Skip to main content

BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

Watch our video Apply for a £10,000 scholarship

Course search

Search form

  • UCAS Code:
    G602
  • Institution:
    B50
  • Delivery:
    Sandwich (Thick) out of college.

Our Software Engineering course is designed to give you all the skills you need to work as a technical expert in this ever-evolving sector. Join us on live chat now to find out more, or register to meet us at an Open Day.

As well as providing you with a good overview of the IT industry as a whole, we have specialist computing suites on campus where you can hone your software development skills and upskill on the latest methods, techniques and tools utilised in this field. During the course you will learn the theory and practice of software engineering, including production, quality, metrics and maintenance. You will also look at computer and networking infrastructures and characteristics like flexibility, scalability, performance, resilience, quality of service and security, and design choices and implications of corporate infrastructure.

You will be well prepared for the world of work, too - you'll gain experience of project management, team working, presentation skills and working to deadlines in practical situations during your first two years of study. What's more, you have the option to take a work placement in your third year, so you'll graduate with that all-important work experience too.

This course is accredited by the British Computing Society (BCS). To be awarded Chartered IT Professional status from BCS you will need to complete a year of further learning beyond graduation, details of which can be found on the BCS website.

This course forms part of BU's framework of computing alongside the following other courses:

You only need to apply for one of the courses in the framework. If you change your mind and would prefer to study a different course within the framework, you will have the opportunity to change your final degree title after your first year.

95% of our final year students agree our staff are good at explaining things – join us on live chat now to find out more, or register to meet us at an Open Day.

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE), BU institutional data and Ipsos MORI (National Student Survey) unless otherwise stated.

Youtube Video
Youtube Video
Image description
A BU student in the computer lab
Image description
Computing & Information Technology summary 2018
Youtube Video
Image description
student working in computer lab
Image description
Aerial shot of Talbot Campus
Image description
The Student Centre
Image description
Cyber Security lab
Image description
Harrison South Portrait
Image description
The Share Lecture Theatre
Image description
Talbot Campus
Image description
Outside the Fusion Building

Key information

Next start date:

September 2020, September 2021

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

4 years full-time with a minimum 30-week placement or 3 years full-time. You will be enrolled onto the 4-year degree, but can opt out of the placement year

Accreditations:

British Computer Society

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2020 entry: 104-120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent qualifications. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Accredited by:

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

Contact hours and assessment 

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification. 

Download the programme specification (pdf 617kb)

Placements

The experience that you will gain during your placement is invaluable in helping to make informed decisions about your future career path, as well as enhancing employment prospects upon graduation. What’s more, you can also choose to take your placement abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop yourself personally, academically, and professionally and gain skills to help you stand out in the job market. Many of our students find that they are offered permanent jobs after graduation by their placement companies. Why not read about some of our students’ experiences?

Many new graduate positions are taken by people who have already had work experience as part of a course. Employers increasingly expect would-be recruits to have some kind of work experience, without which they are unlikely to be considered, regardless of their qualifications.

Find out about BU students’ experiences on placementsAll you need to know about placements

Your application

For this course we are looking for applicants who are:

  • Analytical
  • Technical
  • Practical
  • Creative.

This is a predominantly technical framework, especially in the first year, which is common to all the degree titles in the framework, and in the second year core units. Therefore you will need to have a deep and abiding interest in computing and IT, and in the use of computer technologies to create effective and efficient solutions that meet the needs of the end users.

You will need to be hard-working and committed to your studies, be a good team player, and able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

How to apply

Entry requirements

Careers

Bournemouth University has an excellent reputation for the relevance of its courses and the success of its graduates. This course will provide excellent career opportunities for students wanting to produce high quality software. Graduates from this course are equipped to work in careers such as software technical consultancy and software architecture.

Our graduates are highly sought after, within six months of completing their course, 100% of our students are in further study or work, of which 100% students are employed in a professional or managerial position.

This course is accredited by the BCS and you will also have the chance to complete Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification courses during your degree, making use of the facilities and resources at the BU Cisco Certified Local Networking Academy.

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer – including unlimited Academic Excellence Scholarships for UK, EU and International students.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be. You’ll also find you could benefit from a range of discounts as a student.

Find out more about budgeting and living expenses

Our staff

Read more about the expertise of other members of the Department of Computing & Informatics, and register now at an Open Day to come along and meet some of them.

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. You may also benefit from guest lectures from industry, including our alumni. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Course changes

What our students say

Martin Combstock

The placement will definitely improve my chances of getting a job as employers can see that I’ve worked in a real world situation.

Hear from our staff

Dr Christos Gatzidis

It’s important not to disregard the impact of a BU education on an individual such as attention to deadlines, professionalism, facilitation of organised teamwork, and many others.

Hear from our alumni

Shane Hannam

I was a placement student here at MicroNav Ltd many years ago back in 2005 for a year, and then I was asked to come back and work here.