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Undergraduate study
Computing & Cyber Security

Software Engineering BSc (Hons)

Software Engineering helps you develop skills in software design and development, and the building of computer systems and applications software. You develop a wide range of knowledge and skills, including programming, requirement analysis and database development.

 

I300 BSc/SE

Course routes:

 
  • Study at the top North East uni for student experience (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023).
 

Course overview

Foundation year Work placement

Computing and cyber security courses

Learn more about our courses in computing and cybersecurity.

You explore professional, ethical, security and social implications of software engineering. All designed to equip you with a range of transferable skills that will help you progress rapidly into a role in industry.

The course introduces you to current industry software engineering practices, and you are also able to undertake an optional year-long placement which can help you improve employment prospects by providing real-world experience to develop new skills and a deeper understanding of the subject.

Top reasons to study this course at Teesside:

  • Industry links: work on live industry briefs, competitions and hackathons with companies including Cisco, Cubic Transportation Systems, Sage, TUI, Atombank, HMRC and Waterstons.
  • British Computer Society (BCS) academic membership: get free BCS membership to accelerate your career path with CV builder tools, e-learning courses, mentorships programmes, jobs boards and volunteering opportunities.
  • Career-ready: our ExpoSeries of events allow you to showcase your skills to industry professionals who are seeking to recruit new and rising talent.
  • State-of-the-art facilities: learn in industry-standard computing labs with specialist equipment used to undertake development projects and build innovative prototypes.
  • Student satisfaction: 94.7% of software engineering students agreed that staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2024, tees.ac.uk/source).

Download pdf Order prospectus

 

Course details

Course structure

Year 1 core modules

Algorithmic Problem Solving

Learn about the maths, algorithms and data structures that are essential for computer science and computer games – putting first principles into an applied context.

This module is closely linked to our programming modules and prepares you with essential, transferable problem-solving skills.

This is a 30-credit module.

Object-oriented Programming

You consider key aspects of the software development process - designing solutions, writing application code, developing documentation and formal approaches to testing. And you develop the essential skills you need to develop software applications such as following best practices used by industry and the wider programming community.

This is a 30-credit module.

Secure Computers and Networks

Cover a full range of computer and network security issues. Study systematic approaches to managing security risks, identification and authentication, elementary cryptography, network technology and relevant security issues. Learn about the basic network technology including deploying routers, switches, firewalls, cabling and servers as well as communication protocols and topologies. And understand how they're used and how they function in the real world.

This is a 30-credit module.

Systems Design and Databases

To produce a successful, robust, user-friendly system or application, you need to start by analysing your stakeholders’ requirements and developing a detailed design.

Study the concepts and techniques of analysing and designing systems. Then you can break down and simplify complex systems, and represent them visually using industry-standard approaches. In industry, these visual models are used to communicate designs to developers and stakeholders before implementation.

You study other techniques to design and implement relational databases as part of an information system. Using data-modelling techniques, you learn to define how the system stores data and interacts with it.

This module has a strong emphasis on professional practice and transferrable practical skills, such as communicating design, structuring workflows with process models and gathering requirements - this provides you with some of the essential skills you need in industry.

This is a 30-credit module.

 

Year 2 core modules

Enterprise Project

You develop a solution, proposal, product or service in response to an enterprise challenge set by industry partners or business clients.

Working in small teams, you determine the project aims, objectives, roles, tasks, deliverables, schedules and documentation. You take a professional approach, informed by innovative industry practice, to deliver a successful project that meets the set challenge.

You develop a solution, proposal, product or service, pitching it to academics and industry experts. You reflect on the project process as a whole and review sustainability, diversity, ethical and legal issues, and evaluate team members’ performance.

This is a 30-credit module.

Relational and NoSQL Databases

Learn how to design and implement database applications to meet business needs using industry-standard database technologies. Use a case study to follow the system development lifecycle, and develop a server database application for a real-world scenario. Explore rational and NoSQL database technologies to design and build solutions.

This is a 30-credit module.

Software Engineering

The cost of software failures is staggering with estimates in the billions of pounds each year. Software quality assurance ensures that all software engineering processes, methods, activities and work items are monitored and comply with defined standards and best practice. It covers all software development processes starting from defining requirements to coding until release. The prime goal is to ensure quality.

You address software project management, managing software, and quality controlling and testing the complete lifecycle.

This is a 30-credit module.

Web Apps and Services

Design and construct web applications and web services, and understand the role they play in the architecture of enterprise-style software systems.

Compared to traditional static sites, web applications serve dynamic content or fully asynchronous single-page applications to bring the web alive. Web services use industry-standard interfaces to make their capabilities reusable by third parties, particularly apps running on mobile devices. These technologies are the cornerstone of the modern web.

Explore the underlying technologies of how the web works and investigate how to use professional tools to construct web apps and web services. Study the principles, patterns, libraries, frameworks and techniques to engineer good-quality software components ready to use in enterprise-style software system architectures. Build on and extend your previous programming experience, and knowledge and understanding of data modelling and persistence.

This is a 30-credit module.

 

Optional work placement year

Work placement

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

 

Final-year core modules

Cloud-native DevOps

Cloud computing enables companies to avoid the infrastructure and maintenance costs associated with buying and running their own dedicated hardware and software platforms. Moving software and software development to the cloud creates new challenges and opportunities for software developers.

You explore cloud-native software architectures, use cloud-based platforms and infrastructures, and study professional DevOps practices used to develop and deploy complete software systems.

This is a 30-credit module.

Computing Project

Produce a substantial artefact related to the computing field, and write a report and commented walk-through video, with supervision from our academic staff.

You are guided to develop your work-discipline and your professional outlook. Taking full responsibility for your project, carry out an in-depth exploration of a chosen subject area that demonstrates your ability to scope the project, plan, research, analyse, synthesise, and creatively apply and execute what you've already studied. Consider its risks, security and sustainability as well as the legal, social, ethical, equality, diversity and inclusion issues.

You develop your professional skills in time management, communication, problem solving and critical thinking.

This is a 60-credit module.

High-integrity Systems

High-integrity software is defined as software that can cause significant loss with possible life-threatening consequences or institutional reputational damage if it fails. Every year there are several cases of software failure causing significant harm. The UK Post Office implemented a system where software defects resulted in 736 employees being convicted of stealing money, with some going to prison. The Boeing 737 MAX suffered a recurring software failure which caused two fatal crashes, Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 - 346 people died in total. With the increasing reliance on software systems, the growth of the internet of things and artificial intelligence, this is an ever-present threat that needs to be addressed by developers.

Software integrity is a vital part of software engineering, aiming to ensure the safety, security and reliability of software on which our lives and employment depend. You learn how to adapt software development practice to take account of the critical and specific risks of the software you're developing when you're working within a mission-critical context.

This is a 30-credit module.

 

Modules offered may vary.

 

How you learn

You attend a combination of lectures and practical sessions for each module. Lectures concentrate on teaching the principles while practical sessions allow you to put theory into practice. Throughout your practical sessions you receive feedback on your work and progress. You often work on a piece of work for several weeks building a deeper understanding of the subject as you work. The feedback you receive helps you to get the most out of your learning.

In your final year, you also undertake a personal project which integrates much of the work you have studied in previous years.

There are lots of opportunities for you to engage with the computing and IT industry through our connections at Cubic Transportation Systems, Sage, Atombank, NHS, TUI, Traceroc and Waterstons.

How you are assessed

A variety of assessment methods are used. Your assessments are designed to build on the work you undertake in class, because your learning continues through the assessment period. An in-course assessment often consists of a practical exercise and an associated report helping you to develop both technical and business skills.


Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services

Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs

 

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

96-112 points and either maths GCSE grade 4, Level 2 Key Skills (Application of Number) or Level 2 Functional Skills. We also accept alternative equivalent or higher level qualifications.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth using the UCAS tariff calculator. If your qualifications are not listed, contact our admissions team as we may accept alternatives.

We may also be able to help you meet the entry requirements through our Summer and Winter University modules.

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country


You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

 

Employability

Career opportunities

During your degree we advertise a variety of paid placement opportunities (subject to availability). You can apply for a year-long supervised work placement between your second and final year. A placement gives you a valuable opportunity to improve your employment prospects by developing new skills and deepening your understanding of your subject.

Student selection is carried out by the employers through competitive interviews and often skills tests. Placements are not compulsory but are assessed and contribute to your final degree award.

Our placements team gives you help and support throughout the placement process, including guidance on applications and interviews, to help you get a placement that suits you.

Our students have been placed in organisations such as Dupont, Accenture, General Electric, Nissan, HMRC, Nicander, Red Embedded, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Thomson Reuters, Glaxo Smith Kline, GCHQ.

 

Information for international applicants

Qualifications

International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.

Select your country:

  
 

Useful information

Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.

Talk to us

Talk to an international student enrolment adviser

 
 

Other course routes

Foundation year

Study this course with a foundation year if you need additional preparation or if you don't have sufficient grades to join Year 1.

BSc (Hons) Software Engineering (with Foundation Year)

Work placement

Study this course with an optional work placement year, at no extra cost. Alongside this, you can gain valuable experience and engagement with the sector through our shorter work placements, internships and work experience opportunities.

Work placements

Full-time

Entry to 2025-26 academic year

Fee for UK applicants
£9,535 a year

* Subject to passing of legislation expected in early 2025.

More details about our fees

Fee for international applicants
£17,000 a year

More details about our fees for international applicants


What is included in your tuition fee?

  • Length: 3 years (4 with work placement)
  • UCAS code: I300 BSc/SE
  • Start date: September
  • Semester dates
  • Typical offer: 96-112 points

Apply online (full-time) through UCAS

 

Part-time

2025-26 entry

Fee for UK applicants
£4,635 (120 credits)

* Subject to passing of legislation expected in early 2025.

More details about our fees

Apply online (part-time)

 

Choose Teesside

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ExpoTalent 2020

See highlights from Teesside University’s ExpoTalent 2020 – showcasing the next generation of talent from our School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies.

 

Get in touch

UK students

Email: scedtadmissions@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: 01642 738801


Online chat (general enquiries)

International students

Email: internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 1642 738900


More international contacts

 

Open days and events

Sat

18

Jan

Undergraduate open day

9.00am - 3.00pm

On campus


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