Key information
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- BSc (Hons)
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
The Software Development for Business graduate apprenticeship programme is designed to provide a solid foundation in computing and its necessary applied skills. It includes object-oriented web programming, writing algorithms and understanding fundamental database programming and management, as well as network security.
The graduate apprenticeship programme is open to new or existing employees in Scotland of all ages and consists of 20% academic learning and 80% work-based learning.
This programme helps you develop highly skilled employees in:
- Software development and testing
- Web development
- Database architecture and development.
Graduate skillset
The Software Development for Business graduate apprenticeship programme aims to produce BSc (Hons) graduates who:
- have a solid foundation in computer science and are proficient in applying programming techniques in diverse application
- are able to operate in a team and multidisciplinary contexts
- have problem-solving skills
- have the ability to develop innovative solutions to society's practical needs
- have developed professional competencies of software engineers.
Key areas of the programme
The primary focus of the Software Development for Business graduate apprenticeship programme is on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills outcomes sought by employers.
Business
- Business functions, behaviours, ethics, and courtesies
- Business strategy and management
- Business finance and accounting
Technology
- Data structures and algorithms
- Object-oriented programming
- Design and development of interactive systems
- Web applications and mobile apps
- Database management systems
- Software development life cycle
- Software design, modelling and analysis
- Software architectures and design patterns
- Software verification, testing and quality assurance
- Cloud-native applications
- Data mining, modelling and data analysis
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Network and software security
Personal and interpersonal
- Communications
- Personal attributes
- Professional attributes
- Team working
Software project and delivery management
- Project management methodologies
- Project planning
- Project execution
- Agile project delivery
- Risk assessment and management
- Software project planning and management
- Software configuration and release management
Your student experience
Ranking (Computer Science, The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)
Ranked 5th in Scotland and Top 30 in the UK for Computer Science by The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
Ranking (Computer Science and Information Systems, Guardian Good University Guide 2023)
Ranked 3rd in Scotland and 9th in the UK for Computer Science and Information Systems by the Guardian Good University Guide 2023.
Your career
Employers around the world actively seek out our graduates because they are work-ready. All our degrees are career-focused and relevant to the needs of industry. Around 95% of our students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.
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
Mandatory January
- Enterprise and its Business Environment
- Software Development 2
Mandatory AY
- Introduction to Computer Systems
- Internet Technologies 1
- Industrial Praxis
Mandatory September
- Introduction to Interaction Design
- Software Development 1
Mandatory May
- Industrial Project: Software Development Methods
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1 – 96 SCQF credits at level 6 or Minimum 106 UCAS points, for example:
- SQA Highers at ABBB including Computing or equivalent, plus suitable Mathematics;
- A-Levels at BBB including Computing or equivalent, plus suitable Mathematics;
- Int. Baccalaureate 28 points;
- BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF 3) at DDM;
- Foundation Apprenticeship in Software Development in conjunction with SQA Highers at BBB.
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
"The graduate apprentice programme allows us to develop our apprentices’ software skills by combining live working with the academic element delivered by Heriot-Watt University. Our apprentices achieve their degrees by embracing both the skills they acquire in their daily working life and the knowledge they absorb through their studies". (Source: Leonardo)
Student life
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