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Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Software Engineering at WSU Everett

Software Engineers are in High Demand

Software engineering skills are highly sought in the industry, and recent studies suggest that in the following years there will be a ratio of 2 to 1 between demand and supply in the State of Washington alone for graduates with Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science (BSCS) or in Software Engineering (BSSE). While both degrees share the fundamental courses in computer science and software design, they differ in advanced topics. The BSSE program prepares students for developing and maintaining large and complex software by focusing on advanced courses on software development, software testing and validation, software maintenance, software security, and software management and integration — all specialties of high demand among the state’s computing and IT industries. Thus, in addition to the general software developer and software engineer jobs, BSSE graduates have access to a larger spectrum of software engineering jobs such as requirements engineer, quality assurance (QA) engineer, and project manager. Software engineers typically earn six-figure salaries.

The software engineering program at WSU Everett is a 2.5-year, full-time, daytime bachelor’s degree completion program for transfer students. Courses and laboratories are taught in person by WSU faculty in Everett, via interactive video from WSU Pullman, and online through the University’s nationally ranked Global Campus.

Accreditation

The Washington State University program in Software Engineering (WSU Pullman with WSU Everett) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

Preparation

You can fulfill the majority of WSU’s general education (UCORE) and the pre-engineering admission requirements at any college (2 year or 4 year) and complete your software engineering degree at WSU Everett.

While not required for acceptance to the program, we recommend pursuing a community college transfer degree. The associate of science track (AST-2) degree or a DTA degree could help with your pre-engineering study, as they include the majority of WSU general education (UCORE) requirements. WSU Everett may also admit students as dually enrolled while they are completing the last few prerequisites. Consult with an academic advisor while planning your curriculum.

If you have any questions about equivalent courses at your current college, or about how long it might take you to finish your degree at WSU Everett, contact one of our academic advisors who will help you work out a personalized transfer plan. They can also advise you on other courses (required later) that can be taken in advance.

Admission Requirements

To qualify for acceptance to the software engineering degree program at WSU Everett, you must:

  • Complete the prerequisites in the tables below prior to your start in the program. (Some accommodation might be made in certain circumstances. Check with one of our academic advisors.)
  • Have a grade of C (2.0 on a 4-point grade system) or better for all courses in the tables below.
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for all college coursework taken.

Prerequisites

Make sure you check your courses for transfer equivalency on the WSU Transfer Clearinghouse.

WSU Course RequirementWA Community College Transfer Equivalency
Math 171 Calculus ICalculus I and Calculus II
Math 172 Calculus IICalculus III
Math 220 Linear AlgebraLinear Algebra
Economics 101 or 102Micro or Macro Economics
CPTS 121 & 122 (C/C++) or CPTS 131 & 132 (Java)Equivalent courses to WSU (programming course and data structures course). Computer programming courses vary between community colleges. Consult with one of our academic advisors about your specific coursework.
English 101English Composition

Additional Math Requirement (choose two of the following):
WSU Course RequirementWA Community College Transfer Equivalency
Math 273Calculus IV
Stat 212Math 146 (check equivalency to WSU Stat 212)
Phil 201Elementary Logic (equivalent to WSU Phil 201)
Math 301Not generally offered at Washington community colleges. Check equivalency on the WSU Transfer Clearinghouse.

Physics or Chemistry Lab Science with lab (choose one of the following):
WSU Course RequirementWA Community College Transfer Equivalency
Physics 201 Engineering Physics with labEngineering Physics I and II with labs
Chemistry 105 Principles of Chemistry with labPrinciples of Chemistry I and II with labs

Recommended:
Two additional courses (not required for acceptance to the program) are beneficial to have completed in advance if equivalent courses are available at your transfer school:

  • WSU CPTS 223 (C++) or 233 (Java) Advanced Data Structures
  • WSU CPTS 260 Introduction to Computer Architecture

Applying to the Program

Current WSU Pullman students: review the alternate application instructions if you wish to transfer to Everett.

  1. Complete your application online, selecting North Puget Sound at Everett as your campus.
  2. Submit official transcripts showing coursework to-date. Updated official transcripts will be required once grades are posted for spring and summer (if you enroll in courses). Contact all previous colleges and have them send official transcripts to:
    Washington State University Everett
    Enrollment Services
    915 N. Broadway
    Everett, WA 98201
  3. An academic coordinator will review your application and transcript(s) for prerequisites for acceptance into the software engineering program and contact you for next steps.

Current WSU Pullman software engineering students who wish to transfer to Everett:

Students who are currently certified in the software engineering major in Pullman should contact the academic advisor in Everett to determine feasibility and eligibility. GPA is a consideration as is completion of the same prerequisites as all other transfer applicants. Evaluation of coursework still needed to complete the degree vs. the schedule of courses offered is another consideration.

Students who are not yet certified should check that all prerequisites are completed (or will be completed prior to the desired start term). Contact the academic advisor in Everett with any questions.

General Timeline

August 1:
The WSU application opens for students applying to enter the WSU Everett program in Fall.

January 31:
Priority will be given to applicants who have submitted all required application material (including official transcripts).

May 15:
Notification of Admission Decisions (for complete applications received by January 31).

June 1:
Students respond to offers of admission.

The application process will continue until all seats for the program are filled.

Contact an Advisor

Prospective students, WSU Everett
on-site advisor:

engineering.everett@wsu.edu