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 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) will answer these questions and, more importantly, help you develop the research and practical 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 Work-Integrated Learning (e.g. internships) to include in your degree.
Career Options
ANU ranks among the world's very finest universities. Our nearly 100,000 alumni include political, business, government, and academic leaders around the world.
We have graduated remarkable people from every part of our continent, our region and all walks of life.
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
- Professionally apply systematic engineering methods to design optimised and sustainable solutions to complex, transdisciplinary real-world engineering problems.
- Formulate and evaluate solutions to software engineering problems by selecting and applying theoretical principles and methods from the underpinning mathematical, information and computer sciences.
- Proficiently apply advanced technical knowledge and appropriate tools in software engineering practices.
- Identify and critically evaluate current developments and emerging trends in the software engineering discipline.
- Understand the contextual factors that influence professional engineering practice, and identify the potential societal, ethical, and environmental impact of engineering activities.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, other engineering professionals and the broader community employing a range of communication media and tools.
- 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.
- Engage effectively in critical reflection and independent learning to continue practicing at the forefront of the software engineering discipline.
- 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.
- review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge, from both Indigenous Australian peoples' and non-indigenous peoples' perspectives, as well as locally and globally
- demonstrate a broad understanding of management and leadership knowledge with depth in some areas
- present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of management knowledge and ideas
- exercise expertise in critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence
- demonstrate initiative and judgement in planning, problem solving and decision making in professional practice and/or scholarship
- adapt knowledge and skills in diverse business contexts
- demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional practice and in collaboration with others within broad parameters
- employ discipline-based knowledge in transdisciplinary problem-solving
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
- ATAR:
- 85
- International Baccalaureate:
- 33
Prerequisites
ACT: Mathematical Methods (Major)/Further Mathematics (Major)/Specialist Mathematics/Specialist Methods (Major)
NSW: HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent.
VIC: Mathematics Methods or equivalent
QLD: Mathematics Methods or equivalent
TAS: Mathematical methods/Mathematics Specialised/Mathematics 1 and II through U Tas/Both Mathematics 1 and II through UTAS/Both Advanced Calculus and Applications 1A and 1B through UTAS
SA / NT: Mathematical Methods or equivalent
WA: Mathematical Methods or equivalent
IB: Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL/Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL or HL
Adjustment Factors
Adjustment factors are combined with an applicant's secondary education results to determine their Selection Rank. ANU offers adjustment factors based on equity, diversity, and/or performance principles, such as for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies.
To be eligible for adjustment factors, you must have:
- achieved a Selection Rank of 70 or more before adjustment factors are applied
- if you have undertaken higher education, completed less than one year full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) of a higher education program
- applied for an eligible ANU bachelor degree program
Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.
Indicative fees
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
Bachelor of Business Administration - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees
- Annual indicative fee for international students
- $56,120.00
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 168 units, of which:
A maximum of 48 units may come from the completion of 1000-level courses
A minimum of 12 units of courses tagged as Transdisciplinary Problem-Solving
The 168 units must include:
108 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:
COMP1600 Foundations of Computing
COMP2100 Software Construction
COMP2120 Software Engineering
COMP2300 Computer Organisation and Program Execution
COMP2310 Systems, Networks and Concurrency
COMP2400 Relational Databases
COMP3500 Software Engineering Project (12 units)
COMP3600 Algorithms
COMP3900 Human-Computer Interaction
COMP4130 Managing Software Quality and Process
ENGN1211 Engineering Design 1: Discovering Engineering
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
ENGN4213 Digital Systems and Microprocessors
MATH1005 Discrete Mathematical Models
12 units from completion of a course from the following list:
ENGN4300 Capstone Project
ENGN4350 Individual Project
COMP4500 Software Engineering Team 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:
COMP2610 Information Theory
ENGN1217 Introduction to Mechanics
ENGN1218 Introduction to Electronics
24 units from completion of courses from the following subject areas: ENGN Engineering or COMP Computer Science
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)
ECON1102 - Macroeconomics 1 (6 units)
MGMT1003 - Management, People and Organisations (6 units)
MGMT2003 - Business Decision Making (6 units)
MGMT2030 - Human Resource Management and Strategy (6 units)
MGMT2100 - Communication for Business (6 units)
MGMT3021 - Leadership (6 units)
MKTG2004 - Introduction to Marketing (6 units)
12 units from completion of compulsory Transdisciplinary courses from the following list:
MGMT3015 - Corporate Strategy (6 units)
MGMT3027 - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (6 units)
Either:
12 units from completion of courses from the following list:
BUSI3024 - Export Business Planning (6 units)
CBEA2001 - Australian Indigenous Perspectives in Business and Economics (6 units)
CBEA3001 - College of Business and Economics Special Industry Project (6 units)
CBEA3066 - Global Business Immersion (6 units)
CBEA3070 - ANU College of Business and Economics Internship Program (UG) (6 or 12 units)
12 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU
Or:
24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU
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.
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.
Back to the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering page
The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering can be studied as either a single degree or a double degree combined with a number of other degrees.
Advice on Choosing Electives
The information below is relevant to students completing a single degree only and needing to satisfy the requirements of
- 24 units from completion of courses from the following subject areas: ENGN Engineering or COMP Computer Science
- 24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU
The above set of requirements means that you need to complete a total of 48 units (normally 8 courses) of elective courses, which cannot be part of the compulsory courses for meeting the program requirements. Among these elective courses, 24 units must come from ENGN-coded or COMP-coded courses, while the other 24 units may come from any courses available to undergraduate students university-wide including but not limited to ENGN/COMP-coded courses.
Things to Remember:
- Make sure the elective courses you choose are not part of the compulsory courses for meeting the program requirements. They can contribute towards a major or minor(s) of your interests. Some majors/minors may limit its availability to students enrolled in specific programs and such restrictions are normally stated explicitly on the Programs and Courses websites for the majors/minors. If in doubt, please check with the corresponding academic contact.
- Check the prerequisite of the course you intend to choose to ensure you have met the eligibility criteria. Such information can be found on the Programs and Courses website for the course. Remember to select an appropriate academic year to display the most relevant information.
- Check the semester(s) in which the chosen course is offered to ensure it can be taken in the semester you intend to take it. Remember to select an appropriate academic year to display the most relevant information.
- Remember that you can only take a maximum of 60 units of 1000-level courses in the entire degree of study.
- Keep track of your elective courses in terms of the number of units each course contributes towards meeting the requirements of either 24 units of ENGN/COMP-coded elective courses or 24 units of university-wide elective courses. For example, when completing a set of courses for a minor, the courses that are not ENGN/COMP-coded can only contribute towards 24 units of university-wide elective courses.
Single degree
- This degree requires 192 units (each course is typically 6 units though some may be 12 units or higher)
- Typically you will study four courses per semester (total of 24 units)
- You have 24 units of elective courses from the engineering or computing subject areas (courses coded with ENGN or COMP) and 24 units of university elective courses offered by ANU. You may use these to complete another Engineering/Computing major/minor/specialisation, and/or possibly a minor outside of these subject areas.
- You can study a maximum of 60 units of 1000 level courses.
Double degree
- The Flexible Double Degree requires 168 units of courses meeting the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering requirements. You should use the Double degree tool for detailed requirements for the double degree that you are studying.
- Typically you will study four courses per semester (total of 24 units)
- There are no university electives in the double degree.
Important things to keep in mind when choosing your 1000-level courses
- When you enrol for the first time you will typically study '1000-level' courses. These courses have '1' as the first number in their course code.
- In a single degree, you can study a maximum of 60 units of 1000 level courses. Additional units of 1000 level courses (beyond 60 units) cannot be counted towards this degree.
- Note that if you are commencing in July you should follow the Second semester starter Study Options below and consider contacting student.css@anu.edu.au or attending an enrolment advice session at the university to discuss your complete study plan.
Study Options
Semester 2 Starters
Study Options
| Year 1 48 units | Elective Course 6 units | COMP1100 Programming as Problem Solving 6 units | MATH1013 Mathematics and Applications 1 6 units | A choice from ENGN1217, ENGN1218 or COMP2610 |
| ENGN1211 Engineering Design 1: Discovering Engineering 6 units | COMP1110 Structured Programming 6 units | COMP2300 Computer Architecture 6 units | MATH1005 Discrete Mathematical Models 6 units |
Semester 1 Starters
Study Options
| Year 1 48 units | ENGN1211 Engineering Design 1: Discovering Engineering 6 units | COMP1100 Programming as Problem Solving 6 units | MATH1013 Mathematics and Applications 1 6 units | MATH1005 Discrete Mathematical Models 6 units |
| COMP1600 Foundations of Computing 6 units | COMP1110 Structured Programming 6 units | One of ENGN1217 or ENGN1218 or COMP2610 | Elective |
Flexible Double degree
Study Options
| Year 1 48 units | COMP1100 Programming as Problem Solving 6 units | ENGN1211 Engineering Design 1: Discovering Engineering 6 units | MATH1005 | Course from other degree |
| COMP1110 Structured Programming 6 units | MATH1013 Mathematics and Applications 1 6 units | Course from other degree | Course from other degree |
Academic Advice
A sample course structure (i.e., study plan) over the four year of the single degree can be found on the webpage https://eng.anu.edu.au/study/bachelor/ .
International students cannot study less than 24 units a semester (full-time) except in exceptional circumstances and with approval.
Advice on choice of first year programming
courses
- You will have a choice of enrolling in COMP1100 or COMP1130, and a choice of enrolling in COMP1110 or COMP1140. The standard choices of these courses are COMP1100 and COMP1110. But if you have a strong Maths background, and/or significant programming experience, you might like to choose the advanced version of the courses COMP1130 and COMP1140. Note that if you choose COMP1130 you will be able to drop back to COMP1100 in the first 2 weeks if needed.
Advice on choice of first year mathematics courses
- If you are not confident in your Maths ability, particularly calculus, consider taking MATH1003 as a university elective in first year and then completing MATH1013 in a following semester.
- You may read the information about secondary school prerequisite of MATH1013 on the course website.
- The standard choice is MATH1013. Students who excel in Maths, have done the highest level of Maths available to them at school and meet the pre-requisite may choose to enrol in the advanced version MATH1115 in place of MATH1013.
Back to the Bachelor of Business Administration page
The Bachelor of Business Administration will develop your
leadership and management skills. The degree places emphasis on
problem-solving and decision-making, leadership, cross-cultural
communications and strategic thinking. It provides you with the
leadership capabilities to springboard your career in either the
private or public sectors.
Single degree
In a Bachelor of Business Administration single degree program you will study a total of 144 units. Typically you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student giving you a total of 24 courses across your whole degree.
You will need to complete a minimum of 12 CBE courses (72 units) but will also get to choose up to 12 courses (72 units) from other ANU Colleges. You can try a range of ANU courses of interest to you, potentially leading to one or more majors and/or minors; the choice is yours.
Double degree
In a double degree program you will study a total of 12 core CBE courses (72 units) and 4 elective courses (24 units) towards the Bachelor of Business Administration, and a further 16 or 24 courses (96 or 144 units) towards the second degree. Typically, you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student giving you a total of 32 or 40 courses (192 or 240 units) across your whole double degree. However, for each semester you are likely to take 2 courses from your Business Administration degree and 2 courses from the other half of your double degree - totalling 4 courses a semester.
Enrolment Status
It is possible to enrol in fewer courses per semester but it will take you longer to finish your program and get your degree. If you are an international student you must always be enrolled full-time in 24 units each semester, or have an approved Reduced Study Load.
Important things to keep in mind when choosing your 1000-level courses
When you enrol for the first time you will study ‘1000-level’
courses. These courses have ‘1’ as the first number in their course
code, such as BUSN1001, and are typically referred to as 'First Year Courses'.
Please also note that:
- You need to enrol in courses for both First Semester and Second Semester.
- In your first year, you cannot study more than four courses (24 units) per semester, eight for the year.
- You
may take 1000-level courses later in your program. There is a maximum of 10 courses (60 units) of 1000-level courses in a single degree, and a maximum of 8 courses (48 units) of 1000-level courses in the CBE half of a double degree.
- You can change your enrolment in courses vis self-enrolment up until the Monday of Week 2.
Electives
You can use your electives to enrol in any courses that you like, provided you meet prerequisite requirements.
Remember that you can choose up to 12 ANU wide elective courses if you are undertaking the single Bachelor of Business Administration degree. If you are in a double degree, you can choose 4 ANU wide elective courses.
Study Options
Bachelor of Business Administration
This is a typical study plan for the first year of a student undertaking a Bachelor of Business Administration degreeStudy Options
| Year 1 48 units | BUSN1001 Business Reporting and Analysis 6 units | ECON1101 Microeconomics 1 6 units | MGMT1003 Management, People and Organisations 6 units | Elective course 6 units |
| ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1 6 units | Elective or MKTG2004 6 units | Elective or BUSI2025 6 units | Elective course 6 units |
Bachelor of Business Administration - Double Degree
This is a typical study pattern for the first year of a student undertaking a Bachelor of Business Administration with another degree, such as the Bachelor of Arts (degree B)Study Options
| Year 1 48 units | ECON1101 Microeconomics 1 6 units | MGMT1003 Management, People and Organisations 6 units | Degree B course 6 units | Degree B course 6 units |
| ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1 6 units | BUSN1001 Business Reporting and Analysis 6 units | Degree B course 6 units | Degree B course 6 units |
Academic Advice
In your second semester of study you have two electives to choose. You may wish to take
MGMT2100 Communication for Business and/or BUSI2025 International Business then, rather than waiting until Year 2 to complete these courses
If after reading through these guidelines you are unsure about your
which courses to enrol in, you can email info.cbe@anu.edu.au
If
you are seeking status
(credit) from previous study at another university you will need to
submit a copy of your official transcript, detailed course outlines and a
completed credit application form. For further information about the process and links to the application form, please visit: https://cbe.anu.edu.au/current-students/student-guides-and-forms/apply-credit/exemption
Additional advice for commencing students can be found at: https://www.cbe.anu.edu.au/fasttrack