Software Engineering: The Top Universities and Programs to Consider
Software engineering is one of the fastest-growing fields of study, and it’s not just for people who love math and coding. Software engineers are a hybrid type of worker that has knowledge and skills from a variety of different disciplines. They use their diverse background to analyze user needs and apply software development best practices to build both new software programs and also improve existing ones. Software engineers can work in almost any field, from healthcare to finance, manufacturing, and beyond. More than that, software engineers are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs for software developers will grow by nearly 20% through 2024, which is much faster than average job growth across all industries. Here are some top universities for studying software engineering along with several sample programs to get you started if this field interests you:
Stanford University: Computer Science Degree
Stanford University is a well-known academic institution with a long history of excellence in engineering and computer science. The Computer Science department at Stanford is particularly renowned for excellence, and Stanford University is one of the top engineering schools in the world. If you decide to attend Stanford, you can expect an intense experience both academically and socially. Stanford is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, so you are in the midst of the tech industry while attending school. The curriculum at Stanford is very heavy in theory, with lots of heavy math, statistics, and computer science theory. If you are interested in applying to Stanford, keep in mind that the acceptance rate is just shy of 5%, making it one of the most selective universities in the country. You can expect to apply to the Computer Science program as either a “Computer Science” major or a “Computer Engineering” major, and the Computer Science degree takes about five years to complete. The Computer Engineering degree is a five-year program that puts more emphasis on hardware than software engineering.
Carnegie Mellon University: Software Engineering Degree
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university with a long history of excellence in engineering and computer science. The Tepper School of Business at CMU is a highly ranked business school, and the School of Computer Science is a world-renowned computer science program. If you decide to attend CMU, you can expect a campus environment that is less intense than Stanford, but still demanding and very academically focused. CMU is located in Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon’s reputation for research and innovation is well-earned. CMU’s curriculum is very interdisciplinary and focuses on engineering, business, and other disciplines. CMU’s computer science program focuses heavily on the application of computer science and engineering to solve real-world problems. CMU is an excellent option for students who want to study computer science but are also interested in how computer science is applied to real-world problems. If you decide to attend CMU, you can expect a curriculum that focuses heavily on engineering and design methodologies. CMU has a very selective admissions process and a thorough engineering computer science program that takes about five years to complete.
University of California-Berkeley: Computer Science Degree
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is a large public research university with a very selective admissions process. UC Berkeley is a top engineering school and the College of Engineering is a world-renowned engineering program. If you decide to attend UC Berkeley, you can expect to be immersed in a very competitive academic environment with a curriculum that is very focused on engineering, math, and science. UC Berkeley is one of the most selective engineering schools in the country, so if you do decide to attend, you will be surrounded by exceptionally bright, motivated students. The curriculum at UC Berkeley is very multi-disciplinary, and the engineering program is heavily focused on design and engineering methodologies. If you decide to attend UC Berkeley, you can expect to have most of your core computer science classes in the College of Engineering. Students in the College of Engineering take a core sequence of classes in their third year that is very heavy in computer science theory and engineering design methodologies. If you decide to attend UC Berkeley, you can expect to spend five to six years completing your engineering computer science program.
Princeton University: Computer Science Degree
Princeton University is a private research university with a small, selective student body. Princeton is a top engineering school and the Princeton Engineering and Applied Science (PEAS) program is a world-renowned engineering program. If you decide to attend Princeton, you can expect to be surrounded by exceptionally bright and motivated students. The Princeton curriculum is very interdisciplinary, and the engineering program is heavily focused on design and engineering methodologies. If you decide to attend Princeton, you will be part of the PEAS program. The PEAS program is a five-year engineering program that has a heavy focus on computer science theory, design methodologies, and engineering design. If you decide to attend Princeton, you can expect to spend five years completing your engineering computer science program.
Cornell University: Computer Science and Engineering Degree
The Cornell University Engineering program is a highly ranked engineering program with a very selective admissions process. If you decide to attend Cornell, you can expect to be immersed in a very competitive academic environment with a curriculum that is very focused on engineering, math, and science. Cornell is one of the most selective engineering schools in the country, so if you do decide to attend, you will be surrounded by exceptionally bright, motivated students. The curriculum at Cornell is very multi-disciplinary, and the engineering program is heavily focused on design and engineering methodologies. If you decide to attend Cornell, you can expect to take core engineering classes in your sophomore year that are very heavy in computer science theory and engineering design methodologies. If you decide to attend Cornell, you can expect to spend five to six years completing your engineering computer science program.
Conclusion:
We at Coachable believe a traditional degree isn't necessary to land a FAANG software engineering job. That is, if you are committed to the career field and willing to work twice as hard to land that job. If you choose to skip the traditional route and learn software development through a boot camp or a self-taught regimen you're going to need the assistance of a career mentor to prepare you for technical interviews and make sure your skills are well refined. We happily accept all students who demonstrate a knowledge of CS introductory principles and a willingness to improve and learn.
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