Program Overview

Professional Software Development - MSc

Overview

The Professional Software Development MSc is a one-year, full-time master's conversion course designed for highly motivated graduates with a good honours degree in any discipline with no more than 50% computing content. The course aims to provide graduates equipped to apply best practice in software engineering to the development of a wide range of software systems in various organisations.

About this course

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, directed tutorials, seminars, and practical sessions. Support is also provided for project preparation and implementation. The course is assessed by coursework only.

Attendance and Independent Study

This is a full-time, one-year (12-month) programme, delivered across three semesters. The normal study load expectation for a full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points, which amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week.

Academic profile

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff, with 60% holding PhDs in their subject field and many having professional body recognition. Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%), or Lecturers (57%).

Modules

Year one

• Professional Software Development I: Introduces software development concepts and practices, enabling students to progressively develop their knowledge and practical skills.
• Software Architecture and Design: Develops and extends the student's knowledge of software design and development, introducing implementing, testing, and documenting software for real-world applications.
• Professional Software Development 2: Explores object-oriented techniques and Java constructs, providing opportunities to display strong personal management and team skills.
• Database Systems: Recognises the need for flexible and efficient storage of information in computer applications, presenting the underlying principles of database organisation and practical implementation in a modern DBMS environment.

Year two

• Computer Hardware: Introduces students to the basic hardware components from which a computer system is constructed and the organisation of these components (optional).
• Business Intelligence and Analytics: Contextualises the role of Business Intelligence and Business Analytics, focusing on turning stored data into valuable information and exploring techniques and tools for data analysis and presentation (optional).
• Web Based Application Development: Exposes students to the world of web-based applications, studying and applying tools and techniques for building and deploying web-based application systems (optional).
• Introduction to Data Science: Serves as an entry point into the field of data science, acquiring a strong foundation in fundamental concepts and techniques essential to data science (optional).
• Operating Systems: Gives students a detailed introduction to the functions of modern operating systems, with a focus on practical implementation and key areas such as Command-Line interaction and Shell Scripting (optional).

Year three

• Project: Allows the student to demonstrate their ability in undertaking an independent project, developing theoretical perspectives, addressing research questions, and analysing and implementing real-world solutions.

Standard entry conditions

• A second-class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or an equivalent standard in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate, or Postgraduate Diploma.
• The content of the qualification presented may have a maximum of 50% computing content.
• You must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first-degree course and hold a GCSE pass in English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).

English Language Requirements

• The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5.
• Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Careers & opportunities

• There is a strong demand in the local Northern Ireland economy and beyond for graduates with software development skills.
• Graduates from this course will be well-placed to find employment in private industry, public sector organisations, and in research.

Professional Recognition

• Accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.

Fees and funding

• The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
• Fees for modules commenced in the academic year 2025/26 are as follows:
  • NI/ROI/GB Cost: £201.10 - £7,239.60
  • International Cost: £494.70 - £17,809.20

Sustainability at Ulster

• Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
• The University is guided by both its University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.