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. 

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to: 

1. Use software processes, software architecture or models, and the mapping of underlying techniques into the problem domain.
2. Analyze, assess, verify and validate, and evaluate artifacts of software engineering systems. 
3. Apply research skills to independently research new topics in software engineering.

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

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Admissions, Enrollment, and Graduation Criteria

Admissions Criteria

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. 

• Undergraduate degree from an accredited university. 

• Minimum undergraduate degree GPA 2.75. Lower GPA is considered on a case-by-case basis. 

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 3.50 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. 

Admission Criteria for Unique Cases:

Conditional Admission

The MSSWE program requires students to have fundamental knowledge in programming, data structures and algorithms, software development, database and web technology.   A student with insufficient background may be required to successfully complete foundation coursework or successfully complete foundation modules offered by  KSU Community and Professional Education (CPE) as a condition of full admission.

A student can satisfy the prerequisite requirement for MSSWE in one of the following two manners:

1. By completing up to 4 following foundation courses as specified in the admission letter with a grade of “B” or better.

• 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

2. By completing up to 5 following foundation courses offered through KSU CPE as specified in the admission letter. 

• Programming - Python
• Fundamentals of Software Engineering
• Data Structures
• Fundamentals of Database
• Fundamentals of Web Technology

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.  

Enrollment Criteria

This program does not have specific enrollment criteria; however, students are expected to meet the requirements of Academic Policy 4.0 ACADEMIC STANDING, DISMISSAL, & REINSTATEMENT .

Graduation Criteria

Each student is expected to meet the requirements outlined in Academic Policy 5.0 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & GRADUATION .

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Program Course Requirements