Online Software Engineering Graduate Certificate
The online Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) is designed to produce skilled software engineers who will be able to participate in, and lead, development projects.
Software is everywhere nowadays and, as such, skilled and qualified software engineers are always in demand. The BU MET Software Engineering online certificate provides you with in-depth understanding and hands-on practice in how to plan, understand and analyze the requirements, design, implement, test, and deploy high-quality software applications. The program emphasizes important concepts and principles in software design as well as best practices used in the software industry. As a student in BU MET’s Software Engineering program, you will develop technical prowess along with valuable management and soft skills. The program can help current programmers or software engineers seek professional growth in the software industry.
Students who complete the Online Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering will be able to demonstrate:
- Advanced knowledge of software projects, including requirements analysis, object-oriented methods, design patterns, testing, and maintenance.
- Proficiency in software project management, software design, Unified Modeling Language usage, and computer-aided software engineering.
- Competence sufficient to participate in and lead the planning, requirements analysis, design, and timely implementation of quality software applications within budget.
Awards & Accreditations
Newsweek magazine ranked Boston University’s online programs #4 in the nation in its 2023 survey.
Why Choose BU’s Online Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering?
- Four-course certificate program comprises courses shared by the MS in Software Development and the MS in Computer Information Systems, both ranked #10 among the nation’s Best Online Master's in Computer Information Technology Programs (U.S. News & World Report 2025).
- Students benefit from a supportive online network, with courses developed and taught by PhD-level full-time faculty and professionals with hands-on expertise in the industry.
- Small course sections ensure that students get the attention they need, while case studies and real-world projects ensure that they gain in-depth, practical experience with the latest technologies.
Career Outlook
Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers
25% increase in jobs through 2032
$130,160 median annual pay in 2023
Computer and Information Research Scientists
23% increase in jobs through 2032
$145,080 median annual pay in 2023
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook (visited July 29, 2024)
Best Technology Jobs, 2025 U.S. News & World Report
- #1 IT Manager
- #2 Software Developer
- #3 Information Security Analyst
- #4 Data Scientist
- #5 Actuary
- #6 Computer Network Architect
- #7 Operations Research Analyst
- #8 Computer Systems Analyst
- #9 Statistician
- #10 Web Developer
- #11 Database Administrator
- #12 Computer Support Specialist
- #13 Mathematician
- #14 Computer Systems Administrator
- #15 Computer Programmer
Tuition & Financial Assistance
Money Matters
Boston University Metropolitan College (MET) offers competitive tuition rates that meet the needs of part-time students seeking an affordable education. These rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education. To learn more about current tuition rates, visit the MET website.
Financial Assistance
Comprehensive financial assistance services are available at MET, including scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans. There is no cost to apply for financial assistance, and you may qualify for a student loan regardless of your income. Learn more.
Curriculum
Boston University’s Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering consists of four required online courses (16 credits).
Academic credits earned toward the online Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering may be transferred to the online Master of Science degrees in Computer Information Systems or Software Development.
Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
METCS622 Advanced Programming Techniques
Polymorphism, containers, libraries, method specifications, large-scale code management, use of exceptions, concurrent programming, functional programming, programming tests. Java will be used to illustrate these concepts. Students will implement a project or projects of their own choosing, in Java, since some concepts are expressible only in Java. Prerequisite: MET CS 342 or equivalent knowledge of Java. Or MET CS 521 and MET CS 526. Or instructor's consent. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Creativity/Innovation, Critical Thinking. [4 credits]
METCS665 Software Design and Patterns
Graduate Prerequisites: (METCS341 or METCS342 and METCS565) or consent of the instructor - Software design principles, the object-oriented paradigm, unified modeling language; creational, structural, and behavioral design patterns; OO analysis and design; implementation of semester project. Laboratory course. Prereq: (MET CS 526 or MET CS 622) and one of the following (MET CS 341, MET CS 342, MET CS 520, or MET CS 521). Or instructor's consent. [4 credits]
METCS673 Software Engineering
Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET CS342 and at least one 500-level computer programming-intensive sc ience course (or instructor's consent). MET CS 564 or MET CS 565 are r ecommended. - Overview of techniques and tools to develop high quality software. Topics include software development life cycle such as Agile and DevOps, requirements analysis, software design, programming techniques, refactoring, testing, as well as software management issues. This course features a semester-long group project where students will design and develop a real world software system in groups using Agile methodology and various SE tools, including UML tools, project management tools, programming frameworks, unit and system testing tools , integration tools and version control tools.
Prereq: This is a capstone course to be taken after at least two programming intensive courses toward the end of a program of study. Familiarity with OO design concepts and proficiency in at least one high-level programming language is required. Or, Instructor's consent. Familiarity with web or mobile application development preferred.
Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration. [4 credits]
And one of the following:
METCS520 Information Structures with Java
Undergraduate Prerequisites: Prerequisites: MET CS 201, Introduction to Programming (On Campus and Blended); MET CS 200, Fundamentals of Information Technology (Online O nly) - This course covers the concepts of object-oriented approach to software design and development using the Java programming language. It includes a detailed discussion of programming concepts starting with the fundamentals of data types, control structures methods, classes, applets, arrays and strings, and proceeding to advanced topics such as inheritance and polymorphism, interfaces, creating user interfaces, exceptions, and streams. Upon completion of this course the students will be able to apply software engineering criteria to design and implement Java applications that are secure, robust, and scalable. Prereq: MET CS 200 or MET CS 300 or Instructor's Consent. Not recommended for students without a programming background. For undergraduate students: This course may not be taken in conjunction with METCS232. Only one of these courses can be counted towards degree requirements. [4 credits]
METCS601 Web Application Development
Prerequisites: WAD 100 - Learn essential front-end development skills, starting with foundational JavaScript techniques, such as DOM manipulation and event handling, and advancing to interactive web technologies like HTML's Drag and Drop, Canvas, and SVG. You will be exposed to asynchronous operations, including AJAX, the Fetch API, and Web Workers, and learn to craft responsive designs using Flexbox, CSS Grid, and advanced CSS selectors. A comprehensive exploration of TypeScript and its main feature, static typing, and capabilities will also be covered. The course concludes with a comprehensive dive into ReactJS, covering its core architectural concepts, component-based structure, and state management techniques [4 credits]
Admission & Prerequisite Information
Admissions
Visit the Metropolitan College Graduate application page to learn more and apply.
Prerequisites
Applicants are not required to have a degree in computer science for entry to a program within the Department of Computer Science. Upon review of your application, the department will determine if the completion of prerequisite coursework will be required, based on your academic and professional background.
A maximum of two graduate-level courses (8 credits) taken at Metropolitan College before acceptance into the program may be applied towards the certificate.
Eric Braude
Associate Professor and Director of Digital Learning, Computer Science
PhD, Columbia University; MS, University of Miami; MS, University of Illinois; BS, University of Natal (South Africa)
Lou Chitkushev
Associate Dean, Academic Affairs; Associate Professor, Computer Science; Director, Health Informatics and Health Sciences
PhD, Boston University; MS, Medical College of Virginia; MS, BS, University of Belgrade
John Day
Lecturer, Computer Science
MSEE, BSEE, University of Illinois
View all CS Faculty
Stu Jacobs
Lecturer, Computer Science
MS, Southern Connecticut State University; BS, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Suresh Kalathur
Assistant Professor, Computer Science; Director, Analytics
PhD, Brandeis University; MS, Indian Institute of Technology; BS, Regional Engineering College (Warangal, India)
Vijay Kanabar, PMP
Associate Professor, Computer Science and Administrative Sciences; Director, Project Management
PhD, University of Manitoba (Canada); MS, Florida Institute of Technology; MBA, Webber College; BS, University of Madras (India)
Jae Young Lee
Assistant Professor, Computer Science; Coordinator, Databases
PhD, MS, University of Texas at Arlington; BS, Seoul National University (Korea)
Robert Schudy
Associate Professor Emeritus, Computer Science
PhD, MS, University of Rochester; BA, University of California San Diego
Victor Shtern
Associate Professor Emeritus, Computer Science
PhD, Leningrad Aluminum Institute (Russia); MS, Leningrad Institute of Technology; MBA, Boston University
Anatoly Temkin
Assistant Professor Emeritus, Computer Science
PhD, Kazan University (Russia); MS, Moscow University
Guanglan Zhang
Associate Professor and Chair, Computer Science; Coordinator, Health Informatics
PhD, MEng, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; BS, Luoyang Institute of Technology
Yuting Zhang
Assistant Professor, Computer Science; Coordinator, Information Security
PhD, Boston University; MS, BS University of Science and Technology Beijing
Tanya Zlateva
Dean, Metropolitan College; Professor of the Practice, Computer Science and Education; Director, Information Security
PhD, Dresden University of Technology (Germany); MS, Dresden University of Technology; BS, Dresden University of Technology
Getting Started
To learn more or to contact an enrollment advisor before you get started, request information using the button below and tell us a little about yourself. Someone will be in touch to answer any questions you may have about the program and detail the next steps in earning your degree. You can also start your application or register for a course at Metropolitan College.
Graduate Certificate