Software Engineering BEng/BEng (Hons)



Software engineering opens up a world of career opportunities, across a wide range of industries and business sectors.
Overview

Throughout the course you’ll learn both mainstream and emerging software development, implementation and evolution - from design and analysis to human interaction principles and system evaluation. Your study will be supported by input and guidance from industry experienced teaching staff.

Our Software Engineering degree has a high employability focus to prepare you for industry. Throughout the course you will learn a mixture of vocational skills such as C# programming and project management, alongside fundamental theory in areas such as algorithms and mathematics. This is complemented by an optional year-long placement in industry, alongside other opportunities to build software for industrial clients.

On completion of the course you will be able to work effectively with today’s technologies, and to readily learn new technologies that emerge throughout your career.

Students holding a computing chip.

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

4 years

Start date:

Sep

UCAS code:

G600

Placement:

Yes

Study Abroad:

Yes

Student stories

Read stories from students of Edinburgh Napier's Computing study area

Course details

At the beginning of the course you will gain practical experience of software development using object-oriented programming, as well as an understanding of how software systems are used in businesses, and methods to build effective user interfaces. You are then taught key methods of software engineering used in industry, while expanding your knowledge of areas such as databases and operating systems.

The later years of the course focus on the key skills required by industry, such as project management, secure software development, and techniques to facilitate software evolution.  You will also gain experience of emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, and software engineering for safety critical systems. At this stage you will be able to design and develop large-scale software systems, and be able to choose appropriate methodologies to do so.

  • calendar How you’ll be taught Lectures and tutorials.
  • note and pen Assessments Mixture of practical assessments, development reports, academic essays and exams.
  • briefcase Work placement A one year supervised work experience is available, intended to develop overall graduate attributes and employability. The School has committed resources to developing employment opportunities in conjunction with Student and Academic Services. This experience takes place in Year 3, conditional upon the student being accepted by an employer on an approved work based placement. This must be established in Year 2 by consultation with the School Placement Coordinator. Students on this pathway are given an enhanced first year experience through the provision of additional personal and professional development focussed on a successful placement application.
  • study abroad Study abroad International study is available, and is intended to develop overall graduate attributes and global citizenship. The School has several agreements with overseas partner institutions, both in the EU and further afield, providing varied and exciting opportunities tailored around your individual study and cultural interests. Currently, links are established with universities in the USA, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Singapore, and Germany, where programmes are delivered in English, whilst additional links are planned with other European countries and Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Popular modules

Year 1

  • Foundations of Software Design & Development
  • Computer Systems
  • Information Systems in Organisations
  • Programming Fundamentals
  • Human Computer Interaction
  • Mathematics for Software Engineering

Year 2

  • Database Systems
  • Object-Oriented Software Development
  • Operating Systems
  • Algorithms & Data Structures
  • Mobile Applications Development
  • Software Engineering Methods

Year 3

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Data Analytics
  • Software Engineering
  • Group Project
  • Computing in Contemporary Society
  • Games Engineering
  • Professional Internship
  • Advanced Database Systems
  • Sensing Systems for Mobile Applications

Year 4

  • Agile Project Management
  • Honours Project
  • Software Architecture
  • Concurrent & Parallel Systems
  • Multi-Agent Systems
  • Secure Software Development
  • Formal Approaches to Software Engineering

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Our entry requirements indicate both Standard and Minimum qualifications with which we normally accept students. Competition for places varies from year to year and you aren't guaranteed a place if you meet the minimum qualifications.

Minimum year 1

SQA Higher

Standard Entry Requirement

BBBB

National 5 grade C in Maths and English.

Minimum Offer Entry Requirement

BBCC

National 5 grade C in Maths and English.

You may be given an adjusted offer of entry if you meet our specified minimum entry requirements within our widening participation criteria, and outlined in our Contextual Admissions Policy. Click here for further information about our entry requirements and admissions policies.

A Level

BCC

GCSE grade C/4 in Maths and English.

Irish Leaving Certificate

H2, H2, H3, H3 at Higher Level and grade O4 in Ordinary Level Maths and English.

Scottish HNC

HNC with C in the graded unit in one of the following; Computing, Computer Games Development, Software Development, Data Analytics.

National 5 C in Maths and English.

BTEC (QCF) Extended Diploma Level 3

Minimum grades DMM (Distinction, Merit, Merit) in a related subject.

GCSE grade C/4 in Maths and English.

BTEC (QCF) National Diploma Level 3 plus A Level

Minimum grades D*D* (Distinction*, Distinction*) in related subject or DM (Distinction, Merit) and A Level grade C

GCSE grade C/4 in English and Maths.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Award of Diploma with 28 points overall with three HL subjects at grades 6, 5, 4.

Grade 4 in SL Maths and English.

European Baccalaureate

Pass at 70% or above with grade 7 in three subjects.

Grade 6 in Maths and English.

T Levels

Merit

GCSE Maths and English grade C/4

Minimum year 2

HNC

HNC - Pass in Computing, Computer Games Development, Software Development, Data Analytics with B in the graded unit.

SQA Advanced Higher

BBC

or

BB and SQA Higher BB

A Level

BBB

BTEC (QCF) Extended Diploma Level 3

Minimum grades DDD (Distinction, Distinction, Distinction) in a related subject.

Minimum year 3

HND

HND Computing: Software Development - Pass with Grade B at SCQF Level 8 in the graded unit.

 
 

English language requirements

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English. Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

International students

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BN Nursing/MSc Nursing (Pre-registration) (Adult, Mental Health, Child, Learning Disabilities)
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

Admissions policies

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2023/24 2024/25
Scotland £1,820 £tba
England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £9,250 £tba
Overseas and EU £17,580 tba
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland will be invoiced the tuition fees for 3 years of their 4 years of study. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.

Please note tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next.
For more information on this and other Tuition Fee matters please see Frequently Asked Questions about Fees

Click this link for Information of Bursaries and Scholarships
If additional compulsory costs other than the tuition fees are applicable, these will be detailed in the course details.
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers
Student sitting with his laptop, looking out the window behind him

Career opportunities include:

  • Software Engineer
  • Project Manager
  • Software Support Analysts
  • Software Developer
  • Software Tester
Student concentrating in front of dual computer monitors