-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001013594-08-000595.txt : 20081007
<SEC-HEADER>0001013594-08-000595.hdr.sgml : 20081007
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20081007175441
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001013594-08-000595
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20081002
FILED AS OF DATE:		20081007
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20081007

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MSC SOFTWARE CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000717238
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				952239450
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		815 COLORADO BLVD
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90041
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3232589111

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		815 COLORADO BOULEVARD
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90041

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MACNEAL SCHWENDLER CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES, L.P.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000904495
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08722
		FILM NUMBER:		081113008

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		712 FIFTH AVENUE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2125062999

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		712 FIFTH AVE
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES LP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930513
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>mscfm4-100708_1ex.xml
<DESCRIPTION>OCTOBER 7, 2008
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-10-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000717238</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MSC SOFTWARE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MSCS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000904495</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>712 FIFTH AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-10-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.2477</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2335334</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-10-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2609</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.1478</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2337943</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Elliott Associates, L.P. (&quot;Elliott&quot;) directly owns 10,000 shares of common stock, and indirectly owns through The Liverpool
 Limited Partnership, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elliott, 2,327,943 shares of common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Elliot Greenberg, VP of Braxton Associates, Inc., as GP of Elliott Capital Advisors, L.P., as GP of Elliott Associates, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-10-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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