Taking a practice-based approach based on an organisation you are familiar with, this module gives you the fundamental knowledge and understanding, coupled with analysis and synthesis skills that you need to develop a variety of software artefacts fit for a real-world organisational context. You will also have an opportunity to investigate emerging trends in software development and acquire the personal development skills you will need to keep abreast of important developments in this rapidly changing field.
The module is structured as follows:
Block 1: Software development and early life-cycle
In this block, you will learn the principles and techniques of the early software lifecycle, from requirements and domain analysis to software specification. You will engage with several practices, including capturing and validating requirements, and UML (Unified Modelling Language) modelling with activity and class diagrams.
Block 2: Design and code
This block focuses on the principles and techniques of software design, construction, testing and version control. You will engage with several design practices, including applying design patterns and UML modelling with interaction and state diagrams. You will also engage in software construction and testing in Java.
Block 3: Software architectures and systems integration
In this block, you will extend the skills you acquired in the previous blocks to develop software solutions based on software architectures and frameworks. You will engage in design and Java development practices using standards, software components and protocols. You will also expand your UML modelling toolset with package and component diagrams.
In the module assessment, you will engage with an organisational problem of your choice, working towards a fit-for-purpose software solution. You will also have an opportunity to carry out some independent research into issues in software development, including analysing, evaluating, and presenting results.
This module is delivered entirely online and extensively uses various media and resources to support your learning.
By studying this module, you will work towards a software system for an organisation with which you are familiar. As such, you will interact with other people in that organisation, which may help raise your professional profile.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Course work includes:
This module is presented online – there are no printed materials.
All the study materials will be available from the module website, including:
1Visual Paradigm provides academic license of their UML tools, BPMN tools and agile development tools (story mapping) to students and lecturers of The Open University.
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
M813 is an option module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Software development (M813) starts once a year – in May.
It will next start in May 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in May 2027.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
You are expected to hold a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in computing or a related discipline, or have at least three years of relevant industry experience.
You should also have experience with object-oriented software development from previous study or professional work and an understanding of UML. A basic working knowledge of Java is expected, and some Java coding tasks will be part of the assessment.
The study material is online, so you’ll spend considerable time using a computer and the internet.
Some components might not be fully accessible using a screen reader.
Written transcripts of audio components and figure descriptions are available.
If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.
| Start | End | Register by | England fee |
|---|
| 01 May 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | 09 Apr 2026 | £1,775 |
| 01 May 2027 | 31 Oct 2027 | 08 Apr 2027 | Not yet available* |
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate tuition fee loans in Northern Ireland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Scotland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Wales.
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Joint loan applications
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As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average, the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.
Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
