Software Engineering

Why Software Engineering at ARU?

• Study in the Silicon Fen, home to Apple, Microsoft, Samsung AI and many more – the perfect opportunity to connect with top employers.
• Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed and developed with regional employers, such as The Fellows House and Redgate to give you exposure to ‘real world’ problem-solving.
• You’ll develop a strong set of employability skills through studying with both academics and practitioners.
• Accredited by BCS and IET and a Cisco Network Academy for over ten years.
• You’ll develop skills in a range of programming languages including Java, C#, C++ and .net framework, supported by popular databases such as MySQL.

If you're fascinated by coding and are looking to take your interest further, our BCS and IET accredited Software Engineering degree in Cambridge is for you.

Learn techniques to identify, analyse and test IT solutions that industry needs and gain the edge on the competition with an optional placement year.

You’ll also build up all of the skills and knowledge you need to create and implement innovative software packages.

There’s a shortage of qualified computing graduates and with our Software Engineering degree, you’ll not only build upon your skills in coding and programming; you’ll understand what businesses are looking for and why.

As a graduate you could go on to work in main-line business software applications development or web development. With additional teacher training, teaching Computing at both secondary and further education levels could also be an option available to you. Some of our graduates have gone on to work at:

• Citrix
• HCS Technologies
• International Workplace
• the MOD
• Oxford Global Projects

As part of your Software Engineering studies, the opportunity of a placement year could see you working in industry with a high-tech hub company in Cambridge, the region or beyond, making contacts and building up both your experience and knowledge in the kind of environment you might ultimately work in.

You will have 12-month access to Pluralsight professional online training courses for programmers, which is included in and guided through the Introduction to Programming module. This gives you enhanced opportunities to experience real-world professional training as part of your academic course.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our MSc Computer Science, MSc Artificial Intelligence, or MSc Cyber Security. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Employability and personal career development

ARU ranked in the top 10% in the country for graduates in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024), and 5th in the country for the proportion of UK undergraduates who are employed as managers, directors, or senior officials 15 months after graduating. We're also in the top 10% in the country for the number of graduates in employment and further study who agreed they are using what they learnt during their studies.

Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules.

To amplify your career ambition, you will need to actively dedicate time outside of your studies, whether you choose to explore placements, internships or volunteering. Or you could make a social impact by collaborating with our partner organisations through our volunteer scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). These all give you an edge, providing you with experience that you will be able to evidence on your CV and talk about in interviews.

Our Employability and Careers Service offers a range of expert advice and support to build your unique professional profile, including tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, and help to complete job applications. You’ll have 24/7 access to the Careers Centre, our comprehensive online digital resource, which empowers you to start building a Personal Career Development Plan from the very start. Design your future at ARU.