Students’ Performance in Course Assessments in relation to USP Graduate Outcomes and Programme Graduate Outcomes

The School of Computing, Information and Mathematical Sciences in the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment at USP launched these two brand new programmes in July 2011.

The outcomes for the two programmes are as follows:

Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE):

1. Apply knowledge of mathematics, sciences, and computer science to the modelling, analysis, and measurement of software artefacts;
2. Work effectively as leader/member of a development team to deliver quality software artefacts;
3. Analyse, specify and document software requirements for a software system;
4. Develop alternative design solutions to a given problem and recommend the best one within limitations of cost, time, knowledge, existing systems, and organizations;
5. Implement a given software design using sound development practices;
6. Verify, validate, assess and assure the quality of software artefacts;
7. Design, select and apply the most appropriate software engineering process for a given project, plan for a software project, identify its scope and risks, and estimate its cost and time;
8. Express and understand the importance of negotiation, effective work habits, leadership, and good communication with stakeholders, in written and oral forms, in a typical software development environment;
9. Understand the impact of computing solutions in a global and societal context;
10. Recognize and be guided by the social, professional, legal, ethical issues involved in the use and development of computer & software technology;
11. Keep abreast of current developments in the discipline to continue their own professional development and life-long learning, and;
12. Employ appropriate methods and tools for the specification, design, implementation, and evaluation of software systems.

Bachelor of Networks and Security (New BNS outcomes):

1. Critically assess the capabilities and limitations of computer networks and their security vulnerabilities;
2. Assess networked systems in terms of performance metrics such as throughput, latencies and resource utilization;
3. Design wired and wireless networks;
4. Develop and deploy network and mobile applications which conform to industry standards;
5. Interpret and report data produced by network management tools;
6. Develop web-based services on cloud network;
7. Develop a strategy to ensure appropriate levels of security and privacy in a networked system;
8. Compare performance and security issues in distributed systems;
9. Recommend security policies and implement solutions to facilitate efficient and secure communication over computer networks;
10. Apply project management theory to ICT related projects in conformance with Australian Computer Society Code of Ethics, and;
11. Use appropriate tools to plan, document and manage or lead an ICT project.

Capstone Course: CS400 – Industry Experience Project

 CS400 is the capstone course of the BSE and BNC (now BNS) programmes. The course aims to provide final year students with an environment in which they can develop generic and professional skills as per the “Skills Framework for Information Age” (SFIA). Students will apply their acquired skills on a real-life ICT project. Projects will be provided by clients from ICT industry in the Pacific region, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), or community organizations and NGOs. Students will also be required to demonstrate innovation in their project that can be transformed into a business venture.

The course outcomes are aligned to the USP Graduate Outcomes and assessed as follows:

Overall performance of students in Course Assessments undertaken to achieve the University Graduate Outcomes are summarised graphically below:

Student Success Indicators of BSE and BNC programmes:

1.     Pass Rates:

Table 1(a): BSE Pass Rates by Course Level

Table 1(b): BNC (now BNS) Pass Rates by Course Level

2.     Retention Rates:

Table 2(a): BSE Retention Rates

Table 2(b): BNC (now BNS) Retention Rates

3.     Completion Rates:

Table 3(a): BSE Completion Rates

Table 3(b): BNC (now BNS) Completion Rates