Program Overview

Online Master’s Degree in Software Engineering

The Online Master’s Degree in Software Engineering (MSSE) at Washington State University prepares students for professional software engineering careers. The program equips students with advanced skills in design, development, validation, maintenance, reuse, management, and security of software products. Graduates of the program learn the principles of software engineering, together with the tools, methods, and techniques used in modern software engineering practice. They also gain knowledge in the managerial and leadership skills needed to advance in the industry.

Program Overview

The MSSE degree is offered entirely online through the WSU Global Campus. It can be completed in under two years with a full-time course load. Working professionals may prefer to attend part-time for maximum flexibility.

Careers

Employment in software engineering is growing rapidly. As a graduate of the MSSE program, you should be well prepared to apply your knowledge and skills to implement high-quality software, provide innovative solutions, and take leadership roles in industry and government. Possible software engineering careers include:

• Computer systems analyst
• Software developer
• User interface designer
• Software testing engineer
• Requirements engineer
• Quality assurance engineer
• Computer systems administrator
• Project manager
• Sales engineer

Accreditation

Washington State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). NWCCU is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional effectiveness of higher education institutions in the seven-state Northwest region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

Program Details

Objectives, Outcomes, and Requirements

Program Objectives

The objectives of the Online MSSE program are to allow students to acquire the education and professional skills necessary to:

• Identify and solve problems relevant to the software engineering discipline.
• Compete and advance in the software engineering industry.

Student Learning Outcomes

The MSSE program enables students to attain, by the time of graduation:

• Professional Software Engineering Knowledge: Mastery of software engineering knowledge and skills and of the professional standards necessary to practice as a software engineer.
• Technical Software Engineering Knowledge: Understanding of and ability to apply appropriate theories, models, and techniques that provide a basis for problem identification and analysis, software design, development, implementation, verification, and documentation.
• Leadership and Teamwork: Demonstrating leadership and the ability to be an effective member of a team (including teams that are geographically distributed), effectively communicate both orally and in writing, and to lead or manage projects.
• Depth: Mastery of one or more subdomains in software engineering.

Program Requirements

WSU’s online Master’s Degree in Software Engineering requires the completion of 30 semester credits:

• Core courses on fundamentals of software engineering and computer science (9 credits)
• Advanced courses on software maintenance, software testing, and software quality (9 credits)
• Professional courses in leadership, supervision, and project management (6 credits)
• Elective courses on various topics in computer science (6 credits)

Participating Faculty

The program involves several faculty members, including:

• Venera Arnaoudova
• Zhe Dang
• Balasubramanian (Subu) Kandaswamy
• Parteek Kumar
• Bolong Zeng

Admission to the Program

Prerequisites

For admission to the MS in Software Engineering, you need to have a BS degree in computer science or a related field, or have had industry experience as a computer scientist or software engineer. Applicants should satisfy the following:

• A four-year bachelor’s degree in a major from an accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent international degree.
• A GPA of 3.0 or higher in a completed bachelor’s degree or higher program.
• Advanced capability in a programming language such as C/C++, Java, Python, etc.
• Background in object-oriented programming, advanced data structures, and algorithm design/analysis.

Application

To apply for the MS in Software Engineering, you must first be admitted to WSU’s Graduate School. Applicants are required to submit:

1. A complete application.
2. A letter of intent and introduction outlining areas of interest in software engineering, career objectives, and any academic or professional experiences that recommend you as an applicant.
3. Three original letters of recommendation from persons qualified to speak to your academic qualifications and potential.
4. Official copies of transcripts (including all colleges or universities from which you have earned or expect to earn a degree, and all colleges or universities at which you have taken graduate-level coursework).
5. Official TOEFL score (for international applicants).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would a student be interested in a MS in Software Engineering?

If you have an undergraduate degree in another field but have worked in industry as a software engineer, you can expand your career options in various aspects of software engineering by earning this degree. If you have an undergraduate degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or information sciences, you can enter this program to stay competitive and drive innovation and changes in the global environment.

How much does it cost?

The per-credit cost for students is $609.80 per credit. If enrolled for more than 10 credits (up to 18 credits), students pay a fixed amount of $6,098 per semester. If enrolled for more than 18 credits, cost is $609.80 per additional credit (in addition to full-time tuition).

Can a student register for a limited number of courses?

The most common way to do this is to use non-degree graduate status. This classification is for applicants who wish to explore graduate studies on a limited basis. Applications for non-degree graduate status are processed by the Graduate School without departmental recommendation, and applicants are subject to the following rules:

• Required to pay graduate fees.
• Permitted to enroll in courses only with permission of the instructor and the department offering the courses.
• Permitted to remain in non-degree graduate status for up to one calendar year.
• Permitted to apply up to 6 hours of non-degree graduate status credit to the graduate degree requirements if admitted by the WSU Graduate School to a degree program.

Additional Questions

For further information, contact the graduate advisor.