According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the explosive impact of computers and information technology on our everyday lives has generated a need to design and develop new computer software systems and to incorporate new technologies in a rapidly growing range of applications. The tasks performed by software engineers evolve quickly, reflecting new areas of specialization or changes in technology, as well as the preferences and practices of employers. Software engineers apply the principles and techniques of computer science, engineering and mathematical analysis to the design, development, testing and evaluation of the software and systems that enable computers to perform their many applications.

The Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) program is designed to provide the student with an understanding of operating systems and networking, as well as knowledge of computer system architecture and the software system engineering process. The Software Engineering concentration can give the student the skills necessary for the organization and control of software development efforts using industry-current software engineering techniques to successfully deliver software systems requiring multi-person effort.