Part-time & Graduate Enrollment Services
Software Engineering MS
Program overview
The master of science in software engineering is designed to attract software professionals with a formal undergraduate background in software engineering, computer science, or computer engineering and at least one year of professional experience. The program’s core content ensures that graduates will possess both breadth and depth of knowledge in software engineering. Specialization tracks in software quality and design provide the student with the opportunity to match their graduate education with their professional goals.
Curriculum
The program comprises 36 semester credit hours, anchored by either a thesis or a capstone project.
Software engineering (thesis option), MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| SWEN-610 | Foundations of Software Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-745 | Software Modeling | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| SWEN-722 | Process Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-749 | Software Evolution and Re-engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-640 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Second Year | ||
| SWEN-772 | Software Quality Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-755 | Software Architectures and Product Lines | 3 |
| SWEN-799 | Independent Study | 3 |
| SWEN-790 | Thesis | 6 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 36 | |
Software engineering (capstone option), MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| SWEN-610 | Foundations of Software Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-745 | Software Modeling | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| SWEN-722 | Process Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-749 | Software Evolution and Re-engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-640 | Research Methods | 3 |
| Second Year | ||
| SWEN-772 | Software Quality Engineering | 3 |
| SWEN-755 | Software Architectures and Product Lines | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| SWEN-780 | Capstone Research Project | 6 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 36 | |
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the MS program in software engineering, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution,
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (Prospective students from institutions that do not use the GPA scale are expected to demonstrate an equivalent level of academic accomplishment. Formal academic background in software engineering, computer science, or computer engineering is a plus.),
- Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
- Submit a professional essay (1-4 pages) describing current job (if applicable), relevant experience, and career plans,
- Submit a current resume (including descriptions of significant software projects in which the candidate participated),
- Submit two letters of recommendation, and
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum scores of 570 (paper-based) or 88 (Internet-based) are required. International applicants also must provide Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores. Domestic students are encouraged to provide GRE scores.
Professional experience developing software is preferred, but candidates without a background in computing will be considered. Additional bridge coursework will be required, and may extend time to graduation.
Additional information
Bridge courses
Based on the evaluation of academic and relevant experience, the graduate program director may require some applicants to successfully complete bridge courses to fill in any gaps in their background. Successful completion of bridge courses is necessary for registration in graduate-level courses.
Career Outcomes
Job TitlesSoftware Engineer, Technical Specialist, Software Developer, Software Quality Assurance Specialist, Software Tester, Software Designer, Software Requirements Engineer, Programmer.
Recent EmployersActivision, Alstom Transport, Amazon Services, Apple Inc., BAE Systems, Blackbaud, Digital Receiver Technology Inc., EnerNOC Inc., Fidelity Investments, GE MDS LLC, Goodrich, Google, Harris Corporation, IBM Corp., Impact Technologies LLC, ITA Software, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Minitab Inc., Mitre Corp., MOOG Inc., Northrop Grumman, Oracle, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Performance Technologies, Railcomm Inc., Raytheon Company, REDCOM Laboratories Inc., RightNow Technologies, Rochester Software Associates, Siteworx Inc., Soleo Communications Inc., Thomson Reuters, Thoughtbot, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, Webster Financial Group, Welch Allyn Inc., VoicePort LLC, Vuzix Corporation, Xerox Corporation