100% online software development degree with no campus visits required
Master’s in Software Development Online DegreeMaster’s in Software Development Online DegreeMaster’s in Software Development Online Degree
Learning to code takes time. Mastering it takes skill. Earn your online master’s degree in software development.
Today more than ever, companies need software developers who can keep up with the latest trends — in coding, apps, agile methodology, project management and interface design — and turn this technology to their strategic advantage. When you earn your online Master of Science in Software Development at Maryville University, you gain the skills to begin or advance your career in software development and seize the extraordinary opportunities this field has to offer.
Top career skills you can develop:
- Agile methodology
- Troubleshooting
- Automation
- SQL and Python
- Project management
No GMAT, GRE or application fee
Graduate in as little as 12 months
3 start times per year (spring, summer and fall)
4 coding classes, 5 management core courses and 1 capstone
No previous experience in business required
Why earn your master’s in software development online?
Software developers create the computer programs and software systems essential to our modern world. Virtually all of today’s industries and organizations rely on software to support their operations, resulting in tremendous demand for software development professionals who command higher-than-average earnings.
What Can You Do with an Online Software Development Degree?
Software development encompasses a wide range of professional roles and responsibilities, including:
- Applications software developers, who design computer applications for use in consumer or commercial software to be sold to the public. In some organizations, software development professionals create databases or programs for use internally or online.
- Software engineers, who are responsible for assessing a project’s system and software needs so they can plan its scope and the order of work. Software engineering professionals in this role may supervise software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers.
- Systems software developers, who create the operating systems that control the consumer electronics we use today, from cell phones and tablet computers to smart cars and home appliances. Software systems developers may also build the interfaces through which users interact with computers.
Software development experts with a master’s degree and the relevant experience can become project managers or computer and information systems managers — all senior-level positions that oversee the software development process.
Software development careers
Earn your online software development degree from Maryville, and you could begin or advance your career in roles such as:
- Applications software developer
- DevOps engineer
- Software consultant
- Software developer
- UX (user experience) designer
- Web software developer
In settings such as:
- Business and finance
- Government and defense
- Healthcare
- Information technology
- Research and development
- Retail
Industry outlook for software developers
A master’s in software development online puts you in an excellent position to advance in a field where career possibilities are wide and varied.
The number of software developer jobs held in 2022 was roughly 1.79 million.1
The median annual salary for software developers was US$132,270 in 2023.2
Employment in software development is projected to grow 25% by 2032.3
U.S. News & World Report ranks software developer #1 on its 2024 list of the 100 Best Technology Jobs.4
What is the typical median software development salary?
Your online master’s in software development can qualify you to pursue careers with median annual salaries such as these:
Why choose Maryville for your master’s in software development online?
Our master’s in software development online program, which is offered by the John E. Simon School of Business at Maryville University, prepares you for a career on the leading edge of software technology project management and troubleshooting. Equipped with the knowledge this program provides, you can become the leader who creates the big ideas, develops them and then manages them to launch and beyond. Your Maryville degree will carry the distinction of a university respected worldwide for its quality, value and affordability.
Maryville’s online software development master’s curriculum
As a student in Maryville’s online software development degree program, you’ll receive broad-based instruction in software design and development, coupled with deeper vertical studies of more complex and specialized applications.
The result is a curriculum structured for long-term success in an innovative industry. You can complete the program 100% online in as little as 12 months. Learn more on our curriculum page.
Maximize your opportunity with our diverse online curriculum.Want to build your programming and agile methodology skills? Need to grow your knowledge of databases, automation and cloud environments? Looking to create clean, user-friendly interfaces and design? We’ve built our online Master of Science in Software Development curriculum to help you achieve all of this and more.
At Maryville, you can gain an advanced understanding of the creation, architecture and presentation of software and applications. And to top it off, you’ll have the opportunity to see your skills in action in our capstone course as you design, plan, develop, problem solve and deploy a web application of your own.
Prepare for a high-tech career.
At Maryville, we designed our online Master of Science in Software Development curriculum to help you meet today’s technology challenges and take advantage of the opportunities in this booming field. Our goal is to help you deepen your understanding of the tech and principles behind software design, so you can grow into a capable and confident leader in the field.
Insights from our faculty
Joseph Gradecki, program coordinator and instructor of software development, shared his thoughts about the software development program.
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One of the core differences between our program and others is that we do not merely teach a language. Our goal is to give the students the fundamental skills of software development so they can use them in any programming language. We want to produce a software developer who can immediately move into the workplace regardless of the technology the employer uses. At the same time, we stay current, working with cloud platforms, for example. Employable software developers are those who have been exposed to the solid and proven technologies used today, and cloud is one such technology.
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One transferable skill is knowledge of software development fundamentals. We teach the fundamentals of development instead of just a language. The student should be able to take the fundamental tools we teach and use them in other software languages.
Another of the primary skills will be time management. The program is rigorous, and weekly deadlines need to be met. The students will, in a sense, be forced to manage their time to accomplish the weekly assignments.
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One of the biggest challenges is human resources. There just aren’t enough software developers, and this will only get worse.
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Learn data structures and how those structures affect the underlying computing system. Learn about memory management. Resist the temptation to be a siloed developer who concentrates only on the front-end GUI or the back-end server. A great software developer can write code regardless of where that code will reside.
Master’s in software development online: admission requirements
To be considered for the online software development degree you must have a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The following materials are required to apply:
- Official academic transcripts — we’ll request them for you.
- A completed online application — no fee required.
- Personal letter explaining qualifications for graduate work.
To find additional eligibility and application information, visit our admissions page.To learn more about requirements for international students, visit our international admissions page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Software development encompasses many different roles and responsibilities, including project management, quality assurance and testing. Completing your online master’s in software development can prepare you for careers in virtually any industry and sector, such as retail, financial services, government or healthcare.
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Our online master’s degree in software development requires 30 graduate credit hours and can be completed in as few as 12 months. Students with eligible transfer credits may be able to complete it sooner.
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Earning your master’s degree in software development online can put you on a path to career advancement, higher wages and management-level positions. Master’s in software development programs provide students with a deeper look into topics such as emerging technologies and allow for greater specialization, letting you explore areas that align with your professional interests and goals.
Apply to the online master’s degree in software development program at Maryville University
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
- U.S. News Ranks the Best Jobs of 2024. (2023). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved April 22, 2024. ↩︎
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Web Developers and Digital Designers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer Programmers. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 26, 2024. ↩︎
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