<p>As a senior mathematics undergrad looking to apply to Software Engineering for graduate school, I have looked at admissions requirements for software engineering masters and they do appear to take math undergrads but expect a bit of a CS background. I've essentially got a CS minor but do not quite meet all of the CS requirements (I meet most!) for some of these programs. How exactly is this issue resolved? I have read it has something to do with me (possibly) being admitted to the master's program but being asked to take some undergrad classes to catch up before I can start my master's track. I have also read from some universities that they may admit people who do not meet every single requirement as long as they appear that they can finish the master's in a timely manner. Some of the programs I've looked into have a Summer and Fall deadline and then some only have a Fall deadline. Since I graduate in the spring this year, I am thinking it would be good if I could get admitted into a master's program for the fall but take courses at that institution during the summer so that I am ready to start in the Fall. Is that a common route or do people typically have to start taking the pre-req stuff in the Fall and then get pushed back a year before they can start their masters? I'm just confused on how that process works, I'm not sure if there's a common way it is addressed or if it's more about me having to contact each institution individually to ask. Thanks!</p>
<p>There is no one answer. The most likely scenario is that you will be asked to take some undergraduate courses to make up deficiencies. In some cases, one or two undergraduate courses can be used in a Masters program as electives. The idea of taking summer classes is a reasonable one if the courses you need are offered. Sometimes the higher level courses are not offered during the summers.</p>
<p>There is no substitute for finding out how the schools you are interested in handle the situation because that is important information in your decisions on whether to attend. The best way to get this information is to ask the schools themselves.</p>
<p>It depends on the program.</p>
<p>Some programs will admit you on the condition that you finish undergraduate pre-requisites. Some of those programs will require you to do them before you begin any graduate classes, whereas others will allow you to take them concurrently with the graduate classes.</p>
<p>Some programs will not admit you if you don’t have all the pre-requisites. In that case, you can take the pre-reqs as a non-degree student at a local four-year college before you apply.</p>
<p>And it’s exactly like xraymancs said - there are no shortcuts. You’d have to contact the schools individually to see how they handle it.</p>