ECSE474 or 476, DESIGN PROJECT 1, SOFTWARE DESIGN PROJECT 1
General Information
Prerequisites:  474:  ECSE211, ECSE322, ECSE323(includes EDEC206), ECSE330
 		    476:  EDEC206, COMP302, ECSE306, ECSE321, ECSE322
Current enrolment limits: 474 Fall and Winter terms = 70. Summer term = 50.				 		 476 Fall and Winter terms = 20. Summer term = 10.

•	This course is the research and proposal stage of a two term design project under the supervision of a staff member.  Please note that this course is a prerequisite for ECSE475 or 477, Design Project 2 which ALL members of the group take in the next term ECSE475 or 477 is offered (Fall-Winter, Winter-Summer, Summer-Fall).  The Summer term is 6 weeks and runs from the beginning of May to mid June.  If any of the group members cannot attend the Summer session for 475 or 477 due to summer employment, internships, etc., that group must take 475 or 477 in the Fall semester.   The topics in ECSE 476 must have “Software Engineering” content.   Taking note of this last requirement, a project group may be composed of students from ECSE474 AND 476 which implies the same mix under ECSE475 AND 477.
•	The design project group usually consists of two students.  However, larger groups may be entertained depending on the nature of the project.  If there are 3 or more in the group, the group members are responsible for electing a "Team Manager or group Leader" from the members of the group.  Single student project groups are not permitted!  This is not the industrial norm and we do not have the resources.  Therefore your first task is to form this project group and decide what area the group wishes to work in.
•	The examining requirements are: 
A formal technical report describing the objectives, research and proposal(s) for the implementation in course 475 or 477 from the group = 60 % of the final mark. 
	A 5 ‑ 10 minute oral from each member of the group = 40 % of the final mark. 
PLEASE NOTE: that ALL orals and reports may be presented in English or French.  In fact all ABSTRACTS should be in both languages.
•	You must contact the following staff members: 
The course administrator (K. Fraser) for selection and registration of your project, oral and report arrangements and records for the design project course. 
The project supervisors(s) for project proposals, guidance and report marking.  You should mutually arrange for weekly meetings (or more frequently) with this person(s). 

•	Usually a short list of project proposals, mostly external to the Department, will be brought to the General Meeting to be held within the first two weeks of the term (first two days for the Summer term course). Check with the course administrator as well. The project group is expected to make arrangements for a project in an area of interest prior to the General Meeting, and they must register with the course administrator before embarking on it, making sure that a copy of the project title and short description is also stapled with the registration sheets of all group members. All selections are made with the course administrator on a first‑come‑first‑served basis for the short list of project proposals! 
•	Discuss the project proposal(s) with their associated project supervisor(s) before selection!  Interdisciplinary projects are to be encouraged.  Your own project proposals may be entertained, provided a suitable (interested) project supervisor(s) can be found.  External projects, in industry, are also to be encouraged. For these projects an internal and external project supervisor must be provided. 
•	Once you have selected a project, please make sure that the course administrator has it properly recorded (title, proposal, student names, courses required and project supervisor).  Usually this information should be ready to attach to the project registration form handed out at the General Meeting.  Please make sure that all email addresses of the supervisor(s) and students are recorded.  Your projects should be underway no later than the last date for course changes!  Do not delay the work.  In many cases there are unforeseen delays, e.g., delivery dates, equipment failures. 
•	If you withdraw from these courses, please advise the course administrator immediately. 
If equipment and/or components are lost or damaged, the student(s) concerned may be required to reimburse the Department an amount to be determined by the Department (usually the cost of the materials involved). NB. In such cases a student's course final grade can be withheld until all borrowed materials (equipment, components, books, notes, etc.) are returned in satisfactory condition or the Department has been reimbursed for losses or damages. 
•	A schedule of dates for this course (selection of oral time slot, oral period, report submission, etc.) will be emailed to all registered along with guidelines for orals and reports at the appropriate time. 
•	As there have been some instances of plagiarism in the past, you are reminded of the following: 
MCGILL UNIVERSITY VALUES ACADEMIC INTEGRITY. THEREFORE ALL 
STUDENTS MUST UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES OF CHEATING, PLAGIARISM AND OTHER ACADEMIC OFFENSES UNDER 
THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES. 
SEE  FOR MORE INFORMATION.

ECSE474_476.rtf Ver 1.3   2009‑FEB-05  K. Fraser