Study abroad opportunities in Esslingen Germany are open to all SE majors in their junior year; no prior language course required.
Graduates of Gannon’s software engineering program have a 100- percent placement rate in either employment or graduate studies.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, software engineers are projected to be one of the fastest-growing occupations.
Gannon University has received National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, which is used to award approximately 20 scholarships per year, each renewable for up to four years, through Gannon’s Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) scholarship program.
Gannon’s software engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
You Will Learn
Become an employable, accountable computing professional who develops software that meets or exceeds expectations. This is a program for students who want to engineer with software, creating products and components from software and software-based systems. Starting with a foundation in problem-solving and programming, the software engineering (SE) program is prepared to educate students in an interdisciplinary academic environment and enhance their communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills.
Software engineering majors learn how to apply the principles of computer science, engineering and analysis to the design, creation, testing and evaluation of software systems. This outcome includes developing technical competency, as well as the leadership and communication skills necessary to analyze, design, verify, validate, implement and maintain software systems. As the societal dependence on software systems grows, students will have the foundation necessary to face ethical dilemmas and to act responsibly as part of their professional training.
Related Programs and Pages
You Will Experience
- Multiple programming languages and platforms
- Processes for effective and maintenance of quality software
- Requirements, testing, quality, planning needed for effective engineering
- Design and development of high-quality interactive software systems
- Balancing business needs, technology and human factors in order to yield a successful product
- Opportunities for cross- and multi-disciplinary project work
You Will Achieve
As an SE major, students will become competent problem solvers, focusing on software-based systems. They will innovate, analyze, design, verify, validate, implement and maintain software systems. SE graduates apply current computing knowledge, technology, skills, techniques and methods to:
- identify, analyze and develop effective solutions for problems,
- improve product, process and/or organizational elements, and
- apply creativity in design thinking and innovate where appropriate.
Recent Gannon University software engineering graduates have secured internships and employment at
top organizations, such as Bayer Corporation, Citizens Bank, Erie Insurance Group, GE Transportation, Northrop Grumman, and UPMC Hamot. Such opportunities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- computer programmer
- mobile application developer
- software developer
- software engineer
- software tester
You Will Earn
Students will be well prepared for employment or graduate work, and to continue developing as a professional. This includes adaptability to different disciplines, environments and tasks. Gannon SE graduates are fully prepared for employment in chosen post-graduate pursuits.
- Starting salary: $60,500
- Mid-career salary: $99,300
All salary information is compiled from data gathered from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) and/or PayScale
(payscale.com).
You Will Study
The software engineering program is hosted by the computer and information science (CIS) department, and shares CIS facilities and courses with related majors in the computing and information fields, enabling participation in interdisciplinary and team-based projects. Software engineering majors take various core courses including:
CIS 239: The User Experience
Study of the user experience (UX), and its relationship to human-computer interaction. Topics include identifying and assessing usability issues, particularly as they apply to computer-based systems, UX goals and processes, usability factors and measurements, wireframes and other prototyping technologies and introductory web implementation. Special attention is given to usability and usability testing.
CIS 277 and 377: Mobile Application Development I and II
Methods and tools for developing mobile applications for integrated devices are introduced and applied. Topics include coding and development on the major mobile platforms (such as iOS and Android), unit testing, source code control, the development of prototype applications and deployment of high usability applications.
CIS 317: Software Maintenance and Deployment
Introduces the concepts and approaches for the maintenance, refactoring and deployment of software projects, particularly in a rigorous life-cycle process. The course focuses on software maintenance, process, metrics and quality related to the development, improvement and deployment of high-quality software and systems. The course includes significant project work where students apply a rigorous process to deploy a refactored software product with improved features and quality.
Liberal Studies Core
The Liberal Studies Core Curriculum is one reflection of Gannon University's commitment to
its Catholic identity. The Core's design offers students a defined, integrated, shared
experience as the foundation for their undergraduate program.