CS 169A: Introduction to Software Engineering

UC Berkeley, Fall 2026

This course presents ideas and techniques for designing, developing, and modifying large software systems using Agile techniques and tools: modular design, design patterns, behavior-driven design, test-driven development, user stories, verification and validation, team organization and management, and analyzing and refactoring legacy code — all in the context of building and deploying Software as a Service (SaaS).

To Do

1. Sign up for a section at sections.cs169.org.
2. Fill out the Welcome Survey.
3. Start Module 1.
4. Start CHIPS 3.3, and set up your development environment if you have not already.

Quick Reference Links

Public Materials Drive Gradescope Course Assist Videos Textbook

Getting started

1. Watch the Course Welcome video.
2. Read the Syllabus and course policies (grading, extensions, etc.).
3. Complete the Orientation — required. It includes an orientation quiz and other elements you must complete before starting the course content.
4. Get the (free) textbook: Engineering Software as a Service, 2nd edition, by Armando Fox and David Patterson. Free and legal PDF download by chapter; Kindle and hardcopy available for purchase.
5. Start Module 1.

Important information for Fall 2026

We will have in class quizzes 5 times during the semester, on Tuesdays.

• Lecture recordings: Fall 2023 YouTube playlist (berkeley.edu access only) — it’s recommended you review these OR the module videos before coming to live class.
• Lectures are Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Thu Aug 27.
• We expect regular attendance at one section per week; some sections may be offered online.
• Assignments — both CHIPS and module self-checks — are due Wednesdays at 11:59pm PT (a few exceptions are marked on the Schedule).
• The final exam is in person; details will be announced later in the course. No remote final; exceptions only with a DSP letter. (Extended-time and low-distraction accommodations are available.)
• Self-checks for each module are on Gradescope.
• CHIPS extension request form (berkeley.edu access only).

Course content

Work through the course module by module: each module pairs recorded videos with a chapter of the textbook, a self-check on Gradescope, and hands-on CHIPS programming assignments. See the Calendar for lectures, sections, and office hours.

Schedule

The FA26 schedule below is a draft — dates are tentative until confirmed in class and on Ed.

Week 1: Module 1

Tue, Aug 25
Wed, Aug 26	HomeworkRelease CHIPS 2.5: Ruby Intro
Thu, Aug 27	Lecture 1: Welcome & Module 1	Reading ESaaS Chapter 1

Week 2: Modules 1–2

Tue, Sep 01	Lecture 2: Module 2 Discussion 1Intro Ruby (Mon & Tue slots)	Reading ESaaS Chapter 2
Wed, Sep 02	Homework Module 1 Self-Check Homework Module 2 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 2.5: Ruby Intro HomeworkRelease CHIPS 3.3: HTTP and URIs
Thu, Sep 03	Lecture 3: Modules 2–3	Reading ESaaS Chapter 3

Week 3: Module 3 · Orientation Quiz

Mon, Sep 07	Labor Day — no classes (Mon sections meet Tue this week)
Tue, Sep 08	Exam Orientation Quiz (30 min — mandatory, in class) Lecture 4: Orientation Quiz (30 min) & lecture Discussion 2Module 3 (all sections meet Tue this week — Labor Day)
Wed, Sep 09	Homework Module 3 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 3.3: HTTP and URIs HomeworkRelease CHIPS 3.7: Wordguesser & CHIPS 4.3: ActiveRecord Basics
Thu, Sep 10	Lecture 5: TBD

Week 4: Module 4 · Quiz 1

Mon, Sep 14	Team matching survey released
Tue, Sep 15	QUIZ 1Modules 1–2 (in class) Discussion 3Module 4 (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Sep 16	Add/drop deadline HomeworkCHIPS 3.7: Wordguesser HomeworkRelease CHIPS 4.6: Wordguesser on Rails
Thu, Sep 17	Lecture 6: TBD
Fri, Sep 18	Homework CHIPS 4.3: ActiveRecord Basics Team matching survey due (required for everyone)

Week 5: Module 4

Mon, Sep 21	Reading Reading 1 released
Tue, Sep 22	Lecture 7: TBD Discussion 4Advanced Rails (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Sep 23	Homework Module 4 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 4.6: Wordguesser on Rails HomeworkRelease CHIPS 4.8: Hello Rails (group)
Thu, Sep 24	Lecture 8: TBD

Week 6: Module 5

Tue, Sep 29	Lecture 9: TBD Discussion 5Module 5 / Associations (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Sep 30	Homework Module 5 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 4.8: Hello Rails (group) HomeworkRelease CHIPS 5.3: Rails Intro
Thu, Oct 01	Reading Reading 1 due Lecture 10: TBD

Week 7: Module 6 · Quiz 2

Tue, Oct 06	QUIZ 2Modules 3–4 (in class) Discussion 6Modules 5 & 7 (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Oct 07	Homework Module 6 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 5.3: Rails Intro HomeworkRelease CHIPS 7.7: Intro to BDD and Cucumber
Thu, Oct 08	Lecture 11: TBD

Week 8: Module 7

Tue, Oct 13	Lecture 12: TBD Discussion 7Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Oct 14	Homework Module 7 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 7.7: Intro to BDD and Cucumber HomeworkRelease CHIPS 7.9: Using BDD to Add a New Feature (extra credit)
Thu, Oct 15	Lecture 13: TBD

Week 9: Module 8

Tue, Oct 20	Lecture 14: TBD Discussion 8Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Oct 21	Homework Module 8 Self-Check HomeworkCHIPS 7.9: Using BDD to Add a New Feature (extra credit) HomeworkRelease CHIPS 8.5: Intro to RSpec (Part 1 & Rails)
Thu, Oct 22	Lecture 15: TBD

Week 10: Module 9 · Quiz 3

Tue, Oct 27	QUIZ 3Modules 4 (part 2) & 5 (in class) Discussion 9Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Oct 28	Homework Module 9 Self-Check Project CHIP 10.5 (final project) released — tentative HomeworkCHIPS 8.5: Intro to RSpec (Part 1 & Rails)
Thu, Oct 29	Lecture 16: TBD

Week 11: Module 10 · Project begins

Mon, Nov 02	Project CHIP 10.5: Iteration 0/1 begins
Tue, Nov 03	Lecture 17: TBD Discussion 10Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Nov 04	Homework Module 10 Self-Check Project Iteration 1 planning meeting (team)
Thu, Nov 05	Reading Reading 2 due Lecture 18: TBD

Week 12: Module 11 · Quiz 4

Tue, Nov 10	QUIZ 4Modules 7–8 (in class) Discussion 11Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Nov 11	Veterans Day — no classes Homework Module 11 Self-Check
Thu, Nov 12	Lecture 19: TBD
Fri, Nov 13	Project Iteration 1 due — code, demo video, retrospective, peer evals

Week 13: Module 12 · Iteration 2 begins

Mon, Nov 16	Project Iteration 2 begins
Tue, Nov 17	Lecture 20: TBD Discussion 12Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Nov 18	Homework Module 12 Self-Check
Thu, Nov 19	Reading Reading 3 due Lecture 21: TBD
Fri, Nov 20	Project Iteration 2 planning meeting (team)

Week 14: Thanksgiving

Tue, Nov 24	Lecture 22: TBD (tentative) Discussion 13Module 12 (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Nov 25	Thanksgiving — no classes Wed–Fri
Thu, Nov 26

Week 15: Wrap-Up · Quiz 5

Tue, Dec 01	QUIZ 5Modules 9–11 (in class) Discussion 14Section (Mon & Tue slots)
Wed, Dec 02
Thu, Dec 03	Reading Reading 4 due Lecture 23: Wrap-Up
Fri, Dec 04	Project Iteration 2 due — code, demo video, retrospective, peer evals

Week 16: RRR Week

Mon, Dec 07	RRR Week
Tue, Dec 08
Wed, Dec 09
Thu, Dec 10

Week 17: Finals Week

Tue, Dec 15	Exam Final Exam (2 hours — time TBD by registrar)
Wed, Dec 16
Thu, Dec 17

Policy on course content

You are free and encouraged to use course materials for personal use (in collaboration with other students, in your research, etc.). You are also free, for example, to post course notes you create on your personal website. Please DO NOT post homework, exams, or solutions, because this could encourage cheating down the road. You are expressly prohibited from uploading ANY course materials to public/commercial websites such as Chegg, CourseHero, Quizlet, etc., or from using them to train public AI models.