Improving Student Success through an Articulation Program in Software Engineering

Abstract

The swift advancement of computerization has resulted in an increased need for individuals skilled in a variety of highly technical fields. This demand is currently inadequately met by the United States? domestic workforce and rural areas are underserved by technological resources and opportunities. Due to political and legislative volatility, fixing this workforce shortage is not feasible. Instead, the long-term solution is the cultivation of domestic workforce with high technical expertise. Therefore, we propose a software engineering curriculum that follows the 2 + 2 educational model to meet the needs of community college students in North Carolina as a model for similar initiatives on a regional and national scale. In this paper, we discuss the current status of computer science and software engineering education in North Carolina community colleges, including the current degree programs and relevant curriculum content. Finally, we discuss our proposed curriculum for a 2 + 2 articulation program in software engineering.