No algorithms, as others have noted above? No operating system internals? Nothing about how to implement a database? No graphics? No programming language theory, especially compilers? Your “variety of programming languages” is a joke; it’s all from the menu of the same restaurant.

If you never want to do anything fundamentally hard, if you only want to follow in the path of more knowledgeable pioneers years after they did, then this is the program for you. But you’ll never do anything new or exciting, and you’ll always be dependent on other people to do the truly hard things. A world of graduates of programs like this will have no Google, no Tivo, no Lucene, no Amazon, no Linux… Wait, it wouldn’t have anything, because the only things that these graduates would know how to build would depend on pieces that nobody would know how to build.

Actually, wait… That’s great for me. I changed my mind. Every CS program should be shut down and replaced with this “Software Engineering” program.

How about this suggested plan instead?

Freshman Year – The fundamentals

Overview of Operating Systems: Working knowledge and exposure to at least 3 of the most commonly used operating systems, i.e. Windows, Linux, OSX, etc. The ulterior motive is to derail platform bigotry before the mental cement dries.

Overview of Programming Languages: Exposure to a variety of languages by writing very basic programs in each. (Excel VBA, C, C++, Java, C#, Perl, Matlab/Octave).

Scripting 101: Familiarity with the most basic programming concepts such as variables, methods, control structures, etc. without the overhead of more advanced programming concepts to provide a comfortable “wade-in” point for those new to programming.

The Hardware/Software Interface: Digital logic (boolean algebra, logic gates, KV maps, etc…), assembly language

Source Code Control and the Build Process: CVS/SVN/git, committing code, assigning defects/features, creating a backend build process.

Sophomore Year – Filling the toolbox

Data Structures and Algorithms (2-semester interleaved course): big-O, lists, arrays, hash tables, binary trees, searching, sorting, …

Programming in [Student’s Choice]: In depth programming course in the language of the student’s choice.

Debugging/Troubleshooting:I am amazed at how impressively bad a lot of working programmers are at this. Suggested Textbook: “Debugging: The 9 Indispensable Rules for Finding Even the Most Elusive Software and Hardware Problems.”

Debottlenecking Code: profiling, optimizing, Static/Dynamic code analysis. Focus on CPU-bound applications.

Networking Basics: Topics including, networking hardware, topologies, basic signaling, and protocols.

Junior Year – Sharpening the tools

Application Architecture: Become familiar with common application architectures, associated issues, and relevant technologies. (Desktop, Client-Server, N-Tier, Web, Embedded, AJAX, etc.)

CRUD Applications 1: Microsoft Access, data normalization, SQL, queries, frontend UI, reporting

CRUD Applications 2: Migrate application developed in CRUD Applications 1 to 3-tier web/app server/SQL server

Programming Technique: OOP, Design Patterns, Refactoring, Coupling Cohesion.

Technical Writing: a general technical writing course from the English department

Software Engineering Ethics: history of famous software mistakes, IP issues, the conflicts between making money and doing the right thing

Senior Year – From machinist to craftsman

Building A Non-Trivial Application: Each student (individually only) builds anything they want (2D/3D game, business app, …) using any programming language they wish. It must exceed 3000 LOC and be reasonably commented. In the final portion of the course, they must implement a new non-trivial feature in a classmate’s project.

Testing Software: Tools and technique (Unit, Automated, Load, Regression, Integration)

Usability / User Experience: Suggested text – “About Face 2.0: The Essentials of Interaction Design”

Programming for a Diverse world: character sets (ASCII/CP437/Unicode etc.), string replacement (I18N/L10N/BiDi), issues in N-tier architecture

Computer Security: crypto/SSL/PKI, worms/viruses (including writing them), exploits (buffer overflow, SQL injection, etc.)

The Project Lifecycle: Requirements Gathering, Use Cases, Prototyping, Agile, Waterfall, etc.

—-snip—-

Very similar to your list, but a few additions and re-groupings.

Most of this is tools/techniques.

The above plan is great until your boss ask you to “figure this out and build it.”

1. Too few theory. Face it: you don’t go to university to be a coder, but a programmer, who understands, appreciates, and effectively use ALL technologies, past, now, or in the future. To do that, theory about computation, computer science, algorithms, etc. must be taught. You don’t think these are important or something?

2. Yeah, talking about algorithm, you don’t include that. This is a HUGE mistake. Algorithms are EVERYTHING in programming! With a proper algorithm, you can program in ASM as well as in Javascript. Omit it, and you produce bad programmers.

3. Too little coding. I learn something new every 500 lines of code. A good program should spend AT LEAST 1.5 years into coding and maintaining code, plus other code-related activities.

4. Too little time allocated to liberal arts. Okay, I know, some people under-appreciate these things, but they broaden a person’s mind and afford creativity. Plus, they don’t need to be too heavy. Your program is too heavy to leave room for them.

5. Wrong order. One should learn how to solve problems (algorithm, math background, etc.) first, then go on and apply these methods. You do the reverse. This is no good: the students will become too into coding, and don’t pay good attention to design matter.

Otherwise, nice plan.

Editor’s note: I fixed a small typo in this comment.

This would not be a CS degree. You called it a Software Engineering degree? Would you name it anything else? Something new perhaps?

“From machinist to craftsman” – I don’t think you can call your self anything but a novice or apprentice until you get in to the real world and get a few years under your belt.

A good writeup and a good read though. Thanks.

Thanks for your feedback!

Now that you wrote this. Tell us about the curriculum you will put in place for engineer so they develop and grow?

[Note: I fixed some typos in this comment, but did not alter the content otherwise.]