Information Technology (Software Systems) MSc / Diploma

Programme information

As mobile technology, intelligent agents, distributed applications and multimedia become ubiquitous, there is a growing demand for skilled people able to design and engineer systems with these technologies. This programme offers students the opportunity to understand the principles and acquire the skills to develop the advanced software that underpin these technologies.

The programme is flexibly designed to offer a good range of challenging courses suitable for good graduates from a wide spectrum of first degrees from those in IT to those with little academic computing content.

Programme content

Full-time students undertake four courses in semester one, and a further four in semester two. Results from these examinations determine whether students progress to an individual project of four months duration leading to the MSc degree.

On this programme the following taught courses are mandatory:

  • Network Applications
  • Research Methods and Project Planning

Students can then choose six courses from the following:

  • Software Engineering Foundations
  • Advanced Software Engineering
  • Databases and Information Systems
  • Mobile Communications and Programming
  • Systems Programming and Scripting
  • E-Commerce Technology
  • Computer Network Security
  • Software Engineering Master Class

In addition to these taught courses, students pursuing the Masters qualification undertake a Masters project.

Entry requirements

January intake

The January intake is only available for the part-time programme.

Postgraduate Masters level

  • Bachelors Honors degree A good first or second class Honours degree in an IT discipline or computing, or a discipline involving a substantial academic component of IT or computing.
  • Postgraduate Diploma Students who attain a 50% Pass level in the Postgraduate Diploma programme will be offered the chance to complete a Master’s Dissertation to allow them to upgrade their award to an MSc.

Postgraduate Diploma level

  • Bachelors degree An Ordinary degree in an IT discipline or computing or a discipline involving a substantial academic component of IT or computing.
  • Higher National Diploma HND or equivalent qualification deemed suitable to third year entry of a cognate Bachelors degree, plus four years' relevant post-qualification work experience.
  • Higher National Certificate HNC or equivalent qualification deemed suitable to second year entry of a cognate Bachelors degree, plus six years' relevant post-qualification work experience.
  • Professional/associate membership Membership of a professional institution in a cognate discipline that normally requires a degree for entry.

Additional information

  • Where English was not the medium of instruction during previous education, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550 (paper-based exam); 213 (computer-based exam); 80 (internet-based exam).