UCAS code
G600Mode of Study
Full-time, Full-time sandwich with work placementDuration
3 years full-time, 4 years sandwich with work placementStart date
September 2023, September 2024Overview
Create software that could help save lives – and even the planet.
Software powers society, from smartphone apps and laptops to healthcare systems and cyber security. This BSc (Hons) Software Engineering degree will help you master the software development process, from inception to maintenance, so you can play an integral role in the future of society.
You'll develop systems across diverse infrastructure and build the confidence to discuss complex solutions to issues around software application, such as security considerations and how user lifestyles impact the evolution of software engineering.
Read more about our computer science researchThe University of Portsmouth is ranked 5th of the modern universities for research quality in computer science and informatics
Course highlights
- Specialise in topics such as data science, AI, robotics, educational computing, graphics, and ethical hacking
-
Apply your skills through our work with charities and organisations such as Code Club, where you'll help 9-13-year-olds with their Scratch, HTML/CSS, and Python projects
- Benefit from our Student Union clubs and societies, such as the IT Society, AI and Robotics Club and Gaming Society
- Get the opportunity to study abroad at one of our international partner universities in Europe, South Asia or North America, boosting your global experience and employability skills
100%
of graduates in work or further study 15 months after this course
(HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018/19)
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the British Computer Society (The Chartered Institute for IT), partially meeting the educational requirement for CITP and CEng.
Entry requirements
BSc (Hons) Software Engineering degree entry requirements
Typical offers
- A levels – ABB–BBC
- UCAS points – 112–128 points, including an A Level in a relevant subject, or equivalent (calculate your UCAS points)
- T levels – Merit
- BTECs (Extended Diplomas) – DDM–DMM
You may need to have studied specific subjects – see full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept
English language requirements
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
See alternative English language qualifications
We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.
If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Typical offers
- A levels – ABB–BBC
- UCAS points – 112-128 points from 3 A levels, or equivalent, including an A level in a relevant subject (calculate your UCAS points)
- T-levels – Merit
Acceptable T Level Subjects: T Level in Digital: Digital Production, Design and Development, T Level in Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning, T Level in Digital Business Services, T Level in Digital Support and Services, T Level in Science, T Level in Engineering and Manufacturing Design and Development, T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing, T Level in Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control - BTECs (Extended Diplomas) – DDM–DMM
- International Baccalaureate – 29–30
You may need to have studied specific subjects – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept at UCAS.
English language requirements
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
See alternative English language qualifications
We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course.
If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be able to join this course after you successfully complete a foundation year.
Your facilities
3D Vision Laboratory
The 3D Vision Lab is the School of Computing’s newest development, hosting various virtual reality headsets, including Oculus Rift, a room-scale implementation of the HTC Vive and a 3D scanner.
Usability Laboratory
Test your applications with eye-tracking equipment and find out if your subject is looking where you'd expect them to look when interacting with your product.
Mobile Computing Laboratory
A dedicated space you can access to develop Android and iOS apps.
Careers and opportunities
100% of our graduates from this course are in work further study 15 months after graduation, with 100% of those in work in highly skilled roles. Which isn't surprising, given that 94% of tech employers believe there is an industry-wide skills shortage.
The current average salary of a graduate software engineer is £48,787 – over £20k more than a marketing graduate (£26,454), Paralegal (£22,803) or teaching assistant (£19,802).
Supply of computer science skills still isn’t meeting demand for ‘swelling tech sector’ (29 June 2021)
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have worked for companies such as:
- IBM
- Trainline
- Office for National Statistics
- Khipu Networks – cyber security specialists
- General Dynamics – global aerospace and defence company
What jobs can you do with a software engineering degree?
Our graduates now work in roles including:
- business developer
- software engineer
- cloud software engineer (DevOps)
- IT support specialist
- technical analyst
- test analyst
- android developer (self employed)
Other graduates have continued their studies at postgraduate level or set up successful businesses with help and support from the University.
Ongoing career support – up to 5 years after you graduate
Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.
Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.
Louis Capitanchik is one of our #PlasticHeroes
Software Engineering graduate, Louis, co-founded the Jetsam app that allows anyone to map plastic pollution in Portsmouth. He's collaborating with the University to run the world’s first programme of city-wide plastic pollution surveys.
Listen to Louis’ story in our Making Waves podcast:
External Audio
Placement year (optional)
Taking an optional placement year will give you the experience you need to increase your chances of landing your perfect role after graduation.
We'll give you all the support you need to find a placement that prepares you for your career, and we'll continue to mentor you throughout your placement.
Potential roles
Previous students have taken placement roles such as:
- business analyst
- software developer
- junior android developer
- marketing technology specialist
- business applications developer
Potential destinations
They've completed placements at organisations including:
- BAE Systems
- IBM
- Radweb
- Verint
- ParkNow
What you'll study on this BSc (Hons) Software Engineering degree
Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits.
In each year, you need to study modules worth a total of 120 credits. For example, four modules worth 20 credits and one module worth 40 credits.
Modules
Core modules in this year include:
- Application Programming – 40 credits
- Architecture and Operating Systems – 20 credits
- Core Computing Concepts – 20 credits
- Database Systems Development – 20 credits
- Networks – 20 credits
There are no optional modules in this year.
Core modules in this year include:
- Data Structures and Algorithms – 20 credits
- Database Principles – 20 credits
- Software Engineering Theory and Practice – 20 credits
- Usability Engineering – 20 credits
- Web Programming– 20 credits
Optional modules in this year include:
- 3D Computer Graphics and Animation – 20 credits
- Computing Undergraduate Ambassador – 20 credits
- Data Analytics and Visualisation – 20 credits
- Discrete Mathematics and Functional Programming – 20 credits
- Ethical Hacking – 20 credits
- Modern Foreign Language (Institution-wide Language Programme) – 20 credits
- Security and Cryptography – 20 credits
On this course, you can do an optional exchange study abroad or work placement year between your 2nd and 3rd years to get valuable experience working in industry.
We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.
Core modules in this year include:
- Complex Problem Solving – 20 credits
- Individual Project (Engineering) – 40 credits
- Software Engineering Culture – 20 credits
Optional modules in this year include:
- Advanced Database Concepts – 20 credits
- Artificial Intelligence – 20 credits
- Business Analytics – 20 credits
- Distributed Systems and Security – 20 credits
- Graphics and Computer Vision – 20 credits
- Internet of Things – 20 credits
- Practical Data Analytics and Mining – 20 credits
- Robotics – 20 credits
- Security and Cryptography – 20 credits
- Usability Testing – 20 credits
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Antonio's studies led to an award for Best Computer Science Project of the Year
"I’ve included the novel research results from my project in a draft paper that will soon be submitted for possible presentation at an established international scientific event – the 2021 IEEE Symposium Series in Computational Intelligence."
Teaching
Teaching methods on this course include:
- lectures
- tutorials
- project work
Term dates
The academic year runs from September to June. There are breaks at Christmas and Easter.
How you're assessed
You'll be assessed through:
- multiple choice tests
- written exams
- mini projects
- presentations
- written reports
- review articles
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Supporting your learning
The amount of timetabled teaching you'll get on your degree might be less than what you're used to at school or college, but you'll also get support via video, phone and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed. You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
Types of support
Your personal tutor helps you make the transition to independent study and gives you academic and personal support throughout your time at university.
As well as regular scheduled meetings with your personal tutor, they're also available at set times during the week if you want to chat with them about anything that can't wait until your next meeting.
You'll have help from a team of faculty learning support tutors. They can help you improve and develop your academic skills and support you in any area of your study in one-on-one and group sessions.
They can help you:
- master the mathematics skills you need to excel on your course
- understand engineering principles and how to apply them in any engineering discipline
- solve computing problems relevant to your course
- develop your knowledge of computer programming concepts and methods relevant to your course
- understand and use assignment feedback
All our labs and practical spaces are staffed by qualified laboratory support staff. They’ll support you in scheduled lab sessions and can give you one-to-one help when you do practical research projects.
As well as support from faculty staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University's Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- academic writing
- note taking
- time management
- critical thinking
- presentation skills
- referencing
- working in groups
- revision, memory and exam techniques
Our online Learning Well mini-course will help you plan for managing the challenges of learning and student life, so you can fulfil your potential and have a great student experience.
You can get personal, emotional and mental health support from our Student Wellbeing Service, in person and online. This includes 1–2–1 support as well as courses and workshops that help you better manage stress, anxiety or depression.
If you require extra support because of a disability or additional learning need our specialist team can help you.
They'll help you to
- discuss and agree on reasonable adjustments
- liaise with other University services and facilities, such as the library
- access specialist study skills and strategies tutors, and assistive technology tutors, on a 1-to-1 basis or in groups
- liaise with external services
Library staff are available in person or by email, phone, or online chat to help you make the most of the University’s library resources. You can also request one-to-one appointments and get support from a librarian who specialises in your subject area.
The library is open 24 hours a day, every day, in term time.
The Maths Cafe offers advice and assistance with mathematical skills in a friendly, informal environment. You can come to our daily drop-in sessions, develop your mathematics skills at a workshop or use our online resources.
If English isn't your first language, you can do one of our English language courses to improve your written and spoken English language skills before starting your degree. Once you're here, you can take part in our free In-Sessional English (ISE) programme to improve your English further.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees (2023 start)
- UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,250 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
- EU students – £9,250 a year (including Transition Scholarship)
- International students – £19,200 per year (subject to annual increase)
Tuition fees (2024 start)
- UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £9,250 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
- EU students – £9,250 a year (including Transition Scholarship)
- International (non-EU) students – £20,200 per year (subject to annual increase)
Funding your studies
Find out how to fund your studies, including the scholarships and bursaries you could get. You can also find more about tuition fees and living costs, including what your tuition fees cover.
Applying from outside the UK? Find out about funding options for international students.
Additional course costs
These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending.
Additional costs
Our accommodation section show your accommodation options and highlight how much it costs to live in Portsmouth.
You’ll study up to 6 modules a year. You may have to read several recommended books or textbooks for each module.
You can borrow most of these from the Library. If you buy these, they may cost up to £60 each.
We recommend that you budget £75 a year for photocopying, memory sticks, DVDs and CDs, printing charges, binding and specialist printing.
If your final year includes a major project, there could be cost for transport or accommodation related to your research activities. The amount will depend on the project you choose.
You’ll need to cover additional costs, such as travel costs, if you take an optional placement or placement abroad.
These costs will vary depending on the location and duration of the placement, and can range from £50–£1000.
During your placement year or study abroad year, you’ll be eligible for a discounted rate on your tuition fees. Currently, this discount amounts to 90% of the year’s fees.
Tuition fees for that year are:
- UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £925 a year (may be subject to annual increase)
- EU students – £925 a year, including Transition Scholarship (may be subject to annual increase)
- International students – £1,800 a year (subject to annual increase)
The costs associated with your specific destination will be discussed during your second year, as well as possible sources of additional funding.
Apply
How to apply
To start this course in 2023, apply through UCAS. You'll need:
- the UCAS course code – G600
- our institution code – P80
If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form.
You can also sign up to an Open Day to:
- Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
- Speak with lecturers and chat with our students
- Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join
If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.
To start this course in 2024, apply through UCAS. You'll need:
- the UCAS course code – G600
- our institution code – P80
If you'd prefer to apply directly, use our online application form.
You can also sign up to an Open Day to:
- Tour our campus, facilities and halls of residence
- Speak with lecturers and chat with our students
- Get information about where to live, how to fund your studies and which clubs and societies to join
If you're new to the application process, read our guide on applying for an undergraduate course.
How to apply from outside the UK
See the 'How to apply' section above for details of how to apply. You can also get an agent to help with your application. Check your country page for details of agents in your region.
To find out what to include in your application, head to the how to apply page of our international students section.
If you don't meet the English language requirements for this course yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.