Master's programme in Software Engineering

The proliferation and growing influence of software in business and our daily lives have been phenomenal. Software engineering deals with the design and development of high-quality software systems - and hence is an increasingly important area in computer science. In this programme you will gain advanced knowledge and practical skills in software engineering.

The Programme

During this programme, you will acquire good theoretical knowledge and excellent skills in engineering software-intensive systems, which encompass the ability to cope with the complexity of understanding as well as developing them. You will acquire knowledge of principles for the analysis, design and implementation of large and complex software systems. Students successfully completing this programme will be able to demonstrate understanding of the methodologies and techniques of software management and to apply them to a range of development scenarios. You will be able to transcend global diversity and work in international teams. The industrial track will involve mentoring and thesis projects related to partner industries such as ABB, Ericsson or Volvo.

One of the highlights of our programme is an industry-sponsored top-talents programme intended for educating software professionals. In 2009, our programme reached new heights of excellence when four of ten teams that reached the finals in the software engineering project contest at the ICSE-2009, the topmost software engineering conference in the world, were from Mälardalen University, including the final winner. In 2011, two teams from Mälardalen University reached the final which was conducted on Hawaii, out of which one team secured the second place.

Research

This master programme is hosted by the Division of Software Engineering at Mälardalen University. The division has several internationally acclaimed researchers with proven records of excellence and active involvement in world-leading conferences. The major areas of research at the division include Component-Based Software Engineering, Software Processes, Software Testing, and Dependable Software Engineering.

All research is performed in projects with specific goals with respect to publications, collaborations, and prototype tools. We transfer our research results to our educations as far as possible. Most of the advanced-level courses will cover state-of-the art research in software engineering.

Employment and Future Prospects

The Master's programme in Software Engineering equips you with the know-how to develop high-quality software systems, which is invaluable for presumptive software architects, project leaders, and technical specialists. The demand for high-skilled experts in software engineering is constantly rising, thus making you highly competitive nationally as well as internationally, in both the industrial sector and academic research.

Outcomes

Software affects us to an ever-increasing extent, both within industry and in our daily lives. Software Engineering deals with the design and development of high-quality software systems and is thus an increasingly important area of computer science. The one-year Master's programme in Software Engineering gives you knowledge and practical skills in the development of software systems of high quality, which is invaluable for software architects, project managers and technical specialists. The demand for knowledgeable experts in software engineering is steadily increasing, which makes you very competitive nationally as well as internationally, both in industry and in academic research.

Knowledge and Understanding

Within the framework of the Master's programme in Software Engineering the students acquire knowledge, competence and experience in the development of software and software-intensive systems in a global perspective, and thereby develop the ability to understand, design and implement such systems in the global market.

The students are educated to be able to work with software development within different industrial sectors (e.g. home electronics, the automotive industry, telemedicine, telecommunications), information and service sectors (financial institutes, geographical information systems, transport services), consultancy, the public sector, the education sector and within academic research.

The students accumulate knowledge of the analysis, design and management of large and complex software systems. The students are also made aware of, and are trained to handle, cultural, social and financial differences; they know how to communicate in a global network and a global work group, and can also interpret and make use of differences in their professional (and personal) lives. In the industrial area are included mentors and degree projects related to associated industries (e.g. ABB; Ericsson and Volvo).

Aptitudes and Accomplishments

On completion of the degree programme the student shall:

• analytically apply general principles of software development in the development of complex software and software-intensive systems,
• demonstrate the necessary understanding of methods and techniques for software management, and also to be able to use these in various development situations,
• master general principles and techniques for dealing with quality attributes for various types of software systems (e.g. security and reliability),
• understand, plan and carry out independent work within various application domains,
• transcend cultural, social and financial differences and work in international teams,
• proactively plan and manage one's future career, as well as personal development,
• reflect oneself and critically evaluate one's own ability to deal with complex problems,
• search for, read, understand and evaluate research articles and thus be aware of the research front in software development.

Ability to Evaluate and Assess

On completion of the degree programme the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability, in Computer Science, to make assessments with regard to relevant scientific, societal and ethical aspects, and also demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and the responsibility of human beings for how this is used, and also
• demonstrate the ability to identify his/her need of further knowledge and be able to take responsibility for his/her own knowledge development.

Language of instruction

The language of instruction is English, which includes all teaching, examination and literature, etc.

Contents

The programme consists of 30 credits of theoretical courses along with an independent project (degree project) in Computer Science at second-cycle level, comprising 30 credits. Alternatively the course component may amount to 45 credits and the degree project in Computer Science comprise 15 credits.

Computer Science

• Research Methods in the Natural Sciences and Engineering, 7.5 credits
• Software Verification and Validation, 7.5 credits
• Model-driven Software Development, 7.5 credits
• Component-based technologies, 7.5 credits

Elective 30 credits
Computer Science

• Second-cycle Degree Project, Computer Science, 30 credits

Or

• Second-cycle Degree Project, Computer Science, 15 credits
• Project in Software Engineering, 15 credits

Elective in addition
English

• English for Academic Purposes, 7.5 credits

Computer Science

• Development of Industrial Systems, 7.5 credits
• Distributed Software Development, 7.5 credits
• Advanced Software Engineering, 7.5 credits
• Intercultural Competence in Global Engineering, 7.5 credits

Choices within the program

The programme consists of compulsory and optional courses (optional in addition to the compulsory ones). The student will select a) at least 30 credits of courses at second-cycle level and a degree project in Computer Science at second-cycle level corresponding to 30 credits, or b) at least 45 credits of courses at second-cycle level and a degree project in Computer Science at second-cycle level corresponding to 15 credits. The student also has the opportunity to choose between various projects, and also the specialisation of the degree project. All courses are selected in consultation with the programme coordinator to ensure the fulfilment of requirements for a degree.

University degree

The degree programme is so designed that the studies will lead towards fulfilment of the requirements for the following degree(s):

• Master of Science (60 credits) in Computer Science with Specialization in Software Engineering