Master of Software Engineering

Why Penn State

We know there’s a lot to consider when deciding to earn your Master of Software Engineering degree. Why should you choose Penn State Great Valley?

Prepare to create large-scale software products and services for industry and government through software analysis, architecture, design, development, and testing.
Work on industry-sponsored projects or research with faculty through the Big Data Lab.
Pursue your degree at your own pace, completing in as little as two to three years if attending part-time, or 12-18 months if attending full-time.
Engage in courses taught by world-class faculty and industry experts.
Experience a collaborative and innovative experience rooted in practice—providing you with the skills, experience, and perspective to become a leader.
Become a part of the more than 750,000 Penn State alumni across the world.
No GMAT or GRE scores required.

Partner with alumni and local employers on relevant projects while fostering industry connections, networking, and job opportunities.
Immerse yourself in small classes and develop meaningful relationships with faculty and classmates who are business professionals and managers in the private and public sectors.
Prepare for future leadership roles.
Take advantage of Career Management Services, which offers a variety of programs, resources, and networking opportunities for students and graduates.
Explore different areas of interest through a wide range of electives.
Engage in hands-on courses through weekly assignments and team-based, term-long projects.
Benefit from a STEM designated program, allowing 36 months total of Optional Practical Training (OPT).

In U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 "Best Online Programs," Penn State Great Valley is ranked:

In U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 "Best Online Programs for Veterans," Penn State Great Valley is ranked:

Options to fit your busy life—seven-week courses are offered either in an in-person/online hybrid format or fully online.
Classes suit your busy lifestyle, while benefiting from a collaborative and engaging face-to-face experience.
Participate in online course activities throughout the week, including discussion forums, teamwork, and more.
Ability to simultaneously pursue another degree as part of the concurrent degree program.

The 36-credit program focuses on requirements engineering, software systems architecture, software systems design, software testing, software construction, mobile and cloud computing, technical project management, and more.
Cutting-edge curriculum, including new courses in mobile and cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data.
Capstone project immerses you in the complete software development lifecycle, engineering a fully functional product following an iterative incremental developmental methodology with change management, continuous integration, continuous delivery, and automated testing.
Coursework from Cyber Threat Analytics and Prevention and Data Analytics graduate certificates easily transfers to degree program.