Software Engineering BSc (Hons)

Combine your analytical skills with creativity and study a blend of established theories and modern design techniques to become proficient in developing high quality software. Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, this course prepares you to graduate as an industry-ready software engineer.

Overview
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
more about your DMU
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Overview

As a Software Engineering student at DMU, you will develop the technical skills needed to design and build software that is used in everyday devices and systems across our homes, workplaces and communities.

More than 50 years of teaching experience, research expertise and industry practice will inform your learning.

You will gain knowledge of professional practice and social responsibility by learning about software development, database design, computer security and web technologies. The diverse range of modules you will study  include Concurrent and Parallel Algorithms, Web Application Development, and Data Mining and Telematics.

Taking part in industry-focused scenarios, such as the second-year Agile Team Development module  where students engage in a workplace simulation based on agile software development, will enhance your employability.

Software Engineering BSc is closely aligned with  Computer Science BSc at DMU. This shared focus means you have the flexibility to transfer between courses depending on your interests and what you want to specialise in.

Key features

This course is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.
Tailor your learning to your career ambitions by choosing from a wide range of optional final-year modules, including: Functional Software Development, Data Mining, and Front-end Web Development.
Join our thriving student societies to build on what you learn on the course and to develop your interests and skills outside of teaching time. They include the Games Society, Robotics Club and Google’s Developer Student Club.
Benefit from an international experience with our DMU Global programme. Software Engineering students have networked at software companies in Berlin and met tech entrepreneurs in San Francisco.
Prepare for a career in the thriving software industry. Our graduates have gone on to work for companies such as LHA ASRA Group, Lorien, MISCO, Oracle, Royal Bank of Scotland and Sainsbury’s.
Computer Science and Informatics at DMU is ranked third among modern UK universities for the quality of its research in the latest Research Excellence Framework evaluation.

News stories/case studies

Our students benefitted from companies such as Rolls-Royce and Transport for London hosting a workshop on campus to encourage more engineers from diverse backgrounds into the profession. Industry experts shared top tips, personal guidance on writing winning CVs and interview advice.

Dan O’Kelly was offered an associate software engineer role with Sainsbury’s after making an impression at DMU’s annual networking event, which introduces talented graduates to high-profile employers.

More courses like this:

Computer Science BSc (Hons)

Cyber Security BSc (Hons)

Foundation Year in Computing

Artificial Intelligence BSc (Hons)

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: G600

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding:

2021/22 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: G600

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding:

2021/22 tuition fees for international students: £14,750

2021/22 tuition fees for EU students: £9,250 with our EU undergraduate transitional scholarship (T&Cs apply).

Find out more about available funding for international students.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent, plus one of the following:
Normally 112 UCAS points from at least two A-levels or equivalent or
BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DMM or
Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English and MathematicsGCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course or
International Baccalaureate: 26+ points
Foundation Year in Computing: Pass Foundation, and progression is at the discretion of the programme leader. Refer to the Foundation team for further guidance.

Portfolio Required : No

Interview Required: No

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications

English language

If English is not your first language then an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (or equivalent) is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff. Find out more.

Structure and assessment

First year modules:

Computer Programming I
Computer Programming II
Computer Ethics
Computer Law and Cyber Security
Computer Systems
Computer Networks
Mathematics for Computing
Database Design and Implementation

Second year modules:

Software and Security Management
Object Oriented Design
Object Oriented Development
Web Application Development
Agile Team Development
Data Structures and Algorithms
Concurrent and Parallel Algorithms
Big Data and Machine Learning

Third year modules:

Development Project*
Systems Building: Methods
Mobile Application Development
Scalable Software Architectures

Optional modules:

Secure Web Application Development
Web Application Penetration Testing
Multi-service Networks I
Multi-service Networks II
Functional Software Development
Front-End Web Development
Interaction Design
Database Management and Programming
Rigorous Systems
Product Development & Innovation Management
Embedded Systems Programming

Click here for more detailed module information.

Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.

*The accredited BCS programme requires that the third year development project module is passed.

During the course you will benefit from learning informed by research. Our leading research Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility provides the basis for the ethical computing content of the course, ensuring that your learning is at the cutting edge of recent developments.

Our Software Technology Research Laboratory provides material for the final year module on rigorous systems and has helped to develop the second year concurrent and distributed systems topics. The Cyber Security Centre (CSC) has developed computer security material for the course content that is relevant to practice.

In the first year, you will normally attend around 12-14 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, split across a variety of lectures, small group activities and practical laboratory work.

There are a variety of assessment methods, typically including short tests, practical software development tasks, written work, and presentations. Your written and academic reading skills will be developed in the ethics and law topics and you will develop a portfolio that will give you experience of practical development.

In the second year, the emphasis moves towards more substantive practical assignments and you will practise modern software development techniques. Research and presentation skills are also important in the second year.

In the final year, the individual software development project forms a major part of the practical assessment.

This course is accredited by the BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT.

Once you have graduated and begun to work as an IT professional you can apply to become a full member of the BCS and, as your career develops, gain the status of Chartered IT Professional (CITP), giving you a recognised industry-relevant qualification.

Facilities and features

Computer Science Laboratories

Our laboratories are equipped with 100 computer workstations including HP PCs running Windows/Linux.

All the machines are connected to a dedicated high-performance file server so students can store and back up their work. Many of the software packages provided are open source, which means students can download and run the software they need for their coursework while at home.

The laboratories also include study spaces where you can work individually or in groups. Software Engineering  students are timetabled to use this space for their formal classes and are encouraged to use these facilities when they are available at other times.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available.

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose.

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Blackboard, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub.

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Graduate Careers

Our graduates are working as business intelligence analysts, international business analysts, software application developers and software engineers for companies such as Lorien, MISCO, Oracle, Royal Bank of Scotland and Sainsbury’s.

Graduates are also well positioned to continue their academic careers by embarking on postgraduate study in either research or taught areas, which offers the opportunity to further specialise and enhance existing skills.

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

While overseas DMU Global opportunities are not currently possible, DMU will continue to review government advice and if travel is permitted, we hope to offer a small number of extra-curricular opportunities in the summer of 2021.

Software Engineering students have  had the chance to network with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, explore science and technology museums in Berlin, and test their skills at Spyscape in New York.  They have also attended the SAS Global Forum in Washington DC and visited  Telefonica in Madrid.

Placements

During this course you will have the option to complete a paid placement year, an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice. This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career.

Our careers programme DMU Works can help to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement.

Previous Software Engineering students have completed placements at a number of local and national companies, including Arm Ltd, Gigaclear, IBM, Netready, Next and SAP.