Why study this course?
If you have a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) or a Higher National Diploma (HND) in a computing-based subject or equivalent, this internationally recognised qualification gives you a chance to top-up to a degree. Giving you key skills in building software with the latest theoretical understanding, complete with full coverage of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Foundation Certificate in Software Testing syllabus, this career-focused degree is designed to help you succeed in the workplace.
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More about this course
This course will provide you with advanced theoretical knowledge and practical skills in software development and maintenance. You’ll work with the most up-to-date technologies and study the latest industry practices to prepare you for a career in the field.
On this course, you’ll study application development and software engineering and undertake a related project of your choosing. You’ll also have the option to specialise in subjects that interest you, such as artificial intelligence, digital crime or ethical hacking.
There’ll also be the option to undertake a work placement to further boost your CV and expose you to the industry.
You can get a taste for life at our School of Computing and Digital Media by taking a look at our showcase of recent student work.
Assessment
You'll be assessed through a combination of coursework, case study reports and presentations, lab logbooks and workbooks, unseen examinations, and a final-year project report, presentation and viva.
Fees and key information
Apply nowEntry requirements
In addition to the University's standard entry requirements you should have:
- a minimum of 240 credits from a relevant Higher National Diploma (HND), a Foundation Degree (FdSc) or an Association of Computer Professionals (ACP) Advanced Diploma in Computer Science
- GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent eg Key Skills Level 2 in Communications, Functional Skills Level 2 or Adult Literacy Level 2)
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).
English language requirements
To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements
If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 3 modules include:
- This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Monday afternoon
This module is one of backbone modules of the BEng Software Engineering (top-up) course that is designed for those students who have already obtained a two-year Higher National Diploma (HND), the Association of Computer Professionals (ACP) Advanced Diploma or an International Advanced Diploma (IAD) in Software Engineering, Computing, Computer Studies or other software development-related courses and would like to gain an internationally-recognised degree qualification specialising in building software for various software-based systems.
The module runs during 30 weeks. Assessment includes two pieces of coursework, an in-class tests and an exam.
To achieve the aim, this module combines:
1) Understanding and application of software project management process, its products and people roles in the process
2) Learning software development, support and maintenance processes, their products and people roles in the processes
3) Application of software development activities, methods, and documents to carry out every-day tasks of software developers
4) Studying testing activities, methods, and documents to carry out every-day tasks of software testers
5) Full coverage of the “ISTQB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing” syllabus;
6) Increase employability. - This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Friday afternoon
CS6004 Application Development 30 weeks: This module will equip students with essential knowledge and skills to become efficient software developers. The module will consolidate and integrate programming concepts and techniques which students have learned earlier in the degree for the purpose of application development for the real world. The module will also extend students’ knowledge and skills for them to be able to tackle issues pertinent to realistic application development projects.
The module delivery will be conducted in a practical fashion through exposing the student to one exemplar of modern development platform/technologies in depth and then requiring them to develop a significant software artefact using the exemplary toolset/development platform, and to reflect on the process and the solution. (Exam, course work and practical exam). It will cover risk assessment to identify and implement appropriate security.The module aims are:
● to provide students with a disciplined understanding of the state of the art of application development in terms of development technologies, development platforms and toolsets, risk assessment and security in the broader context of the IT industry business;
● to consolidate the techniques and concepts introduced in earlier programming modules in order for students to be able to employ them in an integrated fashion in realistic application development projects;
● to introduce students to a major contemporary software development platform, including its programming languages and toolsets for application development such as those of Microsoft .NET;
● to train and equip students with necessary hands-on skills in using a major development platform and environment to design and implement a significant software application;
● to prepare students for a professional certification exam e.g. of Microsoft technologies. - This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Wednesday afternoon
The module enables students to demonstrate their acquired knowledge and skills through a systematic and creative investigation of a project work in accordance with their course requirements. The topic of investigation will cover a broad spectrum of various analysis and techniques and will lead to a comprehensive and concise academic/industry-related report. Students will be assisted in exploring areas that may be unfamiliar to them and encouraged to develop innovative ideas and techniques. Students will be able to choose a project that may require the solution to a specific problem, creation of an artefact in a real-world environment or an investigation of innovative ideas and techniques related to an area within their field of study. Collaboration with outside agencies and projects with industrial, business or research partners/ sponsors will be encouraged.
Assessment: Project Report Interim Submission (25%) + Project process (25%) + Project Report Final Submission (40% - Pass on component) + Viva (10% - Pass on component).
The module aims to develop a wide range of subject specific cognitive abilities and skills relating to intellectual tasks, including practical skills and additional transferable skills of a more general nature and applicable in many other contexts.
Particularly, the module aims to:
• Provide an opportunity to learn, through supervised experience, how to plan and carry out a project through a systematic and creative approach;
• Encourage innovation and originality in approach to investigating a problem in an area that may be unfamiliar to the student;
• Provide opportunity for in depth study of some specialised area of suitable scale and complexity relevant to their course of study;
• Raise awareness in potential business development opportunities in connection to the project work undertaken and of any ethical, legal and professional issues;
• Develop reporting skills as well as the ability to communicate results, conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialists and non-specialist’s audiences, clearly and unambiguously;
• Encourages reflection upon the relationship of design decisions to the appropriateness of the finished task;
• Enhance professional and personal development. - This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Friday morning
This module builds upon the student's general understanding of database design and implementation from prior learning. It discusses the key issues underpinning database management systems and their development, provides a strong coverage to advanced SQL which helps preparing for professional certification, and introduces some current topics in database technology. In addition, the module contains a substantial practical element utilising advanced SQL and database application development tools (e.g. Oracle SQL developer, Oracle.NET developer), enabling students to gain transferable skills in designing and developing relatively complex ‘real life’ database applications.
The module will enable students to:-
• gain in-depth understanding of various key issues pertinent to the management and development of modern database applications.
• acquire skills in advanced SQL which provides an opportunity for gaining professional certification.
• be introduced to current developments in database technology thereby raising students’ awareness and understanding of the future trend in database systems development.
• design and develop relatively complex business database systems and applications using industry-standard database products (e.g. Oracle SQL developer, Oracle.NET developer). - This module currently runs:
- autumn semester - Thursday afternoon
This module provides an introduction to the field of Artificial Intelligence, from its historical context to its current state. Students will research an aspect of AI and work in teams to design an intelligent system and develop a simple prototype.
The module aims to
• to build students’ knowledge and understanding of AI and its range of applications;
• to enable students to use their skills and knowledge to design a contemporary intelligent system;
• to develop students’ critical faculties with respect to the ethics and the issues surrounding AI;
• to build skills in software engineering and prototype development Nowadays, digital crimes are far more sophisticated and harder to fight against. It is imperative to explore advanced detective and preventive technology in combating the ever-changing computer crimes. This module provides knowledge of how to detect and prevent digital crimes. In this module, students are also prepared for their career as a professional working in Computer Forensics and IT Security industry. It provides students with practical knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the external exam from the certification of CompTIA Security+.
- This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Monday afternoon
This module equips students with professional level programming skills required for developing distributed software systems to solve real-world problems with guaranteed security. Students are taught alternative conceptual paradigms, design patterns, frameworks and programming techniques for developing distributed systems for local networks, Internet or the Web and securing data and applications. The typical phases of software development life cycle are covered using industry standard languages and tools, for example modelling (UML, XML), design, implementation and testing using popular IDEs, thereby improving students’ employment prospects. Successful completion of this module will give students an opportunity to gain professional Java certification or similar and essential modern requirements of risk assessment prior to embedding appropriate cybersecurity.
This module provides an in-depth knowledge of ecommerce and ebusiness. It introduces the concepts and practical techniques for ecommerce and ebusiness. Ebusiness strategy, models, processes, opportunities in marketing, CRM and procurement as well as legal, ethical, social and global issues are covered. The module also equips students with knowledge and skills to build a themed on-line interactive ecommerce web site with shopping cart for an SME, incorporating a range of software applications and script programming.
The module will enable students to:-
• provide students an understanding of key concepts and techniques of ecommerce and ebusiness
• equip students with knowledge and skills to build a themed on-line interactive ecommerce web site with shopping cart for an SME, incorporating a range of software applications and script programming
• develop skills to reflect on the practical objectives through the provision of documentation recording the problem-solving experienceThis module is designed to develop understanding, knowledge and skills associated with the various malicious hacking attacks targeting computer systems and the appropriate safeguards needed to minimise such attacks.
The module aims are to:
1. Provide students with knowledge and understanding of the various hacking methods used in attacking computer systems and networks.
2. Enable students to use appropriate tools and techniques to identify, analyse, evaluate and test computer security vulnerabilities prone to hacking attacks, and develop appropriate procedures, solutions and countermeasures to defend and minimise such attacks.
3. To develop students’ awareness of ethical, professional and legal issues connected with hacking.
4. Develop students’ knowledge, transferable skills and confidence in the subject leading to further academic and professional progression in this area.The module introduces a model based approach to the construction of software systems using formal specification languages as a basis for the software development. It will provide students with the knowledge and skills to produce formal specifications from informal descriptions and to implement them using appropriate programming techniques.
The module aims are to:
• Introduce model based formal specification languages
• Provide students with the knowledge and skills to construct formal specifications from informal descriptions
• Provide understanding of techniques used in the design and implementation of software systems and relating the principles to real world and practical examples
• Refine formal specifications for implementation and implement themThe module gives students who successfully complete its requirements recognition of their extra training and perspective. It provides a framework for formalising the subject-contextualised work-based learning obtained during a year-long placement: it specifies the supervisory and support requirements and assessment procedures. At the start of the placement a learning agreement is produced and approved by the placement coordinator. The learning agreement states the expected learning outcomes, how they will be developed during placement, and the evidence required to demonstrate their attainment.
It is expected student should work in the placement for 300 hours which should be recorded clearly in the learning log. The 300 hours can be completed in 50 working days in a FT mode, or spread over a year in a PT mode.
Students should register with the Placements Organiser to be briefed on the module, undergo induction and placement planning, and to have the placement approved, before they take up a placement. It is essential that students are made aware that both the “placement learning agreement” and “placement employer health and safety checklist” need to be approved before starting the placement.
The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
• become more self-aware through reflection on the development of their abilities and attributes;
• develop general and subject-specific knowledge, skills and abilities;
• ensure students understand how an organisation functions, the issues which impact on the organisation, and how the student’s work contributes to its operation
• explore careers options available to them on graduation.
• enhance professional and personal development.
• enhance and extend their learning experience by applying and building on their academic skills and abilities by tackling real life problems in the workplace.
• enhance professional and personal development.CC6052 Management Support Systems 15 weeks: This module enables students to build on their existing knowledge of databases to understand the application of computer-based information systems used in business for the support of management decision-making, e.g. Management Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, Expert Systems, Executive Information Systems, etc
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Monday morning
This module introduces a range of specialist programming techniques as applied to mobile platforms. Specific areas of study will include: programming strategies for resource-limited portable devices – including reviewing key components through the development of exemplar applications using an appropriate mobile-based programming platform such as Java ME and Google Android. The key skills and knowledge to be gained are:
• Understanding theoretical concepts related to the work of software in wireless networks and the use of different protocols, frameworks and tools for building mobile applications
• Learning techniques for programming mobile applications using standard technological frameworks, development tools, mobile device emulators and handsets
• Acquiring practical skills in developing mobile applications which utilize wireless services and mobile Internet
• Applying analytical knowledge and practical skills for building typical mobile applications
• Developing ability to compare protocols, models and paradigms for mobile applications and estimate trade-offs during design using different design patterns, development frameworks and programming techniques
• Building professional competence and increasing the employability through the use of industrial standard technologies and tools for software development - This module currently runs:
- all year (September start) - Wednesday morning
The aim of this module is to provide students with a critical understanding of security threats against network and cloud computing systems and the security measures designed to protect such systems. The module will explicitly develop students’ knowledge and experience in the design and application of network and cloud security solutions. The module will also equips students for further academic study and future employability in the area of computer security.
Assessment: Coursework (60%) and Examination (40%) - Pass on aggregateThe key skills and knowledge to be gained are:
Students to develop a critical understanding of the principles and technologies employed in the protection of computers and their networked communications systems from security threats.
- This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Wednesday afternoon
- autumn semester - Wednesday afternoon
The module enables students to undertake an appropriate short period of professional activity, related to their course at level 6, with a business or community organisation and to gain credit for their achievements. The activity can be a professional training, a volunteering activity, employment activity, an activity within the School of Computing and Digital Media Virtual Business Environment (VBE), placement or business start-up activity.
For the purpose of this module – the VBE will be also be recognised as ‘the employer’.
It is expected student should work for 150 hours which should be recorded clearly (in a learning log for instance) in the portfolio. The 150 hours can be completed in 25 working days in a FT mode, or spread over a semester in a PT mode.
Students should register with the module leader to be briefed on the module, undergo induction and Work Based Learning planning and to have the Work Based Learning approved, before they take up the opportunity. It is essential that students are made aware that both the “Work Based Learning agreement” and relevant “health and safety checklist” where applicable need to be approved before starting the learning activity.The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
• Gain a useful experience of the working environment and the career opportunities available on graduation.
• Undertake a work-based project appropriate to their academic level.
• Enhance and extend their learning experience by applying and building on their academic skills and abilities by tackling real life problems in the workplace.
• Enhance professional and personal development. - This module currently runs:
- spring semester - Wednesday afternoon
- autumn semester - Wednesday afternoon
The module enables students to undertake an appropriate short period of professional activity, related to their course at level 6, with a business or community organisation and to gain credit for their achievements. The activity can be a professional training, a volunteering activity, employment activity, an activity within the School of Computing and Digital Media Virtual Business Environment (VBE), placement or business start-up activity.
For the purpose of this module – the VBE will be also be recognised as ‘the employer’.
It is expected student should work for 150 hours which should be recorded clearly (in a learning log for instance) in the portfolio. The 150 hours can be completed in 25 working days in a FT mode, or spread over a semester in a PT mode.
Students should register with the module leader to be briefed on the module, undergo induction and Work Based Learning planning and to have the Work Based Learning approved, before they take up the opportunity. It is essential that students are made aware that both the “Work Based Learning agreement” and relevant “health and safety checklist” where applicable need to be approved before starting the learning activity.The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
• Gain a useful experience of the working environment and the career opportunities available on graduation.
• Undertake a work-based project appropriate to their academic level.
• Enhance and extend their learning experience by applying and building on their academic skills and abilities by tackling real life problems in the workplace.
• Enhance professional and personal development.
What our students say
"I really enjoyed learning about new software and new skill sets that could help me in the future."
National Student Survey
Where this course can take you
This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in software development and maintenance in a wide variety of industries such as finance, health and defence.
Additional costs
Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.
Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.
How to apply
If you're a UK applicant wanting to study full-time starting in September, you must apply via UCAS unless otherwise specified. If you're an international applicant wanting to study full-time, you can choose to apply via UCAS or directly to the University.
If you're applying for part-time study, you should apply directly to the University. If you require a Student visa, please be aware that you will not be able to study as a part-time student at undergraduate level.
When to apply
The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.
If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.
To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.
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