This document was developed through an effort originally commissioned by the ACM Education Board and the IEEE-Computer Society Educational Activities Board to create curriculum recommendations in several computing disciplines : computer science, computer engineering,software engineering and information systems. Other professional societies have joined in a number of the individual projects. Such has notably been the case for the CCSE (Computing Curricula – Software Engineering) project, which has included participation by representatives from the Australian Computer Society, the British Computer Society, and the Information Processing Society of Japan.
In this Guide, the IEEE Computer Society establishes for the first time a baseline for the body of knowledge for the field of software engineering, and the work partially fulfills the Society’s responsibility to promote the advancement of both theory and practice in this field. In so doing, the Society has been guided by the experience of disciplines with longer histories, but was not bound either by their problems or their solutions.
It should be noted that the Guide does not purport to define the body of knowledge, but rather to serve as a compendium and guide to the body of knowledge that has been developing and evolving over the past four decades. Furthermore, this body of knowledge is not static. The Guide must, necessarily, develop and evolve as software engineering matures. It nevertheless constitutes a valuable element of the software engineering infrastructure.
This document was developed through an effort originally commissioned by the ACM Education
Board and the IEEE-Computer Society Educational Activities Board to create curriculum
recommendations in several computing disciplines: computer science, computer engineering,
software engineering and information systems. Other professional societies have joined in a
number of the individual projects. Such has notably been the case for the SE2004 (Software
Engineering 2004) project, which has included participation by representatives from the
Australian Computer Society, the British Computer Society, and the Information Processing
Society of Japan.
Thank you for agreeing to help us with a review of the draft body of knowledge (BOK)
report of the ACM/IEEE-CS Computing Curricula - Computer
Engineering Task Force. This material is a very early draft,
and extensive revision is likely as the review process
progresses. Please provide us your thorough review on one or more sections of the BOK. We especially need your comments on the completeness of the Book of Knowledge, its organization, and most importantly on what should constitute the core of any Computer Engineering Program. The list of core material, i.e. material that should be included in every computer engineering program, as it stands in the current document, is in no way final. Please comment on what could or should be eliminated or reduced, and what should be added or increased.
Computing has become fundamental to the education of those who will participate in modern society. It provides the infrastructure by which we communicate, do our work, conduct our business, and manage our affairs. Computing has dramatically influenced progress in science,
engineering, business, and other avenues of human endeavor. In modern times, nearly everyone needs to use computers, and many will want to study computing in some form. Computing will continue to present challenging career opportunities, and those who work in computing will have a crucial role in shaping the future of society.