Software Engineering (Top-up)
I306This top-up degree allows students who have completed relevant Level 4 and 5 qualifications elsewhere to join the final year of our BSc (Hons) Software Engineering programme, enabling you to gain a full Bachelor's degree in just one academic year.
Are you passionate about solving global digital challenges and improving the efficiency of our everyday technologies? Are you inspired by the opportunity to develop highly efficient products and systems that will transform a wide range of vital industries, from banking to healthcare?
Clearing
Unsure if you have the right grades? Make sure you talk to our friendly Admissions Team before ruling out any options. Visit our Clearing page to find out more.
Course overview
Our Software Engineering degree enables you to develop the skills needed to implement solutions to complex software problems. It is designed to offer both a fundamental understanding of computer science, as well as specialist professional skills in secure software development.
Through a unique programme of modules, you will develop the advanced technical expertise, collaboration and communication skills to turbo charge your employability and agility in a rapidly evolving industry. Your modules cover a combination of key practical and technical skills in software engineering principles.
You will study in a learning environment with research-informed teaching, providing accessible and tailored support for all aspects of academic and personal skills development. You will also benefit from access to interdisciplinary cross-department specialists within the University of Winchester Business School and links to the British Computer Society.
Throughout your journey, you will develop core knowledge in programming, secure systems, applications development, UX design and cross platform mobile development. There are also a range of fascinating optional modules so you can tailor your learning to your career aspirations. Depending on the optional modules you choose, you may graduate with a specialism in Cloud Technologies or DevOps.
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
Winchester campus
Course length
- 1 year full-time
Apply
I306
Typical offer
HND or Foundation Degree
Fees
From £9,535 pa
Course features
- Access a wide range of specialist software and tools including dedicated computer science and cyber security laboratories, containing Linux and Microsoft platforms
- Be inspired by an expert team of research-active academics who work at the forefront of the field
- Develop an appreciation of the wider role digital technologies play in an organisational context
Course details
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc., you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team, your personal tutor and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
LEVEL 6: TIMETABLED TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITY*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 240 hours
Independent learning: 960 hours
*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Location
Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.
Teaching hours
All class based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.
Assessment
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:
LEVEL 6*:
- 60% coursework
- 40% practical assessments
*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Further information
For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Entry requirements
A Foundation degree or HND in a related subject such as an HND in Computing (Software Engineering or Application Development and Testing pathway) or Digital Technologies (Software Development and Programming pathway), with a merit profile.
GCSEs in Mathematics and English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further.
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT.
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.
2025/6 Course Tuition Fees
| UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland |
International |
|
|---|---|---|
| Year 1* | £9,535 | £16,700 |
Additional tuition fee information
*(UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland) £9,535 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. The fee is currently subject to a governmental fee cap for each academic year. It is our policy to charge tuition fees at the level of the cap set by the Government. If the cap set by the Government changes, then we may increase our Fees in line with governmental policy.
*(International) £16,700 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. We decide the annual level of increase of our Tuition Fees by taking into account a range of factors including the cost of delivering the course and change in governmental funding.
Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £79.45 and a 15 credit module is £1,191. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £7,145
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.
Additional costs
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:
Mandatory
Laptop
Students are expected to have their own laptop to use on this course. Indicative cost is £200-£1,000.
Optional
Core texts
Core texts are available from the University Library. However some students prefer to purchase their own copies. Some core texts can be bought second-hand or as an ebook which can often reduce this cost. Indicative cost is £150 for whole course.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates enter careers in systems engineer web development, computer programming, software engineering, analyst programming and firmware development. Computer science, software engineering, and cyber security graduates are in demand by employers, due to the recognised need in the public, private and third sectors for their expertise.
Pre-approved for a Masters
If you study a Bachelor Honours degree with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE
Winchester offers the best of both worlds – the benefits of a city, with the welcoming community of a village. The prime location provides great links to business, and lecturers keep the content engaging. As a mature student, Winchester has given me the opportunity to grow, in a supportive environment. But the best thing about Winchester is the people who study here.
