Computer Science

Software Engineering Bachelor's Degree

Software engineers are involved in the entire process of creating a software program. These professionals design and develop computer games, business applications, operating systems, network control systems, and middleware, to name just a few of the many career paths.

The Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering is fully accredited by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), so you know you'll get a top-quality education at Michigan Tech. A BS in software engineering will secure your place in the future of this exciting, well-regarded profession.

Your Classes and Labs

During your first two years of study, you'll gain a solid foundation in computer science. Then, in your final two years, you'll specialize in software engineering, focusing on the practical, technical, and security sides of software. There's plenty of hands-on work, lab time, collaboration, and team building. Course topics include:

  • Cost effectiveness
  • Usability
  • Modeling and analysis
  • Design
  • Reliability
  • Quality
  • Requirements and testing
  • Teamwork and management
  • Domain knowledge of an application area
  • #2
    best return on investment (ROI) of public colleges in Michigan
  • #5
    best software engineering degrees in the nation
  • Top 10
    best bachelor's in software engineering

Tomorrow Needs Software Engineers

Software Engineering is one of the best-paid careers out there. In May 2020 the average median wage for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers was $110,140. And employment in software development occupations is projected to grow 22% through 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Your Career Opportunities Are Virtually Endless 

Career opportunities in software engineering are driven by technologies in many areas, including automobiles, aviation, data management, telecommunications, factory control, robotics, defense, and security. You might choose to develop computer games, business applications, operating systems, network control systems, and more. Below are some of the professional positions held by recent Michigan Tech Software Engineering BS graduates.

  • Programmer/Analyst
  • Scientific Programmer
  • Software Engineer
  • Software Quality Engineer
  • Program Manager
  • Project Leader
  • Quality Assurance Coordinator
  • Senior Computer Applications Engineer
  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Senior Systems Analyst

Software Engineering Grads Land Great Jobs

Each year, more than 400 employers come to campus to recruit Huskies at our Career Fairs. Our grads go on to work at Fortune 500 companies, tech start-ups, small businesses, and everything in between. Below are some of the companies that employ Michigan Tech Software Engineering graduates.

  • American Express
  • Argonne National Laboratory
  • Boeing
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Burlington North Santa Fe Corporation
  • Cray Research
  • Eastman Kodak
  • General Electric
  • Google
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Motorola
  • Orbitz.com
  • SBC Telecommunications Inc.
  • Texas Instruments
  • US Air Force

One of my favorite things about the College of Computing is the number of opportunities there are to find your niche and go out and explore. I’ve attended conferences and learned all sorts of technologies that I don’t think I would have had the chance to do elsewhere.

Marie Zgurich '22 BS in Software Engineering
Marie Zgurich '22
BS in Software Engineering

Ready to take the next step?

Learn more about studying Software Engineering at Michigan's flagship technological university.

Enterprise, Only at Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech Enterprises are student-run business teams providing end-to-end original product development through real-world experiences in engineering design, team building, and project management. Enterprise teams work under the direction of a faculty advisor. Students from across campus participate in Enterprise program teams. Learn more about Computer Science Enterprise teams.

  • Students in the Husky Game Development Enterprise design and develop games for business, education, and fun. Earn credit, gain experience, and build your resume, all while creating quality software that will attract and satisfy industry sponsors. Who says you can’t work and play?
  • Humane Interface Design Enterprise (HIDE) students design, develop, and evaluate human-centered computer interfaces to make daily work more efficient and easier to manage. 
  • IT Oxygen Enterprise students—from numerous majors—provide Information Technology help to both student organizations and businesses, working on real projects for real companies that foster skills in development, problem-solving, and business.

 

Watch My Michigan Tech: Parker Young video
Preview image for My Michigan Tech: Parker Young video
"Michigan Tech appealed to me because it was a big name, but not a big school."
Parker Young '20, Software Engineering

Why Accreditation Matters

Accreditation ensures that the Michigan Tech Department of Computer Science provides students with a quality education. It is a voluntary process of self-regulation and peer review undertaken by many educational institutions. The Department of Computer Science undergraduate programs in Computer Science and Software Engineering are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) and the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), respectively, of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). ABET, recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation, is the premier accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

Students in the Department of Computer Science can expect to achieve the following learning goals—which also align with University Undergraduate Student Learning Goals.

Graduates of the program will have the ability to:

  • Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
  • Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
  • Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
  • Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
  • Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
  • Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

ABET Accreditation logo.

Computing[MTU] — The future needs you.

Try to imagine a world without computers everywhere. For better or worse, the genie is out of the bottle and computing, connectivity, and artificial intelligence have become critically ingrained in nearly every aspect of modern life. This is the world that needs the College of Computing.

Founded in 2019, the College of Computing is one of the first colleges in the nation—and the only college in Michigan—to focus solely on computing.  Digital transformation has morphed every discipline into a computing discipline, and industries like manufacturing, criminal justice, marketing, and health care are all being reinvented by digital technologies. The College of Computing is making sure that today's and tomorrow's employers have the computing talent they need to thrive in this brave new world.

Supercharge your future and meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to succeed in tomorrow's high-tech world.

Undergraduate Majors—Computer Science

Not sure which major is the right fit? Explore Michigan Tech majors and minors.
Or, start with our General Computing program and give yourself time to decide.

"I love the challenge of my major."

Lela Root, BS in Software Engineering major
Lela Root
BS in Software Engineering major