Are you passionate about computer and its internal nitty-gritty? If you don’t mind coding and decoding then software engineering would be the right career choice for you. Software engineering is a lucrative profession and has endless scope in today’s computer-driven world which has every intention to stay so in the future as well. Software, which is a modifiable set of encoded instructions, is the life and soul of a computer and software engineering revolves around about building, rebuilding and maintaining various forms of computer software. It deals with the analysis, designing, assessment, implementation, testing, maintenance and reengineering of software that find application from individuals to corporate and from children to the elderly. The needs of the customers are ever changing and so, a software engineer has to design or modify software accordingly. This article describes the qualifications and skills needed for software engineering, courses offered in this direction, and also the job responsibilities and career prospects of this profession. Read on!
Requirements
Eligibility
One has to take science, mathematics or computer science as optional streams during higher secondary education if one wishes to become a software engineer. Graduation can be done with software engineering, computer science or computer information systems as major. However, a degree in software engineering is preferred to a general degree like computer science. Almost 80% of software engineers have either a bachelor’s degree or higher degrees in software engineering. As in any other profession, those who possess higher qualification are benefitted with better opportunities and so, further studies are recommended after graduation. Internship experiences can act as added qualifications.
Courses Required
The following courses can give you an edge over the others in this field.
Master’s Program
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M. Sc. or M. tech. in Computer Science
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Software Engineering Master’s program or Master’s of Science in Software Engineering
Doctorate Program
Ph.D. in software engineering can suit the needs of those candidates who are either looking forward to research in this field or see themselves as the instructors of this subject in various universities.
Skills Required
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Programming and networking skills
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Project management and quality assurance
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Software modeling and flow chart designing skills
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Knowledge of software, programming languages and hardware
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Proficiency in interpreting and developing technical plans
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Problem solving capacity with a creative approach
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Computer aided software understanding, good analytics and a keen observation
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Good communication skills and a willingness to work in team along with the ability to meet deadlines
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Presentation skills and professional ethics
Roles And Responsibilities
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Constructing computer programs: A software engineer has to develop computer programs to control and coordinate various internal demands of the company, like maintaining a contract between the stake holders and organization, maintaining administrative databases etc.
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Designing, coding and debugging software
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Project planning: Planning and developing various software development projects according to the needs of the client
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Software engineers must consult clients, discuss their requirements and design new software accordingly. They can either construct a new computer software according to the prerequisites of the clients or modify the existing ones to meet the new needs
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Software testing: Software engineers also have to test their product beforehand to ensure the stakeholders’ satisfaction. They must also help their clients appreciate and understand the risks of implementing the software.
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Analyzing test results: They analyze test results to check whether the software meets their requirements or not and also find out and cure software bugs, if any.
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Software installation: Installing software in a system and ensuring whether or not it is running properly is also an important responsibility.
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Fixing technical problems: Software may develop some technical problems and these problems must be fixed for their efficient functioning
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Consulting and advising clients: Clients may have many doubts about the software and its efficiency. A software engineer must be able to educate them about the efficiency of the software and clear their doubts in a non-technical language.
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Generally, software engineers work with business analysts and computer programmers to identify the needs and requirements of the company to develop software accordingly.
Career Prospects
IT industry is one of the fastest growing sectors across the globe and job opportunities in this arena are expected to rise. “Time magazine” also listed this profession as #1 in remuneration. But though this growth means huge demand in the number of engineers required, one can never underestimate the importance of real talent and hard work. Software engineers work for different range of industries. Career opportunities are open right from manufacturing to services to entertainment industry and even Government establishments.
Hope this article helped you to find answer to your doubts. Wish you a bright career ahead!
