Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Computer Science (Software Engineering) with Placement

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,B-B,B,B

Obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points in an Access to HE Diploma in Computing, Computer Science, Information Technology, ICT or Engineering with 45 credits at Level 3

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

M2,M2,M2

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 and above are required, including English Language (or grade B/5 in English Literature) and Mathematics

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

including SL5 or HL4 in English and Maths (if applicant does not have GCSE English and Maths grade C/4 or above)

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H3,H3,H3,H3

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

DM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Mechanical Engineering with any A level at grade B OR DM in any subject with grade B in an A level from the following subjects: Computing, Engineering, Information Technology, ICT, Computer Science, Maths, Physics

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

D

in any subject with A levels grade BC in any subject.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DDM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security or Electronic/Electrical Engineering

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

DM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Mechanical Engineering with any A level at grade B OR DM in any subject with grade B in an A level from the following subjects: Computing, Engineering, Information Technology, ICT, Computer Science, Maths, Physics

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DDM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security or Electronic/Electrical Engineering

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Mechanical Engineering with any A level at grade B OR DM in any subject with grade B in an A level from the following subjects: Computing, Engineering, Information Technology, ICT, Computer Science, Maths, Physics

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

in any subject with A levels grade BC in any subject.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computing, Cyber Crime and Security or Electronic/Electrical Engineering

Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

D

in any subject with A levels grade BC in any subject.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,B,B

T Level

M

Subjects accepted: Digital Business Services or Digital Support Services

UCAS Tariff

120-144

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Computer science

As the amount of digital information increases, major institutions in sectors such as finance and medicine rely on robust structures that can grow and adapt. By specialising in software engineering, you’ll focus on how to build high quality systems which will be easier to maintain and develop as the requirements of the system change and available technologies evolve. The techniques involved include testing, service-oriented architectures, and refactoring.

On the Computer Science (Software Engineering) BSc degree course, you’ll also learn how to build different types of software, from web-based systems to mobile solutions. In the final year you’ll take compulsory modules in advanced computer science and choose optional modules that interest you in a variety of compelling areas.

In addition, you’ll acquire in-depth knowledge of algorithms, design, programming and testing techniques. You’ll become well-versed in implementing and testing systems and software maintenance. Key to this course is cultivating a reflective approach to project management issues arising from team-based software development.

This specialist degree course allows you to display an in-depth knowledge of the management, organisation and execution of large-scale software design and development activities including reuse and integration. All our degrees emphasise acquiring knowledge and skills to develop your new understanding creatively and professionally. Although this is an academic degree, the course balances theory with real-world practice in information and computer management.

Our course is designed for flexibility, so if you’re not sure which route you want to go, you can select modules and specialise gradually during your time with us. You can transfer between Computer Science and Business Computing up to the start of Year 2, then, should you wish, to choose a specialism up to the start of Year 3.

We know that when you graduate, you’ll be working on large projects. That’s why one third of each year of our programmes is project-based. On Years 1 and 2, you’ll build a software solution in a team, and in your final year you’ll carry out an individual project. You’ll also have the opportunity to showcase your projects at the annual Made in Brunel (Software Innovation) event, with awards presented by the likes of Cisco, Sky and Xerox.

As part of your degree course, you’ll have the chance to take a year-long work placement between your second year and third year. We’ll support you in finding that all-important paid professional experience, in the UK or abroad. The feedback we’ve received is that those who have taken a placement are much more likely to find a job for which their degree was a formal requirement as it gives you a competitive advantage. Recent graduates have gone on to work for well-known names such as Accenture, Toshiba, Microsoft, British Airways, O2, and Barclays.

Our programmes are accredited by the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP), and on behalf of the Engineering Council, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially meeting the academic requirement for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

The accreditation also allows you to apply for professional membership of the BCS after you have successfully completed your degree.

The department has been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze, recognising our dedication to the advancement of gender equality in STEM subjects. We now have an ongoing three-year action plan to further implement strategies and improve our practices. As part of this endeavour, Brunel’s Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from the industry.

Modules

Typical Modules

Usability Engineering
Software Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction
Algorithms & Their Applications

For a full list of modules please see our website https://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/computer-science-software-engineering-bsc

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£21,260
per year
International
£21,260
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Brunel University London

Department:

Computer Science

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

63%
Computer science

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer science

Teaching and learning

55%
Staff make the subject interesting
64%
Staff are good at explaining things
67%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
70%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

70%
Library resources
71%
IT resources
78%
Course specific equipment and facilities
56%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

65%
UK students
35%
International students
85%
Male students
15%
Female students
59%
2:1 or above
19%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer science

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£29,000
high
Average annual salary
92%
med
Employed or in further education
80%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

61%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
7%
Information technology technicians
6%
Business, research and administrative professionals

This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. The subject is linked to important and growing computing industries, and over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Computer science

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£26k

£26k

£41k

£41k

£41k

£41k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here