A Software Engineering Program Using the CDIO Framework

The new Software Engineering degree program being implemented in 2008 has been designed as a collaborative effort between the School of Electrical and Information Engineering and the School of IT at the University of Sydney. The design of the new curriculum is based on the ACS, ACM and IEEE curriculum recommendations and the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), as well as the results of a detailed industry review. Close attention was paid to Computing Curriculum 2001 (CC2001) and to Software Engineering 2004 (SE2004). The CDIO framework was used to ensure the new program incorporates the full set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that students should possess as they graduate from university. This paper gives an overview of the curriculum and follows by describing two of the design-build experiences used in the first year introduction to engineering course and the final year capstone project