George Mason University
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
SWE 437 - Software Testing and Maintenance
Spring 2011
T,R: 1:30 - 2:45pm, Art and Design Building 2026



Prerequisites | Description | Readings | Grading | Late Policy | Home Page

Professor Richard Carver
703-993-1550
rcarver@cs.gmu.edu
Course office hours: T, R: 9:45 - 10:15am and 1:00 - 1:30pm
Engineering Bldg Room 5318

TA: Dawei Du, Office hours: Tuesday noon - 4pm, in Engineering Building room 4456.

PREREQUISITES:
CS 211 and Math 125

DESCRIPTION:
Concepts and techniques for testing and modifying software in evolving environments. Topics include software testing at the unit, module, subsystem, and system levels; developer testing; automatic and manual techniques for generating test data; testing concurrent and distributed software; designing and implementing software to increase maintainability and reuse; evaluating software for change; and validating software changes.

Course Outcomes:

  1. Knowledge of quantitative, technical, practical methods that software engineers and developers can use to test their software.
  2. Testing techniques and criteria for all phases of software development – unit (developer) testing, integration testing, system testing, etc.
  3. Theoretical and practical knowledge of how to apply test criteria to improve the quality of software
  4. Knowledge of modern challenges and procedures to update continuously evolving software
  5. Understanding of best quantitative programming and design practices for ensuring software can be efficiently and effectively modified and tested
  6. Understanding that maintainability and testability are more important than efficiency for almost all modern software projects

READINGS:
Textbook: Introduction to Software Testing, Ammann and Offutt, Cambridge University Press, 2008 Book website

GRADING:

There will be several homeworks and programming assignments. The homeworks and assignments may be done in groups of 2 or 3. Each member of a group is expected to contribute equally in order to get the same grade.

Homework assignments will be made available on the class web site. Homeworks will be submitted on paper in class.

Tentatively: 50% of the course grade will be based on the programming assignments. In addition, there will be a mid-term exam worth 25% of the grade. The final will account for the remaining 25% of the grade.

LATE POLICY:

The late submission policy is as follows: submissions will be marked down 10% per day.

HONOR CODE:

You are expected to abide by the University's honor code during the semester. Any violation of the honor code will result in an F for the class.

CLASS HOME PAGE:

SWE 437 has a home page (http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~rcarver/swe437/)

CALENDARS

GMU Academic Calendar    |    GMU Final Exam Schedule    |    Calendar of Religious Holidays

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