Course Overview

What you will learn

SENG 11232 Engineering Foundation is the gateway course for all 1st year Software Engineering students. It establishes the intellectual and technical bedrock upon which every subsequent course in the programme builds. Unlike a generic introduction-to-programming module, this course treats software engineering as a discipline — with the same professional rigour, ethical standards, and systematic thinking expected of any branch of engineering.

You will develop four interlocking capabilities: thinking like an engineer (decomposition, logic, proof); understanding digital systems from bits to architecture; applying engineering process to design, requirements, and quality; and practising professional responsibility in networking, security, safety, and project management.

This is not a programming course — but it will make you a far better programmer. Every concept taught here recurs throughout your degree and your career.

4 Modules · 12 Lectures · 2 Hours per Lecture

Module 1 — Thinking Like an Engineer (L1–L3): Engineering discipline, computational thinking, discrete mathematics.
Module 2 — Systems & Digital Foundations (L4–L6): Binary arithmetic, Boolean logic, computer architecture.
Module 3 — Engineering Process & Design (L7–L9): Requirements, SOLID design, metrics, testing, quality.
Module 4 — Networks, Security & Professional Practice (L10–L12): Networking, safety & security, SDLC.

Assessment: Assignment 01 (10%) — Individual, due Week 7. Assignment 02 (10%) — Group, due Week 12. Final Examination (75%) — covers all four modules. Attendance - (5%) .

I

Thinking Like an Engineer

Lectures 01 – 03 · The intellectual foundation of the software engineering discipline

The Engineering Discipline & the Software Engineer's Role
What SE is, why it matters, and what you are joining
L01 · Module 1 · 2 Hours
01
  • Engineering as a discipline: science vs. engineering
  • SE vs Computer Science vs Information Technology
  • ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics (8 principles)
  • Real-world failures: Therac-25, Boeing 737 MAX, Post Office Horizon
  • Professional responsibility, legal exposure, career pathways
↓ Slides Notes
Computational Thinking & Problem Decomposition
The mental model that separates good engineers from great ones
L02 · Module 1 · 2 Hours
02
  • Four pillars: decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, algorithmic thinking
  • Top-down and bottom-up decomposition strategies
  • Levels of abstraction in computing systems
  • Algorithm properties: finiteness, definiteness, effectiveness
  • Six-step problem-solving framework for engineers
↓ Slides Notes
Mathematical Foundations for Software Engineering
The discrete mathematics that underpins algorithms, databases and formal verification
L03 · Module 1 · 2 Hours
03
  • Set theory: notation, union, intersection, complement, power sets
  • Propositional logic: connectives, truth tables, De Morgan's theorems
  • Predicate logic: ∀ and ∃ quantifiers, negation rules
  • Proof techniques: direct proof, proof by contradiction
  • Mathematical induction and loop invariants
↓ Slides Notes
II

Systems & Digital Foundations

Lectures 04 – 06 · From transistors to execution: the machine that runs your code

Number Systems, Data Representation & Binary Arithmetic
How computers store every piece of data that ever exists
L04 · Module 2 · 2 Hours
04
  • Binary, octal, hexadecimal: conversion methods and applications
  • Two's complement: signed integer representation and overflow
  • IEEE 754 floating-point: structure, special values, software pitfalls
  • Character encoding: ASCII, Unicode code points, UTF-8
  • Why 0.1 + 0.2 ≠ 0.3 and how to handle money correctly
↓ Slides Notes
Digital Logic & Boolean Algebra
The bridge between mathematics and physical computing hardware
L05 · Module 2 · 2 Hours
05
  • Boolean algebra laws, De Morgan's theorems, universal gates
  • Seven logic gates: AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, XNOR
  • Truth tables and Karnaugh map minimisation
  • Flip-flops: SR, D, JK, T — sequential logic and memory
  • ADC resolution and the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem
↓ Slides Notes
Computer Architecture & the Execution Model
The machine beneath your code — what actually happens when you run a program
L06 · Module 2 · 2 Hours
06
  • Von Neumann architecture: CPU, memory, I/O, buses
  • ALU, Control Unit, registers, Program Counter
  • Fetch-decode-execute cycle traced step by step
  • Memory hierarchy: registers → L1/L2/L3 → RAM → SSD
  • Compiled, interpreted and JIT-compiled languages; OS system calls
↓ Slides Notes
III

Engineering Process & Design

Lectures 07 – 09 · How professional engineers plan, design and measure their work

Systems Thinking & Requirements Engineering
Seeing the whole system before designing any part of it
L07 · Module 3 · 2 Hours
07
  • Systems thinking: boundaries, interfaces, emergent behaviour, feedback loops
  • Stakeholder analysis: primary, indirect, regulatory, sponsor roles
  • Functional vs non-functional requirements (quality attributes)
  • SMART requirements — writing testable, measurable specifications
  • Use cases, user stories, acceptance criteria; ISO 25010 quality model
↓ Slides Notes
Software Design Principles & Engineering Trade-offs
Timeless principles for building software that survives contact with the real world
L08 · Module 3 · 2 Hours
08
  • Abstraction, modularity, separation of concerns, coupling and cohesion
  • DRY, KISS, YAGNI — simplicity as an engineering virtue
  • SOLID principles with code examples and common violations
  • Design patterns: Singleton, Observer, Factory, Strategy
  • Technical debt, engineering trade-offs, Architecture Decision Records
↓ Slides Notes
Measurement, Metrics & Quality Engineering
You cannot improve what you cannot measure
L09 · Module 3 · 2 Hours
09
  • Software metrics: cyclomatic complexity, defect density, code coverage
  • Testing pyramid: unit → integration → E2E — proportion and rationale
  • Test-Driven Development (TDD): Red → Green → Refactor
  • Service Level Agreements, SLOs, and error budgets
  • Goodhart's Law and the dangers of metric abuse
↓ Slides Notes
IV

Networks, Security & Professional Practice

Lectures 10 – 12 · The engineering environment: networks, safety, ethics, and project management

Data Communications & Networking Fundamentals
Every application you build depends on the network stack
L10 · Module 4 · 2 Hours
10
  • Signals, bandwidth, latency, throughput — physical transmission
  • OSI 7-layer model: which protocols live where
  • TCP vs UDP: three-way handshake, reliability, use cases
  • IP addressing (IPv4/IPv6), ports, DNS resolution chain
  • HTTP methods, status codes, REST API design principles
↓ Slides Notes
Engineering Safety, Security & Ethics
When software fails, people can die — and engineers are responsible
L11 · Module 4 · 2 Hours
11
  • Safety-critical systems: fail-safe, fault tolerance, defence in depth
  • Case studies: Therac-25, Ariane 5, Boeing 737 MAX, Post Office Horizon
  • CIA triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability with real threats
  • OWASP Top 10 — broken access control, injection, insecure design
  • GDPR, privacy by design, software liability, open source licensing
↓ Slides Notes
Project Engineering & the Software Development Lifecycle
Delivering software on time, on budget, and at the right quality
L12 · Module 4 · 2 Hours
12
  • SDLC models: waterfall, iterative, agile — when to use each
  • Triple constraint (scope, time, cost) and Agile's reformulation
  • Estimation: story points, planning poker, COCOMO, cone of uncertainty
  • Risk management: identify → assess → respond (ATAM) → monitor
  • Agile/Scrum ceremonies, Git branching strategy, CI/CD, course review
↓ Slides Notes
Assessments

Assignments & Examinations

Assignment 01 · Individual
Foundations of Computing & Professional Practice
Due: Week 7 · Submission via LMS · 3000 words max
Covers Modules 1 & 2. Demonstrates understanding of engineering ethics, computational thinking, mathematical foundations, data representation, digital logic and computer architecture through four interconnected tasks.
  • Task 1 — Engineering Ethics Case Analysis (25 marks)
  • Task 2 — Computational Thinking & Algorithm Design (30 marks)
  • Task 3 — Data Representation & Digital Logic (25 marks)
  • Task 4 — Computer Architecture Short Questions (20 marks)
10% of Final Grade ↓ Brief
Assignment 02 · Group (2–3 Students)
Systems Design, Quality Engineering & Professional Practice
Due: Week 12 · Submission via LMS · 5000 words max
Covers Modules 3 & 4. Groups apply all engineering knowledge to design a full solution for the SmartCampus Student Services Platform — a realistic scenario serving 15,000 students and 1,000 staff.
  • Task 1 — Requirements Engineering (25 marks)
  • Task 2 — Systems Architecture & Design (30 marks)
  • Task 3 — Security & Networking Analysis (20 marks)
  • Task 4 — Quality Engineering & Project Plan (20 marks)
  • Task 5 — Individual Contribution Statement (5 marks)
10% of Final Grade ↓ Brief
Final Examination
Comprehensive End-of-Semester Examination
Examination Period · 3 Hours · Open Book: Student Notes Only
Covers all four modules. Tests application of concepts taught in lectures and developed through assignments. Emphasis on reasoning, analysis, and engineering judgement rather than rote recall.
  • Section A — Module 1 & 2 Core Concepts (40 marks)
  • Section B — Module 3 Design & Process Application (30 marks)
  • Section C — Module 4 Case Analysis & Professional Practice (30 marks)
70% of Final Grade
Your Journey

Learning path through this course

Weeks 1–3
Thinking Like an Engineer. Build the cognitive tools: engineering ethics and responsibility, computational thinking with decomposition and algorithms, discrete mathematics as the language of precise reasoning.
Weeks 4–6
Digital Foundations. Understand the machine: binary, two's complement, IEEE 754, Boolean algebra, digital logic from gates to flip-flops, computer architecture from transistors to operating systems.
Week 7
Assignment 01 Due. Individual submission demonstrating Modules 1 & 2 competencies. Ethics case analysis, algorithm design, number systems and digital logic, architecture questions.
Weeks 7–9
Engineering Process & Design. Apply engineering methodology: systems thinking and requirements engineering, SOLID design principles and trade-off analysis, software metrics and the testing pyramid.
Weeks 10–12
Professional Practice. Operate as a professional: networking fundamentals from signals to REST APIs, engineering safety and the OWASP security model, project management and the SDLC.
Week 12
Assignment 02 Due. Group submission demonstrating Modules 3 & 4. SmartCampus platform design: requirements, architecture, security analysis, quality strategy, and project plan.
Exam Period
Final Examination. Three-hour comprehensive examination across all four modules. Open book (student notes only). Emphasis on engineering judgement and application of principles.
Course Resources

Materials & references

📖

ACM Code of Ethics

ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics (full text)

🛡

OWASP Top 10

Current OWASP Top 10 web application security risks

🔢

ISO/IEC 25010

Software product quality model and characteristics