Course Overview
The main themes of the programme are:
- Current and emerging Software Engineering principles and practices
- Current and emerging programming practices
- Large scale software project management
This programme will equip students with those skills at a high academic level and also crucially enable them to practically implement their knowledge because of the 'hands-on' emphasis of the programme.
The Current and emerging Software Engineering principles and practices includes aspects of generic programming.
The Current and emerging programming practices theme covers advanced topics in modules such as Generic Programming and aspects of Scientific Computing and Virtualisation
The Large scale project management theme will concentrate on management and systems analysis skills to be developed by the students both of which are in great demand by employers.
Key Features
Software Engineering as a subject evolved from a desire to incorporate engineering practices including, analysis, design, testing and project management to the process of creating computer programs. As a discipline, software engineering is as broad as the software created, with applications as diverse as plant control (real-time critical systems) to commercial trading software (database driven software) to image processing applications for mobile phones (computer graphics based mobile applications).
Modules
Part 1
Agile Software Development (20 credits)
Generic Programming (20 credits)
Leadership and Management (20 credits)
Managing Information Systems and Projects (20 credits)
Research Methods and Data Analysis (20 credits)
Scientific Computing & Virtualisation (20 credits)
Part 2
Major Project (60 credits)
Assessment
The School of Applied Computing aims to produce graduates that help shape the future of computing and information systems development. The course content is contemporary and shaped for employability through close links with local and national employers.
Students are assessed through a combination of worksheets, practicals, presentations, projects and examinations. Module assessment is often by assignment, or assignment and examination. The final mark for some modules may include one or more pieces of course work set and completed during the module. Project work is assessed by written report and presentation.
Students are encouraged to use our links with Software Alliance Wales and Go Wales to work on commercial schemes for their Major Project module. Go Wales provides the opportunity of paid work placements with local businesses.
Career Opportunities
Graduates from this programme will be skilled and knowledgeable in the technical aspects of software development, and are likely to find employment either within specialist software organisations, or within organisations which commit resources to developing highly technical software systems. They are likely to have to work as a member of a team, conceiving, designing, developing and implementing complex software systems. Graduates from this programme would expect to be initially employed as software engineers. Those employed by SMEs are likely to work in smaller teams or perhaps as sole developers. Students finding employment with larger companies are most likely to work in larger teams building a variety of large-scale applications.
It is expected that graduates would seek positions such as:
- Software Engineers
- Senior software Engineers
- Software Developers
- Application Developers
- System Engineers
- Software Technical Lead
- System Analyst
- Version control manager
- Project lead/manager
