How do I Choose a Software Engineering School?

Software engineering is one of the fastest growing technological careers and is likely to continue to be for many years to come. However, since technology can be expected to continue to evolve at a rapid pace, it is also a demanding career that requires specialized skills to enter and a commitment to consistently acquire new ones to remain on top of the pack. Knowing how to choose a software engineering school is the first step toward success.

Since most employers expect candidates to possess a bachelor’s degree, it is a good idea to first consider enrolling in an accredited college as a pathway to a software engineering school. A growing number of colleges and universities now offer academic curricula geared toward computer science and software engineering as degree programs. In addition, those who combine their software engineering degree option with mathematics and systems analysis are better equipped to meet the challenges presented by cyber security issues.

It’s important to remember that software engineering is a career choice with global opportunities, meaning that a software engineering school can also be found in the international community. In fact, with a little searching on the Internet, it’s even possible to locate a software engineering school that offers a program that can be completed entirely online.

In the current climate, most programs that combine training with certification relate to specific software platforms and are offered by the vendors that license them. However, while this is helpful in certain environments, launching a successful career in the software engineering field typically requires more specific training that is relevant to programming rather than vendor-sponsored software certification. For this reason, the IEEE Computer Society of the U.S. has developed two sets of documentation known as the Software Engineering 2004 (SE2004) and the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). While both outline the suggested courses one should take from a software engineering school, the latter more closely represents international standards.

Similar documentation and standards are in place elsewhere in the world. For example, the Information Systems Professional (ISP) is a professional certification offered by the Canadian Information Processing Society. Residents of the U.K. can look toward the Chartered IT Professional (CITP), the certification offered by the British Computer Society.

In addition to the expected continued growth in this field, there are a number of secondary careers that can be built upon a background in software engineering. This includes software design, development, and quality testing. There is also an opportunity for advancement into systems engineering or project management.