CS-320: Software Testing, Automation, and Quality Assurance

CS-320 teaches Southern New Hampshire University students to prove that software does what it should, using tests rather than hope.

SNHU's catalog describes the course as applying software engineering testing strategies and practices within the software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, verification and validation, and quality management.

The creation of unit tests and the analysis of different testing approaches are also covered. It is a 3-credit undergraduate course with IT-145 as the prerequisite.

The difficulty is thinking like a tester. Developers check that code works; testers look for the inputs that break it.

What CS-320 Covers

Key Concepts Explained

From Requirement to Test

Every requirement should map to at least one test, and good requirements are specific enough to test.

Boundary Value Analysis and Equivalence Partitioning

Equivalence partitioning groups inputs that should behave the same, so you test one from each group. Boundary analysis tests the edges, where bugs cluster.

Unit Tests with a Framework

Unit testing frameworks, such as JUnit for Java, run tests automatically and report failures. A typical test sets up an object, performs an action and asserts the expected result, including expected exceptions for invalid input.

Black-Box and White-Box Testing

Black-box testing designs tests from requirements without looking at the code. White-box testing uses knowledge of the code, for example to reach every branch. Coverage tools show which lines your tests execute, but high coverage does not guarantee good tests.

Analyzing Testing Approaches

SNHU's description includes analyzing various testing approaches, which often appears as a reflection or summary. Strong analyses:

• Name the techniques you used and explain why they fitted the requirements.
• Name techniques you did not use, such as performance or integration testing, and when they would matter.
• Give concrete evidence of quality: which requirement each test covers and what coverage shows.
• Reflect on mindset: caution, avoiding bias towards your own code and appreciating the complexity of the system.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

Testing Across the Lifecycle

SNHU frames testing as part of the whole software development lifecycle, not a final step. Different levels of testing catch different problems:

Automated tests make frequent change safe: a regression suite reruns every existing test after each change, catching bugs reintroduced by new code. Defects found early, during requirements or unit testing, are generally far cheaper to fix than those found after release, which is the main argument for testing from the start.

Where Students Get Stuck

• Testing only the happy path. Invalid input tests matter as much as valid ones.
• Missing boundaries. Test exactly at, just below and just above each limit.
• Tests that depend on each other. Each test should set up its own data.
• Chasing coverage numbers. Coverage shows what ran, not whether you checked the right results.

Study Tips for CS-320

• Turn every requirement into a bullet list of tests before coding.
• Name tests after what they check, such as testIdTooLong.
• Run the full suite after every change.

How We Help with CS-320

Send the requirements, starter code, your work and feedback. A tutor can explain testing techniques, review your tests or prepare a model test suite to study.

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