A Bachelor of Software Engineering (B.SE.) is an undergraduate academic degree (bachelor's degree) awarded for completing a program of study in the field of software development for computers in information technology.
"Software Engineering is the systematic development and application of techniques which lead to the creation of correct and reliable computer software."
A three/four year degree
The course syllabus of software engineering has been heavily debated and still is. Institutions will often offer slightly differing course structures, many may have a stronger focus on mathematical foundations for example.
Students of a four-year software engineering course will typically have a similar first year of study as students of Computer Science, including classes such as:
- Computer Programming
- Program design
- Computer Systems analysis
- Fundamentals of Hardware
- Networking
- Computer Architecture
- Professional Awareness
- Mathematics for Computing
- Introduction to Databases
- Academic skills for computing
The first year is designed to build up a solid base of knowledge essential to any computing degree. The following years offer students more flexibility, allowing them to choose their classes from a range of related subjects. It is only in the later years that the course really differs from other Computer Science degrees. Students usually take a work placement between years 3 and 4, greatly expanding their skills and allowing them an insight into the current industry.
In following years a software engineering student will often have a much stronger focus on Software systems and data management. The inclusion of human factors in a software engineering degree has been heavily debated, arguing that products of software engineers often are too difficult to use by consumers.
Sample B.S. in Software Engineering Degree Information from the University of Virginia - Wise
Core SWE Requirements:
- Introduction to Software Engineering
- Software Requirements & Modeling
- Software Design & Construction
- Software Testing, Verification, and Validation
- Software Quality Assurance
- Software Project Management
- Software Configuration Management
CS Requirements:
- Fundamentals of Programming
- Data Structures
- Introduction to Algorithms
- Operating Systems
- Computer Architecture
- Programming Languages
- Human - Computer Interaction
- Discrete Mathematics
- Database Designing
Math Requirements:
- Probability & Statistics
- Calculus I
- Calculus II
- Calculus III
- Linear Algebra
- Boolean Algebra
General skills acquired through a Bachelor's degree course in Software Engineering
Employers generally seek applicants with strong programming, systems analysis and business skills.
"A large difference exists between the software engineering skills taught at a typical university or college and the skills that are desired of a software engineer by a typical software development organization. At the heart of this difference seems to be the way software engineering is typically introduced to students: general theory is presented in a series of lectures and put into (limited) practice in an associated class project."
Graduate prospects
Graduate prospects are projected to be excellent with the amount of software engineers in the industry estimated to rise by roughly 38% from 2006 to 2016, with total real wage in the industry increasing by an estimated 38.2%.
References
External links
- U.S. Department of Education's list of recognized institutions offering a degree program in Computer Software Engineering
- Summary of Software Engineering and the roles of software engineers in the industry
