CS 321 Software Engineering
Course Outline

• CS 231 - Data Structures and Algorithms

1. Understand the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of software development life cycle models.
2. Fully explain and contrast agile and waterfall process models.
3. Demonstrate the ability to perform standard software development procedures such as project planning, issue tracking, and version control, as part of a team.
4. Create and perform software validation and testing.
5. Create a project plan with requirements documents, such as user stories or other artifacts.
6. Evaluate the role evolution and refactoring play in the software development process.

• Class time will be divided into short lectures and active learning sessions. Each lecture will prepare you for the milestone you are working on, and the active learning part will give you the opportunity to work with your teammates on applying what you learned.
• For almost every milestone, each group will give an oral presentation with slides to update the rest of the class on your progress. Each group member should present the part they worked on. Everyone in the class is expected to ask questions and everyone in the group is expected to answer questions.
• Attending classes is an easy way for you to work with your group members and/or get help from me. So you are expected to attend classes. Let me and your group members know beforehand if you have to miss a class.

Computer science, both academically and professionally, is a collaborative discipline. In any collaboration, however, all parties are expected to make their own contributions and to generously credit the contributions of others. In our class, therefore, collaboration on homework and programming assignments is encouraged, but you as an individual are responsible for understanding all the material in the assignment and doing your own work. Always strive to do your best, give generous credit to others, start early, and seek help early from both your professors and classmates.

The following rules are intended to help you get the most out of your education and to clarify the line between honest and dishonest work. We reserve the right to ask you to verbally explain the reasoning behind any answer or code that you turn in and to modify your project grade based on your answers. It is vitally important that you turn in work that is your own. We do use automated plagiarism detection software, so please be sure to abide by these, rather minimal, rules. Reports of academic dishonesty are handled by an academic review board and a finding of academic dishonesty may result in significant sanctions. For more details on Colby's Academic Integrity policies and procedures, see colby.edu/academicintegrity.

• If you have had a substantive discussion of any programming project with a classmate, then be sure to cite them in your write-up. If you are unsure of what constitutes "substantive", then ask me or err on the side of caution. As one rule of thumb, if you see more than 10 lines of someone else's code, then you should cite them. You will not be penalized for working together.
• You must not copy answers or code from another student either by hand or electronically. Another way to think about it is that you should be talking English with one another, not program languages.
• Assistive code autocomplete systems that generate more than a single token of code are not permitted. You are expected to write all your code on your own and be able to explain it and rewrite it without assistance.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how software is designed, built, tested, and maintained. In this course, you will not only learn the foundations of software engineering but also how to integrate AI into every stage of the software development process. The goal is for you to graduate with the ability to critically and effectively use AI as a professional tool.

• Students are permitted to use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, Copilot Labs, Replit Ghostwriter, etc.) for all aspects of the software development lifecycle: brainstorming, requirements gathering, design, coding, debugging, documentation, and testing.
• However, students must take responsibility for understanding, verifying, and adapting any AI output they use. Submissions should reflect thoughtful integration of AI rather than uncritical copy-paste.
• To ensure learning, students must be able to demonstrate their understanding of any work produced with AI—whether through in-class discussions, code walkthroughs, or assessments.
• Whenever AI tools are used, students should:
  • Briefly acknowledge the role of AI in their work (e.g., “Used ChatGPT to draft test cases and debug edge cases in function X”).
  • Be prepared to explain how the AI-generated material works and why it was appropriate to use it.
• Higher Expectations: Because AI can accelerate development, the bar for quality in this course is higher. Students are expected to produce work that reflects:
  • Clean, readable, and consistent coding style that follows best practices.
  • High-quality software design that demonstrates thoughtful architecture and modularity.
  • Comprehensive documentation (inline comments, README files, design notes) that explains both the “what” and the “why.”
  • Thorough testing, including unit tests, integration tests, and consideration of edge cases.
  • Proper use of version control (clear commits, meaningful messages, use of branches).
  • Critical evaluation of AI output, with improvements made rather than blind acceptance.
• What is not allowed: submitting work that you do not understand, cannot explain, or cannot rewrite on your own if asked. The primary goal is your ability to apply and justify the use of AI responsibly.

Colby College is a community dedicated to learning and committed to the growth and well-being of all its members.

As a community devoted to intellectual growth, we value academic integrity. We agree to take ownership of our academic work, to submit only work that is our own, to fully acknowledge the research and ideas of others in our work, and to abide by the instructions and regulations governing academic work established by the faculty.

As a community built on respect for ourselves, each other, and our physical environment, we recognize the diversity of people who have gathered here and that genuine inclusivity requires active, honest, and compassionate engagement with one another. We agree to respect each other, to honor community expectations, and to comply with College policies.

As a member of this community, I pledge to hold myself and others accountable to these values. More ...

We are available to discuss academic accommodations that any student with a documented disability may require. Please note that you’ll need to provide a letter from the Dean of Studies Office documenting your approved accommodations. Please meet with your instructor to make a request for accommodations at the beginning of the semester--and at a minimum two weeks before any key due dates--so that we can work together with the College to make the appropriate arrangements for you. For more information about the Dean of Students Office: https://www.colby.edu/studentadvising/student-access-and-disability-services/.

We are invested in the mental and emotional health of our students. Even as we establish and maintain the academic standards of our course, we value each of you as individuals with complex lives, identities, and challenges.

Throughout the semester, the responsibilities of your Colby education may interact with situational as well as ongoing mental and emotional challenges in foreseeable and unforeseeable ways. If you are in need of reasonable flexibility due to an emotional situation or an ongoing mental health issue, please communicate as openly as possible with your Class Dean, and/or members of the office of Access and Disability Services, preferably in advance of the need, so that we can discuss how your circumstances interface with course requirements. Together, we will consider what is needed and what is possible. If we can discuss the situation, we can manage the situation together.

Please do not allow academic responsibilities to prevent you from getting help you need. Our Colby Counseling Services staff (207-859-4490) and the staff in the Dean of Studies office (207-859-4560) are available to connect with you. The safety of our students and every member of this community is paramount. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or may be a danger to themselves or others, please call the on-call counselor immediately (207-859-4490, press ‘0’).”

It is our intent that students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. We expect you to feel challenged and sometimes outside of your comfort zone in this course, but it is our intent to present materials and activities that are inclusive and respectful of all persons, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics.

Class rosters are provided to each instructor with the student's legal name. We will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name and/or gender pronoun. Please advise your instructor of this early in the semester so that we may make appropriate changes to our records.

While Colby College is supportive of athletic participation by its students, academics take priority over athletics. Both NCAA and Colby rules prohibit missing class for practices. In the case of overlapping commitments between class and athletic competitions, the student must meet with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss these overlaps. The student may request permission to miss class and make up the missed work; the instructor has final authority either to grant or to withhold permission.

If we have inadvertently scheduled an exam or major deadline that creates a conflict with your religious observances, please let us know within two weeks of the start of classes so that we can make other arrangements. Colby College is supportive of the religious practices of its students, faculty, and staff. The College is committed to ensuring that all students are able to observe their religious beliefs without academic penalty.

Colby College prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender-based discrimination of any kind. Colby is legally obligated to investigate sexual misconduct (including, but not limited to, sexual assault and sexual harassment) and other specific forms of behavior that violate federal and state laws (Title IX and Title VII, and the Maine Human Rights Act). Such behavior also requires the College to fulfill certain obligations under two other federal laws, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Statistics Act (Clery Act). To learn more about what constitutes sexual misconduct or to report an incident, see: https://www.colby.edu/studentlife/handbook-section/f-sexualmisconduct/.

We are committed to all Colby students feeling safe, accepted, and included in all aspects of their college experiences, including this course. Colby prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender based discrimination of any kind and is obligated, by federal and state laws, to respond to reports and provide resources to students. Your instructors are considered "responsible employees"; we are required to report any incidence of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator.

If you wish to access confidential support services, you may contact:

• The Counseling Center: 207-859-4490
• The Title IX Confidential Advocate, Emily Schusterbauer: 207-859-4093
• The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life: 207-859-4272
• Maines's 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-800-871-7741