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
Software engineers create and maintain software applications using best practice from computer science, project management, engineering, application domains and other fields. Students will learn how to apply state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies to develop high quality software to professional standards.
The aim of this MSc degree is to impart the understanding and skills to engineer software at an advanced level to professional standards. Students can specialise in particular areas such as the development of mobile applications or advanced interactive systems like games.
Professional recognition
The MSc Software Engineering degree is accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
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
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
Students undertake 4 courses in semester 1 and a further 4 courses in semester 2. In addition to these taught courses, students pursuing the Masters qualification undertake a Masters project, which culminates in a dissertation.
Mandatory September
- Rigorous Methods for Software Engineering
- Industrial Programming
Optional September
- Biologically Inspired Computation
- Computer Network Security
- Data Mining and Machine Learning
- Computer Graphics
- Systems Programming
Mandatory January
- Advanced Software Engineering
- Research Methods and Project Planning
Optional January
- Advanced Human Computer Interaction
- Advanced Network Security
- Applied Development and Operations (DevOps)
- Big Data Management
- Games Programming
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 three consecutive five-star ratings by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) 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 prospects and opportunities for career enhancement are both excellent. The continued growth in new technologies and mobile applications in industry, commerce and the public sector is increasing the demand for experts who can design, implement and maintain complex software systems.
Student life
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