Software Engineering The Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE) program at Southern Polytechnic State University has the primary objective of meeting the high demand for a professional degree in Software Engineering within the context of a non-traditional audience (working professionals who can only attend part-time at night or on weekends). Software Engineering has emerged nationally as a specialized area of computer science that emphasizes solving the problems and complex issues associated with developing and maintaining mission-critical software to meet the needs of business and industry. It uses the life-cycle concept from traditional engineering with an emphasis on specification, design, and implementation but calls on the focused application of computer science concepts rather than those of traditional engineering. The position "software engineer" has become a common job title for software developers in business and industry and represents the fastest growing segment of software professionals.

Students accepted for the program must document at least two years of full-time experience with software development and/or maintenance. The typical student is a working professional in metro Atlanta with at least a bachelor’s degree and the other usual credentials expected for acceptance to a graduate program; however, it is not necessary that students have a formal degree or specific previous coursework in software engineering or computer science since a transition path is available.

The requirements are 36 hours of graduate work as designated below. Only grades of 'C' or better may be applied to meet the degree requirements (including transition coursework). An overall GPA of 3.0 ("B") or better is required over all graduate coursework attempted. A maximum of 2 'C's at the level of 6000 or above may be applied if offset by the same number or more of 'A's at the level of 6000 or above.

Students applying to the program who do not have a degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering may be accepted conditionally. Upon acceptance the student's transcripts will be evaluated by the admissions committee. If the committee determines necessary prerequisite courses the student must take before being fully admitted into the Master's Program, the student will be admitted with Conditionally Matriculated status. The required prerequisite courses are listed on the student's conditional acceptance letter and are required to make up deficiencies in the student's academic background. Upon completion of the prerequisite courses with a grade of "B" or better, the student will be fully admitted into the MSSE program and eligible to register for regular Master's (6000 level) coursework. None of the prerequisite courses (5000 level) will count towards the Master's Program.

The department shall maintain a Graduate Student Handbook that reflects any updates that are effective since the publication of this catalog.

Transition Courses: (none of these courses may be used to meet degree requirements)

      Hours
CS  5123  Advanced Programming and Data Structures 3
CS  5153  Database Systems 3
CS  5183  Object-Oriented Programming 3
CS  5223  Computer Architecture 3
CS  5243  Operating Systems 3
CS  5423  Mathematical Structures for Computer Science 3

Some students may need to start with the undergraduate Computer Science I course.
 
Required Core Courses (18 hours)
 

SE  6623  Software Engineering I 3
SE  6633  Software Project Management 3
SE  6723  Software Engineering II 3
SE 6743 Object-Oriented Analysis and Design 3
SE 6763 Software Metrics and Quality Management 3
SE  6883  Formal Methods in Software Engineering 3

Required Electives (6-9 hours; choose one of the following tracks)

a. Information Technology:
This track is for Software Engineers interested in the design, development, and use of information systems for the managerial and operational needs of formal organizations.
 

SE  6683 Management Information Systems 3
  and one of the following:    
CS 6153 Advanced Database Systems 3
STS  6643  Issues in Information Management  3

b. Human-Computer Interaction:
This track is for Software Engineers who design and implement graphical user interfaces and practice usability engineering.
 

SE  6343  User Interface Design and Implementation 3
  and one of the following:    
CS  6323  Human Factors 3
CS  6353  Computer Graphics and Multimedia 3

c. Real-Time and Distributed Systems:
This track is for Software Engineers who design and implement real-time and distributed systems.
 

CS 6283 Real-Time Systems 3
SE  6823 Embedded Systems Analysis and Design 3
  and one of the following:    
CS  6100  Discrete-Time Signals and Systems 3
CS  6223  Advanced Computer System Architecture 3
CS  6243  Advanced Concepts in Operating Systems 3
SE 6843 Embedded Systems Construction and Testing 3

Required Project (3 hours)
 

SE  7703  Software Engineering Project 3

Electives: (6-9 hours)
The student may choose electives as needed to complete 36 hours. Any course at the 6000-level not taken to meet a requirement above but approved by the department for MSSE may be used.

Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering
The Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering prepares practitioners who have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a closely related field(or a bachelor's degree with professional competence and knowledge equivalent to a Computer Science degree), and at least two years of work experience in the computer software field to advance into leadership positions. The focus is on sharpening capabilities to function effectively in software engineering teams producing higher quality software. The curriculum involves an on-campus program including a three core courses and the choice of three electives. Participants enroll in two classes per semester for three semesters. The required core courses are SE 6623, SE 6633, and SE 6723. Participants may select three electives from the following list of nine options: CS 6153, CS 6323, CS 6353, SE 6343, SE 6683, SE 6743, SE 6763, SE 6883, and STS 6643,.