Our Mission and Vision

In keeping with the mission of Kennesaw State University, the College of Computing and Software Engineering serves the community by equipping its students and graduates with the skills and knowledge to apply computing, software engineering techniques and information technologies to solve today's real-world problems and face tomorrow's challenges. To this end, we offer a range of first-rate undergraduate and graduate degrees and professional programs and engage in high-quality scholarship, research and development in all aspects of computing and its applications.

Our vision is to be recognized as one of the best academic units in the world dedicated to all aspects of computing and its applications, including science, engineering and technology. Through our educational programs, our research and scholarship, and our service to the community, we seek to empower individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life for people around the globe through the application of computing and information technologies.

ksu software and game development student working at his dual monitor computer

Outcomes and Objectives

  • Program Educational Objectives

    A few years after graduation:

    1. Software Engineering graduates will be successful professionals in the field with solid fundamental knowledge of software engineering, who can effectively analyze, design, and develop high-quality software systems.
    2. Graduates will utilize and exhibit strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as professional and ethical principles when functioning as members and leaders of multi-disciplinary teams.
    3. Graduates will apply their foundations in software engineering to adapt to rapidly-changing environments using the appropriate theory, principles, and processes.
    4. Graduates will be sufficiently prepared for their first and subsequent positions, as they are independent learners, including being accepted into or completing advanced degree programs. 

    Program Student Outcomes

    Upon graduation, students will be able to:

    1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
    2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
    3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
    4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
    5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
    6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
    7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

  • Program Educational Objectives

    A few years after graduation:

    1. Computer Game Design and Development graduates will be successful professionals in the field with solid fundamental knowledge of gaming and computing, making valuable technical contributions to the design, development, and production of computer game systems and related applications.
    2. Graduates utilize and exhibit strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as professional and ethical principles when functioning as members and leaders of multi-disciplinary teams.
    3. Graduates are sufficiently prepared for their first and subsequent positions, as they are independent learners, including learning new, rapidly-changing technologies and applying them in their game systems development.
    4. The CGDD program will maintain a challenging curriculum that is consistent with international recommended standards (IGDA) and regional industrial needs (GGDA) and maintain an up-to-date curriculum by taking into account significant changes within the discipline and regional industrial needs.

    Program Student Outcomes

    Upon graduation, students will be able to:

    1. Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
    2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
    3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
    4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
    5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.

  • Program Educational Objectives

    A few years after graduation:

    1. Graduates of the program should have advanced technical skills in software engineering, including proficiency in programming languages, software architecture design, and development methodologies.
    2. Graduates should be equipped with the leadership and communication skills necessary to effectively manage software engineering teams and projects. This includes skills in team building, communication, conflict resolution, and project management.
    3. Graduates should be prepared to adapt to new technologies and software development paradigms, as well as to innovate new software solutions in response to changing industry needs.
    4. Graduates should be committed to ethical and professional behavior, with a deep understanding of the impact that software engineering has on society.

    Program Student Outcomes

    Upon graduation, students will be able to:

    1. Demonstrate knowledge and utilization of software processes, software architecture or models, and the mapping of underlying techniques into the problem domain.
    2. Demonstrate the ability to analyze, assess, verify and validate, and evaluate artifacts of software engineering systems.
    3. Independently learn and research new topics in software engineering.

Why Gaming?

photo of ksu student sitting next to his gaming computer with virtual reality headset propped on head

Computer Game Design and Development is an exciting and interdisciplinary field that combines technical programming and software development with artistic fields such as animation, audio and real-time user interaction. This program covers breadth of the field and lets students customize their studies to "dive deep" in a area of their choice.

The computer gaming industry has matured and grown significantly from its nascent days of Pong in 1972 and home-grown startups such as Origin Systems and Sierra Online in the 1980s. Sales figures for the U.S. video game industry (including hardware and software) rose to $18.8 billion dollars in 2007, a 40% increase from $13.5 billion in 2006. The video game industry will reach a global total of $70 billion in revenue by 2015, claims market analysis firm DFC.

  • But development in the field of gaming is not limited to traditional console and PC domains. Rapidly evolving fields of computer gaming, including casual, serious/educational, online, and mobile games, offer new opportunities for growth. Models of game design and development are applicable to online social sites centered around collaboration and communication. Emergent social and free-to-play markets often dwarf their console and PC counterparts; for example, the Asian-user online social world "Habbo Hotel" boasts 90 million registered users.

    Finally, the military and industry are increasingly turning to simulation to help them meet their training needs, and the skills needed to develop high quality simulations are essentially identical to those necessary to develop high quality computer games. The military is also using gaming to assist in its recruitment efforts and to increase the general public's awareness of its operations.

    As a gaming professional, you can work in many fields including:  

    OCCUPATION WHAT YOU WILL DO MEDIAN PAY (2018)
    Video Game Designer Design core features of video games. Specify innovative game and role-play mechanics, story lines and character biographies. Create and maintain design documentation. $82,340

Why Software Engineering?

Software Engineering (SWE) represents one of the fastest growing segments of software professionals. Business and industry require Software Engineers in the fields of medicine, the military, domestic and international communications, aerospace engineering and many more. 

Software Engineering students at Kennesaw State University work in teams that deliver high-quality software products as they learn the fundamental concepts of Computer Science and what it means to be a software engineer. Advanced course work is selected from areas such as user interaction engineering, component-based development, embedded systems and other state-of-the-art methodologies and practices that reflect the fast-paced changes in the field.

  • Our SWE programs have flexible options via night and online courses, and small class sizes ensure students get to know their professors. Students receive hands-on experience through labs and classroom work.

    Top reasons to join Software Engineering at Kennesaw State University:

    • Georgia is in the Top Ten States of highest paid software engineers
    • Kennesaw State is the only public university in Georgia that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Software Engineering.
    • KSU's BSSWE is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

    As a software engineering professional, you can work in many fields including:

    OCCUPATION WHAT YOU WILL DO MEDIAN PAY (2018)
    Software Developer Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. $100,690
photo of ksu software engineering student in room with unreadable text covering walls and background of image