Shaping the Future of Software Engineering in an AI World
At Carnegie Mellon University, we see software engineering as more than just technology development—it's a transformative discipline that shapes our digital society, enhances everyday life, and addresses humanity's most pressing challenges. Software engineering is increasingly enhanced by AI agents, and software engineering contributes to building better AI systems. Grounded in rigorous scientific knowledge, software engineering at CMU develops innovative, effective, and practical solutions to complex computing and information-processing problems.
Our Vision and Legacy
Our Vision: Leading the Next Generation
Our Software Engineering Ph.D. program is dedicated to cultivating visionary leaders who will set new standards in research, education, and industry. We prepare:
- Research leaders who create revolutionary methods for engineering software that redefine what's possible.
- Educational leaders who inspire and equip future software engineers to excel with professionalism and purpose.
- Industry leaders who tackle challenging software development problems head-on, driving meaningful transformations throughout society.
A Legacy of Innovation and Impact
For decades, Carnegie Mellon has been at the forefront of software engineering innovation. Our groundbreaking contributions include foundational concepts such as information hiding, abstract data types, software architecture, and socio-technical coordination—concepts that are now cornerstones of modern software development. Today, our faculty continue to lead pioneering efforts in fields such as:
- AI-powered automated testing and automated program repair
- Large language models for code generation
- Empirical studies of software developers and their organizations, providing deep insights into how individuals and teams collaborate and succeed.
- Design of robust, adaptive, and safe software systems.
Dive Deeper into Our Story
The story of software engineering at Carnegie Mellon is rich, groundbreaking, and far too expansive to fully capture here. To delve deeper into how our approach has consistently redefined the discipline, we recommend exploring these foundational resources:
"Software Engineering for the 21st Century: A Basis for Rethinking the Curriculum"
Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering PhD program builds upon Dr. Mary Shaw's influential manifesto, "Software Engineering for the 21st Century." Inspired by Shaw’s pioneering vision, our curriculum integrates rigorous computer science foundations, disciplined systems thinking, and human-centered insights. It sees regular updates as technologies change while many software engineering principles and foundations remain stable. Students engage immediately with cutting-edge research, tackling complex challenges such as AI engineering, large-scale system reliability, distributed programming models, and human-computer/human-AI interaction. This forward-looking approach equips graduates to drive innovation, navigate emerging technological landscapes, and meaningfully address critical societal needs.
Half a Century of Software Engineering Education: The CMU Exemplar
Our program embodies a legacy of innovative education spanning more than 50 years—highlighted in the influential IEEE Software article, "Half a Century of Software Engineering Education: The CMU Exemplar," by Nancy Mead, David Garlan, and Mary Shaw. From foundational achievements in software architecture and information hiding to pioneering empirical research and automated program repair, CMU has continually shaped the discipline. Today, our PhD students carry forward this tradition of excellence, combining deep theoretical understanding with practical experience to become visionary leaders who redefine the software engineering landscape and positively impact society.