NDSU’s software engineering master’s degree programs have been recognized as among the top in the nation by AffordableColleges.com, a popular college and program ranking website.
NDSU is listed No. 4 in the United States, based on AffordableCollege.com’s ranking criteria.
The NDSU Department of Computer Science offers both online and traditional software engineering programs. A master’s degree, with thesis and project options, is offered, as is a coursework-based Master of Software Engineering degree. The department also offers a doctorate in software engineering.
“It’s a very applied software engineering program, where students hone their software development skills,” said associate professor Gursimran Walia. “The way we set up courses – we use case studies and real world software problems – lets the students see how the work relates to software industry practices.”
As part of the master’s program, students go through the entire software development process. They begin with talking with clients to gain an understanding of their needs and take a system all the way through development completion. Many students begin with the master’s program – either online or on campus – and continue to complete the doctorate.
“We developed the software engineering graduate programs in 2002,” said professor and department associate chair Kenneth Magel. “These programs have advanced with the rapidly changing needs of industry, both locally and nationally. We review every course each year and update the material and approach as needed.”
The software engineering degree program that can be completed entirely through distance education was added to the department’s on-campus offerings in 2009.
The NDSU computer science department was founded in 1988, although computer science courses were offered as part of mathematical sciences since 1973. Housed in NDSU’s Quentin Burdick Building, the department has approximately 600 graduate and undergraduate student majors.
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