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Software Engineering

Entry requirements


Must include at least grade C in A-level Computer Science (or related).

Pass with 112 UCAS points, from a QAA-approved computer-related programme with Level 3 Computing content.

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

DDM

DDM from a Computing or IT-related subject. Other engineering or science-related subjects may be accepted with distinctions in the maths units.

Must include at least grade C in Advanced Higher Level Computer Science (or related).

UCAS Tariff

112

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Software engineering

**Increasingly sophisticated applications are shaping our daily lives and revolutionising industries. Learn to develop the next generation of software driving converging technology with a BSc Software Engineering degree.**

Software systems are at the heart of all aspects of daily life, including commerce, industry, healthcare and communication. With organisations of all sizes seeking talented professionals to create software systems that are usable, robust and maintainable, now is a great time to study a software engineering degree.

**Develop in-demand knowledge and skills**
Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for I.T, you'll be educated to the highest professional standards, studying real-world relevant modules. Delivered across three years - or four, if you choose to include an industry placement, our BSc Software Engineering degree will develop your in-depth knowledge and understanding of software specification, design, implementation and deployment using software development methodologies.

During your studies, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the technologies associated with the interactive web applications. You will develop methodical approaches to the analysis, design, development, testing and maintenance of object-oriented systems using the Java language. You will focus on topics such as server-side programming, artificial intelligence (AI) and data mining, and design patterns.

**Get closer to industry**
With our envious campus location, minutes from central Manchester, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get involved in the region’s thriving tech community. You can choose to include an industry placement year between years two and three to apply what you’ve learnt and develop further skills, adding ‘with professional experience’ to your degree award. There will also be opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities through our computing society.

We are a fast-growing centre for computer and data science. Our research and industry partnerships have influenced the development of commercial software products, and we work across multiple industries to unlock the potential of data and AI. We are also a co-founding member of both the Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry and the Greater Manchester AI Foundry. Through these initiatives, we support the city region’s ambitions to be a digital leader - and help it continue to be a great place for our computing graduates to build successful careers.

**Our new home for computing**
In Autumn 2022, we open our new £65 million hub for science, engineering and the environment - and our new home for computing. Sustainability-designed and 100% electric powered, the building offers unrivalled teaching, learning and research facilities and provides exciting new spaces for industry collaboration.

**Features**
• Accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for I.T
• Build theoretical knowledge to adapt your skills as programming, languages and techniques evolve
• Cultivate independent technical judgement, with the ability to think conceptually and use technology to translate concepts into reality
• Develop methodical approaches to the analysis, design, development, testing and maintenance of object-oriented systems using the Java language
• Understand and apply the techniques and technologies used to create interactive web applications
• Choose final year options that include virtual reality and 3D gaming, mobile development, information security management and business management

Modules

Year one modules may include: Programming, Computer System and Linux, Database Systems, Professional Development and Practices, Web Development and Human Compute Interfaces. Year two modules may include: Server Side Programming, Software Project with Agile Techniques, Design Patterns, Software Development Techniques, Data Structures and Algorithms, plus one from the following: Al and Data Mining, Networking. Year three modules may include: Project for Software Engineering, Formal Development of Software Systems, Software Quality Management, Ajax and Smartphone Development, plus one from the following: Computer Graphics, Internet Security and Computer Forensics.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Salford

Department:

School of Science, Engineering and Environment

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.

68%
Software engineering

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.

Software engineering

Teaching and learning

21%
Staff make the subject interesting
63%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
89%
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

79%
Library resources
84%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
58%
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?

85%
UK students
15%
International students
89%
Male students
11%
Female students
76%
2:1 or above
25%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
D

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.

Software engineering

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.

£20,000
low
Average annual salary
88%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

74%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
6%
Food preparation and hospitality trades
3%
Business, research and administrative professionals

A specialist subject, and not surprisingly graduates tend to go into software engineering roles or related. The degree classification students achieved made a particular difference last year — computing graduates with the best grades were much less likely to be out of work after six months and employers can even rate a good grade as important as work experience. Most students do get jobs, though, and starting salaries are good — particularly in London, where average starting salaries for good graduates were getting towards £38k last year. Be aware that at the moment, recruitment agencies are much the most common way for graduates from this degree to get their first job, so it may be worth getting in touch with a few specialist agencies in advance of graduation if you take this degree to get a foot in the door.

What about your long term prospects?

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

Software engineering

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

£23k

£23k

£25k

£25k

£26k

£26k

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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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