Software Engineering with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

• Gain real-world experience that’s relevant to your future career.

• Develop your knowledge of database design and manipulation.

• Study major programming languages and various modern frameworks.

• Learn to produce high-quality, large-scale web, mobile and desktop applications.

• Work on real client software projects

• Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start

On this course, you’ll learn how to design, implement, and test complex, high-quality and large-scale software applications that can be used in enterprise environments. You’ll develop the skills you’ll need to work as a professional software developer using modern approaches which can be applied to new and emerging technologies.

How you learn

The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BEng (Hons) Software Engineering course. You share the first year with other computing foundation year students, then move on to the degree. During the first year of study, you will enhance your skills to maximise your academic potential ready to start your learning against the content of the main degree.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

This course starts by helping you develop practical skills in creating software applications through lectures and hands-on tutorial sessions. These sessions will build your understanding of how and when to use appropriate processes, tools, technologies and project management practices.

You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate on real-world projects to produce software prototypes introduced and inspired by industry. Tackling projects found in industry will help prepare you for a career in software engineering, all within a supportive learning environment.

During your final year, you’ll create your own software application, guided by a dedicated project supervisor. As part of this project, you’ll undertake research, and apply new skills while you create a software product that you can be proud of.

The combination of teaching methods applied across the course will allow you to develop a range of skills through practical implementation, problem-solving activities, and teamwork, allowing you to take an active approach to learning and encouraging self-development.

You learn through

• lectures

• hands-on lab sessions and tutorials

• regular feedback

• teamwork and group-based learning

• practice-based applied learning

• discussions

• self-study

You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through a number of key areas. These include

• access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development

• access to our Skills Centre with one to ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments

• industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities

Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to complete a year-long work placement between your second and third year. A placement is widely recognised as the gold standard opportunity to gain personal and professional development through real-world experience.

Live projects

In your first and second years you’ll work in a group on a real client-based project. You’ll analyse their requirements, then design, implement and test a prototype which you’ll present to your client. This will allow you to experience the types of demands faced by commercial software engineers – as well as increasing your confidence while you’re applying for your work placements.