Software engineering is Not computer science

Abstract

One of the many confusing issues in today's software world is the use of many names that describe different aspects of the software sciences, but which have widely overlapping activities. One such area is the distinction between computer science and software engineering. Undergraduate programs to teach software sciences should decide upon an area in which to concentrate, either computer science or software engineering. The distinction is more than semantics; there are practical differences in the philosophy of each of these subjects. Computer science, though beyond its infancy, is still a dynamic area, but is suitable for undergraduate curricula due to the body of knowledge which exists to support it. Software engineering, in contrast, is still in its infancy and is not yet well enough understood to warrant a separate undergraduate curriculum.

This work was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.