Departmental Brochure

Beginning with the Fundamentals of Engineering course in the freshman year, the four-year program of study culminates with a team-driven, interdisciplinary Senior Project. The Fundamentals course introduces students to the mindset and vision of engineering, the tools and skills that will support subsequent education, and the meaning of successful engineering design and its ramifications. The senior project caps an intellectually attractive and rewarding undergraduate career.

Between the Fundamentals course and the senior project - the two "book ends" of engineering education at Fairfield - students hone their skills in mathematics, including calculus, discrete math, probability, and statistics. To understand the modern building blocks of software, students study such topics as object-oriented programming, software design and implementation, networks, Web development, and computer security.

Fairfield University's software tools and environment are the most up-to-date available. These include UML design tools such as Rational Rose, Oracle, and SQL server databases, as well as modern languages such as C++, Java, and VB.Net. In the capstone learning experience, the two-semester Senior Project, students design and implement a significant real-world software project that adds to the existing body of knowledge.

In pursuit of special interests, students may choose elective courses in such areas as computer theory, advanced programming, and Internet and enterprise programming, as well as courses in business and the management of technology.

Mathematics Minor

Fairfield University software engineering students hone their mathematical skills with a series of seven math courses that earns them a mathematics minor, as well. The program includes a four-course sequence of calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics and applied probability and statistics.

Resources

In addition to exceptional faculty, the School of Engineering has state-of-the-art laboratories in McAuliffe Hall. There are also classroom and computer application facilities in the Rudolph F. Bannow Science Center, replete with current instrumentation to guarantee experiential learning directly linked to the classroom. Students can also access a large volume of circulating engineering texts and journals from an extensive collection at Fairfield University's DiMenna-Nyselius Library. Another valuable resource is the School of Engineering's tutorial center, where engineering faculty offer extra help on a daily basis. The School of Engineering has its own intranet with all the laboratories on the network.

Course of Study

As a software engineering major at Fairfield University, students engage in theoretical study and practical experience, gaining a solid understanding of the broad range of disciplines that comprise this dynamic field. Software solutions to increasingly more complex problems in industry, business, education and research demand expert software engineers. At Fairfield, software engineering students are immersed in the fundamental concepts of computing and acquire the skills needed to serve professional and social needs.

Students will benefit from the School of Engineering's state-of-the-art facilities, comprehensive curriculum, and expert faculty. The School offers the foundation that prepares students to become leaders and innovators in the field. It combines the 460-year-old Jesuit traditions of academic integrity and intellectual rigor with cutting-edge industry exposure.

The curriculum for the Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering (BSSE) consists of 132 hours distributed over mathematics, the basic sciences, liberal arts, core software engineering topics, and specialized software engineering courses. A BSEE degree from Fairfield University will enable you to participate in diverse professional areas, from informatics and data mining to controls and embedded systems and networks, all requiring expert software solutions.

At Fairfield University we have established four educational objectives that our software engineering graduates are prepared to achieve in their professional career. They are as follows:

• Domain Knowledge: Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering (BSSE) program apply their in-depth understanding of software systems within the constraints of performance specification, budget and scheduling. They produce software following the basic software development lifecycle. This software will implement complex algorithms, may be distributed, and will have complex graphical user interfaces. The software may use various operating system constructs, databases, programming languages, and design methodologies.
• Professional Practice: Graduates develop further  their engineering design, problem-solving and communication skills as they work with or manage multi-disciplinary teams. They have an understanding of cost constraints, timely delivery, feasibility, reliability, safety, and maintenance issues. They work in a variety of industrial, educational, business, scientific, and engineering settings and interact with those considered experts in these areas to produce useful, efficient software solutions.
• Lifelong Learning: Graduates maintain their expertise in their chosen fields, remain connected to their professional societies and broaden their professional knowledge with formal and/or informal continuing education.
• Engineering citizenship: Graduates practice the ethics of their profession consistent with a sense of social responsibility and the promotion of justice.

In the course of their four-year studies at Fairfield University, software engineering students hear classroom lectures and participate in rigorous laboratory tasks. Key engineering principles and mathematical models are applied to development projects. The complete lifecycle of software development is covered as students learn how to design, develop, test, and deploy software using rigorous engineering practices. In addition, students have the opportunity to take advanced elective courses to tailor the program to specific career objectives or specializations.

The Faculty

James Curry
M.S., Baruch College
Software Engineering

Joseph Corcoran
M.S., RPI
Computer Science

Donald Joy
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
Software Engineering

Maynard Marquis
M.S., Yale University
Electrical Engineering

Rino Nori
M.S., Fordham University
Software Engineering

Rama Ramachandran
M.S., University of Central Oklahoma
Internet Programming

Research and Internships

As early as the completion of the sophomore year, and particularly at the end of the junior year, students are encouraged to participate in a summer internship at an area business. Internships may be continued throughout the year with special permission from the dean and the program chair.

Life After Fairfield

Demand for Fairfield University's engineering graduates has been consistently strong, and the need should continue as technology advances at a rapid pace. Software engineers are sought out by many sectors of business, industry, education, and government. With a strong, well-rounded, and highly competitive educational background, graduates have many options. Many enter the job market directly after Fairfield, while others decide to pursue a master's degree or a doctorate.

Profiles

Brendan Dunne
Software Engineering major
"Why did I choose Fairfield? It's got a good, solid reputation for one thing, and they gave me a generous scholarship. As a freshman, I am still taking a lot of core requirement classes, but I can appreciate the software program which allows for plenty of individual attention as well as team work with other engineers, especially in the lab. The Engineering Student Society is a great place to network, learn about engineering, and find internship opportunities. I'm planning on applying for an internship in a tech company as soon as I can."

For further information, please contact:

School of Engineering
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
Tel: (203) 254-4147
E-mail: acastelot@mail.fairfield.edu