Software engineering is a relatively new discipline which used to be studied under Computer Engineering. Recent development of service oriented architectures and supporting technologies led to its definition as an independent area of engineering. What used be considered as "extended programming" activities now comprises a large academic domain with its own theories, methodologies and tools.
Technological advances have made hardware cheap and widely available. Network access is almost universally available. Thus, the applications that sit on top of these supporting structures present many opportunities for the software engineering discipline. With software solutions, connected life becomes more productive, healthier and more fun..
On the other hand, software engineering is an interdisciplinary area by its very nature. From the collaboration in application domains to the psychological implications of human computer interaction, this discipline brings together many elements from different fields.