Looking for an integrated masters course that will set you apart from other computer science undergraduates and set you on course for a high-level career? Launched in 2015/16, this five-year MSci course offers a thorough grounding in computer science and allows you to learn about all the latest trends and techniques in software engineering as well as gaining hands-on skills and experience during a year in industry. You will have the chance to showcase your abilities in an extended final year project and it is particularly recommended if you have already experienced and enjoyed programming and you want to go on to postgraduate study or a specialist career in software.

Our software engineering teaching has been hailed as a ‘best practice’ example of computer science education by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. You will learn from software professionals and leading academics in the field to apply engineering principles to the design, development, implementation and maintenance of all kinds of software. Our progressive curriculum has been developed in consultation with industry, with a modular structure that gives you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests. From the outset you be experimenting with programming games, robots, Gadgeteer kits, Subversion, JUnit testing, Scrum-based Agile software and more, in our well-equipped laboratories.

We are a highly respected, research-focused department with award-winning teaching. We offer a summer work placement course and a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. You will also be welcome to join our thriving Computing Society. We are one of only seven departments in the UK to hold the Athena SWAN bronze award for our commitment to increasing female participation in computer science. Our campus is located in the famous M4 corridor and enjoy close links with many of its leading technology companies. If you are unable to complete your year in industry you will have the option of transferring onto our four-year integrated masters course.

Our integrated masters graduates are highly employable, with a depth of knowledge and practical skills that set them apart from BSc students. Year in industry degrees are also highly valued by employers because they give you the chance to gain first-hand experience of the world of work and to apply your learning to real world scenarios. Our students have enjoyed placements in software companies such as Apple, Microsoft or Symantec, as well as in a range of other sectors, including finance and consulting. Many have been offered permanent jobs in the same company at the end of their placements, to take up after their graduation.

After five years of studying you will have an enviable set of skills and an in-depth knowledge of your chosen field. You will be confident at developing large and complex systems, working with all kinds of software, solving technical problems, managing projects, writing reports, and analysing complex information. Your coursework will have honed your team working, critical thinking, data handling, coding, communication, time management and self-motivation skills. You will have the flexibility to adapt to changes in technology, to innovate, and to critically evaluate the implications of exploiting new technologies. And you will have the skills to manage projects from conception through to delivery, with technical precision and professionalism.

We work closely with partners in industry who advise us on our curriculum, to ensure that it keeps pace with the latest market needs and trends. This means our graduates are up-to-speed with all the latest developments and technologies in software engineering. We run jobs fairs and a short-term work placement scheme, and your personal adviser and the campus Careers team will be on hand to offer advice on career opportunities. We also maintain strong links with our alumni, who can often provide advice, contacts and networking opportunities.

In recent years, our computer science graduates have launched careers in everything from network systems design and web development, to business management and finance. They work in organisations such as: LogicaAmazon, American Express, Apple, Bupa, Capita, CGI-Logica, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Symantec, among many others.