A Guide to Application Development Courses

Depending on where you choose to study, you may be able to specialise throughout your degree. This specialisation can influence the area in which you choose to work after you have graduated. Common specialisations include:

• Information Security
• Software Development
• Web Application Design and Development
• Information Systems
• Mobile Application Development
• User Experience (UX)

If your degree requires you to write a dissertation or submit a major research project, this will give you the chance to further explore a favoured area of application development.

The accreditation of an application development masters degree will depend on where you choose to study. Typically, you can expect to be awarded a Master of Science (MSc), a Master of Computing (MComp), or a Master of Computer Science (MCompSci). The award title you gain will be influenced heavily by the country in which you study, as different countries have different accreditation systems.

Some courses may be accredited by a professional body. In the UK, this may be the British Computing Society (BCS), for example.

Generally, a masters degree in application development will take one to two years when studied full-time. If you wish to study part-time, your degree could last up to 4 years. The duration will depend on the institution you choose to study at, as they can set their own timeframes.

Once you have completed your masters degree, you can choose to either seek employment in your chosen area, or further your studies. Continuation of your studies could be in the form of a postgraduate degree, such as a Master of Philosophy (MPhil), or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Other options include professional and executive academic qualifications, or professional qualifications gained through your workplace.

The entry requirements for an application development masters degree will depend on the institution for which you are applying. Some universities might require you to sit an entrance exam, where others may rely on your undergraduate degree results. Some universities may prefer you to have studied certain subjects, such as computer science, and others might consider previous relevant work experience.

Although most universities do not list this as a requirement, it is recommended that you are familiar with at least one programming language prior to starting your degree. This will give you a headstart on your learning and assessments.

You should check each institution to see what entry requirements they have for their application development programmes.

• UK – 5.5 IELTS
• US – 2.5 GPA

Tuition fees for international students are not fixed. This means that they can vary greatly from institution to institution. You should make sure that you are aware of how much your course will cost you.

You may be eligible for a scholarship or funding. This could be awarded by your institution, or by a separate funding body. For more information, visit our scholarships and funding section.

Application development graduates will find that there are many career opportunities available to them. Due to the demand for industries to keep up with the online world, there will be job roles in many different fields, and not all necessarily directly related to computer science and information technology. Roles might include project manager, information systems manager, database administrator, multimedia programmer, IT security analyst, and games designer and developer. As well as working for a business, you also have the option to start your own company, and work as a consultant, helping organisations with a wide variety of IT tasks.