Note: No longer certifiable for students starting in summer semester 2024. The new specialisation SEEDS can be chosen as an alternative.

Today more than ever, the provision of comprehensive software and information systems is characterised by the long-term further development and adaptation of existing software systems. The sustainable further development of application systems must be ensured as early as the development stage by applying suitable engineering procedures, methods and processes. In addition to the technical/specialist framework conditions for the creation, further development and operation of software and information systems, economic and legal aspects must also be taken into account. This is reflected in the high demand for computer scientists and business IT specialists [1] with excellent knowledge of formal, practical and application-oriented methods of software and information technology.

Graduates of the specialisation "Complex Information and Software Systems (KISS)" specialisation can boast profound knowledge in the fields of software engineering, database and internet technology as well as practical skills in the evaluation and application of these techniques. The specialisation bundles the necessary course content, coordinates the in-depth treatment of topics such as requirements management, modelling, distributed and component-based software architectures, large scale and non-standard data management, compiler construction, data warehousing and knowledge discovery in databases, multimedia and mobile systems, trustworthy software systems and software evolution in corresponding modules and offers the opportunity to design the specialisation individually.

The aim of the "KISS" specialisation is to impart skills in techniques and methods for the design, implementation, operation and evolution of innovative, data-centric software and information systems and the necessary software components and infrastructures in theory and practice. The specialisation focuses on software and information technology skills for the concrete and sustainable provision of complex application systems, in an interdisciplinary manner, taking into account business management requirements and legal consequences. This should enable students of the specialisation to work as software engineers on the sustainable realisation of complex information systems in a creative and responsible manner or to further develop methods, procedures and tools in this subject area as part of a further scientific qualification.

For certification of the specialisation, students must successfully complete one module from each of the specialisations "Specialisation 1: Early Phases of Software Engineering", "Specialisation 2: Information Systems" and "Specialisation 3: Advanced Methods and Techniques". On the one hand, this gives students a comprehensive insight into the fundamental principles of the engineering conception, development and further development of large and data-centred software systems. On the other hand, the assignment of the modules, especially to Accent 3: "Advanced Methods and Techniques", also allows students to focus individually on issues of software engineering or information systems.

In addition, a module on the concrete application of information and software technology methods in special application contexts must be successfully completed in Accent 4: "Applications and specialisations". This provides students with an opportunity to apply methodological knowledge in a specific application context. For in-depth study of selected, special techniques for developing large, data-centred software systems, two seminars must be taken in "Accent 5: Seminar".

Note: In the following lists, modules that either do not yet exist or where their applicability is not clear are shown in italics.

Accent 1 "Early Phases of Software Engineering" (6 CP) provides knowledge, skills and techniques for determining and evaluating requirements for software systems. This includes the consideration of functional, technical and qualitative requirements as well as dealing with the planning and coordination of software projects. Students can choose from the following modules:

• Requirements Engineering and Management (inf108)
• Any Master's accent module, if project management (inf852) is chosen as an NI module.

Accent 2: "Information Systems" (6KP) provides knowledge, skills and techniques for managing, providing and analysing extensive structured and unstructured data collections. Accent 2 comprises the following modules:

• Information Management in Distributed Systems (Information Systems III) (inf109)

Accent 3: "Advanced Methods and Techniques" (6KP) provides knowledge, skills and techniques for structuring, specifying, implementing, analysing and applying software and information systems and their components. The following modules are included in Accent 3:

• Combination of specification techniques (inf453)
• Advanced Practical Database (inf111)
• Computational Intelligence (inf535)
• Selected KISS-related courses from "Special Topics in Formal Languages", "Theoretical Computing Science" [*].

Accent 4: "Applications and Consolidation" (6KP) enables the application of methods and techniques of information and software technologies in concrete application contexts and allows the assessment and evaluation of these methods in practice through early use. Accent 4 includes all modules from accents 1 to 3 that have not been taken in addition to the following.

• Communicating and mobile systems (inf 454)
• Human/machine interaction (inf100)
• Data management in healthcare (inf520)
• Intelligent Systems (inf537)
• Special lectures (marked in the module catalogue as "Special topics from the field of ...")
  • Information Systems I (inf170)
  • Information Systems II (inf171)
  • Software Engineering I (inf178)
  • Software Engineering II (inf179)
• Hybrid Systems (inf300)
• Environmental Information Systems (inf501)
• Transport Systems (inf650)
• Special topics from the field of 'Business Informatics' IV (inf693): E.g. product engineering, transport logistics

Accent 5: "Seminar" (6KP) offers the independent preparation and presentation of selected, specialised topics on methods, techniques and application of software and information technology. Students must attend 2 seminars (3 CP each), at least one of which must deal with current topics in information systems and software engineering (Information Systems I/II, Software Engineering I/II). The second seminar can also deal with application-orientated topics to deepen the application reference. In detail, the following modules can be taken:

• Seminars from (Marked in the catalogue of modules as "Current topics from the field of ...")
  • Information Systems I (inf172)
  • Software Engineering I (inf180)
  • Information Systems II (inf173)
  • Software Engineering II (inf181)
• Seminar with a thematic reference to the specialisation[*]

The two non-informatics modules "Elective" are freely selectable (exception see accent 1). It is recommended to take courses on legal aspects of software projects, e.g:

• Civil law and commercial law (AS 1) consisting of 2 3KP VL, can therefore be coupled with 3KP seminars in the semester, for example
  • Introduction to civil law (in the WS) (2 VL)
  • Introduction to commercial law (2 VL)
• Distance Selling and Consumer Protection Law (2VL 2S) (AS 14), the module requires the lecture (!) Introduction to Civil Law
• Legal Informatics (4VL) (MM3b or MM 5b)
• Data protection law (MM 7)
• Material goods law (MM 5/RDW 1)
• Project management (inf852)

Theproject group and final thesis must be thematically related to the specialisation[*].

Most of the modules should come from the working groups of the persons listed above.

The specialisations are designed in such a way that they can be taken independently of each other. This makes it possible to start the Master's degree programme in both the winter and summer semesters. The final thesis should be completed in the last semester.

Figure 1 outlines a possible study plan for starting in the winter semester and taking the project group in the second and third semesters. Accent 1: "Early phases of software engineering" and Accent 2: "Information systems" should then be taken in the first semester, and Accent 3: "Advanced methods and techniques" in the second semester

Courses in Accent 4 "Applications and Advanced Studies" and Accent 5: "Seminar" can then be taken in either the first or third semester. Insofar as the area selection concerns subject areas of practical or applied Computing Science, the modules listed in accents 1-4 that match the areas and have not been taken elsewhere are recommended.

This also allows individual student preferences to be taken into account when planning the Master's programme for the project group or a possible semester abroad.