BSc (Hons) in Software Development with Foundation Year

• Foundations of learning Learn how people absorb information effectively, enhance your communication skills within teams, and master time management and goal setting.
• Academic integrity and writing for business Grasp the demands of academic work, from acceptable source usage to developing written communication skills tailored for business stakeholders.
• Personal career plan Prepare for your future career by identifying core competencies, understanding diverse job search processes, and building your personal brand.
• Elective: Foundation Year: (see Electives: Foundation Year)
• Applied learning strategies Develop self-study skills, enhance your presentation capabilities, and learn to navigate challenges and setbacks effectively.
• Maths foundations – tech-related track Revisit essential math concepts and learn the correct terminology for describing and solving mathematical problems, all critical for advanced tech courses.
• Digital skills – tech-related track Understand how digital changes impact various professions and acquire crucial digital skills necessary for your future career.
• Project: innovation and investigationCombine your learnings from earlier modules to tackle a substantial project from your subject area.

• Software engineering principles 

  Gain insight into the technical and theoretical basics of software engineering, addressing typical challenges in enterprise information system development.

• Introduction to programming with Python 

  Acquire foundational knowledge of Python, focusing on its importance in data science and programming concepts like variables, data types, and error handling.

• Object-oriented programming with Java 

  Learn the basics of object-oriented programming using Java to solve practical problems.

• Database modelling and database systems 

  Understand how to store data in relational data models, access it using SQL, and explore NoSQL for modern database systems.

• Collaborative work 

  Build interdisciplinary competences required for effective networking and collaboration, including conflict management and emotional intelligence.

• Requirements engineering 

  Explore techniques and methods for determining technical requirements for IT systems, focusing on structured and methodical requirement documentation.

• Software quality assurance 

  Learn about quality management in software processes, from requirements analysis to implementation, ensuring high-quality software systems.

• Programming with C/C++ 

  Learn the main characteristics of C and C++ for programming various applications, including robotic systems.

• Introduction to academic work for IT and technology 

  Understand the basics of scientific thinking and working, vital for producing academic written work in IT and technology.

• Algorithms, data structures, and programming languages 

  Delve into selecting suitable algorithms and data structures for specific tasks, learning different programming paradigms and languages.

• Web application development 

  Gain the skills to develop simple web applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, including insights into web page testing and security.

• Project: AI excellence with creative prompting techniques 

  Engage in hands-on exercises to create AI-generated content, learning to design and refine effective prompts for real-world scenarios.

• Augmented, mixed, and virtual reality 

  Explore AR, MR, and VR technologies, their technical foundations, and development processes for creating AR/VR applications.

• Ethics and sustainability in IT 

  Understand the theories and concepts for building sustainable and ethically sound IT systems, addressing social, environmental, and ethical challenges.

• Elective A (see Electives A section below)
• Elective A (see Electives A section below)

• Project: Agile software engineering 

  Implement a project using specific techniques and tools, documenting the project development process.

• Seminar: Software engineering 

  Deepen your understanding of a specific software engineering topic through research, analysis, and presenting your findings.

• Elective B (see Electives B section below)
• Elective B (see Electives B section below)
• Elective C (see Electives C section below)
• Elective C (see Electives C section below)
• Undergraduate (bachelor) thesis 

  Apply your comprehensive Software Development knowledge to tackle a theoretical or empirical problem, presenting your findings in an academic dissertation.

• Foundations of academic English 

  Improve your academic writing skills by mastering correct and concise writing, grammar, language, and academic integrity.

• Skills for business 

  Learn essential business skills, from drafting business emails to presenting products and conducting meetings within a company structure.

• Developing a business mindset* 

  Gain skills and attributes necessary for a business mindset, focusing on managing self and learning from professional challenges, with an emphasis on sustainability.

• Business ethics 

  Explore how ethical principles integrate into business practices, focusing on social justice and sustainability.

*Please note, this elective will be available to study from April 2025.

• Crypto and blockchain 

  Discuss the evolution and merits of different crypto assets, understanding their role in modern society.

• FinTech 

  Evaluate the place of FinTech in financial services, including the role of AI and its impact on the sector.

• Mobile software engineering I 

  Examine software development for mobile systems, focusing on the architecture and technical features of the Android platform.

• Web user interface design 

  Learn to design user interfaces, focusing on information architecture, usability, and accessibility.

• DevOps and continuous delivery 

  Explore DevOps culture and hands-on techniques, learning to automate software development and deployment processes.

• IT infrastructure 

  Gain insights into computer operations, networking basics, and contemporary network and virtualisation practices.

• Self-arranged internship I (*)

  Develop your practical and analytical skills by doing an internship and improving your employability. In several preparation tutorials, you’ll consider the working environment and the overall goal of your placement.

• Self-arranged internship II (*)

  As with the first internship, this is an opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge in a business environment. Develop your communication style, problem solving ability and time management.

*You’ll be responsible for arranging a suitable internship for your field of study. Once arranged, please complete an application to the internship module via myCampus, to make sure your internship can be recognised and credited towards your course requirements.

Data and business intelligence

• Data analytics and big data 

  Familiarise yourself with data analysis techniques, data mining, and big data projects, including legal frameworks and practical applications.

• Project: Build a data mart in SQL 

  Implement a realistic database use case scenario, applying theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems.

IT project management

• IT service management 

  Understand IT service management concepts using the IT Infrastructure Library, focusing on post-development IT operations.

• Project: IT service management 

  Analyse and evaluate IT service management problems, applying theoretical knowledge to propose solutions.

Cyber security

• Introduction to data protection and cyber security 

  Explore IT security concepts, terminology, procedures, and techniques in data protection and cyber security.

• Cryptography 

  Understand different cryptographic systems and methods, including hash functions, symmetric and asymmetric cryptography.

Cloud native

• Cloud programming 

  Develop cloud services, understanding the characteristics, risks, and protective measures involved.

• Cloud computing 

  Examine cloud computing fundamentals, enabling technologies, and analytics capabilities, including serverless computing.

Data analysis and engineering

• Data engineering 

  Explore the technical foundations of data engineering, including data storage, system architecture, and data security.

• Project: Data engineering

  Implement a real-world data engineering use case, applying theoretical knowledge to practical, professional scenarios.

Artificial intelligence

• Artificial Intelligence 

  Learn about the historical development and modern approaches to AI, including reinforcement learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.

• Project: AI excellence with creative prompting techniques 

  Design and refine AI-generated content across text, images, and videos, employing innovative prompting techniques.

Big data and business intelligence

• Business intelligence 

  Explore business intelligence techniques for data provision, information generation, and analysis, focusing on optimising business activities.

• Project: business intelligence 

  Design and prototype business intelligence applications, solving practical problems using BI methods and techniques.

IT operations and project management

• IT project management 

  Understand the principles and tasks of IT project management, analysing procedural models and risk management techniques.

• IT architecture management 

  Examine IT strategy, governance, and architecture management, discussing IT architectural frameworks and reference models.

Cyber security

• Technical and operational IT security concepts 

  Develop and implement enterprise-specific security measures, including network monitoring and incident response strategies.

• Project: configuration and application of SIEM systems 

  Gain practical experience by implementing a security incident event management tool in an enterprise IT environment.

Cloud native

• Introduction to low-code development 

  Understand low-code and no-code development, including business process modelling and relevant patterns and platforms.

• Project: low-code development 

  Plan and implement a low-code project, developing and deploying a low-code app based on business processes.

Data analysis and engineering

• Advanced data analysis 

  Investigate advanced analytics techniques, including business performance measurement, web and social media analytics, and text mining.

• Project: data analysis 

  Implement a real-world analytics use case, applying theoretical knowledge to practical project scenarios.

Artificial intelligence

• Self-driving vehicles 

  Explore the technology and safety standards of autonomous vehicles, focusing on sensor fusion, computer vision, and motion planning.

• Seminar: current topics and trends in self-driving technology 

  Research recent developments in self-driving technology, culminating in a comprehensive research essay.