Software Development - Professional

Conversion Course

Are you looking to pivot your career or expand your expertise? This programme provides the perfect opportunity to transfer your skills to a different sector with no need to have a background in the subject area.



Overview

The growth of the ICT industry has been identified as a top priority for the Northern Ireland Executive. According to Invest NI, Northern Ireland is the leading foreign direct investment region in Europe for software development and IT technical support centres. There are more than 900 companies in the ICT sector and many of these are international organisations.



The majority of new jobs have been in knowledge industries particularly ICT including software development, software testing and funds administration.



It is against this backdrop that we offer this course to graduates in subjects other than computing as an opportunity for career change, to enable them to exploit the opportunities for personal and professional development offered by this burgeoning sector.



About

The intensive one-year master’s conversion course is aimed at highly-motivated graduates with a good honours degree in any discipline with no more than 50% computing content. While the course has a particular focus on the employment needs of the local economy, the skills and abilities developed are easily transferred to a more global stage.



The overall aim of this course is to provide graduates equipped to apply best practice in software engineering to the development of a wide range of software systems in a variety of organisations. Skilled software developers are needed to support Northern Ireland’s burgeoning software industry.



Ulster University academics are actively involved in both research and teaching and this ensures that the developments accrued through research can feed into the teaching of students. A significant percentage of staff are members of the Higher Education Academy, and all staff are expected to have a Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching or equivalent. All Computing courses are subject to periodic Faculty Review and University Revalidation.

F/T Programme

Year One

Professional Software Development I

Software Architecture and Design

Professional Software Development 2

Database Systems

Project

Computer Hardware - This module is optional

Data Validation and Visualisation - This module is optional

Data Science Foundations - This module is optional

Web Based Application Development - This module is optional

Operating Systems - This module is optional



P/T Programme

Year One

Professional Software Development I

Software Architecture and Design

Professional Software Development 2

Database Systems



Year Two

Computer Hardware - This module is optional

Data Validation and Visualisation - This module is optional

Data Science Foundations - This module is optional

Web Based Application Development - This module is optional

Operating Systems - This module is optional



Year Three

Project

1) A second class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, from the Council for National Academic Awards, the National Council for Educational Awards, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or



2) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification; and



3) the content of the qualification presented (as described in (i) may have a maximum of 50% computing content.



AND

You must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass in English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent)



The Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment does not accept students with Essential Skills in Application of Number as the only mathematics qualification. Please contact the Admissions Office directly if you have a query concerning this matter. Thank you.



T: +44 (0)28 7167 5678

E: admissionsmg@ulster.ac.uk



In exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Attendance

This is a full-time, one year (12 month) programme, delivered across three semesters.

Start Date: September 2025.

Career options

There is a strong demand in the local Northern Ireland economy and beyond for graduates with software development skills. Coupled with the skills and knowledge of their primary degree, graduates from this course will be well placed to find employment in private industry, public sector organisations and in research. They will have the necessary skills to initially work in roles such as software developers, software testers and/or academic or commercial researchers but will also have the capacity to diversify into other roles such as independent consultants.