Software Design & Development - External

MSc



This 2 year MSc is aimed at candidates with little or no software development experience. In the first year, it provides a comprehensive academic foundation and focused technical training in software design & development techniques and tools, and also develops students’ research capabilities. In the second year, students pursue a substantial research project in some aspect of computing, culminating in a thesis submission. They also choose from a selection of advanced optional taught modules. Graduates can expect to compete effectively for positions in the software industry as software developers and/or researchers in a specific domain. Students can exit this programme after year one with a Higher Diploma. Contact the Programme Director by June if you wish to do this.



H.Dip



This 1 year H.Dip is aimed at candidates with little or no software development experience. It provides an academic foundation and broad technical training in software design and development. The skills developed in this programme include the core software development tools and techniques as well as a solid grounding in a specific ICT (information and communications technology) domain. The programme requires students to pursue a substantial software design and development project. Graduates from the H.Dip are eligible to apply for entry into the one-year MSc in Software Design & Development 'External Stream’. The M.Sc in Computer Science (Data Analytics) is open to graduates who achieve a H1 result in the H.Dip.



MSc- External Stream



This 1 year MSc serves as a capstone for graduates who already hold a postgraduate qualification in computing and who wish to undertake a research dissertation leading to an MSc award.

Year 1 (60 Credits)

Required CT861: Computing Architecture & Operating Systems - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT5117: Research Project - 10 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT853: Algorithmics & Logical Methods - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT537: Software Engineering 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT511: Databases - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT874: Programming I - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT870: Internet Programming - 5 Credits - Semester 1

Required CT5127: Computer Networks and Data Communications - 5 Credits - Semester 2

Required CT875: Programming II - 10 Credits - Semester 2

Required CT548: Object Oriented Software Design & Development - 5 Credits - Semester 2

The minimum academic requirement for entry to the MSc is a Second Class Honours Upper (H2.1, or equivalent) from a recognised university or third-level college.



For the H.Dip, the minimum entry requirement is a Second Class Honours Lower (H2.2, or equivalent).



For the MSc-Industry Stream, the entry requirement is a postgraduate computing qualification of at least 60 ECTS.

MSC-MF: 2 years, full-time (MSc)

2MF2: 1 year, full-time (MSc—External Stream)

HDIP-SD: 1 year, full-time (HDip)

Next start date: September 2026

A variety of opportunities are open to graduates in the software industry or in a range of other sectors, such as telecommunications, medical informatics, energy informatics, digital media, banking and consulting. Some graduates also continue with careers related to their specialised field of research, e.g. Artificial Intelligence or Digital Media. Companies that have recruited graduates recently include Fidelity Investments, Galway; Cisco, Galway; and Ericsson, Athlone.