Software Engineering

Software engineering is the discipline of building software that works reliably at scale, in conditions that matter and for people who depend on it. It is not merely about writing code, though technical programming skill is central to it: it is about the systematic application of engineering principles to the creation, testing, deployment and maintenance of complex software systems. From the digital infrastructure of the internet and the operating systems on our devices to the platforms that connect communities and the algorithms that shape our information environment, good software engineering is the discipline that makes dependable digital technology possible.

At the University of Kent you will develop competence across the full range of software engineering disciplines over a three-year full-time programme, building from strong foundations in programming, data structures and algorithms through to software design patterns, testing methodologies, agile development practices, large-scale systems architecture and the collaborative processes that characterise professional software development. You will engage with open source development practices and with the principles needed to design, build and maintain large software systems responsibly.

You will develop the ability to write clear, well-structured and well-tested code, to work effectively in collaborative development environments, to apply engineering rigour to software design and to think critically about the trade-offs inherent in any technical decision. Kent's research strengths in computer science enrich the academic environment in which you will study.

Graduates from software engineering programmes at Kent move into careers as software engineers, full-stack developers, back-end and front-end engineers, systems architects, DevOps engineers and technical leads across the technology industry, financial services, media, healthcare and the public sector. The broad applicability of software engineering skills means graduates are employed across virtually every sector of the modern economy. Postgraduate study is also an option for those seeking specialist expertise.