Bachelor Project Preparation

Code

IT-BPR1

Version

5.0

Offered by

ICT Engineering

ECTS

Prerequisites

Main purpose

The purpose of this course is to thoroughly prepare students for their Bachelor Project. This preparation is twofold: it involves both practical skills in project preparation and planning as well as an understanding of the underlying scientific setting that informs these practices.

Students will engage in critical analysis of significant problem sets within their professional area, exploring alternative solutions and understanding the demands of companies and their environments. A key addition to this course is an exploration of the philosophy of science as it applies to engineering. This will equip students with a deeper understanding of the scientific principles and theories that underpin their field, enabling them to apply this knowledge in new and dynamic situations.

In terms of project preparation, students will form groups, analyzing and documenting their group composition in writing. They will establish a set of rules for effective collaboration within these groups. These activities will be guided by interpersonal competencies and will involve a reflection on principles included in their previous projects.

Furthermore, students will learn to articulate, in writing, a proposed problem for study. This will involve developing a project description that incorporates scientific knowledge and work methods relevant to their field.

The course also includes an analysis phase where students establish software requirements for their proposed project.

Each bachelor project group should consist of 2-3 students.

Students are encouraged to find their projects in association with an external company or organization, fostering a connection between academic learning and real-world application.

Knowledge

After having completed the course, the student should be able to
- Explain the concept of plagiarism and how to avoid it.
- Identify a problem and a problem domain in software engineering.
- Evaluate teamwork and team dynamics.
- Select relevant methods for developing a project.
- Grasp essential concepts in the philosophy of science, including knowledge, paradigms, pseudo-science, and non-science.
- Gain a basic understanding of ethics and ethical thinking within the scope of science.

Skills

After having completed the course, the student should be able to
- Perform information search and retrieval.
- Describe a proposed problem to solve, as well as its context.
- Plan and delimit a software development project.
- Assess the relationship between scientific knowledge and practical experience in technology creation.
- Collect data from users, considering ethical implications.
- Effectively interact with others, enhancing their communication, empathy, and teamwork abilities.
- Use self-reflection to collaborate effectively in team environments.

Competences

After having completed the course, the student should be able to
- Plan a larger Software Engineering project and describe it in a Project Description.
- Apply preliminary steps in a system development process.
- Develop clear and concise requirements using a selected standard.
- Demonstrate the ability to work coherently in a group.
- Reflect upon their own role as knowledge creators in an information society.

Topics

Teaching methods and study activities

Lectures, presentations, supervisor meetings, and independent group work.

Resources

To be announced on Itslearning.

Evaluation

Examination

Exam prerequisites:
To qualify for the exam, the student must have their group project description approved. The hand-in for the project description lies after Element 2 but before Element 3 as described below. In case the project description is not approved, the student cannot attend Element 3, and a date for resubmission will be announced. This date will lie before the reexam period.

Exam type:
The course is assessed continuously through three elements:

Element 1 (34%):
A 45-minutes individual multiple choice test within the topics of philosophy of engineering. This test lies during the semester.

Element 2 (33%):
A small group assignment (max 5 pages) that includes a group contract. The group contract is not included in the max 5 pages. The hand-in of the assignment lies during the semester but after the test in Element 1.

Element 3 (33%):
A 30-minutes individual multiple choice test within the project-related topics. The test lies during the exam period.

The student will receive one final grade based on these three elements and each element is weighted as described.

Internal assessment.

Re-exam:

Should the student receive a non-passing final grade, they must redo the Elements in which they did not receive a passing grade. These reexams are held during the re-exam period.