Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £9,535 per year
International/EU: £17,155 per year -
How long will I study?
3 / 4 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
G600
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
Course summary
- Produce large-scale web, mobile and desktop applications
- Develop your knowledge of database design and manipulation
- Study evolving technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning
- Benefit from our connections with employers such as IBM, Intel, Nissan and CSE Servelec
- Work on live projects for real clients and complete a year-long work placement
On this course, you’ll learn how to design, implement, and test complex, high-quality software applications. Guided by our experts, you’ll become adept in major programming languages such as C#, Javascript, HTML, and CSS.
Grow in confidence as you progress from simulated client briefs in your first year to working directly with industry in your second year. By the end of your studies, you’ll have developed your own software product—ready to showcase to future employers.
Accredited by
This course is accredited by for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional and partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Employability
100% of our graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating, with 86% in highly skilled employment or further study (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey).
Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
How you learn
You'll be taught by experts in software, artificial intelligence, robotics and engineering, many of whom have extensive experience in industry. Our team is passionate about our research – we have designed new products for organisations such as Guildhawk, the NHS and Raytheon.
Our teaching methods include practical work, problem-solving and teamwork, allowing you to take an active approach to your learning.
The course starts by helping you develop practical skills in creating software applications through lectures and hands-on tutorial sessions. By your second year, you’ll then have the opportunity to collaborate on real-world projects to produce software prototypes introduced and inspired by industry.
During your final year, you’ll create your own software application, guided by a dedicated project supervisor. Many of our students also work with industry partners on their final year projects.
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 specialist services 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
Course leaders and tutors
Applied learning
Work experience
You’ll have the opportunity to complete a year-long work placement between your second and third year. We have connections with a range of employers including IBM, Nissan, Intel, and Walt Disney, and we’ll support you to set up work experience that’s right for you.
Lots of students go on to secure a graduate role with their host employer after completing their placement year.
Students from this course have worked with companies such as:
- 3Squared
- CSE Servelec
- IBM
- Intel
- SN Systems
- Nissan
- Walt Disney
Your placement year will allow you to gain an Applied Professional Diploma in addition to your degree which will enhance your graduate profile and give you the edge with future employers.
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.
Students have worked on live projects for clients including Next, XLN, Elanco, Elaros, IBM and Autodesk. These have included using augmented reality and 3D technologies, machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, cloud services and mobile development.
Students have often found placements with the client as a result of the excellent work they’ve done for these live projects.
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.
Take advantage of our links with companies such as IBM, Next, Autodesk and Elanco to form relationships and build the contacts you need to further your career.
We’ll also encourage you to network with other students across computing disciplines, sharing knowledge and learning from each other. Many of our students are involved in computing societies such as Women in Tech Society and CyberSoc.
We often invite employers on campus to host workshops and lecture on topics such as software development, project management and routes into a career in computing.
Plus, you’ll have the chance to attend regular talks put on by British Computer Society (BCS) Yorkshire – the chartered institute for IT.
Professional development
We want you to have as many chances as possible to hone your skills as a programmer and set yourself up for success. We host student programming clinics where you can receive one-to-one mentorship, as well as weekly coding workshops.
We’re a member of the Turing University Network, allowing us to offer Continuing Professional Development courses across the University. You can also undertake professional accreditations in project management and business analysis.
Study abroad
Keen to study abroad? We are partnered with a number of universities across the globe including La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, allowing you the chance to study abroad for a semester.
Competitions
Showcase your work at the Festival of Computing, an annual event giving you the opportunity to show your work to peers, academics and representatives from industry.
You'll also have the chance to attend the Festival of Code which runs two to three times a year, and is similar to a hackathon. Over the course of a weekend, you’ll work to solve a problem as part of a team.
Future careers
This course will provide you with skills that are in high demand in an increasingly digital society. Average starting salaries in the computing sector begin at around £30,000 per year.
This course prepares you for a career in:
- software development
- web-based applications
- mobile app development
- systems and IT support
- project management
- IT consultancy
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:
- Capita
- SkyBet
- Raspberry Pi Foundation
- 3Squared (a digital solutions and software firm set up by alumni of this course)
Student's success story
Niall Hogan studies BENG (Hons) Software Engineering with us and has been on placement with technology-driven language and market specialists, Guildhawk in Sheffield. Read more
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Location
Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn more about your department
Computing facilities tour
Take a look around the facilities and equipment in the Department of Computing at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ.
Equipment and facilities
You'll study in our Home of Digital Technologies, completing projects in learning labs that simulate industry. Our facilities are world-class, home to seven dedicated cyber security labs – the largest set up in the country. We also have one of the world's largest PlayStation teaching labs.
On this course you’ll work with and have access to:
- modern software IDEs including Visual Studio
- industry-standard software
- state-of-the-art hardware
- Internet of Things and SBC devices
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112-120
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
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4
- Maths at grade C or 4
GCSE equivalents
- Level 2 Literacy or Functional Skills Level 2 English
- Level 2 Numeracy or Functional Skills Level 2 Maths
• 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.
The evidence that you provide in your personal statement and references will influence whether your application is successful. So plan what you want to say and take your time completing the application form.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Ï㽶ÊÓƵ course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
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
This module introduces concepts and methods used to model software from the perspective of data and objects. It will develop the understanding of software program’s data and the structure of the components from which it is composed. You will learn to model problem domains and to design software and database solutions using industry-standard techniques.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Software development processes
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Requirements analysis, modelling and specifications
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Techniques for requirement elicitation and modelling
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Data-oriented approach to requirements analysis and modelling including entities, attributes, relationships, cardinality and optionality
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Object-oriented approach to requirements analysis and modelling including classes, objects, attributes, operations, messages, inheritance, encapsulation and modelling systems using UML
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Legal aspects relating to data from data protection, retention, deletion and correction policies, to individual and authority access rights, storage of sensitive information and encryption
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Implementation of models using an object-oriented language and SQL
This module introduces practical computer programming. It provides a foundation and understanding of key programming concepts and their deployment in a mainstream object-oriented programming language. The focus is on the design and implementation of programs using the facilities of a programming language which is widely used for developing modern applications.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Problem solving, top-down design, and functional decomposition
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Software development process - specification, design, implementation, debugging and testing
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Variables and data Structures
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Algorithms and control Structures
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Object-oriented programming
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Program quality
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Software tools and integrated development environments (IDEs)
This module uses real projects for you to apply and continue to develop your software development knowledge against. It will support the development of your collaborative skills in a software development environment alongside relevant Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional Issues (LSEPI) and their impact within the IT and software industry.
You’ll study topics such as:
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User requirements & user stories
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Acceptance testing
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Software prototyping and fidelity of prototypes
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Software development process and lifecycles
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Use case modelling
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Database design
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Object-oriented design
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User interface design
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Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional issues in IT
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Software testing
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Sustainable development and deployment
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Data security
This module follows a design process from conceptualising and wireframing to coding HTML to structure documents and CSS to style them consistently. It will develop your practical skills in JavaScript for client side interactivity on web pages, alongside popular client-side frameworks such as jQuery. You will also be introduced to server-side scripting and how it can be used to develop complex functionality that links to a database.
You’ll study topics such as:
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HTML to structure web documents
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Application, maintenance and management of the presentation layer through CSS
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Page layout using modern CSS modules
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Manipulation of the document object model (DOM) via JavaScript.
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Interactivity through events in JavaScript.
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Blending dynamic server-side data with HTML documents
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PHP, Python, C#
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Aims:
This module introduces the software engineering discipline by providing a broad view of the software development process and methods with reference to their impact on the production of high-quality software.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Established Practices
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software engineering challenges
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investigation of causes of IT failures and lessons learned
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software quality, quality models and software metrics, including some source-code metrics
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planning software projects (Project planning, Tracking progress and agile responses)
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traditional software development (waterfall, spiral, prototyping)
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agile software development (Scrum, Kanban).
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traditional requirements engineering processes (requirements specification documents, documentation standards)
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agile requirements engineering processes (user stories, test-driven development)
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software design (software architectures, application architectures, user interface design, architectural design patterns)
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software testing (test-driven development, acceptance testing, automated unit testing, usability testing)
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code inspections
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software evolution (processes, maintenance, legacy systems)
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software security and privacy
Advanced software engineering
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human-computer interaction
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software reuse
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component-based software engineering
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distributed software engineering
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service-oriented software engineering
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real-time software engineering
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software analytics
This module provides a platform for you to work collaboratively in small teams to build complex software applications relating to industry. You’ll typically work with external clients on the projects, where you will also continue to develop your professional practice and profile, that can be used to support placement opportunities.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Modern software development methodologies
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Effectively team working 
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Version control tools 
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Architecture of CRUDing applications 
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Building secure APIs 
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Testing strategies for software development 
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Cloud deployment technologies 
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Professional profile: CVs, covering letters, portfolio, and reflective practice
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Building secure and sustainable systems
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Accessible and culturally appropriate software
This module will continue to develop your programming skills against larger-scale software systems. You will construct reliable and serviceable software and recognise the benefits (and challenges) of lower-level programming. It will build your awareness of the overhead introduced by language features when writing programs where efficiency is desired.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Command line and command line arguments
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Binary, files, and serialisation
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Computer architecture and memory
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Performance, profiling, and optimisation techniques
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Use and evaluation of standard libraries
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Building sustainable software through appropriate use of system resources
Elective modules
This module delivers knowledge and practical skills of machine learning algorithms for artificial intelligence applications. It will present the key mathematical principles and concepts required to create machine learning algorithms through data-driven approaches. You will gain practical experience while designing, implementing, and evaluating machine learning systems to solve real-world artificial intelligence problems.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Data-driven approaches to machine learning
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Linear regression and gradient descent 
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Regression and classification problems 
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Machine learning algorithms: decision trees, support vector machines, ensemble learning and k-mean/mean-shift clustering
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Data pre-processing, cleansing and feature extraction 
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Evaluating machine learning system by using cross-validation, confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic
This module will develop your programming skills further through the production of games using industry-standard game engines and tools.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Game development concepts, processes, mathematics, and techniques
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Sprite sheets, animation, lighting, physics, collision detection, mathematical vectors, and quaternions
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Game development tools: game engines, image editing software, and audio editing software
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Development of 2D and 3D games
This module develops your ability to differentiate and choose between different operational database systems for daily operations or simple analytics and use of distributed systems to manage data on a larger scale. It will develop your understanding of relational and non-relational (NoSQL) databases, and how to program a NoSQL database Distributed System. You will get practical experience of storing, manipulating, and retrieving semi-structured data and perform aggregation functions with big datasets used in cloud computing.
You’ll study topics such as:
The module will advance on from the database module completed in the first year. Concepts covered at this stage will include:
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Data management and database management
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Database system architectures
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Relational data model
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Handling simple and complex data types
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Visualisation of data
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Database integrity, security, encryption, use of constraints
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Business driven data strategies
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Cloud-based data handling tools
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NoSQL
This module introduces you to mobile application development. It will explore the capabilities of modern devices for you to create highly interactive mobile applications, using industry standard software development kits (SDKs).
You’ll study topics such as:
- User interface components
- Layouts and styles
- Navigation
- Controls and lists
- Mobile application features: sound effects, notifications, gestures, camera/photo gallery, geo-location and maps integration
- App lifecycle
- Device storage procedures and access APIs
- Architectural patterns for mobile application development
- Authentication
- Mobile application deployment
This module is for undergraduate students to study abroad in their second year, Semester 2 (only for courses that offer this option). With this module, you can spend a semester at one of the University’s approved partner institutions worldwide – from Europe to the Americas, Australia or Canada.
Study Abroad plays an important role in the University's commitment to an engaging, challenging, and thriving learning culture. It offers opportunities to experience other academic cultures and foster intellectual maturity while enhancing co-curricular skills and students' long-term employability.
Study abroad for credit is permitted on existing university-approved courses only. Students are awarded credits and grades at the partner institution, which are converted into Sheffield Hallam credits and grades on return and included in the Sheffield Hallam degree classification.
Please check and refer to the webpage How study abroad works. You must submit a Learning Agreement outlining the modules you will be taking at the partner institution. The Learning Agreement will be signed off by your academic tutor to ensure that the Learning broadly covers the Learning Outcomes set out in your course curriculum during your study abroad.  
Year 3
Optional modules
Module aim:
The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).
A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will:
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Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course
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Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.
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Grow their student network and relationship building skills.
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Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs
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Help student make informed graduate careers choices.
Indicative Content:
In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.
To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module emphasizes the necessity of incorporating ethical design principles into AI and data science projects, highlighting the importance of fairness, transparency, and accountability. Learners will explore data ethics, including privacy, consent, and bias, ensuring responsible data handling throughout its lifecycle. The module also covers data security, focusing on protecting data from unauthorized access and breaches, and maintaining integrity and confidentiality.
Students will engage with topics of data protection, and fairness in AI by developing collaborative research, to identify the risks and develop strategies for mitigation. Students will be challenged to discuss issues surrounding bias and inequality in context of data science to be able to thrive as reflective practitioners.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The module will cover relevant regulations, governance frameworks, and standards essential for ethically aligned design, highlighting their connection to various stages of the data science lifecycle. Students will engage with real case scenarios to apply this knowledge and be challenged in applying these techniques and tools in areas including data anonymization, debiasing, and fairness testing.
By integrating these principles learners will be able to thrive and collaborate in the design and implementation of innovative, ethically sound, and secure AI and data science projects, building trust and credibility in AI systems.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Data Protection and Privacy Regulations 
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Technologies for anonymizing data: k-anonymity, and differential privacy.
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Risk and Accountability Regulations 
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Professional Ethics and Codes of Conduct 
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Ethical practices of data handling including issues of inequality, bias, and fairness in domain
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Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Decision Making Client Relationships, Communication, and Complaints Handling. 
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Strategies to reduce race and gender discrimination from automated systems
This module bridges the business contexts in which IT solutions are developed to support and the related challenges faced by aspiring future software developers and managers. You’ll have the relevant language and tools to design, plan and support the development and operation of IT projects, presenting and justifying the investment in IT projects to both technical and business audiences.
You’ll study topics such as:
- IT project success and failure
- The strategic business perspective
- The role of the customer and their requirements
- IT project design, planning and execution
- The business case to justify an IT project
- Risk and quality management
- Managing people, teams and business change
- Leadership, decision making and communication
- Professionalism, ethical responsibility and equality
The aim of this module is to give you the opportunity to apply the principles of good design, usability, and security to the development of software. It does so by exploring a case study that forms the starting point for discovery, discussion and development. In adopting a practical approach, different design techniques and architectural styles can be used to develop solutions that are then evaluated against industry-standard criteria using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Indicative Content
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Gathering requirements
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User-Centred Design (including aspects of inclusive design with a particular focus on assistive technology).
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Designing a solution architecture
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Selecting and implementing design patterns.
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Understanding anti-patterns and code smells.
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Evaluating software architecture and quality characteristics.
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Understanding the role of measurement and modelling in the design of systems.
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The relationship between frameworks, design patterns and architectures.
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Implementation of software using frameworks.
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Software and user testing.
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Testing the security of a system
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The importance of understanding of culture and inclusivity in the design of systems
Elective modules
This module is an opportunity to work as a software engineer, work out an innovative solution for a problem and define a software engineering method to develop the solution. You’ll focus on the end user’s functional pain points through a design thinking workshop, deciding on a software engineering methodology influenced by industry-standard methods.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Pain points and requirements using design thinking
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Technical solutions leveraging reference architectures
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Defining software engineering method
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Industry-standard practice-oriented methodology like IBM Garage Method
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MVP-driven ‘envisage co-create build-at-scale’ development
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Optimising software engineering methodology with techniques like LEAN
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Understanding organisation maturity in line with SEI/CMM
This module explores some of the important applications we use – from Google and Amazon to the many social media platforms – which have built their utility and success on top of machine learning systems. Using Python programming and a range of libraries, you’ll learn to understand recognition, prediction, rankings, recommendation systems, social bookmarking and more.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Machine learning in AI, social media, and web applications
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Python libraries for machine learning
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Recommendations based on the ‘likes’ of individuals and groups
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Using neural networks to learn about computer vision tasks
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Ranking search results based on the context they were created in
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Building pricing models using a variety of techniques
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Building systems whose intelligence evolves using genetic algorithms
This module explores the recent progression of ‘electronics’ from the design and development of circuitry towards programmable devices which receive input from sensors, using that information in various ways to ‘control’ outputs and produce effects. This emerging ‘internet of things’ and ‘physical computing’ is seen in Arduino boards, robots, smart homes and embedded devices.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Prototyping tools, processes and methods
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Physical computing system controller, motors and sensors
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Embedded robotic devices
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Handling real-time data
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Control algorithms
This module introduces the practice of secure software engineering, exploring the main objectives of security in the construction of large complex applications. We’ll view historical cases of software failure to demonstrate the main problems and implications for poor security practices in software development, which you’ll use as motivation for the study of current software and security engineering practices.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Information security concepts, objectives and properties
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Confidentiality, integrity availability
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Security in the software development lifecycle
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Cryptography foundation and application
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Digital identity management and access control
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Identification, authentication, authorisation and audit
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Vulnerabilities, threats and attacks
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Protection and defence mechanisms and tools
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Ï㽶ÊÓƵ and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for School of Computing and Digital Technologies (PDF, 131.3KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
