Software Engineering BSc (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 112 - 120 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): 350Y (full-time); G600 (sandwich)
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: Three years full-time / four years with a placement
- Study Mode(s): Full-time / Sandwich
- Campus: Clifton Campus
Introduction:
Software is critical to the industry. It can save lives, improve performance and help us predict future events. We’ll give you the skills and the knowledge to create high-quality software with plenty of opportunities to access our industry-standard facilities to test it.
And that's what employers expect to see from you. Someone who is confident, work-ready and already has the software skills needed.
There continues to be a steady demand from industry and commerce for well-qualified software engineers. In fact, according to eSkills UK, there will be a shortage in the next ten years.
This software engineering degree seeks to meet that need by producing graduates with the precise combination of skills required to design and develop robust, efficient, high-quality software.
Why choose this course?
- It is accredited by the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT to Chartered Engineer (CEng) and IT Professional (CITP) status.
- There's an opportunity for a year-long paid work placement with prestigious companies such as GE Consumer Finance and IBM.
- You will have access to contact and share ideas with other computer games students throughout the country through our own Computer Society.
- This course shares a common first year with BSc (Hons) Computer Science and BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Games Technology) allowing you the flexibility to review your pathway once you've started studying.
- You will have access to ultra-modern facilities, equipment and software.
- Our student work can be ground-breaking, and innovative and consistently attracts industry attention.
What our students say
Nottingham Trent University is an amazing place to study, combining quality learning and a degree at the end with a brilliant social life and excellent sporting facilities.
Simon Gilmurray
BSc (Hons) Software Engineering
What you’ll study
What will I study?
You will learn core skills concerning the production of computer programs and applications, as well as specialist knowledge in areas such as software engineering and analysis and design.
All of the courses within the Computer Science cluster share a common first year. This will provide you with the flexibility to review your pathway once you have started studying. At the end of year one, you can choose to transfer to BSc (Hons) Computer Science or BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Games Technology).
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals course
If you take the Artificial Intelligence module in your final year will participate in the Microsoft-certified Azure AI Fundamentals program as part of your studies. The program is designed as a blended learning experience, combining instructor-led training with online materials accessed on the Microsoft Learn platform.
Microsoft will sponsor your cloud subscription, course materials and certification test fees for no cost to you. You will also get the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certificate when you graduate – a valuable addition to your CV.
Find out more about Azure AI Fundamentals course.
Learn from the experts
We have a rich mix of knowledge ranging from software development for different types of systems to hardware aspects such as networking. This involves many uses of computing and considers all aspects including security and management. Our knowledge is built up and maintained through our, wealth of industrial experience, industrial links and research activity.
Much of our research is internationally recognised, particularly in the areas of Games for Learning and Security. For example, Professor David Brown leads several projects, funded by the European Union, in games and assistive technology while Professor Paul Evans' innovative developments in security are supported by USA Department of Homeland Security.
We engage fully in our subject area and this engagement feeds directly and indirectly into our teaching. Other examples of our activity include:
- developing patents (for example, in voice signal processing)
- organising conferences on Interactive Technology and Games and on Intelligent Environments
- working with local companies on funded projects e.g. enhancing the capability of the press association to search their image database
- publishing novel findings in research publications on for example financial prediction, mobile communications, and detection of human behaviour patterns.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have. Find out more about the ULP.
Foundations of Computing Technology and Programming
This module has four strands including programming and technical aspects that introduce you to the fundamentals of writing computer programs, as well as numeracy and website development.
Essential Skills
Develop the skills required to succeed in your computing degree. You’ll learn how to confidently deal with numerical aspects of your course and practice your web publishing skills by creating and formatting basic web documentation.
Computer Science Programming
Learn about programming languages relevant to software with industrial scale, reliability and performance characteristics.
Computer Technology and Mathematics
Understand how a computer works, look at issues arising from the hardware architecture and extend your mathematical knowledge and ability.
Systems Analysis and Design (SAD)
Introducing you to the fundamental principles of SAD, this module gives you a working knowledge of key systems development methodologies, techniques and tools.
Professional Development for Industry
This module will enable you to learn about the professional bodies and standards relating to the computing profession, and enhance your employability potential by increasing your awareness of the technological, social and economic factors driving the IT industry.
Information and Database Engineering
Understand the nature and application of database management systems and acquire skills for database administration and management.
Internet Application Programming
Design and produce a static or dynamic website suitable for both desktop and mobile platforms and which may contain complex scripted components.
Practical Project Management and Professional Development
Continued professional development and lifelong learning are important to your future career. Through this module, you’ll improve your time and project management skills, presentations and report writing.
Software Design and Implementation
Equips you with knowledge of, and skills in, software development techniques to support the development of robust, secure, maintainable and portable software systems.
Software Engineering
Develop confidence using the structures, techniques and technologies to support the development of robust software systems in a team environment.
Systems Software
Learn about operating systems theory, network solutions, design and implementation and how computer systems can be connected to form large complex distributed systems.
Optional year-long work placement. If you are not taking a placement you will progress directly to your final year in year three.
Project
Investigate problems in computing, implement solutions, critically evaluate and reflect on your work, and develop your abilities to communicate, self-organise and manage.
Advanced Analysis and Design
Understand the object model – what it’s based on and how it can be applied to build systems. Learn how to use the notation and follow the process for object-oriented development.
Advanced Software Engineering
Develop techniques and strategies to analyse, choose, propose, design, implement, test and evaluate software elements.
Mobile Platform Applications
Gain an awareness of the requirements, capabilities and constraints of a variety of mobile platform technologies and consider how they can be used to build systems that are outside the traditional desktop paradigm.
Choose one of the following optional modules:
Foundations of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Learn about the theoretical foundations of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the main methods and techniques and current areas of AI research and development.
Distributed Database Engineering
Learn about the processes and techniques data scientists use to support the challenging workloads for data science by focusing on a range of distributed database technologies that can support big data.
Service-centric and Cloud Computing
Discover two challenging aspects of implementing distributed computing systems in Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA).
Information Systems Management
Understand how to manage the build and deployment of enterprise and Internet information systems in small to medium organisations.
Information Security
Apply skills learnt in this module to conduct appropriate risk analysis and generate information assurance plans for a given context.
Communicating Science and Technology
An opportunity for you to gain valuable transferable skills working as a ‘student-tutor’ with teachers in local schools or to work on a community-based project.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Video Gallery
How you’re taught
Contact time
You'll attend lectures and seminars across various buildings on the Clifton Campus, including:
- ISTeC Building
- Teaching and Learning Building
- Erasmus Darwin Building
Contact hours
- Year 1 - lectures/seminars/workshops (28%) and independent study (72%)
- Year 2 - lectures/seminars/workshops (28%) and independent study (72%)
- Year 3 - lectures/seminars/workshops (20%) and independent study (80%)
A placement year may be taken between year 2 and year 3 of study
How you’re assessed
You will be assessed on a variety of components including:
- coursework and practical (assignments, dissertation, group projects, oral presentations, reports)
- written (exams)
Year 1 - coursework (70%), written (8%) and practical (12%)
Year 2 - coursework (72%), written (25%) and practical (3%)
Year 3 - coursework (88%), written (12%) and practical (0%)
A placement year may be taken between year 2 and year 3 of study
Careers and employability
Your career development
The demand from industry and commerce for suitably qualified software engineers continues to show a healthy expansion. Our recent graduates have secured roles at companies including:
- American Express
- Experian
- Asda Stores Ltd
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Nottingham City Council
They have gone into a wide variety of job roles including:
- Software Developer
- Business Analyst
- Software Engineer
- Product Consultant
- Graduate Cloud Engineer
- Software Analyst
Many graduates also choose to undertake further study on one of our Masters-level courses or MPhil and PhD research degrees.
What our graduates say
Programming was a hobby for me and I wanted to learn more about it. When I checked the course it offered me the knowledge I was seeking along with professional recognition as a bonus.
The course helped me build knowledge and confidence, and by my final year I was ready to undertake my major project on an MPEG-4 Editor. It became a prize-winning project, and hearing this news was definitely one of the most enjoyable and rewarding moments of my study.
Graduate – Victoria Penrice
Software Engineer – TBS Mobility
Excellent placement opportunities
Placements
NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with a range of career programmes and events.
On this course, after your second year, you will have the opportunity to take a year's work placement (sandwich placement). This will give you the chance to gain vital experience and put your knowledge into practice. You're also twice as likely to secure a graduate job within six months if you take a work placement.
Our recent students have taken placements across a wide range of companies including Jacobs, Siemens, Dyson and Lexis Nexis. They secured varied roles such as PHP Developer, Research and Design Developer and Software Engineer.
You'll be supported and assessed throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary at the end of your placement. When you successfully complete your placement, you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.
Find out more about work placements.
NTU Enterprise
You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.
Campus and facilities
The School of Science and Technology is a stimulating and creative environment which equips students with the knowledge and transferable skills to put them ahead of the graduate crowd.
We provide facilities that enhance the quality of our education and push the boundaries of our research. Students have access to specialist centres including:
- games console laboratories
- networking and security laboratories
- human-interactive technology
- stereo-projection.
You will also enjoy working with the latest software, including:
- EnCase
- 3D StudioMax
- XNA Xbox development suite
- The Adobe Creative Suite (Flash, After Effects, Photoshop)
- the Unreal and Half-life Games Engines.
Across NTU, we have a range of first-class facilities that you would expect from a university with high-quality teaching and world-leading research. These include:
- a British Olympic Association-approved environmental chamber
- a crime scene training facility
- a host of sporting clubs and societies to get involved in.
Entry requirements
- Standard offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including an A-level equivalent IT, Maths or Science subject grade C
- Contextual offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including an A-level equivalent IT, Maths or Science subject grade C
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
- 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including an A-level equivalent IT, Maths or Science subject grade C
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
What's included in the course fees?
Your course fees cover all the facilities and support you need to succeed. This includes the following:
- You will have access to extensive computing facilities, some available 24 hours a day and including technician support.
- You will have dedicated online storage to support the backup of work.
- You will have access to Microsoft Academic Alliance membership, which gives you free copies of all Microsoft developer software including operating systems, Visio and Project.
- As one of our students, you will be able to join the Oracle Academic Initiative as an individual member and get free database software.
- Students are able to register for a free personal copy of 3D Studio Max.
- Extensive equipment is available to loan for coursework and project work. For example, you can borrow cameras and phones.
- We offer extensive free training software including tutorials on 3D Studio Max, Flash, Photoshop, TCP/IP Packet analysis, Java, Javascript, HTML5, and Oracle.
- Most major software is available across the campus machines, including Adobe Master Collection Suite.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Students will also be required to pay additional costs for printing, poster preparation and final dissertation copies in their final year - estimated costs of approximately £20 - £30.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service by telephone at +44 (0)115 848 2494.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government. See our fees.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have the offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
What's included in the course fees?
Your course fees cover all the facilities and support you need to succeed. This includes the following:
- You will have access to extensive computing facilities, some available 24 hours a day and including technician support.
- You will have dedicated online storage to support the backup of work.
- You will have access to Microsoft Academic Alliance membership, which gives you free copies of all Microsoft developer software including operating systems, Visio and Project.
- As one of our students, you will be able to join the Oracle Academic Initiative as an individual member and get free database software.
- Students are able to register for a free personal copy of 3D Studio Max.
- Extensive equipment is available to loan for coursework and project work. For example, you can borrow cameras and phones.
- We offer extensive free training software including tutorials on 3D Studio Max, Flash, Photoshop, TCP/IP Packet analysis, Java, Javascript, HTML5, and Oracle.
- Most major software is available across the campus machines, including Adobe Master Collection Suite.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Students will also be required to pay additional costs for printing, poster preparation and final dissertation copies in their final year - estimated costs of approximately £20 - £30.
How to apply
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up-to-date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.