Software Development

The MSc in Software Development is designed in collaboration with industry to provide a year of intensive education in software development and is specifically designed for graduates of non-computing disciplines. It has an extremely high graduate employability rate and is the highest rated MSc computing course for student satisfaction in the UK.



COURSE CONTENT:



You will learn the foundations of computing and acquire industry relevant skills. These core skills include programming, databases, web development, software engineering and problem solving. You need no computing background at all to do this course, but on successful completion, you will be equipped with the technical, analytical and professional skills required to take on a range of roles in the computing industry.



The curriculum was designed and is continually reviewed in collaboration with significant industrial partners, who helped ensure the most relevant module content. This helps ensure that our graduates are highly trained and much sought after by employers.



WHO WILL BE TEACHING YOU:

Many of the course teaching team have worked in the computing industry and have particular research specialisms in developing novel and effective methods for teaching computing. Several of the team have been awarded student-nominated teaching awards for their work.



WHAT YOU'LL GET UP TO:



You’ll learn how to analyse problems and design robust and elegant software systems to solve the problems. This includes gaining skills in programming, web development, database design, software testing and software engineering.



You will also have the opportunity to learn how to work as part of a development team using modern development techniques and tools.





We've created a short taster session to give you a hands-on introduction to coding and a sense of what to expect during your first week of class. You can access it here: http://go.qub.ac.uk/try-software-dev

Core Modules

Databases (20 credits)

Software Engineering (20 credits)

Programming (40 credits)

Web Development (20 credits)

Computing Foundations (20 credits)



Optional Modules

Individual Software Development Project (60 credits)

Cloud Computing (0 credits)

Principles & Practices of Machine Learning (0 credits)

User Experience Design (0 credits)

Entrance requirements

Graduate

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University in any discipline excluding Computer Science or other similar Computing degree.



This is a very popular course and applicants are advised to apply as early as possible, since it may be necessary to implement an application cut-off date. In such circumstances, applications will be considered in date order, with priority given to those submitted earliest and prior to the cut-off date.



Applications may be considered from those who do not meet the above requirements but can provide evidence of recent relevant technical experience in industry, for example, in programming.



International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region at https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/your-country/



English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).



International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.



For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.



If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 30th June 2026 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.



Please note: a deposit will be required to secure a place.

1 year (Full Time).

Entry Year: Academic Year 2026/27

Career Prospects

Introduction

Employment opportunities in software engineering are excellent, as evidenced through the consistent and continued growth of the software sector. A career within the profession is not only well remunerated but also rewarding, with software professionals able to select between a range of career progression paths. Given the diversity of careers, the variety of skills gained from a non-IT primary degree are strongly valued by IT employers and will help augment the employment opportunities of graduates from this programme.



WHERE COULD YOU BE IN 5 YEARS?



You could be working for the largest companies on the planet (IBM, Citi, Allstate, Liberty to name a few). You could be doing cutting edge computer science research in topics such as Cyber security or Video Analytics, or creating a software start-up or the next killer app.

http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/