SENG402-25W (C) Whole Year 2025

Software Engineering Research Project

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 16 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 24 August 2025

Description

The Software Engineering Research Project gives students in-depth experience in researching complex, open-ended software engineering problems, and developing and evaluating potential solutions. Participants work individually or in teams to investigate and develop solutions for a complex real-world problem. There may be the opportunity to work on a project in conjunction with industry. At the end of this course you will have practiced the skills required to develop solutions for complex problems involving the development of substantial software solutions of significant complexity. You will also be comfortable with dealing with vague (and often conflicting) customer requirements, working under pressure and providing technical leadership.

Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

The research project provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their preparedness to work as professional software engineers on challenging projects. Students build on the skills learned through projects they have undertaken in earlier years of the programme. Students will work substantially on their own either on staff or industry projects.

Participants work individually or in teams to investigate and develop  solutions for a complex real-world problem. There may be the opportunity to work on a project in conjunction with industry or in teams, but always with a substantial individual contribution showing the student's preparedness to work on challenging projects on their own.

Sustainable engagement and progress are expected throughout the year to ensure the projects meets their expectations in terms of quantity of work and quality of deliverable (e.g., reports, software, analysis).

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the research and problem-solving qualities and abilities of a software engineer [WA2, WA3, WA4, WA10, WA11]
2. Evaluate existing solutions and approaches (e.g., literature, - open source - software solutions) [WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5]
3. Demonstrate an understanding of, apply and communicate complex research and analysis techniques [WA2, WA10]
4. Deliver software solutions given the constraints of the project [WA1, WA3]
5. Apply scientific evaluation to the analysis of complex problems and development of solutions [WA1, WA4]

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Engaged with the community

Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.

Prerequisites

SENG301, SENG302 AND Approval into the BE(Hons) Software Engineering programme.

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 10:00 Ernest Rutherford 140 (20/2-13/3, 3/4)
Ernest Rutherford 465 (17/7, 11/9, 25/9)
17 Feb - 16 Mar
31 Mar - 6 Apr
14 Jul - 20 Jul
8 Sep - 14 Sep
22 Sep - 28 Sep
Computer Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 08:00 - 17:00 - 17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Timetable Note

Please note that the course activity times advertised here are currently in draft form, to be finalised at the end of January for S1 and whole year courses, and at the end of June for S2 courses.

Please hold off enquiries about these times until those finalisation dates.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Etienne Borde

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Project Plan 22 Mar 2024 10% Week 5 - Plan of project milestones and expected outcomes
Interim Report 31 May 2024 15% Week 12 - Mid-year report with problem exploration and preliminary developments
Interim Delivery and Demo 15% Exam period - Mid-year delivery and demo
Final Report 11 Oct 2024 25% Week 23 - Scientific report of the overall project
Showcase Presentation 18 Oct 2024 15% Week 24 - Public presentation of results at Department Showcase
Final Delivery and Demo 20% Exam period - In-depth demonstration of final results and product


Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

Textbooks / Resources

Given the nature of the course, a generic textbook is not appropriate. Students should speak with their respective supervisor/s for advice on appropriate textbooks and other learning resources.

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.

If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University-wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a C+ grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,353.00

International fee $10,950.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All SENG402 Occurrences

  • SENG402-25W (C) Whole Year 2025