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Master of Software Engineering

Master'sMSEMaster of Software Engineering

Overview

A 36-credit cohort-based online master's degree of 12 courses taken in continuous seven-week terms over two years. Applicants typically hold a degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science or information science.

Official program name
Master of Software Engineering
Awarded degree
Master of Software Engineering
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Degree level
Master's
University
Administering location
University Park, PAWhere the university or its administering campus is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Subject
Required credits
36-credit online program of 12 courses
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Duration
Two years (12 courses in continuous seven-week terms) (Cohort schedule with courses in fall, spring and summer)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Start terms
Spring, Summer, Fall
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Teaching language
English (not separately stated)
Why this program is listed

Cohort-based master's degree presented as completed 100% online.

Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We list online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from institutionally accredited US universities. Eligibility rules

Online format and attendance

“Online” is not one format. Delivery, campus visits, practical placements and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the university states it.
Academic delivery
Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required on-site activity for this program.All coursework is online and the institution states no required on-site activity for this program.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Campus visits
Campus visits: not verified
Practical placement
Placement requirement: not verified
Class schedule
Not verified
Study intensity
Not verified

The program page does not say whether campus visits or placements are required. Ask the university before you apply — missing information is not “no requirement”.

Curriculum

Academic calendar

Other

  • Students need access to a document scanner for submitting handwritten homework and exams in some courses.
    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Prior degree
RequiredUndergraduate degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science or information science (others with extensive software engineering work experience may be considered)
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 3 — Junior/senior GPA of 3.0 or higher
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Prerequisite courses
Not verifiedApplicants not meeting requirements may be asked to complete bridge course work
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two references
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not requiredGRE/GMAT scores are not required and will not be reviewed.
Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    July 20, 2027 · for Fall 2027

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Upcoming

  • Application deadline

    November 20 (start January 11) · for Spring

    The university does not print a year with this date.

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Year not printed

  • Application deadline

    April 20 (start May 10) · for Summer

    The university does not print a year with this date.

    Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
Graduate, 11 or fewer credits per semester$1,048per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$37,728 = 36 credits × $1,048 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Scholarships and financial aid

Awards published by the university for this program or for online students at this level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; financial aid availability does not make a program “fully funded”. Scholarships & funding guide

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation, authorization and licensure

Three separate questions: is the university accredited, can it enroll students from your state online, and does the program meet licensure requirements where you live?

Institutional accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

No programmatic accreditation verified for this program. Institutional accreditation does not imply it.

State authorization

  • Penn State participates in NC-SARA (accepted as a SARA institution on January 25, 2017) and is individually approved to offer programs in California. Official pageSource: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

International applicants

  • International students may apply; English proficiency is required, and institutional, federal or state financial aid requires US citizenship, US national status or permanent residency.Source: worldcampus.psu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 10, 2026.
  1. DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  2. worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-software-engineering-masters-degree — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
  3. worldcampus.psu.edu/state-authorization — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this university? Claim the profile

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