Dynamic enterprises demand advanced curricula in software development and management

Abstract

Advancing technologies, emergent software development approaches, and economic conditions influencing corporate budgets are creating new challenges for the software development manager. Information dependent enterprises continue to require high quality software that quickly satisfies customer needs, at a time when traditional software development methods are being challenged by agile, user centric approaches. This paper focuses on one higher education program that addresses the unique needs of the software manager in a dynamic enterprise that promises to deliver software projects with successful outcomes.While it is difficult to assure that graduate studies definitively improve the software manager's ability to deliver projects with successful outcomes, RIT has designed a contemporary Software Development & Management curriculum to prepare students to manage and successfully implement software-oriented projects. This paper will discuss a graduate curriculum comprised of practical, theoretical, and technical foundations that serves to increase the probability of success for today's software project. Unique course outlines and delivery mechanisms that further differentiate the curriculum will also be presented.