SNHU CS-320: Software Test, Automation QA
CS-320 teaches software testing in Java: unit tests with JUnit, requirements-based test design, and basic QA strategy. Across the term you build and test three small services — contact, task, and appointment — then reflect on your testing approach in a final summary.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Southern New Hampshire University. This is an unofficial study guide.
Build my CS-320 study planWhat makes it hard
The coding is lighter than CS-300, but writing tests that actually cover the requirements (string length limits, null checks, boundary values) is detail work that's easy to do sloppily and lose rubric points. Students also stumble on JUnit setup and on the difference between testing behavior versus implementation.
What you'll cover
- • Unit testing with JUnit
- • Requirements-to-test traceability
- • Boundary and equivalence testing
- • Test coverage
- • Static vs. dynamic testing
- • QA strategy and reflection
The CS-320 study guide
How to study for SNHU CS-320, step by step.
- 1
Get JUnit running in week 1
Most of the frustration students report in CS-320 is tooling, not testing. Have a trivial test passing in your environment before the first milestone opens.
- 2
Turn each requirement into explicit test cases
For every rule — string length limits, null checks, ID formats — write down the boundary values and invalid inputs it implies before coding. Coverage of the requirements is what the rubrics actually grade.
- 3
Watch every test fail first
Break the code on purpose to confirm the test catches it, then fix it. A test that can't fail proves nothing, and the reflection assignments ask you to explain exactly this kind of reasoning.
- 4
Keep a requirements-to-tests checklist
One row per requirement, one column per test that covers it. Gaps in that table are the points you'd otherwise lose silently across the three milestone services.
- 5
Let Fennie keep the milestones honest
Upload the CS-320 module list and Fennie's Daily Plans pace each service's build-and-test cycle ahead of its deadline week, with quizzes on JUnit and QA vocabulary generated from your actual materials. Free to start.
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How Fennie helps with CS-320
Upload the CS-320 module list and Fennie's Daily Plans pace the three milestone services so each gets built and tested before its deadline week. Chat through test-design questions — what boundary cases a requirement implies, why a test should fail first — and generate quizzes on JUnit and QA vocabulary for the discussion-heavy weeks.
FAQ
Is CS-320 hard?
It's considered one of the more manageable CS courses if you're comfortable with Java. The work is meticulous rather than conceptually hard — full requirement coverage in your tests is what the rubrics actually grade.
What do you build in CS-320?
Three small Java services — contact, task, and appointment — each with validation rules, plus JUnit test classes proving the rules work. A final project reflects on your testing strategy across all three.
Do I need to know JUnit before CS-320?
No, the course introduces it. Get your environment running JUnit in week 1, though — most of the frustration students report is tooling setup, not the testing concepts themselves.
Pass CS-320 with a plan, not a cram
Upload your CS-320 materials and Fennie generates a Daily Plan paced to your deadline — plus chat, flashcards, and quizzes built from the actual course content.
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