About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: G70012
- Applications: University
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Computer Science and Creative Technologies
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: One year full-time, two or more years part-time either by blended learning or distance learning.
- Delivery: A mix of either classroom based and distance learning or only distance learning.
- Programme leader: Dr Jin Sa
- Key fact: A blended learning or distance learning MSc - giving students the flexibilty to study in a way that suits them.
Introduction
One of the distinctive features of this course is its flexibility. It is structured to support a wide range of study options, including full-time, part-time and distance learning. This means that you can structure your studies around other life commitments, such as your career and your family. Individual modules can be taken as short courses, ideal for those wishing to gain additional knowledge in focused topic areas. The distance learning option makes these short courses flexible and widely available.
Full-time students complete eight taught modules and usually begin their dissertation in May or June for submission in November. Part-time students typically do four taught modules each academic year and complete the dissertation in a third year.
It is possible to do any of the modules as short courses, without committing to the full MSc programme. We will issue a certificate of credit for each module taken as a short course and successfully completed and passed. This means that it may be possible for you to gradually collect enough credits at the appropriate level to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or even the full MSc award.
All modules are offered in two ways - either by distance learning or by classroom-based blended learning. This course makes extensive use of the University's virtual learning environment, Blackboard.
In the distance learning mode, you will be directed to Blackboard to complete your readings. These readings are then consolidated and extended through problem-solving activities, self-checking tests and other tasks. Discussion boards facilitate communication between tutors and fellow students. Tutors and support staff can also be contacted by telephone or by email.
In the blended learning mode, the online readings and activities provide the background to classroom-based seminars and laboratory sessions where you will have the opportunity to meet with fellow students and tutors to discuss and extend the background material.
Irrespective of the mode of study you choose, you will be expected to attend the University to sit your exams.
To access the distance or blended learning materials on Blackboard, you will need to have a computer and internet access. Any additional software needed will be freely downloadable and included in your course fees. We have extensive computing facilities here at UWE that you can make use of if you don't have your own computer or if you simply prefer to work at the University.
Structure
Content
Software Engineering involves the application of specialised knowledge and skills to develop different kinds of large, complex software systems. There is continuous demand for software engineers both internationally and nationally. The Bristol area is home to many high tech professional companies who regularly employ Software Engineering professionals.
This course will provide an opportunity for people, including those from these companies, to gain up-to-date knowledge and skills in software engineering. It is designed to attract both full and part-time students. The background of students may be diverse and, for this reason, the course offers a comprehensive range of modules. Flexibility characterises the structure of the programme.
The following modules are core:
Software engineering concepts: Examines the contribution that software engineering makes to the production of software systems. Considers a variety of different approaches to software engineering and their strengths and weaknesses.
Object-oriented design and programming: Discusses concepts of object-orientation, object-oriented modelling and java programming language including a review of java syntax.
Project management: General project development, planning and organisation. Project finance, risk assessment and general administration.
Group work in large scale software development: Group work will be used to enable you to gain practice of real software construction. Subjects include software engineering as a coherent process, selection evaluation and use of CASE tools, critical reflection on current software engineering practices, quality issues and usability issues.
Research methods for software engineering: This module looks at the research process as a whole including theory and practical implications, scientific and ethnographic models, selection and identification of the research topic, collection and analysis of qualitative data and communicating your results effectively.
Requirements engineering: All aspects of requirement engineering are covered including processes, methods, modelling techniques, formal requirements specification, validation and management.
Advanced databases: Addresses recent topics in database technology and compares models and approaches from both an application and a computer science point of view in order to assess their relative merits.
Component based software: A number of topics covered including definitions, current directions in component development, components v objects; program level component technology; fundamental concepts.
Teaching and learning
You will gain the following knowledge and skills as you progress through the course:
Knowledge and understanding
- The fundamental concepts of software engineering;
- State of the art approaches and methods;
- The ethical issues involved in developing software engineering.
Intellectual skills
- To take a reflective and critical approach to your work;
- To effectively solve software engineering problems;
- To undertake research in software engineering and to evaluate state of the art techniques and approaches.
Subject-specific practical skills
- Technical skills necessary for requirements analysis, specification, design and implementation;
- Skills required for effective project management, including project planning, project monitoring and quality control;
- Skills required in integrating and applying the above techniques to develop application systems.
Transferable and key skills
- Critical thinking;
- Problem management;
- Research skills and methods.
Study time
If you are not quite sure which mode of study is best suited for you, the scenarios below might help you make that choice.
- Bill works for an IT related company. He is unable to get time off work to travel to UWE to study. He decides to take the part-time distance learning mode.
- Hongwei would like to get a Master's degree within 15 months. He wants regular contact with tutors and his fellow students. He decides to choose the full-time classroom-based blended learning mode.
- Madiha works in India. She would like to do the Masters degree but does not want to take a career break. She decides to choose the part-time distance learning mode so that she can continue to work in India whilst doing her studies.
- Kate works in a local IT company. She is able to take one day a week off work. She decides to take the part-time classroom-based blended learning mode.
- Richard is an experienced software engineer. He does not want to do the whole course but he is very interested in taking just one or two of the modules. He decides to do the modules as short courses in order to gain the certificates of credit. He can do these by either coming to UWE for the classroom-based blended learning or entirely online if he wishes.
Assessment
Most taught modules have two assessed components, namely a written piece of coursework and an exam. Apart from the dissertation, University regulations allow students to resit and retake modules they have not successfully completed first time around.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
Accreditation by the British Computer Society (BCS)
This course is accredited by the BCS. It fulfils the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (including the further learning element). It also partially meets the academic requirements for CEng status. Further details can be obtained directly from the BCS.
What our students say about us...
Nick Leaver, MSc Software Engineering
What did you like best about your course?
Studying while working is always difficult. Studying part-time at UWE made this considerably easier in a number of ways: Online lectures/lecture notes; direct contact with lecturers and course heads; one or two day's a week of onsite study only; the option to take some modules as eLearning only. UWE provides a good environment to encourage academic achievement for those that can't necessarily dedicate as much time as traditional students to their studies.
Why did you choose to study in Bristol?
With two large universities, the headquarters of several large companies and a host of large organisations across finance, defence and government, Bristol is a very good place to work and study.
In what ways have the staff/course tutors been helpful and supportive?
Direct email, direct telephone numbers, online forums and online lectures, coupled with lecturers that support and embrace distance and part-time learning, made balancing work life and studying much easier than it might have been.
How do you think this course has advanced your prospects?
I am now a self-employed software engineer. Having a formal qualification in my area of work makes me more marketable to clients.
Entry
Entry requirements
General requirements
As a general guide to be successful in this degree you need to have had solid experience of software development and be a fluent programmer in a high level programming language. As is the case with all our Master's degrees, the ability to communicate well in writing is required. Typically, students have entered the programme with degrees in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computing, IT, or similar.
We welcome applicants without conventional entry requirements but who have substantial relevant work or other experience and who have the motivation and skills to succeed on the course.
International applicants (non UK and EU) should aim to apply by the end of June to allow time to arrange accommodation, finance and any visas.
Short courses
Entry requirements for modules taken as short courses vary, and are usually more relaxed than those for the full degree programme. Successful completion of modules may be used to bolster an application for the full degree programme.
English Language requirements
Please visit our website for information on English language requirements
Education and work experience
Typically, students enter the programme with a degree in a relevant area. More specifically you may:
- Be a UK student with a good honours degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computing, IT, or similar or an international graduate with an equivalent qualification;
- Have a lower degree classification, but with two or more years of experience working as part of a software development team;
- Have none of the qualifications above but have been working in a senior role within a software development team for five or more years. In this case it is likely that we will invite you for an informal interview.
Fees
For the full MSc
Full-time: £5500
Part-time: £1830pa (3 years)
For the Postgraduate Certificate: £1830
For the Postgraduate Diploma: £3660 (over 2 years)
Individual module: £457.50
Prices vary for international (non UK/EU) students. Contact us for more details.
Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.
For funding options, please see our funding and scholarships information.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011