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Program Information | Degree Requirements | Career Outlook

MASTER OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Embry-Riddle's MSE Program Gives You the Skills
for Engineering High-performance Software

The Master of Software Engineering (MSE) program provides you with the foundation to build an exciting and challenging career working on the cutting edge of modern software development. Within the MSE program, you learn how to engineer high-performance software for some of the world's most sophisticated and demanding applications -- software that is embedded in aircraft, space, and medical systems. In these applications, not only must the software be done right, it must meet stringent performance standards. It must respond continuously and flawlessly while controlling intricate maneuvers or providing lifesaving support, often under extraordinary demanding conditions. This is the world of embedded real-time software, the software you learn to engineer within the Master of Software Engineering Program at Embry-Riddle. When you have met the challenges and mastered the skills needed to engineer this kind of software, you can engineer software for any system, from an entertainment center to an interstellar spacecraft.

The goal of the program is to provide recent college graduates, or college graduates who have had several years of professional experience, in-depth understanding of the tools, techniques, and disciplined engineering practices that are needed to be successful in the rapidly changing field of software engineering. These experiences and skills provide the foundation for technical excellence and career growth. Graduates of the program can rapidly assume positions of substantial responsibility within a software development organization.

 

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PROGRAM INFORMATION

Our Graduates Can Engineer Software for any System,
From Entertainment Centers to Interstellar Spacecraft

The Quantitative Approach

software engineeringThe program emphasizes a quantitative approach to the engineering of software systems. Its emphasis is on activities such as requirements engineering, architecture and design, implementation, verification, and validation. These software engineering activities are thought of in the context of defined processes, where measurement of process and product attributes and subsequent use of the metrics for process and product improvement is an integral part of the activity.

If you can meet the challenges here...... you can be successful anywhere.

The curriculum of our program is influenced by the Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (CMM) - it includes the key practice areas throughout the MSE courses.

The curriculum addresses industry's needs through effective communication with the MSE Industrial Advisory Board. Among others, the Board consists of representatives from Harris, Martin Marietta, Grumman Aerospace, NASA, Lockheed, and the Software Engineering Institute.

The MSE program is supported by the Software Engineering Education and Research Laboratory (SEER-LAB). The SEER LAB is equipped with Sun and Silicon Graphics workstations, modern CASE tools, real-time systems and advanced technology that supports distance education and research.

In certain cases, if you are a working professional, you may integrate work and study by selecting a master's research project that relates to your job. This will give you the dual benefit of fulfilling your academic requirements as you demonstrate your ability to apply your knowledge to real-world problems.

Class schedules are designed for the working professional. Classes are generally offered late in the afternoon and early evenings for those of you living within driving distance of Daytona Beach. This schedule enables working professionals to successfully complete a MSE degree on a part-time basis.

There are a variety of opportunities for financial support for you while participating in the program. These include industry-sponsored fellowships and assistantships as well as departmental teaching assistantships. There are also a number of industry and government co-op and internship opportunities that can provide you support and real-world learning experiences.

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The Software Engineering and Education Reasearch Lab in the Lehman Building

Real Time Lab-Lehman Building
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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Our Program Emphasizes a Process-centered, Quantitative Approach to the Engineering of Software Systems

The Master of Software Engineering (MSE) degree program is designed to give recent college graduates, or college graduates who have had several years of professional life, an opportunity to enhance their careers and work in the cutting edge of modern software development. Software engineers who complete the program can rapidly assume positions of substantial responsibility within a software development organization.

The MSE degree program achieves its purpose by providing students not only with the technical tools and techniques of the field, but also with the skills in communication, group interaction, management, and planning. The program emphasizes a process-centered quantitative approach to the engineering of software systems. The goal of the program is to provide graduates with an in-depth understanding of tools and techniques, along with appropriate processes, for the management of software development, elicitation and analysis of requirements, architecture and design, implementation verification and validation of software systems. In addition, the program pays special attention to the issues related to communications and teamwork.

A special emphasis is on real-time embedded software systems encountered in such applications as the FAA Air Traffic Control Computer System, aircraft avionics, NASA Space Station, and others. In addition, the MSE curriculum takes full notice of the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) by incorporating the key practices throughout the course work.

The curriculum is structured into two groups of courses: core (15 credits) and specified electives (12 credits). In addition, each student is required to complete a graduate research project (3 credits). Students may elect to take an MSE elective in lieu of the graduate research project. Courses available as specified electives include metrics and statistical methods for software engineering, performance analysis of software systems, concurrent and distributed systems, software safety, and formal methods for software engineering.

 

Reuired Courses
Course Title Credit

Students must complete 18 credit hours of core courses.
SE 500 Software Engineering Discipline 3
SE 510 Software Project Management 3
SE 530 Software Requirements Engineering 3
SE 555 Object-Oriented Software Construction 3
SE 610 Software Systems Architecture and Design 3
SE 697 Software Engineering Practicum 3
-OR-
SE 690 Graduate Research Project 3
  Specified Electives 12
Total Credits 30

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Electives *
Course Title Credit
*

Students must complete 12 credit hours from the above courses.

Note: Other electives may be authorized based on the student's background, program of study, performance during the MSE, and approval of the MSE program coordinator.
SE 505 Model-Based Verification of Software 3
SE 520 Formal Methods for Software Engineering 3
SE 535 Graphical User Interface Design and Evaluation 3
SE 565 Concurrent and Distributed Systems 3
SE 675 Software Safety 3
SE 545 Specification and Design of Real-Time Systems 3
SE 550 Current Trends in Software Engineering 3
SE 580 Software Process Definition and Modeling 3
SE 585 Metrics and Statistical Methods for Software Engineering 3
SE 590 Graduate Seminar 3
SE 625 Software Quality Engineering and Assurance 3
SE 655 Performance Analysis of Real-Time Systems 3
SE 660 Formal Methods for Concurrent and Real-Time Systems 3
SE 699 Special Topics in Software Engineering 3

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OTHER LINKS

Department of Computer And Software Engineering - Daytona Beach, FL
http://www.erau.edu/omni/db/academicorgs/dbdoc/index.html

Five-Year B.S. in Computer Science/Master of Software Engineering Degree http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-computersci.html#bsms

Guidant Research Lab Corporate Partnership for Embry-Riddle Software Engineers
http://www.db.erau.edu/campus/organizations/guidant/

Veritas Research Labs Corporate Partnership for Embry-Riddle Software Engineers http://www.erau.edu/research/veritas/mission.html

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
http://www.ieee.org/portal/site

Software Engineering Community
http://www.software-engineer.org

 

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CAREER OUTLOOK

The Embry-Riddle Connection Gives You Best Shot
At Software Engineering Jobs in Aerospace,
Aviation, Many Industries

Many Master's of Software Engineering students expand their education through co-ops and internships
Recent co-ops and internships include:

Advanced Micro Devices
Boeing
Cisco Systems
Guidant Corporation
IBM 		Bausch & Lomb
Lockheed Martin
Microsoft
Motorola
Southwest Research Institute
United Defense



Embry-Riddle's MSE graduates are highly sought and are employed by leading organizations
such as Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting), Motorola, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Guidant Corp.

The Embry-Riddle Advantage: The Career Services Office

One of the most valuable benefits of being a student or alumnus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is access to the resources of the Career Services Office.

The Career Services Office provides career development assistance to all students and alumni of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, regardless of campus affiliation. The Daytona Beach office serves Daytona Beach, Worldwide Campus, and Worldwide Online students. Prescott campus students are served by the Prescott office.

The Career Services Web site offers students and alumni:

  • A virtual library of job search aids including interview tips
  • An alumni network which enables students to contact alumni throughout the United States and abroad to learn more about their careers and employers.
  • Sample résumés and cover letters
  • Company profiles and employment hotlines
  • Cooperative education opportunities
  • Current job listings; and
  • A Web-based résumé referral service

A career fair is hosted at the Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses each fall. Throughout each year, dozens of companies visit the campuses to recruit students and to provide information about their industry. On-campus interviews are also scheduled year-round.

The Career Services Office employs a staff of program managers to provide one-on-one career advisement, mock interviews, and résumé critique services. The Career Services Office encourages students to make contact early in their Embry-Riddle educations to explore career options and develop a successful job search strategy.

More From the Career Services Office

Career Advisement
Several degree-specific program managers are available for assistance with career choice/change, exploration of career opportunities, and development of job search techniques.

Career Resource Center
The Career Resource Center is a library of information that includes addresses and information on potential employers, as well as information on hiring trends, salaries, and other career references. The Career Resource Center is continuously updated and expanded to meet student needs. The Career Services Web site also serves as a virtual resource center with links to job listings, salary information, sample résumés, interview preparation, and company Web sites.

EagleHire Network
The EagleHire Network allows students and alumni to submit résumés directly to employers seeking full-time and co-op/internship candidates. EagleHire is a free service and is available to all students and alumni of the University.

Cooperative Education/Internship Program
Cooperative education positions provide an opportunity for students to gain valuable work experience while earning college credit, learn about their chosen field, and establish contacts in the industry. Co-ops and internships are opportunities to earn college credit while gaining career-related work experience for undergraduate and graduate students.