Computer software is all around us. From commercial activities like shopping on Amazon through to government departments, from manufacturing processes, to environmental, and personal use, it plays a part in so many industries and activities, where a small change could make a huge difference to society. This STEM course aims to give you an understanding of what’s possible, and where your skills could take you, as well as guiding you in developing hands-on, practical skills and understanding the human and social contexts of software systems.

Software engineering is all about finding practical solutions to real problems. To succeed, employers will want you to be able to produce software that is robust, sustainable, reliable and attractive to use – all at a reasonable cost and to a certain timeframe. This course could help you develop the skills you need to become a professional software developer.

As industries develop and change, the possibilities and requirements of software engineering change rapidly too. We aim to give you the knowledge and skills you need to operate and succeed in this fast paced and dynamic environment. You’ll have the chance to:

• Explore contemporary methods and techniques in software development
• Develop the flexibility and adaptability you’ll need for a long-term career

On campus we have high-standard computing facilities, in our laboratories you’ll find a range of machines running a variety of operating systems and software.

After your second year you’ll be able to take an optional placement year, where you’ll be able to put into practice some of the techniques you’ve learnt. By gaining some real-world experience, you could make yourself more attractive to employers too.

The Software Engineering BSc(Hons) course shares a common first year with a number of other courses: Computing, Computing Science and Software Engineering MEng. That means you have the flexibility to transfer from one course to another during your first year if you feel you have a particular interest in a subject that perhaps you haven’t experienced before. To transfer to the integrated Master’s courses depends on achieving an average mark of 60% in your first year.

Placements

This course offers you the chance to undertake an optional placement in Year 3. This opportunity helps you to build on the knowledge and skills developed on the course. You will be employed by the company for 12 months, but the actual number of weeks worked will be dependent on the annual leave entitlement you are given in line with the placement company’s policy.

The placement year is a valuable tool that can enhance your employability and help you to develop as an individual. It is acknowledged that graduates with industry experience are generally much more attractive to employers.

Our Placement Unit will be on hand to support you in finding suitable placement opportunities. They will assist you with preparing your CV and with interview techniques. They'll also be in contact with you during your placement so that you'll be fully supported while you gain the experience that employers value so highly.

The Placement Unit team are regularly in contact with local and national companies. Previous students have spent their placement year at companies including HMRC, Laterooms Ltd, and Intel, as well as smaller companies from the local economy and further afield. You can find more information on placements here.

Alternatively, if you are a student from within the UK, you could consider starting your own small business by applying for the Enterprise Placement Year in conjunction with the University’s Enterprise Team. You’ll have the opportunity to benefit from business advice, mentoring and networking sessions. Find out more information on the Enterprise Placement Year.

Your Career

Previous graduates from courses in this subject area have gone on to work in a variety of roles such as software engineer, server and storage analyst, senior developer, research software development engineer, systems security engineer and business analyst in organisations including BBC, West Yorkshire Police, Hermes, Microsoft, BT and Amazon UK.**

Additionally, you may gain skills that are transferable to other industries and may be able to pursue any career that requires a good honours degree. You could go on to further study and the University has many options available for postgraduate study (including postgraduate teacher training) and research which may interest you.

* Percentage of graduates from this course who are in work and/or further study fifteen months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 17/18, UK domiciled graduates).