Gain the knowledge and practical skills required to develop fit-for-purpose software systems using the latest software engineering methods. This course is ideal if you want to become a software developer who understands and can apply fundamental software engineering principles to construct complex software systems. This is a practical course, which balances theory and implementation to support the specification, design, programming and evaluation of software-based systems in businesses and other organisations. During the first two years, you develop the fundamental skills of software development across different web-based and database application areas. Even if you have never programmed before coming to university you can become a skilled developers by the time you go on work placement. On this course you cover a range of programming languages, such as C++, C# and Java, and environments, such as Visual Studio, Oracle, Eclipse and Netbeans. You also apply your programming skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems. This includes a project where you work as a team with a commercial client to deliver a software prototype to them. If you do well in the first two years of your course, you will be eligible to transfer to an MEng integrated masters course that provides additional depth of study and industry involvement. In your final year, you are introduced to additional specialised and application-oriented skills and techniques required to design, develop and manage software applications, which are more open-ended and require more creativity. In your final year project, you get the opportunity to put what you have learned throughout your course into practice by developing a non-trivial software application. Key areas include • programming • databases • networked software development • web application development • management of IT projects • software design • frameworks and architectures.

As a graduate you can find careers in systems and IT support, software development, web and internet applications. With further industrial experience, you can find a career path in project management or IT consultancy. Opportunities for employment exist across industry, finance, commerce and the public sector. Employers regularly contact us directly to recruit our graduates. Companies that have recruited our graduates include • Capita • Plusnet • 3Squared • Electronic Data Processing PLC.