Software Engineering
Entry requirements
Access to HE Diploma
Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
English Language or Literature at grade C or 4. Maths at grade C or 4
UCAS Tariff
This must include at least two A levels or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example: BBC-BBB at A Level. DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma. Merit overall from a T level qualification A combination of qualifications, which may include AS Levels, EPQ and general studies
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.**
- Gain real-world experience that’s relevant to your future career.
- Develop your knowledge of database design and manipulation.
- Study major programming languages and various modern frameworks.
- Learn to produce high-quality, large-scale web, mobile and desktop applications.
- Work on real client software projects
On this course, you’ll learn how to design, implement, and test complex, high-quality and large-scale software applications that can be used in enterprise environments. You’ll develop the skills you’ll need to work as a professional software developer using modern approaches which can be applied to new and emerging technologies.
**How you learn**
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
This course starts by helping you develop practical skills in creating software applications through lectures and hands-on tutorial sessions. These sessions will build your understanding of how and when to use appropriate processes, tools, technologies and project management practices.
You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate on real-world projects to produce software prototypes introduced and inspired by industry. Tackling projects found in industry will help prepare you for a career in software engineering, all within a supportive learning environment.
During your final year, you’ll create your own software application, guided by a dedicated project supervisor. As part of this project, you’ll undertake research, and apply new skills while you create a software product that you can be proud of.
The combination of teaching methods applied across the course will allow you to develop a range of skills through practical implementation, problem-solving activities, and teamwork, allowing you to take an active approach to learning and encouraging self-development.
You learn through:
- lectures
- hands-on lab sessions and tutorials
- regular feedback
- teamwork and group-based learning
- practice-based applied learning
- discussions
- self-study
You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through a number of key areas. These include
- access to our student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one to ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
- industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities.
**Work placements**
You’ll have the opportunity to complete a year-long work placement between your second and third year. A placement is widely recognised as the gold standard opportunity to gain personal and professional development through real-world experience.
Your placement will allow you to apply the knowledge and skills gained on your course, in areas such as web development, mobile applications, backend software and desktop solutions.
**Live projects**
In your first and second years you’ll work in a group on a real client-based project. You’ll analyse their requirements, then design, implement and test a prototype which you’ll present to your client. This will allow you to experience the types of demands faced by commercial software engineers – as well as increasing your confidence while you’re applying for your work placements.
**Networking opportunities**
Throughout the course there are numerous opportunities for you to engage with career management, career fairs and workshops, employer presentations, visits and professional advisers.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
**Year 1**
**Compulsory modules**
Databases And System Modelling
Programming
Software Projects
Web Development
**Year 2**
**Compulsory modules **
Introduction To Software Engineering
Professional Software Projects
Systems Programming
**Elective modules**
Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning 1
Game Development
Handling Data In The Cloud
Mobile Applications Development
**Year 3 **
**Optional modules**
Placement Year
**Final year **
**Compulsory modules**
Development Project
Management Of It Projects
Software Architecture And Design
**Elective modules **
Contemporary Software Engineering
Machine Learning Algorithms And Heuristics
Robotics
Secure Software Engineering
Assessment methods
Coursework, practical
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Scholarships, discounts and bursaries may be available to students who study this course.
The Uni
Sheffield Hallam University
College of Business Technology and Engineering
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Software engineering
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Software engineering
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
A specialist subject, and not surprisingly graduates tend to go into software engineering roles or related. The degree classification students achieved made a particular difference last year — computing graduates with the best grades were much less likely to be out of work after six months and employers can even rate a good grade as important as work experience. Most students do get jobs, though, and starting salaries are good — particularly in London, where average starting salaries for good graduates were getting towards £38k last year. Be aware that at the moment, recruitment agencies are much the most common way for graduates from this degree to get their first job, so it may be worth getting in touch with a few specialist agencies in advance of graduation if you take this degree to get a foot in the door.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Software engineering
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£25k
£27k
£30k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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