What is Software Engineering?

Software engineering is the branch of computer science that deals with the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software applications. Software engineers apply engineering principles and knowledge of programming languages to build software solutions for end users.

Software engineers design and develop computer games, business applications, operating systems, network control systems, and middleware—to name just a few of the many career paths available.

A career as a software engineer can be both fun and challenging with opportunities to work in almost any industry, including large and small businesses, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare facilities, and more. And as technology continues to evolve, the need for software developers continues to grow. Many companies are also shifting towards hiring software engineers who work from home, allowing for increased flexibility and more opportunities to enter the field.

What Careers Are There in Software Engineering?

Career opportunities in software engineering are driven by new technologies in automobiles, aviation, data management, telecommunications, factory control, robotics, defense, and security. Software engineers may develop computer games, business applications, operating systems, network control systems, and more. A bachelor's degree or higher is often required to work as a software engineer.

Two common jobs within software engineering are applications developers and systems developers.

Applications developers design computer applications, such as games, for consumers. They may create custom software for a specific customer or commercial software to be sold to the general public. Some applications developers create databases or programs for use internally or online.

Systems developers create operating systems, either for the public or for an organization. These operating systems keep computers functioning and control most of the consumer electronics in use today, including those in cell phones and cars. Often, systems developers also build the interface that allows users to interact with the computer.

Of course, applications and systems developer jobs are not the only two positions available in the field of software engineering. Other common roles include mobile developers, applications architects, quality assurance analysts, and database administrators.

Some common job titles for software engineers include:

• Applications Architect
• Applications Developer
• Computer Applications Engineer
• Database Administrator
• Mobile Developer
• Program Manager
• Programmer
• Project Leader
• Quality Assurance Analyst
• Software Engineer
• Software Quality Engineer
• Systems Analyst
• Systems Developer