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Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs

Our program has been ranked in the top 15 in the nation for Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs by US News and World Report for two years in a row.

Read the details for 2018

WVU's software engineering programs are unique, fully online programs that provide graduate-level software engineering expertise to individuals who are currently working in the software engineering and information technology industry. The programs serve both adult learners from the regional software engineering and information technology industry as well as distant learners taking the course from remote locations. Our typical student is a full-time software engineering professional who wishes to augment his or her work experience with additional academic enrichment.

We offer two programs at WVU: a graduate certificate in software engineering and a master of science in software engineering. The MSSE consists of five core courses that cover the five pillars of the software engineering life cycle and five-six advanced topic courses depending on the option selected (course work only, problem report or thesis). The graduate certificate consists of the same five core courses as the MSSE or 15 credits and a certificate paper; 12 credits can be transferred into the MSSE once the graduate certificate is completed.

The courses for both the graduate certificate and the MSEE are offered one of three semesters – fall, spring and summer – with all content available using the WVU  eCampus website and live sessions with the instructor at least one evening per week via the Internet. To access current term classes, login to eCampus.

Check out our blog for more program insights from the program coordinator and others in the program.

History

The software engineering program provides advanced education to individuals who are currently working in the software engineering and information technology industry or who has just completed an undergraduate degree in software engineering, computer science or similar and desires an applied master of science degree. The program began in 1997 as an extended learning program located at the NASA Independent Verification & Validation Facility in Fairmont to meet the needs of the growing High Technology Corridor across North Central West Virginia. The program was initially offered as a blended course format having both in-classroom and online students. In 2008, the program moved to an entirely online format. By 2014, the enrollment of out-of-state software engineering practitioners exceeded those in West Virginia. The current technology used includes the 2018 Blackboard Learn 9 product making up the core of the WVU Online eCampus platform.

WVU's software engineering program attracts a variety of applicants, from seasoned professionals to those just starting their career in the software industry field. While our program is offered entirely online, the total number of available seats for each entry term is limited to keep class sizes small and enable one-on-one interaction between students and instructors. Admission to the software engineering program is competitive and depends on a variety of factors, including undergraduate academic performance, years of relevant experience, references and a personal statement.

Review the application requirements for our two graduate-level tracks within the WVU software engineering program:

Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE)   

Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering   

Application Deadlines

Admission to the software engineering program occurs three times per year – in the fall (August), spring (January) and summer (May).

Upcoming WVU Software Engineering Admission Term Start Dates:

• Fall 2018: August 15
• Spring 2019: January 7
• Summer 2019: May 13

The software engineering program operates on a rolling admissions basis and qualified applicants may be accepted earlier than the early/priority acceptance notification date. There may be several weeks between the time you submit your application and when you receive an admissions decision. All applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision, whether accepted or rejected; however, the timing can vary depending on when the complete application is received. Applicants are encouraged to apply before the program’s priority/early application deadline in order to receive full consideration.

Deferment

Once accepted to the program, obstacles may arise that prevents a student from starting courses in their intended term. For these rare situations, students may choose to defer to a later term by completing the deferment form. Students who choose to defer may do so for up to two terms from their intended start date. If a student wishes to defer their enrollment more than two terms, the student must contact the program director, Dale Dzielski, for further assistance.

Application Submission Deadlines

Applying by the early/priority admission deadline gives applicants the optimal amount of time to explore financial aid and scholarship options, complete orientation, order books and work with program advisors to plan their course of study.

Complete applications must be received by the following deadlines to receive full consideration for admission:

Applications will be processed after the admission deadline until an incoming class is full. Once all available seats have been filled, qualified applicants will be deferred to the next incoming term.

Acceptance Notification

If application materials are received by the corresponding application deadline, students selected for admission to the software engineering program will be notified of acceptance within five (5) business days of completed application and transcript receipt .

Questions?

Contact program director Dale Dzielski.

Tuition

Offered completely online and requiring no supplemental on-campus residency, the software engineering program is accessible and affordable for students from around the world. Tuition and fees for the program are calculated on a per credit basis and are based upon the current WVU Graduate On-Line Tuition and Fees Schedule (refer to Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources - Software Engineering MSSE & Certification on fee schedule).

2018-2019 Tuition and Fee Schedule

(effective fall 2018 through summer 2019, subject to change in academic year 2019-20)

All software engineering students are assessed at the in-state tuition rate, regardless of residence.

• Cost per credit hour: $601
  (includes University tuition $453, University fees $72, College tuition $76)
• Cost per course (3 credit hours): $1,803
• Estimated graduate certificate program cost (15 credit hours): $9,015
• Estimated MSEE program cost (33 credit hours): $19,833

Yellow Ribbon Program Participant

WVU's software engineering graduate program is proud to be a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, through which eligible graduate students will be able to take advantage of their veteran educational benefits. Those receiving the maximum benefit from the Post 9/11 GI Bill may receive additional funding to cover tuition and fees. For questions about your eligibility, please contact the WVU Veterans office at 304-293-8262.

Financial Aid

WVU's Financial Aid Office will work with you to access federal student loans to assist with the costs of your master’s degree education. You can contact the WVU Financial Aid Office at 304-293-5242.

For software engineering online graduate students, the following types of aid are generally available:

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible graduate and professional students, but the student does not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan
• Must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year
• Must be degree-seeking (master’s degree in software engineering only; graduate certificate program students are not eligible)
• Maximum annual amount: $20,500 (unsubsidized only) or cost of education
• Must be enrolled at least half-time (a minimum of 4 credit hours in fall/spring and 3 credit hours in summer) during the term for which the loan is processed
• Current interest rates and repayment terms for federal student loans are published on the Federal Student Aid website

• Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to eligible graduate and professional degree students who need to borrow more than the maximum unsubsidized loan amounts to meet their education costs
• Credit-based loan (a credit check will be done)
• Must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year
• Must be degree-seeking (master’s degree in software engineering only; graduate certificate program students are not eligible)
• Maximum annual amount is the cost of attendance minus any other financial assistance received (including Federal Direct Student Loan)
• Must be enrolled at least half-time (a minimum of 6 credit hours in fall/spring and 3 credit hours in summer) during the term for which the loan is processed
• Current interest rates and repayment terms for federal student loans are published on the Federal Student Aid website

• Private student loans are non-federal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, etc.
• Credit-based loan (a credit check will be done)
• Must submit application materials directly to the private lender
• Eligibility, interest rates and repayment provisions will vary by lender
• You have the right to select the private lender of your choice
• Access the list of lenders used by WVU students (no specific endorsements of these lenders are intended by WVU, the Financial Aid Office and the software engineering program.)

Important Information about the Financial Aid Process

To allow sufficient time for processing, submit the FAFSA at least eight weeks prior to the term in which you want financial aid.

In order to have aid processed in a timely manner, you must accept any aid offered to you that you wish to use. Information about your financial aid is available through the MIX/STAR system – Mountaineer Information Xpress (MIX) and Student and Technology Achieving Results (STAR). The WVU Financial Aid Office uses your MIX email to communicate with you. If you do not have your MIX email formally set up, then please contact the WVU Financial Aid Office directly at 304-293-5242  to inquire about your financial aid.

You must be pursuing a master’s degree. Financial aid is not available to non-degree students or students in graduate certificate programs.

Students who use federal loans will have to complete a promissory note and review loan counseling information if there is no record of previous borrowing through federal programs.

Financial aid may be adjusted if you alter your enrollment during the fall/spring/summer terms or if you do not earn at least one passing grade in a term. Previously awarded aid may be adjusted if you obtain additional funding that was not originally part of your financial aid package. Adjustments to financial aid can result in the need to return funds to WVU.

You must maintain a certain level of academic progress in order to retain potential eligibility for aid, also known as satisfactory academic progress. Students must successfully complete 80 percent of all attempted credits and maintain at least a 2.75 cumulative grade point average. For more details review the entire policy on satisfactory academic progress for graduate students.

Employer Reimbursement

All invoices must be paid before the first day of the term, even when an employer is paying the bill. Some employers are willing to pay for a student’s tuition and fees in advance but require an invoice detailing the charges.

The employer must send a letter (on company letterhead) to WVU Online, P.O. Box 6800, Morgantown, WV, 26506.

The letter must include authorization for WVU to bill the company for the student, the last four digits of the student’s social security number and the address where WVU Online is to send the invoice. The letter must indicate what percentage the employer is willing to pay (e.g., 50 percent of invoice, 100 percent of tuition and fees or the dollar amount). If the employer is paying less than 100 percent, the student must arrange to pay the balance before the first day of the term.

This letter should accompany student registrations every term. WVU Online views this as payment for the course(s) and forwards it to the WVU Office of Student Accounts for processing.

If you have questions about your bill contact, WVU Online and Extended Campus at 800-253-2762. 

Software Engineering Program Policy on WVU Employee University Tuition Waivers

WVU employees are welcome to apply to the software engineering program. WVU Graduate Education and Life allows eligible employees to receive waivers for a maximum of one graduate certificate in addition to one master’s degree and one doctoral degree.

In order to apply as a University tuition-waived student, applicants are required to identify themselves as qualified to receive an employee University tuition waiver on the graduate application by indicating that they currently work for WVU. In addition, applicants who qualify for the employee University tuition waiver must complete all components of the application and admission requirements before they can be reviewed or considered for admission to the software engineering program.

Admission to the program is competitive. The software engineer program reserves the right to deny admission to any employee applicants who do not meet the qualifications required by the program.

University tuition waivers for WVU employees cover the cost for University Tuition only; employees are responsible for fees and College tuition.

Employees at other institutions of higher learning in West Virginia are not eligible to receive a University tuition waiver to attend the software engineering program. A limited number a waivers exist and are distributed based a formula until all have been released.

Software Engineering Program Policy on Graduate Assistant Tuition Waivers

Students in the software engineering program who secure a graduate assistant position in any academic or non-academic unit on campus will be eligible to receive a waiver of University tuition for software engineering courses, as well as any stipend/compensation offered by the unit hosting the position. Payment of College tuition and University fees are the student’s responsibility.

For more information on graduate assistant options available at WVU, please visit the Graduate Education Assistantships website.

Regardless of the admission entrance requirements you fulfill, you must apply to WVU as a graduate student, following the procedures given here. NOTE: There is no hard deadline for admission. However, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application at least two full months before you plan to start classes. If you apply later, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to begin the program at the expected time!

Regular Graduate Students

To apply to the MSSE program as a regular graduate student, complete a WVU graduate application, indicating that you are applying for the MSSE degree (code 3081). Take the general GREs and have the results sent to WVU.

Provisional Graduate Students

To apply to the MSSE program under provisional graduate student requirements, complete a WVU graduate application, indicating that you are applying for the MSSE degree (code 3081). List software engineering as your area of concentration. You must also submit with your initial application an initial resume that documents at least one year of work experience in software development. The resume should be submitted with your initial application. The three letters of reference attesting to your work experience should be submitted when you apply to the MSSE degree program unless you have not acquired three years of experience at that time.

All Students

When you submit your application online, you will be assigned a WVU ID immediately. Remember this ID. It will be needed to check your application status online. It will also be used to register online for your first term after your acceptance has been processed. No other code is needed for your first term registration. When you have submitted your application, please send a brief email message to Dale Dzielski. This will let us know that your application is on its way.

Applying from Non-Degree Status (Graduate Certificate)

To apply for the MSSE program after having earned the graduate certificate, you must go through the application process again. Not all of the 15 credit hours will transfer. Please see the catalog you were accepted under for details.

Contact Information:

Dale Dzielski, Program Director 
Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering 
PO Box 6109 
Morgantown, WV 26506-6109 

These items are required only if you did not submit them at the time of admission. 

The Program Director is notified by Statler Student Services when you have accumulated hours ready for transferring to regular status. You should make sure all three references and a resume have been provided to the program director that includes three years or more of software industry experience.

Research Options

Most students in the MSSE program pursue the coursework-only option, which requires completion of 33 hours of coursework. However, some students may elect to follow a traditional research program, using either the problem report option or the thesis option.

The problem report option requires completion of a project, worth 3 hours, plus 30 hours of coursework. The thesis option entails 6 hours of research and 24 hours of coursework. The thesis option requires development of a publishable research result.

Both options have some differences from the usual MSSE procedures, including:

1. Students must identify a research advisor to supervise their work, who must be a regular faculty member in LCSEE.
2. Students must form an individual graduate committee headed by their research advisor.
3. Completion of the research must be done under the close supervision of the research advisor. This may require time spent on the Morgantown campus.
4. Defense of the project or thesis must take place in the presence of your entire committee, normally in Morgantown.

Further information may be found in the current Graduate Catalog. Students interested in pursuing the research option should contact Dale Dzielski to discuss their plans.

SENG 695: Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning is a 3 credit independent study that may be taken in place of one regular course in the MSSE program. You may register for Experiential Learning under the following conditions:

1. You are in the MSSE major with a regular graduate status
2. You have completed your core courses and at least some of your advanced courses
3. You have been employed in the software development field during all or most of your program

The sole requirement for Experiential Learning is to prepare a term paper detailing the ways in which your coursework has influenced and changed the ways in which you do your work. More detailed information is given in the Experiential Learning Syllabus.

SENG 695 is offered every term. There are no formal meetings and there is only one section, which is always designated as online (web-based). Please contact the instructor for approval to register for this course.

The master of science in software engineering degree requires completion of a total of 33 graduate credit hours (except for the thesis option, which requires 30 hours.) The coursework is comprised of five required courses that form the core of the program, plus additional electives as described below.

Students may elect the coursework-only option, the problem report option or the thesis option. Selection of the coursework-only option requires the student to complete 11, 3-hour courses. In the problem report option, the student carries out a 3-hour software engineering project related to their work (or an independent effort) in lieu of one formal 3-hour elective course. The thesis option requires completion of 6 hours of research credit culminating in the publication of a thesis under the direction of a research advisor, and 24 hours of formal coursework. Students electing the problem report or thesis option must begin by forming an individual graduate committee headed by a Lane Department faculty member who will serve as their research adviser.

Additional program details are listed in the Catalog.

Program Preparatory Courses

The current Catalog policy for this program states, “Students who do not hold a baccalaureate degree in software engineering, computer science or computer engineering may be required to take a set of undergraduate courses above and beyond the minimum coursework requirements.” We have developed the following course that will be required to be taken with no credit earned toward the 33 required credit hours when accepted as provisional under the condition specified above:

• SENG 591A (SENG 505) Programming Fundamentals with Java (odd FALL)
• Preparatory Program Course - three hours earned will not apply to the required 33 hours for the MSSE

  This course serves as an introduction to developing application software. It covers solving problems using the Java programming language. Topics include problem solving, fundamentals of programming, basic algorithms and data structures, data organization, defensive programming, relational databases and creating database applications.

Program Core (Certificate) Courses

The first 15 credit hours of the master's in software engineering is a five-course core that is common with (and comprises most of the requirements for) the software engineering certificate program:

• SENG 510: Software Project Management (every SPRING)
  
  • Topics include: project management process, measures and metrics, project planning and estimation, risk analysis, scheduling, tracking and control.
• SENG 520: Software Analysis and Design (every FALL)
  • Defining the software requirements of a large and complex software product and the principles and concepts of designing the software that will implement the product are discussed.
• SENG 530: Software Verification and Validation (every SPRING)
  
  • Processes and methods for evaluating the correctness and quality of the software product throughout the software life cycle are discussed.
• SENG 540: Software Evolution (every SUMMER)
  
  • Topics include software process and CMM, software maintenance and evolution, program understanding, re-engineering software, configuration management and software tools related to these issues.
• SENG 550: Object-Oriented Design (every FALL)&
  
  • Developing a software system from an object oriented perspective with C++.

Program Advanced Elective Courses

Completion of the master of science in software engineering will require a selection of up to six additional courses chosen by the student to meet individual educational objectives. While the set of applicable existing and new courses will continue to evolve, the following have been recently offered:

• TECHNICAL FOCUSED (links to syllabus)
• SENG 564 Software Engineering of Mobile Applications (even year FALL)
• SENG 561 Agile Software Development (odd year SPRING)
• SENG 560 Software Reuse (odd rear FALL)
• SENG 691O Engineering Dependable Software (odd year FALL)
• SENG 670 Data Analytics with Applications in Software Engineering (odd year SUMMER)
• SENG 691A Cloud Computing/Internet of Things (even year SUMMER)
• CS 533 Developing Portable Software (even year SPRING)
• SENG 691C Software Engineering Economics (odd rear SUMMER)

• STAT 511: Statistical Methods 1, 3 hours (SUMMER)

  PR: MATH 126. Statistical models, distributions, probability, random variables, tests of hypotheses, confidence intervals, regression, correlation, transformations, F and Chi-square distributions, analysis of variance and multiple comparisons (equivalent to EDP 613 and PSYC 511).

• STAT 521: Statistical Analysis System Programming, 3 Hours (FALL)

  PR: STAT 511 or equivalent. Topics in Statistical Analysis System or SAS. Students perform statistical data analyses, data modifications and manipulations, file operations, and statistical report writing. Prepares students for the SAS Base Programming certification exam.

• (Upon Request to Advisor) STAT 522: Advanced Statistical Analysis System Programming, 3 Hours

  PR: STAT 521 or consent. Advanced topics in Statistical Analysis System; SAS SQL to generate reports, join tables, construct queries; SAS Macro language basics; write/implement SAS macro programs. Prepares students for SAS Advanced Programmer certification exam.

• SENG 697 Research-every semester

• MANAGEMENT FOCUSED (links to syllabus)
• SENG 582 Enterprise Architecture Frameworks (odd year SPRING)
• SENG 581 Quality Software Process Management (even year SPRING)
• SENG 691A Strategies for Managing Software Projects (even year FALL)
• CpE 538 Intro - Computer Security Management (even year SUMMER)

• CYBR 535: Info Ethics & Legal Procedure PR: CPE 538. Information ethics, including such topics as privacy protection and control, surveillance, link analysis, personally identifiable data, sensitive data, data anonymity, data privacy, data accessibility, data sharing, censorship, intellectual property, accuracy, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Includes legal procedures and US and foreign laws of data collection and storage, security and law enforcement investigations, as well as compliance management for government, publicly held corporations and the healthcare industry sectors (laws of e-Discovery, compliance for SOX, HIPAA, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, CIPA, etc.).

• SENG 695 Independent Study: Experiential Learning-every semester

Electives may be freely chosen from SENG courses or any other course that may be offered from time to time directly through the software engineering program. STAT and CYBR courses are all online and can be found at www.online.wvu.edu or registrar.wvu.edu schedule of courses the semester they are offered which may vary.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SEMESTER DESIGNATION MAY CHANGE AND THOSE IDENTIFIED ABOVE ARE ONLY A GUIDE TO ASSIST IN YOUR PLAN OF STUDY.

Traditional, on-campus courses taught in Morgantown may also be used to satisfy the requirements; however, use of such courses in general will need prior approval from the software engineering curriculum committee.

A limited number (up to four) courses taken elsewhere may be transferred into the program, and a limited number (up to three) 400-level (senior undergraduate) courses may be included in your program if they were not counted for another degree. All of these options require approval by the software engineering curriculum committee.

Example Two Year Schedule:

• Year 1 
  
• Fall: SENG 520, SENG 550
• Spring: SENG 510, SENG 530
• Summer: SENG 540, SENG 670
• Year 2
• Fall: SENG 560, SENG 691O
• Spring: SENG 581, CS 533
• Summer: SENG 695

Course Schedule

This page directs you to the course schedule information for current and upcoming terms found on the registrar's office website. The course syllabus for each course can be found at the MSSE requirements link on the software engineering program home page.

WVU Schedule of Courses

• Select the Term (e.g. fall 20xx)
• Select the Subject (e.g. software engineering)

Note: We also have occasional courses in computer science (CS 533) and computer engineering (CpE 538); you will need to include these or do a separate search when they are offered. Check the MSSE requirements page for when these are offered.

Certificate in Software Engineering

The certificate in software engineering is available to students in all backgrounds who complete the five core courses of the MSSE program and write a certificate paper. You may enroll in the certificate program as a non-degree graduate student to complete the certificate.

The only added requirement is the paper, which is not otherwise required by the MSSE program. Guidelines for the certificate paper can be found online.

The certificate will be provided to you by the Statler College at the end of the semester you complete the program. 

The graduate certificate program is open to all qualified students across the global classroom. The graduate certificate consists of completing five approved courses and a certificate term paper. The program is offered fully online with no time-zone restrictions across two, 16-week semesters and one, 12-week summer semester. This allows for completion within one year with a cost below $10,000 (US), including all fees and books. The software engineer may begin the program during any semester after admission.

U.S. National Recognized Program

The software engineering program has been ranked two years in a row as one of the top 15 online Computer Information Technology Programs by US News and World Report. You can find the current details from the US News and World Report online.

WVU is a member of the Quality Matters, an international organization that is recognized as a leader in quality assurance for online education. All five of our certificate courses are certified using QM Standards.

What Our Students Think About the Program

Fairmont native Amanda Santiago, employed with Northrop Grumman Corporation, said, “As a full-time professional I was looking for a program that would be more flexible with my schedule. The online classes that are offered … allow me to manage my time more easily … [which] helped [me] keep the balance between my professional life and school work.”

Oracle Corporation employee and Huntington native Jonathan Miller said, “The program fit the subject areas of what I wanted to study and the online classes fit my schedule since I work full time and have a child. The education I received is excellent and there are numerous WVU graduates in high-level and thought-provoking positions in my industry.”

95 percent of our students in a 2016 survey selected “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” to “I am satisfied with this program."

Graduate Certificate Admissions Requirements

Students should apply for admission as non-degree students to complete the certificate.

Applicants for the certificate in software engineering must meet the following:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering or closely related field from an accredited University.
  
• The undergraduate GPA must be 3.0/4.0 or above. If grades were on a different scale, GPA will be calculated by representatives from Statler College Student Services.
  
• Three professional/academic letters of recommendation are required.
  
• No GRE exam or work experience is required.
  

Application for admissions is made through the online graduate website.

English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit adequate TOEFL or IELTS results before an application can be considered for admission to WVU: TOEFL Internet-based = 79, TOEFL Paper-based = 550, IELTS = 6.5. TOEFL/IELTS results are not required of applicants who have received a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand or Australia. However, applicants having only a master’s degree from an accredited US college or university must still provide acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores. Contact the academic department for further information. In some cases, it may be possible to consider applicants who lack adequate TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Program Five Required Courses

SENG 510: Software Project Management (every SPRING)

Topics include: project management process, measures and metrics, project planning and estimation, risk analysis, scheduling, tracking and control.

SENG 520: Software Analysis and Design (every FALL)

Defining the software requirements of a large and complex software product and the principles and concepts of designing the software that will implement the product are discussed.

SENG 530: Validation and Verification (every SPRING)

Processes and methods for evaluating the correctness and quality of the software product throughout the software life cycle are discussed.

SENG 540: Software Evolution (every SUMMER)

Topics include: software process and CMM, software maintenance and evolution, program understanding, re-engineering software, configuration management and software tools related to these issues.

SENG 550: Object-Oriented Design (every FALL)

Developing a software system from an object oriented perspective with C++.

Program Paper Requirement

The purpose of the paper to satisfy certification requirements is to identify the impact of the software engineering program on the software engineering practices of its graduates. In this paper, the practitioner will identify the changes in his/her practice methods as a result of the software engineering program. The paper will present the prior practices of the software engineering before taking this program and identify the improvements in work practices due to incorporating the course work methodologies, techniques and practices. If the practitioner had no prior work experience, a paid or unpaid internship or independent project can apply. The paper must be a highly professional and exceptional effort that reflects an appreciation of the issues involved. It must demonstrate that the author is a thoroughly professional technical writer and software engineer.

Tuition & Fee Costs

The tuition for the 2017-2018 Academic Year is $601. Additional costs each semester may include textbooks and software. The entire certificate is not expected to cost more than $10,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I register and pay online for classes?

Answer: Yes, all administration activities such as these are done through a WVU online system using a browser to access. You will receive more information from Admissions about access to this when admitted.

Question: Can I enter the program at any time?

Answer: You may enter the semester that begins after you have received your acceptance letter.

Question: Can my letters of recommendation be from anyone or just my supervisors and how do I send them?

Answer: They do need to be work experience or academic related such as a professor. They must be included in the original online admission application at the time you apply.

Question: Do I need to come to class at a set time and day each week?

Answer: No, the certificate program has been arranged to be offered asynchronously; however, you will have deadlines when certain assignments and exams are due for completion.

This orientation has been created to provide you with answers to many of the questions you may have or will likely have throughout the course of this program. 

Part 1: Leadership & Policies

• Part: 1 - PDF

Part 2: Program Details & Requirements

• Part: 2 - PDF

Part 3: Technology Overview

• Part: 3 - PDF

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation must be completed online by the specified deadline during the semester you are planning to graduate. No fee is required. Deadlines are typically set for early October and early March, to allow time for diplomas to be prepared. You can also graduate in summer, but no formal ceremony will be held.

The application for graduation must be submitted online. No paper applications will be accepted. To apply, login to STAR, select the student services tab, and click apply to graduate.

Plan of study must be completed and typed.

You must use the plan of study form available on this website. This should be signed by you and sent to the program director, Dale Dzielski. We will take care of getting the other required signatures. Special procedures apply if you are pursuing the problem report or thesis option.

You will receive an e-mail from the program director requesting the following be completed: 

Download the Graduate Checklist from the Statler College. These items will need to be completed and sent back to the program director if they haven’t already been done. 

1. Successfully complete 33 hours with C or above and overall 3.0 GPA (coursework-only option).  
   
2. Alumni Data Sheet – should come from Student Services  
   
3. Final plan of study – (don’t use the preparatory section), signed, scanned and e-mailed to Dale Dzielski for further signatures (NOTE: do not use the form on the Statler Student Services site; it does not have your faculty AEC listed)     
   
4. Final approval form (coursework-only option) – Add your name and WVUID and send to Dale Dzielski for completion and signatures
   
5. Plagiarism quiz if never completed before 
   
6. Exit interview – form will be attached to e-mail; complete and send back to Dale Dzielski
7. Graduate Student Survey – completed and returned to Student Services 
   

Alumni Data Form

After the above has been completed you must fill out and sign the alumni data form.

Note

If you are planning to come to Morgantown to finish your paperwork, please contact Dale Dzielski for an appointment.

Meet Our Faculty & Staff

•  
  

  Dale G. Dzielski

  Program Coordinator

  304.293.9135

  dale.dzielski@mail.wvu.edu

  AERB 351

  Dale's Video Introduction

  Dale Dzielski is the program coordinator for LCSEE Outreach and Extended Learning programs including the WVU online master of science program in software engineering. He is an instructor for two advanced courses: SENG 581 Quality Software Process Management and SENG 582 Enterprise Architecture Frameworks.

• 

  Brian Woerner

  Professor and
  Department Chair

  304.293.9141

  brian.woerner@mail.wvu.edu

  AERB 363B

  Brian Woerner is Professor and chair of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. He provides leadership and oversight for this program. He teaches the CpE 539 Introduction to Information Security Management course offered in the program.

• 
  

  Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova

  Academic Coordinator

  304.293.9691

  katerina.goseva@mail.wvu.edu

  AERB 261

  Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova is a professor at LCSEE and academic coordinator for the MS program in software engineering. She works closely with the program coordinator on improving the quality of the program and expanding course offerings. She teaches the advanced course SENG 670 Data Analytics with Applications in Software Engineering offered in the program.

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  J. Lawrence Jacowitz

  Lecturer

  304.293.9135

  lawrece.jacowitz@mail.wvu.edu

  OFF-CAMPUS

  J's Video Introduction

  J. Jacowitz is a lecturer at LCSEE and a retired IBM program manager for NASA projects. He has been a part-time instructor in the MS program in software engineering, covering courses in the project management series. He teaches SENG 510 Software Project Management and the new advanced course, Strategies for Managing Software Projects.

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  Jim Mooney

  Associate Professor Emeritus

  304.293.9128

  james.mooney@mail.wvu.edu

  ERB 118F

  Jim's Video Introduction

  Jim Mooney is professor emeritus and former program director of the MS program in software engineering. He teaches the advanced course CS 533 Portable Software and core course, SENG 520 Software Analysis and Design.

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  Hany H. Ammar

  Professor

  304.293.9682

  hany.ammar@mail.wvu.edu

  AERB 246

  Hany Ammar is a professor at LCSEE. He teaches the core course, SENG 540 Software Evolution, and the new advanced course, Cloud Computing and Internet of Things.

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  Kenneth Costello

  Lecturer

  304.293.9135

  kenneth.costello@mail.wvu.edu

  OFF-Campus

  Kenneth Costello works full-time as a senior software engineer for NASA IV&V in Fairmont and is a lecturer in the program, teaching two courses: SENG 530 Validation and Verification and a new advanced course on Engineering Dependable Software.

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  Jeffrey T. Edgell

  Lecturer

  304.293.0405

  jeffrey.edgell@mail.wvu.edu

  OFF-Campus

  Jeffrey Edgell is a lecturer at LCSEE and the chief technology officer for DHA, a contractor to the defense and intelligence industry. He teaches the core course, SENG 550 Object Oriented Design.

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  Greg Mundy

  Lecturer

  304.293.9135

  gregory.mundy@mail.wvu.edu

  OFF-Campus

  Greg Mundy works full-time as a contractor for NOAA projects. He teaches two advanced courses: SENG 560 Software Reuse and SENG 561 Agile Software Development.

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  Marty Dombrowski

  Lecturer

  304.293.9135

  martin.dombrowski@mail.wvu.edu

  OFF-Campus

  Marty Dombrowski is a lecturer at LCSEE and works full-time as a contractor for DOE projects. He teaches the advanced course, SENG 564 Software Engineering of Mobile Applications.

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  Cindy Tanner

  Lecturer and
  Program Coordinator

  304.293.9138

  cindy.tanner@mail.wvu.edu

  AERB 250

  Cindy Tanner is a lecturer and program coordinator and a former program director of the MS program in software engineering. Tanner teaches the preparatory course, SENG 591A Programming Fundamentals with JAVA. She  previously taught SENG 520 Software Analysis and Design and SENG 540 Software Evolution.