Studying online

There are now 2 possible online modes for units:

Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.

Click on an offering mode for more details.

View all online units

Unit Overview

Description

Software testing and quality assurance processes are critical to ensure the success of software projects. Various testing methodologies and theories covered in this unit includes (1) standard test processes—unit tests, integration, system, performance, acceptance and installation; (2) testing methods—code inspections, equivalence class tests, path testing, conformance testing and use case tests; (3) verification and validation of software—inspections, test case design and execution, and test metrics; (4) quality assurance—ISO 9001 and CMMI standards, configuration management, process modelling, usability, complexity and process metrics, project and risk management, and reliability modelling; and (5) formal methods for design and verification.

Credit
6 points
Offering
(see Timetable)
AvailabilityLocationMode
Semester 2UWA (Perth)Face to face
Details for undergraduate courses
  • Level 3 core unit in the Software Engineering major sequence
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) evaluate threats against software quality; (2) describe the types of software quality, and measures that reflect software quality; (3) design software tests to mitigate threats at the unit, system and user level; (4) apply test suites to evaluate software quality; and (5) describe the principles of formal project correctness, and prove simple programs conform to a given specification.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) project; (2) workshop exercises; and (3) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.



Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Mr Arran Stewart
Unit rules
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
Major(s) Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or an associated Combined Degree
or Enrolment in
Major(s) BH008 Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science [Honours]
and
Successful completion of
Unit(s) CITS2002 Systems Programming
or Successful completion of
Unit(s) CITS2005 Object Oriented Programming
Incompatibility
Enrolment in
Unit(s) CITS5501 Software Testing and Quality Assurance
Advisable prior study
Familiarity with a statically-typed language, and
CITS4401 Software Requirements and Design
or CITS3301 Software Requirements and Design
Contact hours
2 hours of lectures weekly
2 hours of labs weekly
Text

Pressman, R. S. Software Engineering: a Practitioner's Approach, 7th edn: McGraw-Hill 2009

  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.

Face to face

Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.

Online flexible

100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.

Online timetabled

100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.

Online Restricted

Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.

NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.

External

No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.

Off-campus

Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.

Multi-mode

Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.