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Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department of Software Engineering

Revision: 4
Reg.no: BTH-4.1.14-0983-2024


Course syllabus

Software Architectures and Quality

Software Architectures and Quality

7.5 credits (7,5 högskolepoäng)

Course code: PA1453
Main field of study: Software Engineering
Disciplinary domain: Technology
Education level: First-cycle
Specialization: G1F - First cycle, has less than 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements

Language of instruction: English
Applies from: 2024-11-01
Approved: 2024-11-01

1. Descision

This course is established by Dean 2017-02-02. The course syllabus is approved by Head of Department of Software Engineering 2024-11-01 and applies from 2024-11-01.

2. Entry requirements

The student must have successfully completed a total of 22,5 ECTS credits within the following areas: Software Design, Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Systems, Computer Networks, Real-Time Systems, Operating Systems and successfully completed a course in Programming of at least 6 credits.

3. Objective and content

3.1 Objective

Software Architecture is an important technical concept in modern large-scale software development that serves several purposes: planning development resources; analyzing the problem domain from multiple perspectives using the architectural views; and abstracting big amounts of information to obtain a useful overview of the system.
In addition, the architecture and the decisions on how to construct architecture are a key component to plan and achieve a certain level of quality in a system, which thereby determines how successful the system will be.
In the course the students are expected to obtain detailed knowledge about software architectures and software quality and the effects software architectures and architectural decisions have on the qualities of the software product under development.
The students will acquire understanding about how to: i) document software architectures of existing systems; ii) construct software architectures based on modern methods and ideas such as architecture styles and patterns and tactics, by considering the intended product, the surrounding technology and the developing organization; iii) discuss the suitability of a software architecture for a specific software product in a specific context using facts as basis.

3.2 Content

The course comprises the following topics:

  • Quality aspects in software and software architectures.
  • Architectural, views, languages styles, patterns and tactics.
  • Recovery and description of software architecture from source code.
  • Methods for architectural design, evaluation and transformation.
  • Literature review of relevant research articles about software architecture.

4. Learning outcomes

The following learning outcomes are examined in the course:

4.1. Knowledge and understanding

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • Read, interpret, produce and reason about software architecture descriptions, relating to different architectural concerns, with some of the most common architectural views.
  • Recognize and reflect about the connections between software architecture, product qualities, the development process, the resource needs, and the development organization.

4.2. Competence and skills

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • Produce, document and communicate a simple system software architecture, so that this documentation can be used as guidance to develop the system and to achieve the desired qualities/characteristics.
  • Perform trade-offs among quality requirements and design decisions, apply the suitable solutions to achieve the quality requirements.
  • Identify and document the implementation rules and guidelines based on a software architecture.

4.3. Judgement and approach

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • Evaluate a software architecture, and with facts an explicit assumption as the basis, assess how well the development work needs are met, and the quality characteristics can be achieved.
  • Assess and criticize, in architectural terms, the architectural decisions in software architectures.
  • Analyze, recommend and apply architectural modifications and improvements to be able to meet certain quality levels.

5. Learning activities

The course builds upon individual readings, lectures, individual research work, as well as team work in small projects (assignments).
The course contents are organized around a number of lectures where the students are expected to actively participate by discussing, questioning and reflecting about their own experiences, and their understanding of the conflicting concepts they have read in the course literature and in research papers in the area. These lectures together with their readings constitute the pillars over which the group assignments build upon.
The two assignments consist on real-world but scale-controlled exercises in which the students are intended to apply the concepts, methods and techniques presented in class to document, evaluate and eventually transform software architectures.
Interleaved in between the lectures and assignments, there are a number of practical sessions (seminars) in which the students, with the assistance of the instructor, cooperate to solve some of the problems related to their own assignments.
A written exam completes the course, comprising both multiple-choice and / or essay, open questions.
This gives a mixture of state-of-the-art as described in research articles, and state-of-practice as evidenced by personal experiences, and industry studies.

6. Assessment and grading

Modes of examinations of the course

Code Module Credit Grade
1710 Assignment 1 1.5 credits AF
1720 Assignment 2 3 credits AF
1730 Presentation and opposition 1 credits GU
1740 Exam 2 credits AF

The course will be graded A Excellent, B Very good, C Good, D Satisfactory, E Sufficient, FX Failed result, a little more work required, F Fail.

The examiner may carry out oral follow-up of written examinations.

The final course grade is the aggregate of these four examination parts. The course grade is set when all the examination parts are approved.

The information before a course occasion states the assessment criteria and make explicit in which modes of examination that the learning outcomes are assessed.

An examiner can, after consulting the Disability Advisor at BTH, decide on a customized examination form for a student with a long-term disability to be provided with an examination equivalent to one given to a student who is not disabled.

7. Course evaluation

The course evaluation should be carried out in line with BTH:s course evaluation template and process.

8. Restrictions regarding degree

The course can form part of a degree but not together with another course the content of which completely or partly corresponds with the contents of this course.

9. Course literature and other materials of instruction

Main Books:

1. Software Architecture in Practice, 3rd Edition
Authors: L. Bass, P. Clements, and R. Kazman
Addison-Wesley, 2012.
ISBN10: 0321815734 ISBN13: 97803218157362.

2. Applied Software Architecture
Authors: C. Hofmeister, R. Nord, and D. Soni,
Addison-Wesley Professional, 2000.
ISBN 10: 0321643346 ISBN 13: 9780321643346.

Reference Materials:

3. Documenting Software Architectures: Views and Beyond, 2nd Edition
Authors P. C. Clements et al.,
Pearson Education, 2010.
ISBN 10: 0321552687 ISBN 13: 978-0321552686.

10. Additional information

This course replaces PA1410

This is not a legal document. If you would like a copy of the legal decision regarding this course plan, contact the registrar at Blekinge Institute of Technology.