Module: Software Process Quality

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Software Process Quality
Module Code	CSC1137 (ITS: CA650)
Faculty	Engineering & Computing	School	Computing
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

The goal of this module is to provide a systematic study of the software quality process. This module will expose students to the new principles of high quality software development through advanced software test design. It will show how research and practice are evolving and combining to give a new structure to software quality improvement. It presents a unifying method of viewing software test through coverage of structures.

Learning Outcomes

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2. Explain the challenges facing software developers creating correct code.
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4. describe the software test design method using coverage based on Graph, Logic, Syntactic and Input Data Structures.
5. 1D75FEEC-E693-0001-C75A-1F601C501F01
6. analyse and use coverage methods for test design using Graphs.
7. 1D75FEEC-F519-0001-BA23-1EFA1A0A110B
8. develop test designs for coverage of prgrams using Logic constraints.
9. 1D75FEED-03F3-0001-E181-1F97DCF71C43
10. use coverage methods to develop input space test designs.
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12. design software test approaches based on syntactic structures.
13. 1D75FEED-4826-0001-34AC-DD6068D044C0
14. formulate testing approaches for web based applications.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	36	Presentation of new software quality approach
Lecture	36	Presentation of new software quality approach
Independent Study	154	Projects and reading
Total Workload: 226

Section Breakdown
CRN	20411	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	25%	Examination Weight	75%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Sunder Ali Khowaja	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Participation	Development of XUnit test approach.	5%	Week 5
Participation	Analyse Testing tool for coverage approaches	20%	Week 5
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	75%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Software problems and requirements for test
Why test?

Old versus new test design
New criteria based on Structures.

Graph Coverage
For all graph representations within software development.

Logic Coverage.
Contraints in general.

Syntactic Coverage.
All regular expressions available.

Input Space Coverage.
Partioning and data generation.

Object-Orienetd test issues.
Characteristics that compound test problems and new solutions.

Web application test.
Web security defined as the ability to test.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Paul Ammann, Jeff Offutt: 2008, Introduction to software testing, Cambridge University Press, New York, 978-0-521-88038-1

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None

Extensive reference material and ongoing information is available online through the course moodle pages.