BEng Software Engineering with Foundation Year

At Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), your Software Engineering degree isn’t about lectures alone—it’s about applying what you learn in dynamic, real-world environments. From the moment you begin, you’ll be engaged in hands-on, project-based learning. The School of Engineering, Technology & Design is housed in a modern, purpose-built STEM facility packed with cutting-edge labs, workshops, and collaborative teaching spaces designed to mirror professional practice.

Here’s how experiential learning comes to life at CCCU, in a way that’s engaging, practical, and future-facing:

CDIO (Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate) learning model: One of only a few UK universities using this globally recognized approach, which ensures you're not just learning theory—but conceiving solutions, designing, building, and then testing them, often based on real-world challenges supplied by local businesses.

Real-world, team-based projects: Through CDIO-led assignments, you’ll apply software engineering knowledge to tangible problems—working through the full development cycle in collaborative small teams.

EDGE Hub partnerships: The university’s EDGE Hub co-designs curriculum with regional industry partners, offering incubator projects and consultancy opportunities that prepare you for authentic engineering challenges.

State-of-the-art STEM building: Facilities include modern laboratories, engineering workshops, and thoughtfully equipped classrooms—providing the ideal environment for collaborative coding, experimentation, prototyping, and development.

Strong engineering network and support: Being part of the School of Engineering, Technology & Design gives you access to a community invested in individual student growth, supported by staff who are approachable, supportive, and focused on practical skill-building.

The BEng (Hons) Software Engineering at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) programme is a fantastic choice for students who are passionate about the creative and problem-solving aspects of technology and want to build a career developing the robust, high-quality systems that power our modern world. Graduates are highly sought-after for their ability to combine strong technical skills with a methodical approach to robust, error-free software design. They leave here ready to tackle complex software development challenges, making them valuable assets in a host of industries, from medicine and education to space flight and manufacturing.

Typical job roles include:

• Software Engineer
• Software Developer
• Systems Analyst
• Applications Developer

The university provides a dedicated and supportive ecosystem, deeply integrated with industry, to ensure you are career-ready upon graduation:

University Services:
You will benefit from the university's purpose-built computing suites housed in a new building. A key feature is the option to undertake a year in industry after your second year, allowing you to develop your knowledge and skills in a business or industrial setting and build the practical skills desired by employers. You will also be supported by a diverse, well-qualified team of teaching and technical staff, many of whom have real industrial and commercial expertise.

Employment Stats:
The programme is designed to make you highly employable. You'll graduate with career-ready technical skills and a strong portfolio that showcases your potential to employers, preparing you for success in this fast-paced, in-demand sector.

Industry Partnerships:
The course is innovative and has been designed in collaboration with industry. You’ll have the opportunity to work and develop relationships with a range of employers and solve real-world problems provided by local industry through group projects. This includes a unique Hackathon event to test your skills in a fun, competitive environment.

Graduation Outcomes:
You will graduate with a substantial portfolio of practical work. A cornerstone of the programme is the pioneering CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) framework developed by MIT, which you'll use to learn in a practical, hands-on way to tackle real industrial problems. The course is highly practical, with lots of opportunities to engage with people and organisations in software development.

Further Academic Progression:
Completing your BEng (Hons) at CCCU is just the beginning. The strong foundation in software engineering principles provides an excellent platform for pursuing a specialised Master's degree (MSc) or moving into industry roles.