Senior Project

Senior Project

CS 498 - Spring 2026

Catalog description:

An opportunity for students to participate in design and implementation of a large project by a small team. Project chosen in consultation with instructor will help analyze the impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society, including ethical, legal, security, and global policy issues. Includes lectures and seminars reflecting on professional, ethical, and social responsibilities of computing professionals, as well as the need for professional development and life-long learning.

Logistics

Instructor	Dr. Stan Kurkovsky, Professor of Computer Science
Office	MS 303-06
Phone	860-832-2720
E-mail	kurkovsky@ccsu.edu
Student office hours	MW 1430-1600, TR 1200-1300, or by appointment, booking info
Class meetings	Tue 1340-1455 @ AIH 107 Thu 1340-1455 @ AIH 207

Textbook and other things you will need

• No textbook is required
• In-class handouts
• Instructor's web site available at http://www.cs.ccsu.edu/~stan/ and other web sites recommended by the instructor
• This cartoon
• Course project document

Course learning outcomes

Program educational objectives and student outcomes are supported by the following course learning outcomes achieved by students upon a successful completion of this course:

1. Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions (ABET SO-1);
2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements (ABET SO-2);
3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts (ABET SO-3);
4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles (ABET SO-4);
5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in a software engineering project (ABET SO-5);
6. Apply computer science theory and software engineering fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions that include information management and networking/communication components (ABET SO-6);

Important: self-care

Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Your physical and mental well-being is the most important thing. It has always been (or should have been) so, even before the pandemic. Please email/message me to check in if I won’t see you or hear from you on a day we have class or an assignment is due.

Tentative schedule

Week 1 (January 21-23): Inception

• Introduction
  Getting ready for the project kick-off
• Team info sheets are due by Friday 0900

Week 2 (January 26-29): Inception

• Course project kick-off: Meetings with project clients
• Project update: team impressions about course projects
  Requirements engineering assignment: introduction

Week 3 (February 2-6): Sprint 1

• Project update: product backlog review
• Reading and discussion: Programmers: Stop Calling Yourselves Engineers
  Requirements engineering assignment: deliverable 1/3 is due

Week 4 (February 9-13): Sprint 1

• Project update: weekly scrum
• Reading and discussion: Then a Miracle Occurs
  Requirements engineering assignment: deliverable 2/3 is due

Week 5 (February 16-20): Sprint 2

• Presidents' Day
• Project update: sprint 1 retrospective
• Reading and discussion: When Software Crosses a Line
  Requirements engineering assignment: deliverable 3/3 is due

Week 6 (February 23-27): Sprint 2

• Project update: weekly scrum
• Reading and discussion: Chaos Engineering

Week 7 (March 2-6): Sprint 3

• Project update: sprint 2 retrospective
• Reading and discussion: Why Large IT Projects Fail

Week 8 (March 9-13): Sprint 3

• Mid-point project demo
• Reading and discussion: Application of LLMs to Software Engineering

Week 9 (March 16-20)

• Spring break

Week 10 (March 23-27): Sprint 4

• Project update: sprint 3 retrospective
• Reading and discussion: What's the Architect's Role in an Agile, Cloud-Centric World

Week 11 (March 30 - April 3): Sprint 4

• Project update: weekly scrum
• Reading and discussion: Lifelong Learning for Lifelong Employment

Week 12 (April 6-10): Sprint 5

• Project update: sprint 4 retrospective
• Reading and discussion: Speed, Data, and Ecosystems-The Future of Software Engineering

Week 13 (April 13-17): Sprint 5

• Project update: weekly scrum
• Reading and discussion: Is Your Software Valueless?

Week 14 (April 20-24): Sprint 6

• Project update: sprint 5 retrospective
• Reading and discussion: TBD

Week 15 (April 27 - May 1): Sprint 6

• Project update: weekly scrum
• Reading and discussion: TBD

Week 16 (May 4-6): Release

• Project demonstrations & Senior Project Showcase

Week of final exams

• There is no final exam in this class

Course project

A project is the focal point of this course. Working in teams and following an agile software process, students must coordinate closely with the external client or product owner to design and develop a complex software system meeting the desired functional and non-functional requirements. Specific details are outlined in the course project document.

Readings and discussions

During each reading and discussion session, two pairs of students will present alternative points of view on the issues raised in the corresponding reading materials. All students are expected to actively participate in each discussion session by asking questions and expressing their opinions.

The grade for the reading and discussion sessions will reflect student activity as an active discussant, as well as their attendance of all reading and discussion sessions.

Academic misconduct

All students are expected to demonstrate integrity in the completion of their coursework. Academic integrity means doing one's own work and giving proper credit to the work and ideas of others. It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with what constitutes academic dishonesty and plagiarism and to avoid all forms of cheating and plagiarism. Students who engage in plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct will face academic and possibly disciplinary consequences. Academic sanctions can range from a reduced grade for the assignment to a failing grade for the course. From a disciplinary standpoint, an Academic Misconduct Report may be filed and a Faculty Hearing Board may impose sanctions such as probation, suspension or expulsion.

For further information on academic misconduct and its consequences, please consult the Student Code of Conduct and the Academic Misconduct Policy.

Attendance

All students are expected to attend class sessions regularly. However, recognizing individual differences, each student is responsible for his/her own attendance and for making-up any missed study or work. Limited assistance will be offered to those with plausible reasons for absences; unexcused absences will result in the student being totally responsible for the make-up process.

Students with disabilities

Central Connecticut State University provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for students with documented disabilities on an individualized basis. If you are a student with a documented disability, and would like to request academic accommodations, you are encouraged to contact Student Disability Services (SDS) at 860-832-1952, or email disabilityservices@ccsu.edu. Please visit the SDS website to download an Intake form and documentation requirements. Once approved, SDS suggests that students discuss their approved accommodations with their professors, as well as any other additional medical emergency needs. Temporary impairments may also qualify for accommodations. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and must be requested each semester.

Other statements

Here's a link to a document containing information about other policies and resources.

Grades and evaluation

Students will be evaluated regularly during the semester and should be aware of their progress continuously during the semester. The final course grade will be reported according to the stated University policy.

The final course grade will be calculated according to the following distribution of points:

Course letter grade will be determined as follows: