Software Engineering Certificate

Degree

Certificate (Eligible for federal aid as a stand-alone certificate or if combined with AS degree)

Overview

A certificate in Software Engineering prepares students to work in software development groups as developers and project managers. Students learn how to develop software projects from concept to completion within an agile project management environment. Students learn how to build complex software using popular programing languages and APIs. Upon completion, students will have added to their portfolios several software projects building both technical and soft skills.

Career Opportunities

The career opportunities for a student with a certificate in Software Engineering exist mostly within entry level positions as a software engineer or computer programmer for computer systems design and related services, software publishers, manufacturers of computers and related electronic equipment, financial institutions, and insurance providers. Advancement opportunities in Software Engineering increase with experience.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate, successful graduates will be able to:

  • Use object-oriented programming to enhance code
  • Solve technical problems
  • Work in teams to build software applications
  • Use project management frameworks to support the development process

Course Requirements

Students are responsible to examine the course description of each course listed below for details of prerequisites, which must be satisfied before registering for the course.

Software Engineering Core Courses

CS 105, Introduction to Programming, 3 credits
CS 115, Object-Oriented Programming, 3 credits
CS 160, Agile Project Management, 3 credits
CS 360, Introduction to Software Engineering, 3 credits
MAT 252, Statistics, 3 credits

Total Software Engineering Certificate Core Minimum Credit Hours 15

Certificate Electives (Choose 2 courses, 6 credits)

CS 320, Web Application Development, 3 credits
CS 340, Desktop Application Development, 3 credits
CS 370, Mobile Development, 3 credits
CS 375, Game Development, 3 credits
CS 380, Special Topics, 3 credits

Total Software Engineering Certificate Elective Minimum Credit Hours 6

Total Software Engineering Certificate Minimum Credit Hours 21

Recommended Sequence of Courses

Depending upon the number of preparatory courses required, this program may take additional semesters to complete the program.

First Semester

CS 105, Introduction to Programming, 3 credits
CS 160, Agile Project Management, 3 credits

Total Semester Minimum Hours 6

Second Semester

CS 115, Object-Oriented Programming, 3 credits
MAT 252, Statistics, 3 credits

Total Semester Minimum Hours 6

Third Semester

CS 360, Introduction to Software Engineering, 3 credits

Total Semester Minimum Hours 3

Fourth Semester

Elective, Choose one of the following: CS 320, CS 340, CS 370, CS 375 or CS 380, 3 credits
Elective, Choose one of the following: CS 320, CS 340, CS 370, CS 375 or CS 380, 3 credits

Total Semester Minimum Hours 6

Total Software Engineering Certificate Minimum Credit Hours 21

Graduation Requirements

1. Minimum of 21 total semester credit hours as outlined
2. Grade of C or higher in all CS and MAT certificate and elective courses
3. Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all certificate and elective courses