Software Engineering, MSSWE

Program Description

The Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSWE) prepares students to design and build high-quality software and exposes them to real-world strategies and procedures that will give them a competitive edge in the market.  Moreover, given its flexibility, it allows students to customize their path according to their career goals. 

The MSSWE assumes that students have a significant background in computing. It both deepens and broadens their knowledge of computing, and prepares them for positions of more responsibility in the computing industry, as well as for further postgraduate studies.   

Students who are interested in the program but do not have the required prerequisite knowledge will be asked to take SWE foundations certificate to transition into the computing field. 

This program is a part of the College of Computing and Software Engineering .

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Admission, Enrollment, and Graduation Policies

Admissions Requirements 

The following are program-specific requirements beyond the general Graduate Admissions  requirements. To be considered for admission to this program, the following application materials must be submitted to the KSU Graduate Admissions Office:

• Resume/Vita required. 
• Statement of purpose.  
• Undergraduate degree from an accredited university. 
• Minimum undergraduate degree GPA 2.75. Lower GPA is considered on a case-by-case basis. 
• Two letter of recommendation- Optional but strongly recommended.

Streamlined Admission Requirements

Students who meet the following qualifications are eligible for a streamlined application process. To qualify students must:

• Be a current Kennesaw State University Student majoring in the College of Computing and Software Engineering’s undergraduate programs. 
• Have an active petition to graduate in that major. 
• Have a 3.5 GPA or higher upon graduation and the recommendation of the undergraduate coordinator 

Students who meet this criteria will not be required to take the GRE nor submit secondary documentation that includes a resume or vita, statement of purpose, or letters of recommendation. Students who wish to apply for admission into a different major may be required to take additional course work. Please contact the program coordinator of that program. 

Foundation Courses

Student transcripts will be evaluated with the application. Upon admission to the MSSWE program students with little or no computing or software engineering background may be required to take some or all of the following foundation prerequisite courses: 

• CS 5000  Foundations of Programming 
• SWE 5003  Software Engineering and Computational Thinking 
• CS 5040  Data Structures & Algorithms 
• SWE 5063  Foundations of Database and Web Development Technologies

If the student’s transcript evaluation determines foundational courseworks is not recommended, students may begin required MSSWE coursework. Please note that students who complete all four foundation courses may obtain the Software Engineering Foundations Certificate .

Transfer Credit

A student may transfer a maximum of 25% of graduate courses. The transfer of credit for course work completed at another institution will be approved only under the following conditions: 

• A minimum grade of “B” was received in the course; 
• The content of the course corresponds to that of a course required or permitted in the student’s program at Kennesaw State University; 
• The credit to be considered for transfer will not be more than six years old at the time the student enters KSU. 
• A request for consideration of transfer credit must be submitted to the MSSWE program director by the student during the first semester of residence. The request must indicate the specific course(s) for which transfer credit is sought. A copy of the other institution’s transcript and a course description from the catalog must be submitted.  

Graduation Requirements 

Each candidate must petition to graduate at least one semester prior to completion of program requirements. For more information, please view the corresponding section of Academic Policies:  5.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION .

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Program Course Requirements