Academic Programs Adequate For The Software Profession?

Abstract

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, close to 1.8 million people, or 77% of all computer professionals, were working in the design, development, deployment, maintenance, and management of software in 2006. The ACM model curriculum for the BS in computer science proposes that about 42% of the core body of knowledge be dedicated to software engineering, including programming. An examination of the curriculum of a typical computer science department shows that, excluding programming courses, no courses specific to software engineering are required for the BS, although several are available as elective courses. Academics typically resist the demands of the industry, in part because some of them are for specific software tools, design methods, or programming languages whose use does not last. Under market pressure, more required software engineering courses may slowly be included in the curriculum. The usual solution is for businesses to offer their software professionals needed courses in software engineering.