Software Engineering Master's Degree

All students are required to meet the general university admission requirements.

Additional Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering or a related engineering or science area. If your degree is in another area, you must have the mathematical maturity characteristics of students who have taken courses in symbolic logic or discrete mathematics.
• Undergraduate courses in programming, data structures and algorithms, and software engineering.

Additional Documentation
Your application must include the following:

• Personal statement: Statements should briefly describe the your interest in the program, previous experience, research interests and long-term career goals. In addition, the statement also can mention one or more K-State faculty with whom you have an interest in working.
• Names and emails of three professional and/or academic references who will provide letters of recommendation. References will be contacted automatically using the email addresses provided by you, but it is your responsibility to ensure the letters are submitted before the application deadline.
• Unofficial transcripts from each institution attended
  • Failure to list any colleges or universities from which you received a degree or enrolled in graduate coursework may result in dismissal from the university.
  • If transcripts are not in English, you must furnish a translation by an appropriate authority.
  • You will be asked for official transcripts after notification of admission.

The techniques of software engineering are not only applicable to computer systems software, but also benefit software developed for all disciplines. Career opportunities include positions in:

• transportation
• medicine
• education
• entertainment
• infrastructure systems
• manufacturing systems
• space exploration
• homeland security
• food supply systems

Core Sequence (15 credits)

• CIS 740 - Software Engineering (3 credits)
• CIS 744 - Advanced Software Analysis and Design (3 credits)
• CIS 748 - Advanced Software Management (3 credits)
• CIS 771 - Software Specification (3 credits)
• CIS 841 - Verification and Validation (3 credits)

Specialty Sequence (6 credits)
One of the following specialty sequences:

• Bioinformatics:
  • CIS 734 - Introduction to Genomics and Bioinformatics (4 credits)
  • CIS 834 - Machine Learning for Bioinformatics (3 credits)
• Data Mining and Information Retrieval:
  • CIS 732 - Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition (3 credits)
  • CIS 833 - Information Retrieval and Text Mining (3 credits)
• Distributed Systems:
  • CIS 725 - Advanced Computer Networks (3 credits)
  • CIS 844 - Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (3 credits)
• Intelligent Systems:
  • CIS 730 - Principles of Artificial Intelligence (3 credits)
    AND one of the following:
  • CIS 732 - Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition (3 credits)
  • CIS 830 - Current Topics in Artificial Intelligence (3 credits)
  • CIS 844 - Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (3 credits)

• Security:
  • CIS 751 - Computer and Information Security (3 credits)
  • CIS 755 - Advanced Computer and Information Security (3 credits)
• Web-based Systems:
  • CIS 726 - Advanced World Wide Web Technologies (3 credits)
    AND one of the following:
  • CIS 732 - Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition (3 credits)
  • CIS 833 - Information Retrieval and Text Mining (3 credits)

Technical Electives (6 credits)
Other technical courses may be substituted upon approval.

• CIS 721 - Real-Time Systems (3 credits)
• CIS 736 - Computer Graphics (3 credits)
• CIS 753 - Applied Cryptography (3 credits) Project (6 credits)
• CIS 895 - MSE Project (1-6 credits)

Distance Course Rotation Schedule (PDF)