What Can You Do With a Software Engineering Degree?

Florida Tech February 7, 2014

What can you do with a software engineering degree? Pete knows, and he’s ready to tell you all about it in the newest edition of “What can you do with THAT degree?”

The world has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years or so, hasn’t it? No, we haven’t gotten those flying cars yet, but just think of all the other advancements we’ve made. Records have been replaced by mp3 players that are smaller than a deck of cards, holding thousands of songs. Board games are still around, but now we use video games and cell phone apps to keep us busy. The truth is, advanced technology has slowly worked itself into almost every aspect of our world today, largely through the help of software engineers. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?

Before we get into all the great stuff you can do with a software engineering degree, let’s first talk about what software engineering actually is. By definition, it is a branch of computer science that deals with the design, implementation and maintenance of complex computer programs. That would make a software engineer someone who designs, implements and maintains those complex computer programs.

What can you do with a degree in Civil Engineering? — This future software engineer is hard at work developing a video game. What will *you* create with *your* degree?

So let’s answer that burning question: what can you do with a software engineering degree?

You know all those cool (and sometimes quirky) apps you have downloaded to your phone and tablet? Sometimes it’s easy to forget that someone out there took the time to develop that app for your personal enjoyment. Do you know who that someone was? Yep, it was most likely a software engineer who’s responsible for all that fun you’re having – and don’t think they didn’t have just as much fun making it.

What about video games? You like video games, right? From platformers, to shooters, to RPGs – virtually all games need software engineers in order to make their way inside the comforts of your living room. Again, you’re probably not thinking about it in the middle of that final boss fight, but a software engineer was the one who was behind everything you’re seeing on your TV screen – from level design right down to the way your character walks.

Let’s see…what else? Oh, yeah! The music industry! According to TidySongs, a popular iTunes organization application, the number of songs in an average customer’s iTunes library is 7,160. That’s roughly 19 days-worth of music strolling around in your pocket. How is that possibly possible? Software engineers. It doesn’t stop there either. It’s no secret these days that the music you hear on the radio or on your mp3 player has been digitally enhanced to absolute perfection. Electronic effects, auto tune – that type of stuff. But what you might not have known is that a special class of software engineers, audio software engineers, are ones responsible for it.

Using engineering to make music for a living. Does it get any better?