Software is a fundamental part of today's 'digital society', controlling everything from the results that are displayed when you use a search engine, how we interact on social media, through to how video is streamed and rendered on your smartphone. Without software, the forms of communication, interaction and knowledge processing that we all take for granted today could not exist. In the future, software will become so embedded in our lives that virtually all of our human processes will be affected by the design and development of software.
In particular, software engineers are concerned with developing and maintaining software systems in a manner that is efficient, reliable and affordable. Software engineers must also understand the needs of those who will use the software, and be able to create products that are capable, safe and intuitive. This degree programme is designed to equip graduates with the analytical, reasoning and practical skills they will need to design, develop and deploy large software systems. It has a blend of Software Engineering and Computer Science knowledge and skills.
Software Engineering Degree highlights
Career Development
- Students taking this programme may spend a year gaining professional experience in industry in a paid full-time post. Students are helped to obtain suitable places and the School has excellent links with over 500 local, national and international employers such as Citi, BT, Liberty IT, and Kainos in Belfast, IBM in England, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems in Dublin, Fujitsu in Japan and Siemens in Germany.
Student Experience
- All applicants: Computer Science, Computing and Information Technology and Software Engineering share a common core of modules in the first year, so students may therefore transfer between these degrees at the end of first year, subject to meeting the defined progression requirements.
Careers
Career Prospects
Employment after the Course
Studying for a Software Engineering degree at Queen's will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen's are well regarded by employers (local, national and international).
Consultations
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, Asidua and Liberty IT, who provide sponsorship for our students as well as Citi and Kainos who are members of the employer liaison panel for the course.
Employment Links
The School has links with over 500 IT companies both here and abroad. We benefit from the fact that there are more software companies located in N Ireland than any other part of the UK, outside of London. This offers benefits on many levels for our students, from industrial input to the content of our courses, through to year long and summer placements as well as activities such as competitions organised by the companies etc.
Northern Ireland has an excellent international reputation for the quality and supply of its software engineers. Indeed many companies, both national and international, have opted for Northern Ireland as a base for their computing divisions in recognition of the high quality of graduates produced by the local universities.
Given this situation, it is not surprising that our graduates have had unparalleled job opportunities over the years, both locally and internationally. Because of the achievements of Queen's graduates already in the software engineering profession, a Software Engineering degree from Queen's is a highly respected qualification.
Employers, from large multinational firms to small local organisations, actively target our students, recognising that Queen's Software Engineering graduates are equipped with the skills they need. On graduating the majority of graduates take up posts associated with software design and implementation. Opportunities exist in fields as diverse as finance, games, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, research, consumer products, and public services - virtually all areas of business. Some of the employers include BT, Liberty IT, Kainos, Accenture, Citi, Wombat Financial Software.
The types of career open to Software Engineering graduates include: Software Developer; Systems Analyst; Web Designer; Games Developer; Programmer; IT Consultant; Project Manager.
Additional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Prizes and Awards(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.