Software Engineering is about building effective software systems that address complex problems in a broad range of domains including transport, communications, finance, medicine, science, entertainment and the arts.

The ANU Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering has many unique characteristics, but best of all, it is built on a multidisciplinary systems approach. The adopted systems approach to software engineering not only covers the technical aspects of professional practice, innovation and research, but also the complex socio-technical context in which these activities occur. This includes approaches to dealing with uncertainty and risk, design, modern management practices, ethics and communication.

Students develop these skills and capabilities through a balance of theoretical study, practice in team projects with industry partners, and work experience. Students also have the opportunity to develop their innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities by working on their own start-ups with industry entrepreneurs as part of their degree.

What does it take to start a successful new business, to lead an organisation, to plan and manage a complex project? How do leaders negotiate, resolve conflict, and manage across cultures in the global workplace?

The BBA will answer these questions and, more importantly, help you develop skills to go out and do these things in the real world.

The BBA is flexible so you can build on your strengths. For example, you have a wide choice about how much mathematical content to include in your degree.

Employment Opportunities

Work experience

As a part of your degree you will take part in 60 days of work experience to meet accreditation requirements with Engineers Australia. This provides you with the opportunity to integrate academic theory and real world practice, enhance technical and leadership skills, experience a professional setting, whilst also making valuable connections with industry.

Projects

In addition to compulsory work experience you will also undertake systems engineering projects during your coursework. In these projects you will work in teams on a given problem statement and develop the requirements and key performance indicators to guide you through the design. Your team will then proceed through a systems design process including conceptual design, sub-system requirements, and quantitative trade-off analyses, using the full range of engineering science and professional skills developed during your program.

Projects emphasise teamwork, communication skills, team and personal management and a professional approach to engineering design, all of which are highly valuable traits for an engineer.

Internships

Our industry links enable opportunities to undertake internships which allow you to gain hands-on experience in a workplace environment relevant to your area of future career interests and current academic studies.

You can also receive credit towards your program based on learning outcomes during your placement.

Other practical experience

Use your knowledge to create a positive impact on society through our Engineers Without Borders placements, participate in Humanitarian Design Summits or go on exchange to complement your students and broaden your networks at one of our partner universities around the world.

Employment opportunities

As a professional software engineer with a systems engineering background, you will bring extra value to future employers in a diverse range of professions and organisations. The skills and abilities you gain while studying at ANU are highly sought after by employers both in Australia and overseas, such as IBM, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Intel, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Accenture Australia, Bloomberg, National Australia Bank, Citigroup, Deloitte, Unisys and Australian Government.

Graduates find employment opportunities in a variety of roles, including but not limited to:

• Software Engineer
• Software Developer
• Software Consultant
• Software Architect
• Programmer
• System Analyst
• Project Manager
• Product Manager
• Application Developer
• Database Analyst
• Network Architect

Work experience

As a part of your degree you will take part in 60 days of work experience to meet accreditation requirements with Engineers Australia. This provides you with the opportunity to integrate academic theory and real world practice, enhance technical and leadership skills, experience a professional setting, whilst also making valuable connections with industry.

Projects

In addition to compulsory work experience you will also undertake systems engineering projects during your coursework. In these projects you will work in teams on a given problem statement and develop the requirements and key performance indicators to guide you through the design. Your team will then proceed through a systems design process including conceptual design, sub-system requirements, and quantitative trade-off analyses, using the full range of engineering science and professional skills developed during your program.

Projects emphasise teamwork, communication skills, team and personal management and a professional approach to engineering design, all of which are highly valuable traits for an engineer.

Internships

Our industry links enable opportunities to undertake internships which allow you to gain hands-on experience in a workplace environment relevant to your area of future career interests and current academic studies.

You can also receive credit towards your program based on learning outcomes during your placement.

Other practical experience

Use your knowledge to create a positive impact on society through our Engineers Without Borders placements, participate in Humanitarian Design Summits or go on exchange to complement your students and broaden your networks at one of our partner universities around the world.

Employment opportunities

As a professional software engineer with a systems engineering background, you will bring extra value to future employers in a diverse range of professions and organisations. The skills and abilities you gain while studying at ANU are highly sought after by employers both in Australia and overseas, such as IBM, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Intel, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Accenture Australia, Bloomberg, National Australia Bank, Citigroup, Deloitte, Unisys and Australian Government.

Graduates find employment opportunities in a variety of roles, including but not limited to:

• Software Engineer
• Software Developer
• Software Consultant
• Software Architect
• Programmer
• System Analyst
• Project Manager
• Product Manager
• Application Developer
• Database Analyst
• Network Architect

Learning Outcomes

1. Professionally apply systematic engineering methods to design optimised and sustainable solutions to complex, multi-disciplinary real-world engineering problems.

2. Formulate and evaluate solutions to software engineering problems by selecting and applying theoretical principles and methods from the underpinning mathematical, information and computer sciences.

3. Proficiently apply advanced technical knowledge and appropriate tools in software engineering practices.

4. Identify and critically evaluate current developments and emerging trends in the software engineering discipline.

5. Understand the contextual factors that influence professional engineering practice, and identify the potential societal, ethical, and environmental impact of engineering activities.

6. Communicate effectively with colleagues, other engineering professionals and the broader community employing a range of communication media and tools.

7. Engage in independent research and investigation through the application of research-based knowledge and research methods, including searching, analysing and evaluating information sources within and beyond the software engineering discipline.

8. Engage effectively in critical reflection and independent learning to continue practicing at the forefront of the software engineering discipline.

9. Work effectively and proactively within cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams, demonstrating autonomy, ethical conduct, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility to achieve engineering outcomes at a high standard.

1. review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise organisational knowledge

2. demonstrate a broad understanding of management and leadership knowledge with depth in some areas

3. exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence

4. present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of management knowledge and ideas

5. demonstrate initiative and judgement in planning, problem solving and decision making in professional practice and/or scholarship

6. adapt knowledge and skills in diverse business contexts

7. demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional practice and in collaboration with others within broad parameters

Further Information

Learn more about the degrees offered at the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, read current student profiles to see what campus life is really like, and discover what our graduates have achieved since leaving the College - Visit the College of Engineering and Computer Science website.

Learn more about the degrees offered at the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, read current student profiles to see what campus life is really like, and discover what our graduates have achieved since leaving the College - Visit the College of Engineering and Computer Science website.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

ACT: Mathematical Methods (Major)/Further Mathematics (Major)/Specialist Mathematics/Specialist Methods (Major)

NSW: HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent. More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here.

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are additional points added to an applicant's Selection Rank (for example an applicant's ATAR). ANU offers adjustment factors based on performance and equity principles, such as for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. 

Selection Rank adjustments are granted in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustment factors and maximum 10 equity-based adjustment factors) can be awarded. 

You may be considered for adjustment factors if you have:

• applied for an eligible ANU Bachelor degree program
• undertaken Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate
• achieved an ATAR or equivalent at or above 70
• not previously attempted tertiary study.

Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering flexible double degree component requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

108 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

ENGN1211 Discovering Engineering

MATH1005 Discrete Mathematical Models

COMP1600 Foundations of Computing

COMP2100 Software Design Methodologies

COMP2120 Software Engineering

COMP2300 Computer Organisation and Program Execution

COMP2310 Systems, Networks and Concurrency

COMP2420 Introduction to Data Management, Analysis and Security

ENGN2300 Engineering Design 2: Systems Approaches for Design

ENGN2301 Engineering Design 3: Systems Approaches for Analysis

ENGN3100 Practical Experience (0 units)

ENGN3300 Engineering Design 4A: Systems Approaches for Management

ENGN3301 Engineering Design 4B: Systems Approaches for Operations

COMP3500 Software Engineering Project (12 units)

COMP3600 Algorithms

COMP3900 Human-Computer Interaction

COMP4130 Managing Software Quality and Process

ENGN4213 Digital Systems and Microprocessors

12 units from completion of a course from the following list:

COMP4500 Software Engineering Practice

COMP4540 Software Engineering Research Project

ENGN4300 Capstone Project

ENGN4350 Individual Project

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

COMP1100 Programming as Problem Solving

COMP1130 Programming as Problem Solving (Advanced)

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

COMP1110 Structured Programming

COMP1140 Structured Programming (Advanced)

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

MATH1013 Mathematics & Applications 1

MATH1115 Advanced Mathematics & Applications 1

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

ENGN1217 Introduction to Mechanics

ENGN1218 Introduction to Electronics

COMP2400 Relational Databases

Honours

Students must formally enrol in ENGN4100 Engineering Honours at the commencement of their intended final semester.

Honours Grade Calculation

ENGN4100 Engineering Honours Grade will be used to calculate the Class of Honours and the mark. It will be calculated as the weighted average mark (WAM) of the courses listed below. The mark for each course is weighted by the units of credit (UoC) of the course, as well as a course weighting as indicated below. WAM is calculated as follows:

WAM = ( S Mark*UoC*Weighting) / (S UoC*Weighting)

• Science, Engineering and Computing Foundations (0.1 weighting): MATH1013 or MATH1115, MATH1014 or MATH1116, MATH1005, PHYS1001 or PHYS1101, ENGN1000-series courses and COMP1000-series courses.
• Engineering and Computing Fundamentals (0.2 weighting): ENGN2000-series courses (excluding ENGN2300 and ENGN2301) and COMP2000-series courses.
• Professional Core (0.3 weighting): ENGN2300, ENGN2301, ENGN3300, ENGN3301, ENGN3200
• Engineering Discipline and Final Year Project (0.4 weighting): ENGN3000-series courses (excluding ENGN3300, ENGN3301 and ENGN3200), COMP3000-series courses, ENGN4000-series courses, and COMP4000-series courses.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering is not available in a double degree with Bachelor of Information Technology.

The Bachelor of Business Administration flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

60 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

BUSI2025 - International Business (6 units)

BUSN1001 - Business Reporting and Analysis (6 units)

ECON1101 - Microeconomics 1 (6 units)

MGMT1003 - Management, People and Organisations (6 units)

MGMT2030 - Human Resource Management and Strategy (6 units)

MGMT2100 - Communication for Business (6 units)

MGMT3015 - Corporate Strategy (6 units)

MGMT3021 - Leadership (6 units)

MGMT3027 - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (6 units)

MKTG2004 - Marketing (6 units)

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

MGMT2003 - Business Decision Making (6 units)

STAT1008 - Quantitative Research Methods (6 units)

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

ECON1100 - Economics 1 (H) (6 units)

ECON1102 - Macroeconomics 1 (6 units)

24 units from completion of courses from List 1 of the ANU College of Business and Economics

If your flexible double degree is within the College of Business and Economics (for example Commerce and Economics), the below study plan may show the same course twice. If this is the case, you must only do the course once and replace the other course with a University Wide Elective or CBE List 1 elective. Please note that you cannot exceed 8 out of college electives.

For majors and minors offered by the ANU College of Business and Economics, students may count a course towards multiple majors and minors. If a minor is a subset of all stated courses and/or prerequisites for a major, then completion of the major overrides completion of the minor, and only the major is regarded as having been completed. If all courses in a major and/or minor are compulsory courses in the degree, the major and/or minor will not be listed on the transcript.