Key information
- UCAS code
- G601
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MEng
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 5 years
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
The MEng Software Engineering programme is a comprehensive five-year integrated Masters course that builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired during the initial three years of the BSc Computer Science programme. Designed to equip students with the essential professional skills required to develop resilient and secure systems, this programme ensures a well-rounded education in software engineering.
During the first three years, students delve into the core concepts of computer science, laying the groundwork for advanced studies in software engineering. The curriculum is carefully crafted to cover both theoretical principles and practical applications, preparing students to address real-world challenges in the field.
In the fourth year, students embark on a specialised track that focuses on honing their skills in constructing robust and secure systems. This phase of the programme emphasises hands-on experience, allowing students to apply their knowledge in practical scenarios and develop a deep understanding of industry standards and best practices.
The highlight of the fifth year is a dedicated period of paid industrial placement, providing students with the invaluable opportunity to apply their skills in a professional setting. Recent graduates have secured placements with renowned organisations such as Skyscanner, Leonardo, Cadence, BlackRock, and Satalia. This industry exposure not only enhances students' practical abilities but also opens doors to potential employment opportunities. Many graduates receive job offers from their placement employers, showcasing the programme's success in preparing students for a seamless transition into the workforce.
The National Robotarium
The National Robotarium is Located on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, in partnership with The University of Edinburgh, the National Robotarium creates innovative solutions to global challenges, working directly with industry to test and develop robotic, AI and automated technologies and rapidly move pioneering research from lab to market.
The National Robotarium fosters the teaching and development of the next generation of roboticists, producing highly-skilled graduates who are trained to conduct world-leading research with a market focus, and developing programmes to equip the current and future workforce with robotics, data and programming skills.
Study abroad, placement year and more
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You can go on an Inter-Campus Transfer to study Computer Science abroad at our Dubai campus for one semester or more through Go Global
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We have exchange agreements with the Australian National University in Canberra.
Your student experience
Your Learning Environment
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Heriot-Watt’s GRID (Global Research, Innovation and Discovery) is a ground-breaking facility to advance global research, innovation and discovery. GRID provides an innovative teaching and learning environment for our computing students. It is also home to our groundbreaking VR Labs and Games Design Studio.
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Enjoy research-led teaching by our enthusiastic staff
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Our student equipment fund is an initiative to support students in purchasing technology (either in hardware, data or software) to explore the usage of and code development for new platforms, as part of a taught course or as a personal project. Recent purchases include Parrot AR.Drone 2.0s, Oculus Rifts and Raspberry Pi 2s.
Go Global
There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Year 1
You will study three courses on programming in Java, interactive systems, web design and databases, computer systems and logic and proof.
Mandatory September
- Logic and Proof
- Introduction to Interaction Design
- Praxis
- Software Development 1
Mandatory January
- Discrete Mathematics
- Introduction to Computer Systems
- Software Development 2
- Web Design and Databases
Year 2
You will study interaction design, web programming, data structures and algorithms, programming languages, software design, database management systems, hardware-software interface and discrete mathematics.
Mandatory September
- User-Centred Experimental Design
- Programming Languages
- Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
- Web Programming
Mandatory January
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Database Management Systems
- Hardware-Software Interface
- Introduction to Software Engineering
Year 3
You will study software engineering, data communications and networking, artificial intelligence and intelligent agents, operating systems and concurrency, language processors, professional development, theory of computing and programming language semantics. You will also take part in a major group project with an industrial orientation.
Mandatory September
- Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Agents
- Data Communications and Networking
- Foundations 1
- Software Engineering
Mandatory January
- Foundations 2
- Language Processors
- Operating Systems & Concurrency
- Professional Development
Year 4
As well as advanced topics, you will also undertake professional and industial studies courses. A major individual project will also be carried out.
Mandatory September
- Research Methods & Requirements Engineering
Optional September
- Biologically Inspired Computation
- Computer Network Security
- Data Mining and Machine Learning
- Computer Graphics
- Computer-aided Verification
- Information Systems Methodologies
- Intelligent Robotics
- Rigorous Methods for Software Engineering
- Statistical Modelling and Analysis
- Natural Language Processing
Mandatory January
- Design & Implementation
- Project Testing and Presentation
Optional January
- Advanced Human Computer Interaction
- Advanced Network Security
- Big Data Management
- Conversational Agents and Spoken Language Processing
- Distributed and Parallel Technologies
- Data Visualisation and Analytics
- e-Commerce Technology
- Games Programming
- Digital Forensics
Year 5
Starting at the end of Level 4, you will undertake an industrial placement. You will also take further advanced topics in software engineering.
More in-depth information on the content of the courses listed above, how they are assessed and the learning outcomes can be accessed via our current student portal.
Mandatory September
- Industrial Placement 1
- Industrial Placement 2
- Industrial Placement Monthly Reports
- Industrial Placement Final report
Mandatory January
- Design and Code Project
- Software Engineering Master Class
Optional January
- Advanced Human Computer Interaction
- Advanced Network Security
- Big Data Management
- Conversational Agents and Spoken Language Processing
- Distributed & Parallel Technologies
- Data Visualisation and Analytics
- e-Commerce Technology
- Games Programming
- Digital Forensics
Programme Video
The Heriot-Watt experience
Fees and funding
| Status | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scotland | Paid by SAAS |
| England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland | £9,535 |
| International | £25,008 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales
In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:
- Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
Standard entry requirements
- Highers AAAB (over two sittings). Must include Maths achieved at B.
- A-Levels BBC- ABB. Must include Maths achieved at B.
- International Baccalaureate 28 points. Must include Maths achieved at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DDM. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths.
- HNC B in graded unit. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths at SCQF Level 6.
- HND BB in graded units. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths at SCQF Level 6.
Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
Minimum entry requirements *
- Highers BBBC (over two sittings). Must include Maths achieved at B.
- A-Levels BCC. Must include Maths achieved at B.
- International Baccalaureate 28 points. Must include Maths achieved at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DDM. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths.
- HNC B in graded unit. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths at SCQF Level 6.
- HND BB in graded units. Must be in a relevant subject and contain sufficient Maths at SCQF Level 6.
*Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish and Rest of UK status students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:
- live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20) or POLAR4 Quintile 1 regions (RUK)
- or are care experienced.
We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements.
Year 2
- Advanced Highers BBB including Maths and Computer Science, plus Higher AAAB.
- A-Levels ABB. Must include Maths and either Computer Science or Software Systems Development.
- International Baccalaureate 30 points. Must include Maths and Computer Science at Higher Level 6.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DDM. Must be in relevant subject, including sufficient Maths and Computing.
- HNC A in graded unit with 120 SCQF credit points. HNC must include Maths and Computing at SCQF Level 6.
- HND AB / BA. Must include Maths and Computing at SCQF Level 6.
- Global College: Successful completion of our Technology with Accelerator Programme
Additional information
- For all years, applications are welcomed from holders of non-school qualifications, mature candidates and overseas students.
- If you do not see your qualifications here please contact us at studywithus@hw.ac.uk
- For applicants studying HNC, HND or BTEC qualifications, when submitting your application please ensure you list in full all the units you are currently studying, as specific units (e.g. in Maths) may be required.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Employability
Work and study
Salary
Potential career paths
- Information Technology professionals
Student life
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