integration of modelling with programming; abstraction in software engineering; structural modelling; state-based modelling; modelling of object-oriented systems, code generation; natural language constraints in modelling notations; architectural and design patterns; integrated development environments; programming tools (debugging, continuous build/integration, version control and code repositories, diff, defect and issue tracking, refactoring); code review processes.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Mussbacher, Gunter (Fall) Kanaan, Marwan (Winter)
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ECSE 321 Introduction to Software Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Design, development and testing of software systems. Software life cycle: requirements analysis, software architecture and design, implementation, integration, test planning, and maintenance. The course involves a group project.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Wei, Lili (Fall) Galasso-Carbonnel, Jessie (Winter)
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ECSE 428 Software Engineering Practice (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Software engineering practice in industry, related to the design and commissioning of large software systems. Ethical, social, economic, safety and legal issues. Metrics, project management, costing, marketing, control, standards, CASE tools and bugs. The course involves a large team project.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Sabourin, Robert (Fall) Sabourin, Robert (Winter)
(3-1-5)
Students meet with the instructor and/or teaching assistant for one hour each week to discuss their project.
Prerequisite: ECSE 321
Complementary Courses
3 credits from the following:
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COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits) *
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction,recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity,establishing correctness of programs). Datastructures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists,trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps,hash tables). Recursive and non-recursivealgorithms (searching and sorting, tree andgraph traversal). Abstract data types. Objectoriented programming in Java (classes andobjects, interfaces, inheritance). Selected topics.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Alberini, Giulia (Fall) Alberini, Giulia (Winter)
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ECSE 250 Fundamentals of Software Development (3 credits) *
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Software development practices in the context of object-oriented programming. Elementary data structures such as lists, stacks and trees. Recursive and non-recursive algorithms: searching and sorting, tree and graph traversal. Asymptotic notation: Big O. Introduction to tools and practices employed in commercial software development.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Lin, Hsiu-Chin (Fall) Wei, Lili (Winter)
Prerequisite: COMP 202
(3-2-4)
6 credits from the following:
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COMP 302 Programming Languages and Paradigms (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Programming language design issues and programming paradigms. Binding and scoping, parameter passing, lambda abstraction, data abstraction, type checking. Functional and logic programming.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Pientka, Brigitte (Fall) Errington, Jacob (Winter)
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COMP 307 Principles of Web Development (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : The course discusses the major principles, algorithms, languages and technologies that underlie web development. Students receive practical hands-on experience through a project.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Vybihal, Joseph P (Fall)
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COMP 370 Introduction to Data
Science (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Comprehensive introduction to the data science process. Orientation to the use and configuration of core data science toolkits, data collection and annotation fundamentals, principles of responsible data science, the use of quantitative tools in data science, and presentation of data science findings.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Ruths, Derek (Fall)
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COMP 409 Concurrent Programming (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Characteristics and utility of concurrent programs; formal methods for specification, verification and development of concurrent programs; communications, synchronization, resource allocation and management, coherency and integrity.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Verbrugge, Clark (Winter)
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COMP 421 Database Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Database Design: conceptual design of databases (e.g., entity-relationship model), relational data model, functional dependencies. Database Manipulation: relational algebra, SQL, database application programming, triggers, access control. Database Implementation: transactions, concurrency control, recovery, query execution and query optimization.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Kemme, Bettina; Elsaadawy, Mona (Winter)
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COMP 424 Artificial Intelligence (3 credits) *
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to search methods. Knowledge representation using logic and probability. Planning and decision making under uncertainty. Introduction to machine learning.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Meger, David; Farnadi, Golnoosh (Fall)
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COMP 512 Distributed Systems (4 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Models and Architectures. Application-oriented communication paradigms (e.g. remote method invocation, group communication). Naming services. Synchronization (e.g. mutual exclusion, concurrency control). Fault-tolerance (e.g. process and replication, agreement protocols). Distributed file systems. Security. Examples of distributed systems (e.g. Web, CORBA). Advanced Topics.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kemme, Bettina (Fall)
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COMP 527 Logic and Computation (3 credits)
Overview
Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to modern constructive logic, its mathematical properties, and its numerous applications in computer science.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Pientka, Brigitte (Winter)
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ECSE 326 Software Requirements Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Techniques for eliciting requirements; languages and models for specification of requirements; analysis and validation techniques, including feature-based, goal-based, and scenario-based analysis; quality requirements; requirements traceability and management; handling evolution of requirements; requirements documentation standards; requirements in the context of system engineering; integration of requirements engineering into software engineering processes.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Mussbacher, Gunter (Fall)
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ECSE 420 Parallel Computing (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Modern parallel computing architectures for shared memory, message passing and data parallel programming models. The design of cache coherent shared memory multiprocessors. Programming techniques for multithreaded, message passing and distributed systems. Use of modern programming languages and parallel programming libraries.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Giannacopoulos, Dennis (Fall) Zilic, Zeljko (Winter)
(3-2-4)
Prerequisite: ECSE 427
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ECSE 421 Embedded Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Definition, structure and properties of embedded systems. Real-time programming: interrupts, latency, context, re-entrancy, thread and process models. Microcontroller and DSP architectures, I/O systems, timing and event management. Real-time kernels and services. Techniques for development, debugging and verification. Techniques for limited resource environments. Networking for distributed systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Cooperstock, Jeremy (Winter)
(3-1-5)
Prerequisites: ECSE 324
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ECSE 422 Fault Tolerant Computing (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Introduction to fault-tolerant systems. Fault-tolerance techniques through hardware, software, information and time redundancy. Failure classification, failure semantics, failure masking. Exception handling: detection, recovery, masking and propagation, termination vs. resumption. Reliable storage, reliable communication. Process groups, synchronous and asynchronous group membership and broadcast services. Automatic redundancy management. Case studies.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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ECSE 424 Human-Computer Interaction (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : The course highlights human-computer interaction strategies from an engineering perspective. Topics include user interfaces, novel paradigms in human-computer interaction, affordances, ecological interface design, ubiquitous computing and computer-supported cooperative work. Attention will be paid to issues of safety, usability, and performance.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Cooperstock, Jeremy (Fall)
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ECSE 425 Computer Architecture (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Trends in technology. CISC vs. RISC architectures. Pipelining. Instruction level parallelism. Data and Control Hazards. Static prediction. Exceptions. Dependencies. Loop level paralleism. Dynamic scheduling, branch prediction. Branch target buffers. Superscalar and N-issue machines. VLIW. ILP techniques. Cache analysis and design. Interleaved and virtual memory. TLB translations and caches.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Emad, Amin (Winter)
(3-1-5)
Prerequisites: ECSE 324
Tutorials assigned by instructor.
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ECSE 427 Operating Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Operating system services, file system organization, disk and cpu scheduling, virtual memory management, concurrent processing and distributed systems, protection and security. Aspects of the DOS and UNIX operating systems and the C programming language. Programs that communicate between workstations across a network.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Kopinsky, Max (Fall) Kopinsky, Max (Winter)
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ECSE 429 Software Validation (3 credits)
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Correct and complete implementation of software requirements. Verification and validation lifecycle. Requirements analysis, model based analysis, and design analysis. Unit and system testing, performance, risk management, software reuse. Ubiquitous computing.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: Sabourin, Robert (Fall) Sabourin, Robert (Winter)
- ECSE 437 Software Delivery (3 credits)
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ECSE 439 Software Language Engineering (3 credits) *
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Practical and theoretical knowledge for developing software languages and models途 foundations for model-based software development途 topics include principles of model-driven engineering途 concern-driven development途 intentional, structural, and behavioral models as well as configuration models途 constraints途 language engineering途 domain-specific languages途 metamodeling途 model transformations途 models of computation途 model analyses途 and modeling tools.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mussbacher, Gunter (Winter)
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ECSE 446 Realistic Image Synthesis (3 credits) *+
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Introduction to mathematical models of light transport and the numerical techniques used to generate realistic images in computer graphics. Offline (i.e., raytracing) and interactive (i.e., shader-based) techniques.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Nowrouzezahrai, Derek (Fall)
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ECSE 526 Artificial Intelligence (3 credits) *+
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Design principles of autonomous agents, agent architectures, machine learning, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and multi-agent collaboration. The course includes a term project that consists of designing and implementing software agents that collaborate and compete in a simulated environment.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Cooperstock, Jeremy (Fall)
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ECSE 539 Advanced Software Language Engineering (4 credits) *+
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Practical and theoretical knowledge for developing software languages and models; foundations for model-based software development; topics include principles of model-driven engineering; concern-driven development; intentional, structural, and behavioral models as well as configuration models; constraints; language engineering; domain-specific languages; metamodelling; model transformations; models of computation; model analyses; and modeling tools.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Mussbacher, Gunter (Winter)
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ECSE 546 Advanced Image Synthesis (4 credits) *+
Overview
Electrical Engineering : Introduction to mathematical models of light transport and the numerical techniques used to generate realistic images in computer graphics. Offline (i.e., raytracing) and interactive (i.e., shader-based) techniques. Group project addressing important applied research problems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Nowrouzezahrai, Derek (Fall)
(3-2-7)
Restrictions: For graduate students in Electrical and Computer Engineering and undergraduate Honours Electrical Engineering students.
Not open to students who have taken or are taking ECSE 446.
*Students may choose only one course in each of the following sets:
- COMP 250 and ECSE 250
- COMP 424 and ECSE 526
- ECSE 439 and ECSE 539
- ECSE 446 and ECSE 546
+ Restricted to Honours students or Computer Engineering or
Electrical Engineering students with CGPA of at least 3.0 and B+ or better in prerequisites
