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Accessibility statement
A image to illustrate Software engineering module
This module explores the advanced concepts and techniques used throughout the software life cycle to effectively produce and manage large, complex, and long-lived software systems. It provides a holistic perspective of technical and non-technical factors in developing useful and safe software systems in complex social and organisational contexts. You’ll gain hands-on experience of software engineering practices in both individual and team-working contexts.
Computers are now an integral part of most organisations and critically depend on the software. You will study how complex software systems fit into organisations, from procurement to maintenance and development. You will also gain an understanding of the business context of any proposed software, to elicit and analyse software requirements.
The module is divided into four blocks.
Block 1: Software in context
The first block considers that working in an organisation involves working with software, and how it is important to understand the relationships between the software, the organisation it serves, and its wider environment or context. Software embodies part of the organisation's knowledge and enables other knowledge management processes. Contacts between the enterprise and the external world are often mediated by software, and the enterprise has a responsibility to the wider community that may be served by, or jeopardised by, this software. This wider community is also discussed, including the professional bodies and trade unions to which the employees may belong, with their codes of ethics; the standardisation bodies, with their standards; and the law, which may restrict or mandate particular practices.
Block 2: Software engineering process
In Block 2, you’ll investigate the various approaches to software engineering. Software systems may be ‘bespoke’ (whether in-house, outsourced or offshored), or acquired off the shelf as either a complete solution that is used ‘as is’ or with some limited customisation, or as several partial solutions that need to be integrated. The software development process is considered within these options, and approaches ranging from waterfall to agile methodologies are discussed. This part also considers the management processes that play an important role in software engineering. In particular, you will learn techniques for estimating the cost of the software and scheduling its development or adaptation in the context of available personnel. Additionally, you will cover issues of risk management associated with software engineering and the important area of software quality assurance.
Block 3: Software evolution
Block 3 examines the pressures on organisations, the software and their environments to adapt to change. In particular, you’ll explore how these pressures lead to the maintenance process and to the challenges of continual software ‘evolution’. This includes DevOps practices, which explores how software development combines with the operation of IT infrastructure. This includes DevOps practices, which explores how software development combines with the operation of IT infrastructure.
Block 4: Requirements engineering
In the final block you will cover the essential principles and practices of requirements engineering. This includes techniques for eliciting requirements for real-world business problems; identifying the stakeholders of a business problem and its solution, and understanding how to manage stakeholder conflicts; specifying requirements and determining the qualities of a set of requirements and making them measurable; and communicating a set of requirements to a variety of stakeholders. Additionally, this part will explore the connection between requirements engineering and design and situating the requirements engineering process and outputs within the context of the software engineering processes presented in the previous parts of the module. The final part of this block will explore current trends in software engineering, drawing on research and industry papers reflecting the field's cutting edge.
During the module, you will have an opportunity to use several different software engineering tools, including process simulation tools, configuration management systems and requirements recording tools to address the software engineering challenges associated with realistic business problems. While some of these activities will be undertaken individually, elements will also involve you working with others to produce a requirements specification.
This module is delivered entirely online and extensively uses various media and resources to support your learning.
This module is particularly appropriate if you are working professionally with software (either directly or indirectly) as a developer, as a user or in a management capacity – for example, if you are a:
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Course work includes:
We regularly review the assessments in our modules, so we may update the examination method used for this module to an in-person exam or a remotely invigilated (proctored) exam. When we are making such a change, we will make it clear on this page. If we need to make a change after you have registered, we will notify you as soon as possible. If you have additional requirements, we will support you to complete your assessments.
This module is presented online – there are no printed materials.
All the study materials will be available from the module website, including:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
M814 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 engineering (M814) starts once a year – in November.
It will next start in November 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in November 2028.
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 must also have completed Software development (M813) before this module, or have equivalent professional software development knowledge.
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. Mathematical and scientific materials can be particularly difficult to read in this way.
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.
StartEndRegister byEngland fee
01 Nov 202630 Apr 202708 Oct 2026£1,865
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.
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.
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 2027. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
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