The Penn State Great Valley Master of Software Engineering will provide you with the technical IT skills needed for various IT and web-based careers from applications developer to web designer.
With our Master of Software Engineering program, you can:
- 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 Insights 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.
GRE is not required.
Program Advantages
- 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 2024 "Best Online Programs," Penn State Great Valley is ranked:
- #3 in Master’s in Engineering programs
- #5 in Master's in Engineering Management (specialty ranking)
- #7 in Master’s in Computer Information Technology programs
In U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 "Best Online Programs for Veterans," Penn State Great Valley is ranked:
- #2 in Master’s in Engineering programs
- #4 in Master’s in Computer Information Technology programs
Flexibility/Delivery
- Seven-week courses are delivered in an in-person/online hybrid format. Some courses may be delivered fully online.
- 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.
Curriculum
- 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.
