CSCI577a Software Engineering I - Fall 2025

This course will focus on the application of software engineering process models and management approaches that are scalable for the definition and development of large software systems. Students will work in teams and be required to understand and apply the Incremental Commitment Spiral Model (ICSM) for system and software engineering to real-world projects.

Past projects have included development of software-intensive systems for clients on the USC campus; in USC neighborhood small business and community service organizations; and in local government agencies. The resulting project experiences and software project definition and execution portfolios provide students with evidence of their ability to develop successful software-intensive systems, that has been found to be highly valuable both in job interviews and students’ subsequent careers.

The DEN students will typically be responsible for “Independent Integrated Verification and Validation” (IIV & V). Verification and validation is one of the software engineering disciplines that helps build quality into the software. V & V is a collection of analysis and testing activities across the full life cycle and complements the efforts of other quality-engineering functions. It determines that the software performs its intended functions correctly, performs no unintended functions and measures the quality and reliability of the software.