Computer Science, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth University of Wales

CSM8010 (1995-96 session)
Professional Issues in Software Engineering

Brief Description

This module covers a range of non-technical issues - legal, financial, managerial and organisational - with which a professional software engineer should be familiar.

Long thin module

Aims, Objectives, Syllabus, Booklist

Further Details

Number of lectures: 24
Number of seminars/tutorials: 4
Number of practicals: 0
Coordinator: Dr. Edel Sharratt
Other staff involved: Not yet known
Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: CSM2110
Incompatibilities: None
Assessment: Assessed coursework - 100%
Timing: This module extends over both Semester 1 and Semester 2

Aims

The aims of this module are to familiarise students with relevant non-technical aspects of the environment in which they are likely to be working after they graduate. In particular, it aims to give them an appreciation of relevant topics in:

company organisation;
finance and accounting;
intellectual property rights;
health, safety and liability;
human resource management.

Objectives

On successful completion of this module, students should understand:

the structure of the engineering profession and the role of professional institutions;
the concept of a limited company and its financial structure;
management styles and structure;
the basis of financial and management accounting;
intellectual property rights as they affect the computer industry;
relevant aspects of industrial relations;
safety, health and environmental requirements.

Syllabus

Organisations and their Structures - 3 Lectures: Limited companies, private and public; partnerships; sole traders. Special features of limited companies; responsibilities of directors. Functional organisation and product line organisation. Centralised and decentralised organisations. Management styles. Management by objectives.
Company Finance - 5 Lectures: The need for capital; investment and working capital; sources of funds; equity capital and loan capital. Cash flow and its importance. Costing: fixed costs and variable costs; overheads; opportunity costs; depreciation. Problems of cost allocation. Budgeting. Financial accounts: balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, sources and application of funds. Assessment of capital investment. Discounted cash flow analysis.
Intellectual Property Rights - 4 Lectures: Use of patents, copyright and confidential information by software engineers in employment and across companies.
Health and Safety Requirements - 5 Lectures
Industrial Relations - 2 Lectures
The Engineering Profession - 1 Lecture: The structure of the engineering profession, both in the UK and abroad. Professional codes of conduct and codes of practice.