Description
The Software Engineering program helps students develop a robust understanding and knowledge of quality software systems design, development, and implementation, while allowing for the flexibility to further explore areas of interest in hardware, software, web development, gaming, bioinformatics, security, or robotics to name a few. The Software Engineering program will prepare students for a variety of career options in academic, corporate, and government areas.
There is great demand for graduates with software engineering degrees. Even though there are growing opportunities overseas, the number of new software engineering jobs created in the United States is growing at a rate greater than the number of graduates in this field. With a degree in Software Engineering (SE), you can choose from a variety of career opportunities including: applications software engineer, system software engineer, embedded software engineer, software test engineer, software quality engineer, software requirements engineer, software validation engineer, manufacturing software engineering, electrical/electronic software engineer, user interface engineer, software engineering consultant, internet software engineer, game software engineer, software engineer, embedded software engineer, and more!
Software Engineering Program Educational Objectives
Within few years of completing the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering (BSSE) at the University of Detroit Mercy, graduates are expected to:
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Pursue professional practice of software engineering or a graduate degree based on the acquired technical skills and knowledge in mathematics, science, computer science, and software engineering.
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Efficiently develop requirements and analyze, design, test, verify, validate, implement, and maintain high quality software and secure components, processes, and systems using appropriate software engineering principles, technique, and tools.
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Solve software engineering problems in a multidisciplinary team environment, lead projects, and communicate effectively with stakeholders both orally and in writing.
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Express professionalism in their work, engage in lifelong learning to keep current with the new developments in the field of software engineering, and understand the impact of software engineering solutions in a global and societal context using knowledge of contemporary issues.
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Impact the society in an ethical and responsible manner.
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering
This program provides educational excellence in computer science and software engineering while preparing graduates that are intellectually, spiritually, ethically, and socially developed to pursue a graduate degree in software engineering or computer science, or an exciting and rewarding computing career in industry, education, health, and government. It allows students to gain the following skills: software development techniques, software systems design and implementation, hardware interconnection and operation, software engineering, computer-based problem solving, database systems, internet programming, data mining, embedded systems design and programming, and distributed and parallel systems software design and programming. The major requirements are as follows:
NOTE : Can be substituted with MTH 3050, MTH 4570, or MTH 4600
Total: 78 Credits. Electives described below.
Electives - Flexibility and Focus
To allow flexibility to address personal interests and to focus on career-oriented objectives, students choose two courses from software engineering, computer science or computer engineering. Some of these courses include:
Total: 6 Credits.
Students must earn at least a “C” grade in each CSSE course and a C average for the 84 credit hours required for the major. The cooperative education program is highly recommended.
Cooperative Education
Students are encouraged to participate in the University’s Cooperative Education Program. In this program, each summer following the sophomore year, students are assisted in finding employment to gain experience (and pay) in a technology field. Students must register for the 1 credit online course CEC 3000 prior to their first co-op. A maximum of nine co-op credits can be counted toward graduation.
General Electives
If a student does not earn Co-op credits, general electives will be taken to round out the students’ education. A minimum of 126 credit hours are required for graduation.
Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Track
Students interested in a medical or dental professional school can earn any major as an undergraduate. Given the increasingly technical nature of these fields, Software Engineering is a very attractive major for those with medical/dental career aspirations. A year of Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics with accompanying labs should be taken by students interested in applying for medical or dental school. A course in Biochemistry and Physiology with labs is also highly recommended.
Combined Bachelor/Master Program
Software Engineering students who have achieved a grade point average OF 3.25 entering their senior year of study can apply for and achieve both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in five years. This is an exceptional opportunity for outstanding students to begin their professional careers with a great academic advantage. In addition, financial aid secured from UDM for the undergraduate degree can be used to complete the entire 5 year program, and three credit hours taken at the graduate level may also be counted toward undergraduate requirements. Students may apply for the 5-year Bachelor's/Master's program the first semester of their in their senior year if they have a GPA of at least 3.25 , are in good standing with UDM, and are within two to three terms of graduating.
Bioinformatics Minor
Bioinformatics is a new and rapidly evolving discipline that has emerged from the fields of Molecular Biology and Computer Science. Bioinformatics is being used in many different areas such as molecular medicine, preventative medicine, gene therapy, drug development, waste cleanup, climate change, alternative energy sources, biotechnology, antibiotic resistance, forensic analysis of microbes, bio-weapon prevention, evolutionary studies, crop improvement, insect resistance, nutritional quality, and more.
The Minor in Bioinformatics consists of 6 classes equally balanced between Computer science and Biology. All the courses are taken from the current offering of Software Engineering, and Biology. The required courses (18 credit hours) are given below.
Required Courses - Bioinformatics Minor |
| | | cr. | rec./lec. | lab. |
CSSE 3540* | Database Systems and Programming | | 3 | | |
CSSE 4610 | Introduction to Data Mining | | 3 | | |
CSSE 4620 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | | 3 | | |
BIO 1200 | General Biology I | | 3 | | |
BIO 2700 | Genetics | | 3 | | |
BIO 7400 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | | 3 | | |
* Note that students should take CSSE 1710 Intro To Programming 1 & CSSE 1711 Intro To Programming 1 Lab to satisfy the university core curriculum computer skills requirement. (CSSE 1710 & CSSE 1711 are prerequisites for CSSE 3540 and CSSE 4610).
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