Software Engineering
Entry requirements
A level
This qualification is only acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pass relevant Diploma with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Distinction.
Accepted in combination with other qualifications.
This qualification is only acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE Maths Grade 4/C required.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Minimum of 4 in SL Maths or 3 in HL Maths required if grade 4/C not held at GCSE. Applications & Interpretation and Analysis & Approaches both accepted.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Must include Maths OR Ordinary Level 4 in Maths.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Accepted in combination with A-Level grade B. Some relevant subjects in IT, Maths, Science or Engineering should be studied within qualification profile. Please contact [email protected] regarding other combinations.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Accepted in combination with A-Level grades BB. Please contact [email protected] regarding other qualification combinations.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC must be in IT, Science or Engineering. Please contact [email protected] regarding eligibility of other BTEC subjects.
Scottish Advanced Higher
Scottish Higher
T Level
In either Digital Production, Design and Development (with an Occupational Specialism in Software development technician) or Digital Business Services
ABB from two A-levels and the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
At the highest levels, software drives almost every industry. By combining technical programming expertise with real-world experience, you’ll discover how to shape the way people interact with technology.
Do you enjoy programming, or are you convinced you would? Would you like to know more about being an entrepreneur, and setting up a business underpinned by a great software system? Do you want to know how to talk to customers and clients, understand their needs, and be able to specify, design, build and test the software they need? How to work by yourself and also in teams? If you want to do all these things, and also learn about the principles of coding, underpinning mathematics, operating systems and networks, technology, innovation and professional skills, Leicester's Software Engineering programme is for you!
Programming is fun! You no doubt have a phone, laptop, tablet and so on; your car may have a navigation system, park itself, and have surround-space scanners; and you may be able to control your heating from a mobile. All of these cool devices work using program code. At the heart of coding such systems are state-of-the-art technologies including Android, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Prolog and R, and programme development environments such as Eclipse. At Leicester you will be taught to program in a selection of these languages, and have opportunities to learn others in project work. Programming will include mobile and web applications and technologies.
Software Engineering covers the methods for developing software, following rigorous engineering practices and meeting required levels of quality. You will learn how to plan and manage software architectures for practical large-scale development projects, while adopting an academic and rigorous approach which will support you throughout your career. We cover: how to understand customer requirements; specify, design and code a computer solution; and test and release your solution to your customer. You will learn software modelling techniques such as UML, business concepts such as project management, and techniques for developing innovations in technology.
Modules in computer architecture, operating systems and networking cover essential knowledge of modern computing systems (mobile computers to world-distributed computation). And, of course, we cover databases and information systems. In optional modules you can learn about a range of advanced topics including user interfaces, web technologies, mobile applications, security, along with distributed systems and applications.
Project work is highly desired by employers. In your second year group project you will learn the demands of working in a professional environment as you endeavour to deliver software that is often commissioned by a real client. In your final year, you undertake an individual problem-based project, exercising your creativity and innovation to design and implement a software solution to the problem. Previous projects have included 3-D games, mobile phone/tablet apps, security software, internet telephony, a diabetes app, programming robots, a sheet music editor, processor emulators and more.
What's the difference?
Intrigued by computational phenomena, like why and how programming languages actually work? Want to know more about the processes and techniques through which new software systems can be built? The BSc in Computer Science is the course for you. Or, if you want to start your career at a higher level, or study for a PhD, try the MComp which is the BSc with an extra year on the end.
Modules
For more information on this course and a full list of modules, visit the course information page on our website
Assessment methods
For more information on the methods of assessment on this course, visit the course information page on our website
Tuition fees
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The Uni
University of Leicester
School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
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?
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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
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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.
£31k
£37k
£39k
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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Post-six month graduation stats:
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It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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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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