Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Software Management (MSSM) is a 12-month degree program designed to equip students with the skills necessary to succeed in the software industry. The program is ideal for candidates with some professional experience looking to build skills in an accelerated format.

Program Features

• 12 months (August - August)
• Ideal for candidates with some professional experience looking to build skills in an accelerated format

Curriculum Requirements & Plan

To earn the MSSM degree, students must complete a total of 144 units. The program takes place over three semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer.

• Students must have a minimum QPA of 3.0 to graduate

12-Month Curriculum Plan

Fall Semester 1

• Foundations of Software Management: Full Semester Course (12 units)
• Strategies for Your Career: Full Semester Course (3 units)
• Elective: Full Semester Course (12 units)
  • Choose One:
    • Integrated Innovation for Large-Scale Problems
    • Architecture & Programming Principles
    • Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Integrated Thinking for Innovation: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Problem Discovery & Definition: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Product Management: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Software Engineering Management: Half Semester Course (6 units)

Spring Semester 1

• Process & Project Management: Full Semester Course (12 units)
• Product & Business Modeling: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Solution Strategy & Marketing: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Metrics for Technology Products & Services: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• The Business of Software: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Electives: Half Semester Course (6 units each)
  • Choose Two:
    • Legal Issues in New Venture Creation (TV Concentration)
    • Applied AI (Artificial Intelligence)
    • Human-Computer Interaction & User-Experience
    • Introduction to Machine Learning
    • Information Security for Product Managers
    • AI-Native Product Management with LLMs and Agents
    • Venture Governance: Executive-Decision Making, Fundraising, & Boards (TV Concentration)
    • Organizational Behavior for High-Tech Knowledge Industry

Summer Semester 1

• Leadership & Teams: Half Semester Course (6 units)
• Electives: Half Semester Course
  • Choose 42 Units of Electives of 6-unit options:
    • Developing Blockchain Products
    • Architecture Principles for Product Managers
    • Leadership & Teams
    • Agile Marketing for New Ventures
    • Introduction to IoT
    • Next Gen CIO
    • Introduction to Cloud Computing

Featured Courses

The Business of Software

Students form project teams and work collaboratively to develop a complete business plan for a software product, including revenue and expense models, as well as sales, marketing, and support mechanisms to define the structure of a successful software business.

Integrated Innovation for Large Scale Problems

Designed to get students out of their comfort zone, this experiential studio course focuses on team-based innovation across design, business, and engineering with the potential for large-scale impact. Students take on a complex social problem and methodically develop unexpected ideas using systems and design thinking to tackle it.

Foundations of Software Management

Students apply fundamental methods, models, and frameworks to assess real software companies from various perspectives - marketing, strategy, finance, operations - to understand how businesses organize and make decisions. Students develop skills for managing teams and employee performance by working individually and in groups.

Application Deadline

• Start Term: Fall 2026
• Applications Open: Now
• Application Deadline: January 20, 2026