Our technological world has created a tremendous demand for professionals who can design, build and maintain computer programmes, databases. This four-year, year in industry programme with a specialism in software engineering will give you a strong foundation of knowledge, skills and practical experience to kickstart your career in software. Your extended work placement will give you skills and awareness that can only be acquired in a real work environment, and will help to set you apart when you apply for jobs. Our software engineering teaching has been hailed as a‘best practice’ example of computer science education by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. Developed in consultation with industry, our progressive curriculum will give you a solid grounding in the fundamentals of computing and application development. You will learn from software professionals and leading academics to apply engineering principles to the design, development, implementation and maintenance of all kinds of software. We cover the whole process of software development, from initial client briefs through to costing, scheduling and efficient delivery. From the outset you will be experimenting with programming games, robots, Gadgeteer kits, Subversion, JUnit testing, Scrum-based Agile software and more, in our well-equipped laboratories. You will develop team working, time management and communication skills, and a strong professional ethos. Your year in industry will start at the end of year 2. We are located in the famous M4 corridor, known as 'England's Silicon Valley', and we enjoy close links with many of its leading technology companies. If you are unable to go ahead with your placement you will have the option of transferring onto our equivalent three-year BSc programme. In your final year you will also have the flexibility to choose between a range of optional courses.

Our year in industry degrees are highly valued by employers because they give you the chance to gain first-hand experience of the world of work and to apply your learning to real world scenarios. Students have often been offered permanent jobs in the same company at the end of their placements, to take up after their graduation. Software engineering is a rapidly growing field with impressive starting salaries and global demand. This programme will teach you to manage projects from conception through to delivery, with professionalism and technical savvy. You will learn to analyse and solve problems with creativity and flair, and propose cost-effective, efficient solutions. By the time you graduate you will be skilled at designing, implementing, testing and maintaining software systems, and you will also have valuable transferrable skills such as: team working, advanced IT skills, critical thinking, data handling, communication, time management and self-motivation. We work closely with partners in industry who advise us on our curriculum, to ensure that it keeps pace with the latest market needs and trends. This means our graduates are up-to-speed with all the latest developments and technologies in software engineering. We run jobs fairs and a short-term work placement scheme, and your personal adviser and the campus Careers team will be on hand to offer advice on career opportunities. We also maintain strong links with our alumni, who can often provide advice, contacts and networking opportunities.