From mobile devices to revolutionary breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, software-enabled technology permeates every aspect of our daily lives. Rapid developments in cloud computing and Internet-of-Things are further accelerating changes in the software engineering sector and cybersecurity.
Our practical, real-world curriculum will help you keep up with these and other trends shaping the industry. You'll gain hands-on experience from faculty, who are also leading practitioners, in courses developed with feedback from our advisory board of software and cybersecurity industry leaders.
Join other working professionals in our renowned online Software Engineering master's degree as you:
Expand your skills in areas such as designing, developing, validating and maintaining software systems.
Immerse yourself in best practices, cutting-edge technologies and life cycle approaches.
Develop a strong project portfolio to show current or prospective employers.
Receive individualized attention in small, asynchronous classes of no more than 20 students.
This program has received official STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) designations.
Courses and Requirements
Part-time | Fully online | Financially accessible
Your 30-credit Master of Software Engineering program includes six required courses on topics aligned with the software development lifecycles, such as object-oriented design, expert software development and software testing techniques. Choose up to four elective courses, such as Cloud Computing or Mobile Applications and Responsive Web Design, to build specific professional skill sets and enrich your overall studies. Additionally, students have the opportunity to declare a concentration in cybersecurity using their elective selections.
Those applying to the Software Engineering program should meet the following criteria:
Introduction to a programming language (Java, C++, C), AND
Introduction to Software Engineering — Topics covered should include exposure to concepts that will be further explored in Software Development Methodologies (refer to that course description). Broad coverage of practices employed to build software effectively, including techniques applicable at each phase of the development life cycle from requirements through testing and delivery, AND
Introduction to Data Structures (also called Algorithms) — Topics covered should include variables, operators, expressions, I/O statements, conditionals, loops, arrays, pointers, abstract data types (lists, stacks, queues, trees), common algorithms (sorting, searching, etc.), OR
Equivalent work experience which covers topics listed
The most recent program requirements are listed below. Enrolled students should log in to Workday to view their personal curriculum requirements and progress.
Cybersecurity is a strategically important area of knowledge for software engineers. Software systems need to be designed and implemented defensively based on cybersecurity principles and techniques. Students in the Cybersecurity concentration will gain additional technical expertise in securing software systems against cyber risks and attacks.
With a concentration in cybersecurity, students are able to:
Apply approaches for managing cybersecurity risks through technical architecture, design, and implementation of software systems
Assess cybersecurity-related risks, perform risk analysis and trade-offs, and communicate more effectively about cybersecurity risk with business decision-makers
Evaluate and implement security policies and controls
Design security architectures for comprehensive data protection
Apply cybersecurity design patterns and principles to the creation of software systems
View upcoming Software Engineering courses on our course schedule page. Make sure to select "Master of Software Engineering" from the Program drop-down menu at the top of the page. You can also filter by term and session.
The Software Engineering Industry
An in-demand occupation
Software engineering remains one of the hottest technology sectors. And with increasing business strategy shift to cloud computing, mobile solutions, Big Data and analytics, that's not likely to change any time soon. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics projects 22% employment grown for software developers over the next decade — far greater than the national average for all other fields.
“Many of the courses provided by the Software Engineering program are directly related to my profession and help me to gain more knowledge and success in my career. To-date, my experience with Brandeis GPS is excellent: the guidance from professors and administrative staff are amazing; it's a very good place for any students who are looking for a peaceful learning environment; I got a chance to connect with knowledgeable people; and the ability to learn with classmates who are located remotely at different places is a great experience.” Srirangam, MSE’21 Software Engineering