Master of Science in Software Engineering

Curriculum Overview

The Master of Science program in Software Engineering (MSSWE) program comprises 52 quarter credit hours, anchored by a three quarter (12-credit hour) practicum where students work with peers and faculty on a long-term, moderately complex software development project. Initially students serve in basic support and developer roles, but as they progress through the practicum and accompanying coursework they are assigned correspondingly greater responsibilities. As a consequence, the program combines fundamental and theoretical concepts taught in courses with their application in a constrained but realistic setting. Core courses include topics on software re-engineering, software modeling, and empirical software engineering.

The program recognizes and addresses the need for software engineers possessing knowledge across a wide spectrum of software engineering topics; however, it is also sensitive to students' professional goals. The MSSWE provides students with the opportunity to tailor their program of study by offering two alternative tracks of study: software design and software quality. The design track, which encompasses architectural design, product line architecture, design patterns, and software construction, is designed to appeal to those interested in pursuing roles such as chief software design engineer, software architect or lead designer. The software quality track, which includes assessment of software product and process quality, effective verification and validation of software artifacts, and implementation strategies for software quality assurance plans, is expected to appeal to individuals who see themselves as future quality assurance leaders in software development organizations.

Given the applied nature of the program, there is no thesis requirement. However, graduating students are required to write an experience report based on a research topic of the student's choice. The conference-quality paper offers students the opportunity to reflect upon and articulate the link between scholarship, practice, and individual professional goals.

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Suggested course schedule

The Master of Science in Software Engineering is designed to appeal to part-time as well as full-time students. Admission to the program is only for the fall quarter of each year, which starts in early September. Keeping in mind that a variety of factors may impact individual choice of courses, the following are recommended part-time and full-time course schedules, respectively.

Part-time program

Students interested in the part-time program can finish their studies in seven academic quarters (about 1 year and 9 months) starting in the fall quarter of the academic year. The part-time program shown below assumes that students will register for two courses each quarter, including the summer of the first year at RIT. Students who take fewer courses per year may take as long as 4 years to complete the program.

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Full-time program

Students interested in the full-time program can finish their studies in four academic quarters (12 calendar months) starting in the fall quarter of the academic year. The full-time program assumes that students will register for 16 credits during their first quarter of studies, and 12 credits thereafter.