Software Engineering, M.S.

Academic rationale

The MS in Software Engineering program prepares students for a broad range of careers and professional growth in the field of software engineering, including software architecture and design, software construction, software testing and quality assurance, software maintenance, database systems, distributed computing, artificial intelligence, data mining, linked data engineering, and data visualization. It focuses on the foundational concepts of the field and emphasizes the practical applications of these concepts. Students interested in research will find an abundance of advanced topics in cutting edge areas, such as data mining, Semantic web, data visualization, and distributed computing, to name a few. The program is designed for maximum flexibility to allow students to concentrate in one or more areas of study.

Learning outcomes:

Have the ability to identify, formulate, and solve software engineering problems in a variety of application settings;

Understand modern software engineering concepts, techniques, practices, and tools and to apply them to the development of complex software systems;

Possess advanced level software development skills and demonstrate in-depth knowledge in at least one computer science area;

Recognize the need for, and have the ability to engage in, continuing professional development; and

Have the ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences and possess skills needed to work successfully as a part of a team.

Admission requirements:

BS in Computer Science degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with an undergraduate GPA of 2.70 or higher and a minimum of 3.00 or higher in any post baccalaureate coursework, or
BS in a related information technology field (with GPA as stated above) with a minimum of six courses of relevant computer science courses (Computer Science 1, Computer Science 2, Data Structures, Computer Architecture, and two advanced computer science electives). May require an extra semester or a summer term to satisfy the expected computer science background by taking CS 501 Foundations of Computer Science and/or CS 502 Computing and Communications Technology as prerequisite courses (not part of the program), or
BS in a STEM field (with GPA as stated above) with a minimum of five courses of relevant mathematics and computer science courses (Calculus I, Calculus II, Discrete Math, Computer Science I, Computer Science II). Will require an extra semester to satisfy the expected computer science background by taking CS 501 Foundations of Computer Science, CS 502 Computing and Communications Technology and CS 464 Programming Languages (not part of the program).

Conditional Admissions

An applicant for the MS in Software Engineering program who does not meet regular admission standards in terms of GPA, but has an undergraduate GPA between 2.40 and 2.69 may be considered for conditional admission.

Additional Materials Required

Applicants with a BS degree different from Computer Science (see 2 and 3 above) must submit a resume and two letters of recommendation to be used in reviewing their computer science related background. Additional materials should be sent to the Department of Computer Science, Maria Sanford Hall, Room 303, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT 06050.

Course and Capstone Requirements

Core Courses

CS 505	Design Patterns	3
CS 506	Software Testing and Quality Assurance	3
CS 508	Distributed Computing	3
CS 530	Advanced Software Engineering	3
Total Credit Hours:		12

Electives choice of 18 credits from:

CS 407	Advanced Topics in Computer Science	1-3
CS 423	Computer Graphics	3
CS 460	Database Concepts	3
CS 462	Artificial Intelligence	3
CS 463	Algorithms	3
CS 464	Programming Languages	3
CS 465	Compiler Design	3
CS 481	Operating Systems Design	3
CS 490	Computer Communications Networks & Distributed Processing	3
CS 492	Computer Security	3
CS 525	Advanced Algorithms	3
CS 550	Topics in Human-Computer Interaction	3
CS 565	Introduction to Bioinformatics	3
CS 570	Topics in Artificial Intelligence	3
CS 575	Linked Data Engineering	3
CS 580	Topics in Database Systems and Applications	3
CS 590	Topics in High Performance Computing and Communications	3
CS 594	Graduate Research Seminar	3
Total Credit Hours:		18

Note: A maximum of 9 credits at the 400-level is allowed with prior permission of advisor.

Capstone Requirement

CS 595	Capstone in Software Engineering	3
Total Credit Hours:		3

Total Credit Hours: 33