The System Cottage-a multidisciplinary engineering group practical

Industrial input led to this group project practical for computer science students at the University of Edinburgh. The project ties together many components of the computer science curriculum, and involves students who do joint degrees with other subjects, enabling them to use their speciality subject. It is argued that this form of practical enhances the education of software engineers beyond that which is normally found in programming practicals. The industrial input has been retained throughout the project, and industry continues to play a valuable role in this course. Sufficient detail is included to allow others to incorporate elements of this group project in their own courses