A model for real-time systems curriculum

An outline of an undergraduate syllabus for the education of real-time systems engineers is given, in a broader context of software engineering, to meet three high-level educational objectives: depth of study, breadth of study, and curriculum flexibility. The model is based on a 4-layer paradigm for course contents, comprising: real-time development methodologies and environments, real-time programming languages, operating system kernels, and real-time hardware architectures. ACM/IEEE-CS ''Computing Curricula 1991'' framework is used to describe the course contents. Ac companying laboratory work is outlined and suggestions for establishing a laboratory with advanced, but low-cost, hardware and software are provided. Suggestions are also made on prerequisites, course materials, and areas for possible graduate research.