SOFTENG 754 : Advanced Software Requirements Engineering

Engineering

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Advanced software engineering concepts focusing on techniques for requirements analysis and requirements engineering (RE) of software systems. Topics will include: requirements elicitation, analysis, specification, validation, verification, user experience design, test-driven development and continuous integration. Includes a substantial individual research project.

Course Overview

This course will provide students with an advanced understanding of software requirements engineering. Students will work in groups on assignments. This course involves a substantial research component. Key topics to be discussed include:

Advanced Requirements Engineering
• User-centred requirements for software applications.
• Human aspects in requirements development.
• Recent requirements engineering advances.
• Evaluate requirements using advanced analysis tools 
• Applying AI in requirements engineering.




Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMPSYS 302 or SOFTENG 306

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop and demonstrate an understanding of recent advances in requirements engineering literature. (Capability 4.2 and 5.1)
  2. Critically evaluate existing software products for insufficient requirements and capabilities (Capability 2.1, 4.2 and 7.1)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of of user-centered requirements development, taking into account ethics and sustainability aspects. (Capability 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 and 8.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignment Part 1 35% Group & Individual Coursework
Assignment Part 2 35% Group & Individual Coursework
Quizes 30% Individual Test
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Assignment Part 1
Assignment Part 2
Quizes
Late submissions are not allowed for the Quizzes.

For some assessments, late submissions may not always be possible. However, if they are, any associated penalties will be clearly communicated at that time.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For each week in this course, you can expect 4 hours of lectures. The remaining 6 hours are dedicated to reinforcing and applying the concepts learned in lectures. This time should be used for reviewing lecture notes, working on assignments, preparing for quizzes, and engaging in collaborative discussions with your team members.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Lectures will be available as recordings, but in-person attendance is highly recommended.
The course may include in-person and online events including group discussions.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Course readings will be provided on Canvas.

Health & Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Since 2023, Part 1 of the course was significantly revised due to the introduction of SOFTENG283 in 2021, which introduced students to the fundamentals of requirements engineering. 

In response to 2024 SET evaluation, we revised the content of Part 2 to better align with Part 1. We have removed TDD and BDD and focus on advanced tools for evaluating requirements, including the use of AI for requirements engineering.


Other Information

The Quizzes will be on Canvas, during lecture times, and will be invigilated in computer labs (City Campus).

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Diversity: We embrace diversity of age, background, beliefs, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and other visible and non-visible categories. The teaching team and the University of Auckland have a zero tolerance policy for discrimination. If you experience or know of discrimination, you have many options for support and/or reporting; see https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about-us/about-the-university/equity-at-the-university/about-equity/zero-tolerance-for-discrimination.html. You are also welcome to contact the teaching team with concerns.

Names/Pronouns: You deserve to be addressed in the manner you prefer. To help the teaching team address you properly, you are welcome to tell us your pronoun(s) and/or preferred name at any time, either in person or via email.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.