Masters of Science in Software Engineering 1999

All students complete any necessary prerequisite courses plus 14 graduate courses, including a project or a thesis in an advanced area related to Software Engineering, and so develop their own personal area of expertise as part of completing this degree program. For this reason, they are not required to take a Core Knowledge Examination. However, to be admitted into the program, they need to have demonstrated through their prior coursework that they can consistently perform at a B level or higher. Students complete the requirements of one of the three concentrations: Project Management, Software Development, or Software Systems.

The Project Management Concentration of the Master of Science in Software Engineering addresses the management of the quality of software products and processes and provides coursework in management and measurement techniques.

The Software Development Concentration of the Master of Science in Software Engineering addresses the foundations, methodologies, and tools for developing high quality large-scale software systems, with an emphasis on the technical issues of software development.

The Software Systems Concentration of the Master of Science in Software Engineering includes a solid foundation in traditional computer science coursework together with advanced courses in Software Development, Distributed Systems, and Programming Languages.

The Software Engineering program has two phases:

• Prerequisite Phase
• Graduate Phase

The Prerequisite Phase ensures that all students acquire the necessary background prior to enrolling in graduate courses. All or part of the Prerequisite Phase may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background. In the Graduate Phase, students develop as software engineering professionals by completing required courses that provide a common body of knowledge for their concentration as well as advanced courses that complement and add depth to the common body of knowledge. All students also complete a project or a thesis in an advanced area related to Software Engineering, and so develop their own personal area of expertise. Individual needs are addressed through elective courses chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Prerequisite Phase

Also required for the Project Management Concentration:

One advanced computer science course chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor, for example, one of the following.

Also required for the Software Development Concentration:

Also required for the Software Systems Concentration:

By taking these courses and receiving a grade of a B- or better in each, the student will have completed the requirements of the Prerequisite Phase. All or part of the Prerequisite Phase may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background. Alternatively, students with practical experience may complete a Graduate Assessment Examination (GAE) to show competency in a prerequisite. All students are blocked from enrolling in Graduate Phase courses prior to completing their prerequisites. The student must submit a Change of Status request when the Prerequisite Phase is completed to inform the Student Services offices that the block can be removed. The form must be submitted two weeks before the student intends to register for graduate level classes. The student will then be considered a fully admitted student, and may pass to the Graduate Phase of the program.

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree program must complete 14 courses (56 hours) beyond the Prerequisite Phase. Successful completion of the Software Engineering Program consists of:

Completion of required courses with a grade of B or better. Students with prior coursework equivalent to any required courses may be allowed by a Software Engineering counselor to take other related advanced courses as substitutes.

Completion of advanced courses.

Successful completion of a project or successful defense of a thesis. Students who complete a project need to consult with an advisor before registering for SE 696 to discuss possible topics. Students who complete the thesis must first complete the course CSC 690 Research Seminar to develop a thesis proposal. They should choose a thesis advisor before the end of the first quarter following completion of their required courses and should also form a thesis committee, consisting of three faculty members, including the thesis advisor. They must write a thesis proposal and obtain approval of this proposal from their thesis committee before enrolling in the course CSC 698 Master’s Thesis.

Graduate Phase

Project Management Concentration

Students must complete the following seven required courses:

Students must also complete four of the following courses. At least two of these must be from the software engineering department.

Student must also complete one of the following:

Continuous enrollment in SE 699 Software Engineering Research Continuation is required after enrollment in SE 696/698 until the project/thesis is completed. Students who choose to complete CSC 698 Master’s Thesis must first complete CSC 690 Research Seminar (which may count toward the Advanced Phase or elective requirement)..

Students in the Project Management Concentration must also complete two elective courses. See elective course restrictions below.

Software Development Concentration

Students must complete the following seven required courses.

Students must also complete four of the following courses. At least two of these must be software engineering.

Student must also complete one of the following:

Continuous enrollment in SE 699 Software Engineering Research Continuation is required after enrollment in SE 696/698 until the project/thesis is completed. Students who choose to complete CSC 698 Master’s Thesis must first complete CSC 690 Research Seminar.

Students in the Software Development Concentration must also complete two elective courses. See elective course restrictions below.

Software Systems Concentration

Students must complete the following four required courses.

Students must also choose one of the following programming language courses.

Students must also choose one the following Distributed Systems courses.

Students must also choose three of the following software development courses.

Student must also complete one of the following:

Continuous enrollment in SE 699 Software Engineering Research Continuation is required after enrollment in SE 696/698 until the project/thesis is completed. Students who choose to complete CSC 698 Master’s Thesis must first complete CSC 690 Research Seminar.

Students in the Software Systems Concentration must also complete four elective courses. See elective course restrictions below.

Elective Course Restrictions

Elective courses are in the range of 420-699 and must be from the school of CTI. Credit for courses taken outside of the school will only be given if approved by a faculty advisor. Courses suggested for any Prerequisite Phase in any concentration do not count for elective credit. Any course required for the student’s concentration but taken as part of the requirements of another degree earned by the student may be waived, but cannot be used for elective credit.