Key information
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September, January
The aim of both the MSc and the Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology (Software Systems) is to educate software engineers. The degree is concerned with the use and application of information technology in the specification, design, development and deployment of software. Throughout the degree, you will implement software solutions to remedy practical problems and put into practice the theoretical concepts learned in lectures.
As well as studying core software engineering topics, like Java programming and UML specification of object oriented systems, you will follow a range of other courses such as Databases and Network Applications.
January entrants
Students starting the degree in January should note that it runs part-time only for 4 semesters (24 months) + dissertation (March to August, 6 months) (total 30 months).
Students enrolling for the January intake degrees are not required to be be on campus during the summer break.
Your student experience
CITP
Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.
CEng
Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for a Chartered Engineer.
Euro-Inf
This programme is Euro-Inf accredited. The accreditation is proof that our programme is of high quality and meets high international academic and professional standards. The Euro-Inf accreditation is recognised by employers and has Europe-wide international recognition.
The Dubai Campus is accredited by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and fully licensed to teach its degrees in Dubai. All graduates receive a British degree that is accredited by Royal Charter in the UK.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer: United Kingdom
Course content
September Intake - Dubai
Detailed Course Guide
Full-time students take four courses in Semester 1 and a further four in Semester 2. Results from these examinations determine whether students progress to an individual project of four months’ duration leading to the MSc degree..
In addition to these taught courses, students pursuing the MSc qualification undertake a Masters project, which culminates in a dissertation.
Mandatory September
- Databases and Information Systems
Optional September
- Computer Network Security
- Industrial Programming
- Intelligent Robotics
- 3D Graphics and Animation
- Software Engineering Foundations
Mandatory January
- Research Methods and Project Planning
Optional January
- Advanced Human Computer Interaction
- e-Commerce Technology
- Computer Games Programming
- Data Visualisation and Analytics
- Advanced Software Engineering
Mandatory May
- Masters Project and Dissertation
Teaching staff

Fees and funding
AED 103,350 per year
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
For MSc entry, a good relevant Honours degree (first or second class) with a substantial academic component of computing or IT that includes study of databases and programming will be considered. Applicants with an engineering or mathematics background may also be considered.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
If you hold a degree from a different background and believe you may qualify for this programme or to find out more about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
Why Heriot-Watt
As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The five-star accreditation by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) secured in 2019, 2020, and 2022 is a testament to our reputation for world-class teaching.
The futuristic Dubai campus is designed to offer interactive and collaborative learning experiences with innovative classroom styles fostering group work and engagement like Collaborative lecture theatres, Digitally Classrooms and Seminar rooms. The campus also has dedicated cutting-edge laboratories and workshops that span various engineering disciplines along with Psychology, IT, Photography, Design and Architecture.
Our practical, leading-edge research combined with strong links to business and industry, have made our graduates highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, with over 90% in graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education through our Go Global programme.
Employability
New career opportunities and prospects for career enhancement are both excellent. The continued growth in new technologies, network services, mobile applications and handheld devices in industry, commerce and the public sector is increasing the demand for experts who can design, implement and manage software systems.
Student life
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