Program Overview

MSc Software Development

The MSc in Software Development course is specifically designed for graduates without a computing science background. A skills shortage, particularly around web and mobile applications, means graduates are in high demand. This course will provide you with a pathway into one of the world's most in-demand and fastest-growing professional job sectors.

Key Facts

• Start date: September
• Accreditation: Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional
• Study mode and duration: MSc conversion degree, 12 months full-time

Course Overview

The course provides a pathway into one of the most in-demand professional job sectors for graduates without a computing science background. It focuses on programming skills for software engineering, mobile and web applications, databases, and computer security. The course is specifically designed for graduates without a computing science background.

Why This Course?

The MSc in Software Development course is designed for graduates without a computing science background. The course has a particular focus on programming and development skills as well as software engineering, databases, and computer security. You'll gain transferable skills to prepare you for a professional career in software development in the IT sector, as well as many other sectors including education, engineering, health, finance, government, manufacturing, retail, and transport.

What You’ll Study

The course will equip you with skills in the most widely used programming and database languages. It provides important overarching software engineering skills. You'll study:

• Programming in Python and Java, two of the most popular programming languages
• Mobile app development providing you with the skills to create mobile applications
• Database design and development using Oracle SQL to build and query databases
• State-of-the-art software engineering methodologies, equipping you with professional software development skills, including widely used rapid development agile methods
• Cybersecurity tools and technologies including hands-on experience of security exploits that occur in practice

Major Project

You'll have the exciting opportunity to work on a real-world topic in the context of an application-based project, with a focus on development and Software Engineering. This can involve analysing, specifying, developing, testing, and evaluating a software system/application. We also encourage our students to present or publish their MSc findings at conferences.

Dissertation

This is an individual application-based project on an approved topic. It allows you to pursue an area of specific interest, providing scope for original thought, research, and presentation. The project will be software application-based (i.e., analysing, specifying, developing, testing, and evaluating a software system/application). You’ll also have the opportunity to form recommendations and conclusions on the relative merits of the technologies involved and the software development methodologies used.

Learning & Teaching

Modules are delivered by a range of teaching methods:

• 10% lectures
• 20% computer laboratories
• 70% self-study

Guest Lectures

The Software Engineering module includes several guest lectures (usually fortnightly) from our industry partners, providing a hands-on perspective on various aspects of the software engineering process.

Assessment

The form of assessment varies from module to module. For programming modules, assessment is by coursework (lab work, homework, class tests) and other modules are around 50/50 coursework/exam.

Entry Requirements

• Academic requirements: Minimum second-class (2.2) Honours degree, or international equivalent in any subject
• English language requirements: You must have an English language minimum score of IELTS 6.0 (with no component below 5.5)

Fees & Funding

• Scotland: £11,900
• England, Wales & Northern Ireland: £11,900
• Republic of Ireland: If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status
• International: £28,700
• Additional costs: If you are an international student, you may have associated visa and immigration costs

Careers

Software Development graduates are highly employable and can look forward to well-paid professional careers. They design and build the digital technologies that underpin the global economy and every aspect of human activity. This can range from recreation and healthcare to business and the natural environment. Graduates are in high demand, with the Tech Nation Report 2023 showing that software-related roles are among the top three most popular job titles in the UK tech sector, indicating a strong demand for positions related to managing and developing software and projects.

Example Roles Include:

• Software Developer (e.g., Java/Python)
• Software Engineer (e.g., Agile/Scrum)
• Web Developer (e.g., Javascript/HTML5)
• Database Developer (e.g., SQL/Oracle)
• Business Analyst

Course Content

Diploma and MSc students follow the same instructional taught course for the first two semesters. If you meet the standard required to proceed to MSc, you’ll undertake an individual supervised project in the following three months. All modules are compulsory.

Semester 1

• Object Oriented Programming (20 credits)
• Introduction to Programming Principles (20 credits)
• Computer Security Fundamentals (10 credits)
• Legal, Ethical & Professional Issues for the Information Society (10 credits)

Semester 2

• Database Fundamentals (10 credits)
• Mobile Application Development (20 credits)
• Database Development (10 credits)
• Software Engineering (20 credits)

Research Project

You'll undertake an application-based project in the Summer term which is focused on a significant software development activity. Following the completion of it, you will produce a project report with your findings. Recent projects have included:

• Developing a tool to support independent/self-directed learning within a discipline
• Developing a program utilising multi/cross-platform frameworks
• Developing a program that analyses the concurrency characteristics of multi-threaded software
• Developing a mobile application to provide location-based information
• Developing a program that mimics a low-voltage electrical grid simulation
• Building a careers search engine
• Developing a timetabling tool for a university department to allocate tutors to lab slots

Your performance on the project is evaluated on the basis of: thoroughness and devotion to work, initiative, organisation, planning, and progress and appreciation of project achievement (strengths, weaknesses, and limitations). You’ll also be assessed on the potential for further development and extension.