MSE Master of Science in Engineering

The Swiss engineering master's degree

Each module contains 3 ECTS. You choose a total of 10 modules/30 ECTS in the following module categories: 

  • 12-15 ECTS in technical scientific modules (TSM)
    TSM modules teach profile-specific specialist skills and supplement the decentralised specialisation modules.
  • 9-12 ECTS in fundamental theoretical principles modules (FTP)
    FTP modules deal with theoretical fundamentals such as higher mathematics, physics, information theory, chemistry, etc. They will teach more detailed, abstract scientific knowledge and help you to bridge the gap between abstraction and application that is so important for innovation.
  • 6-9 ECTS in context modules (CM)
    CM modules will impart additional skills in areas such as technology management, business administration, communication, project management, patent law, contract law, etc.

In the module description (download pdf) you find the entire language information per module divided into the following categories:

  • instruction
  • documentation
  • examination 
Software Engineering and Architectures (TSM_SoftwEng)

The module provides an in-depth view of selected topics of modern software engineering. These stem from the fields: modern software development processes, software architecture, and the principles of evolution of software systems.

Prerequisites

  • Object-oriented programming and design in more than one programming language
  • Unified Modeling Language (UML)
  • Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Gamma, Helm, Johnson, Vlissides; ISBN 0-201-63361-2)
  • Version and configuration management concepts
  • Unit testing concepts and practice

Learning Objectives

  • The student applies and understands benefits and liabilities of agile and lean development
  • The student knows about advanced architectural and design patterns and uses them to drive and reflect on design decisions
  • The student has the awareness of software as a continuously evolving and complex system
  • The student knows and can select maintenance and evolution techniques for continuous development of evolving and extension of legacy software systems while maintaining its quality

Contents of Module

Software Architectures (20%)

  • Role of Software Architecture and Software Architects
    • reference models, reference architectures
    • architectural structures and views
    • software architecture documentation
  • Advanced Design Concepts
    • Design by contract
    • The SOLID principles
  • Architecture Styles
  • Architecture Patterns (vs design patterns)
  • Research in Software Architecture

Modern Software Engineering (50%)

  • Agile Principles and Practices
    • effective communication among stakeholders
    • project retrospectives, feedback techniques
    • ongoing requirements, solicitation and management
  • Agile Methodologies 
  • Automation in Agile Software Release Management 
    • Testing approaches and types
    • Agile testing quadrants
    • CI/CD Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (with Docker)
    • Automated testing and CI/CD Practices for Embedded Systems and Web Applications

Software Evolution (30%)

  • Principles of Software Evolution
    • development, maintenance, evolution
    • software aging
    • Program comprehension
  • Software Quality & Analysis
    • software quality metrics
    • software visualization
    • continuous quality control
  • Evolution of Legacy Code
    • “Re”-Techniques: Reverse Engineering, Re-Engineering, Re-Factoring
    • object-oriented re-engineering
    • Testing legacy systems
  • Research in Software Evolution

Teaching and Learning Methods

Self-study, homework assignments. 

Part of the module is in flipped classroom format. Part of the labs and assignments use a provided kit based on Raspberry Pi Pico-W (RP2040) with VS Code and provided software (C).

Literature

  1. Mary & Tom Poppendiek: Lean Software Development
  2. Kent Beck: eXtreme Programming Explained 2nd Ed.
  3. Ken Schwaber et al, Agile Software Development with Scrum, Prentice Hall, 2002
  4. Alistair Cockburn: Agile Software Development
  5. Robert C. Martin: Agile Software Development
  6. Tom Mens: Software Evolution
  7. Doug Schmidt et.al.: Pattern-oriented Software Architecture, Vol. 2
    Frank Buschmann et al: Pattern-oriented Software Architecture, Vol. 4
  8. Len Bass, Paul Clements, Rick Kazman: Software Architecture in Practice 2nd Ed.
  9. Gernot Starke: Effektive Software Architekturen 2. Auflage
  10. Lehmann "Laws of Software Evolution Revisited"
  11. Martin Fowler et al, Refactoring
    Joshua Kerievsky, Refactoring to Patterns
  12. Michael Feathers, Working Effectively with Legacy Code
  13. Andreas Zeller: Why Programs Fail ISBN 1558608664

Download full module description

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