Software Development with Foundation Year

At least 3 GCSEs including

• GCSE Maths, Grade C or Grade 4 or above. 

• GCSE English, Grade C or Grade 4 or above. 

If you don't hold GCSEs, we accept 45 credits at Level 2 or equivalent.

If your qualifications are older than 3 years we also ask to see a professional CV.

We strive to support students to succeed, whatever their background, and we encourage you to apply to study with us even if you don’t meet the academic requirements.

We view all applications holistically – and will consider a minimum of 12 months professional work experience (evidenced with a CV and reference) if you don't meet the academic entry requirements.

You'll also be required to submit a motivation letter that outlines:

• your motivations for choosing this course

• how your work experience has prepared you for the Foundation Year course

• how the course aligns with your career goals.

Thinking of transferring institutions or have you studied before? Your prior learning could mean you're exempt from some modules, bringing you closer to your goals.

Unlock the value of your past learning and experience with our recognition of prior learning process. Simply consult with our Study Advisers, and submit a recognition of prior learning form alongside your application.

If you’re a mature student and you don’t meet our entry criteria, you may be eligible to enrol through our mature student process.

You may be required to submit a CV and a short supporting statement of 500 to 600 words. This should set out why you want to study this programme and how it will support your career plans.

We also consider a variety of qualifications including Functional Skills Qualifications, BTEC Firsts and National Vocational Qualifications.

Overseas qualifications may be accepted, and will be subject to evidence of equivalency normally verified through ECCTIS (UK ENIC).

If you’re a non-native English speaker, you’ll be asked to provide proof of your English language proficiency in one of the following forms.

Alternatively, you may be accepted if you have previously studied in English at an appropriate level and attended a recognised institution.

IELTS grade of 6.0 overall or above, with no element below 5.5.

An online English test is offered (SPEEXX) if IELTS not available. 

TOEFL minimum 80 points.

Trinity College ISE – ISE III at minimum pass. Please note that Trinity College ISE academic results are only valid for two years.

Duolingo English test minimum 95 points. Take Duolingo’s online English test. It takes just 45 to 60 minutes, and you’ll receive your results within two days. You can then send your certificate to us.

Cambridge Certificate minimum B grade overall.

• 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 investigation

  Combine 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 virtualization 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 optimizing 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.