School and Ranking Information
Only two schools within 25 miles of Atlanta provide software engineering degree programs. Based on ranking, number of degrees awarded and student population, the following university is considered a top school in the Atlanta area for software engineering programs:
- Winner: Kennesaw State University (formerly Southern Polytechnic State University, SPSU) has two campus locations in Marietta and Kennesaw, just north of Atlanta, GA. The School of Computing and Software Engineering offers bachelor's and master's degree and graduate certificate programs in software engineering. The university grants more bachelor's degrees in software engineering than any other school in or near Atlanta and is the only institution in the area that grants master's degrees in this field of study.
School Info Chart
| Category | Kennesaw State University (formerly Southern Polytechnic State University) |
|---|---|
| Rankings | #331-#440 National university (2020)*; #70 Best undergraduate engineering programs (2022)* |
| Location | Marietta/Kennesaw, Georgia*** |
| School Type | 4-year, public |
| Tuition & Fees (2021-2022) | Undergrad: $6,436 (in state); $17,690 (out-of-state)** |
| Software Engineering Degrees Offered | Bachelor's and master's degrees; graduate certificates |
| Software Engineering Degrees Awarded (all levels) in 2020-2021 | 110** |
| Most Popular Software Engineering Degree Level in 2020-2021 | Bachelor's (62 awarded)** |
| Undergraduate Graduation Rate (in 150% of normal degree time) for 2015 Entering Class | 49%** |
| Noteworthy | Bachelor's degree program in software engineering accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET; SPSU is the first school in Georgia to offer an undergraduate program in software engineering. |
Sources: *U.S. News and World Report; **NCES College Navigator; ***Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University (formerly Southern Polytechnic State University)
- Student organizations at SPSU include the Open Source Software Society
- Cutting-edge research facilities and labs
- Master's degree in software engineering offered on-campus or completely online; weekend and evening classes also offered
Established in 1948, Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) is just a 20-minute drive from downtown Atlanta. The school is part of University System of Georgia. The School of Computing and Software Engineering houses the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, which offers degree programs and certificates in a variety of technology-based disciplines. The software engineering program grew out of SPSU's involvement with Yamacraw, which is an initiative that promotes the state's role in developing communication systems.
Students learn to master software design and development, computer hardware applications, software tools and systems as well as the responsible and ethical use of applied computer science in the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering program. Standard courses cover programming and problem solving, computer organization and architecture, operating systems, database systems and software testing. The Master of Science in Software Engineering program teaches advanced principles of software engineering, including project management, software architecture and quality assurance. In order to register, students must have at least a bachelor's degree in any field; those without a bachelor's in software engineering take transition courses before beginning the graduate program. There is a thesis and a project option in this program.
