Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering

Software engineering is a young profession, and yet software engineers have quickly become vital to the software industry because they bring a broad, systematic approach to developing, operating and maintaining software. Their work is especially important because of the impact of today’s large software systems, including safety-critical applications in aviation and national defense.

Careers in Software Engineering

Like most high-tech professionals, software engineers generally work on teams of engineers from various disciplines. Within those teams, software engineers are responsible for seeing the big picture, helping ensure the team produces software that addresses customer needs, complies with industry standards and can evolve over time.

The expanding integration of Internet technologies and the growth in electronic commerce have resulted in rising demand for software engineers. And as computer systems in business and government alike continue to become more sophisticated, growing numbers of software engineers are expected to be needed to implement, safeguard and update systems. Software engineers also play an important role in the continuing shift toward mobile technology and in protecting networks and electronic infrastructure from attacks.

High School Preparation

Software engineering requires strong high school preparation. A minimum of elementary algebra and geometry should be completed, while trigonometry, calculus, physics and chemistry are highly recommended. Any Advanced Placement courses in computer science or advanced technology are a plus, and solid communication skills are very important.

Software Engineering at UT Dallas

The software engineering program is part of the University’s Computer Science Department, which features an internationally recognized faculty and a 150,000-square-foot building with state-of-the-art laboratories.

Like the BS degree in computer science, the BS in software engineering is based on a mathematical foundation that includes calculus, linear algebra and discrete mathematics. The two programs also have the same computer science core, including modern programming methodologies, the analysis of algorithms and data structures, and the study of operating systems. But whereas the computer science program continues with courses in advanced data structures, programming languages and automata theory, the software engineering program includes courses in requirements engineering, software validation and testing, and software architecture. There’s also a rich choice of application areas, including digital systems design, computer networks, embedded systems, computer imaging, artificial intelligence and cognitive modeling, and human-computer interaction.

Internships and Fast-Track

The Erik Jonsson School operates one of the largest internship and cooperative education programs of its kind, averaging more than 500 student placements a year at Dallas-area high-tech companies, including Texas Instruments, Research In Motion, Raytheon, Alcatel-Lucent and Tektronix.

The Fast-Track Program enables exceptionally gifted undergraduate students to include master’s level courses in their undergraduate degree plans. When Fast-Track students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, they are automatically admitted to graduate school at UT Dallas. The hours required to complete the master’s degree are reduced by the number of Fast-Track graduate hours completed. So a Fast-Track undergraduate who passed 12 hours of graduate coursework would have only 21 hours of graduate coursework left in order to complete a master’s degree.

The University of Texas at Dallas www.utdallas.edu/enroll

Erik Jonsson School Of Engineering and Computer Science

Strategically located in the Telecom Corridor, home of the second-largest high-tech economy in the U.S., the Jonsson School recently completed a major public-private initiative that greatly expanded its capabilities and included construction of a new state-of-the-art 192,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research building.

With nearly 3,000 students, more than 100 faculty members and more than $35 million in research funding, the Jonsson School has five academic departments:

  • Bioengineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Materials Science & Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering

In addition, the school recently added a minor in nanoscience and technology.

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science: Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, telecommunications engineering

Master of Science: Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, systems engineering and management, telecommunications engineering

Doctor of Philosophy: Biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, geospatial information sciences, materials science and engineering, software engineering, telecommunications engineering

Research

Research efforts under way at the school involve such cutting-edge technology as:

  • Carbon nanotubes
  • Micro-electromechanical systems
  • Semiconductor design and manufacturing
  • Wireless networking
  • Cochlear implant technology
  • Medical imaging
  • Speech recognition
  • Cybersecurity
  • Organic electronics
  • Materials characterization
  • Physical, chemical and biosensors

Additional Facts

  • The Jonsson School’s recent growth surge has helped propel its undergraduate programs into U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the nation’s top schools of engineering.
  • The school’s graduate program has continued its rise through the U.S. News rankings, now placing among the top 50 public university graduate programs in engineering.
  • The Jonsson School has significantly increased the size of its faculty in recent years, hiring top recent graduates of Stanford University, Cornell University, Purdue University, Georgia Tech and UCLA as well as seasoned professionals from Rutgers University, USC, UC Davis, and from companies such as Freescale Semiconductor and Texas Instruments.
  • The Jonsson School features a variety of student organizations that are actively involved in both academic and social activities. Completely student-run, these include the Association for Computing Machinery, the Game Development Group, the National Society of Black Engineers, a chapter of the scientific research society Sigma Xi, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers.
  • Jonsson School students took first place in their division of the 2010 BattleBots National Championship, and they won second place in the 2008 International Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition.

Read what recent Jonsson School graduates think about their education and how it prepared them to be successful in their subsequent careers:

ecs.utdallas.edu/students/profiles/studentprofiles5-10.html

Contact Information

Software Engineering Program
Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, EC-31
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, TX 75080-3021

Software Engineering Undergraduate Program
Dr. Ovidiu Daescu
Phone: 972-883-4196
Email: daescu@utdallas.edu
Website: ecs.utdallas.edu

Office of Admission and Enrollment Services
800 West Campbell Road ROC 11
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Phone: 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443
Email: interest@utdallas.edu
Website: utdallas.edu/enroll