Applications are accepted throughout the year through the online Postgraduate Application Centre. Codes: MHG50 (Full Time). Please provide a full CV including a full Transcript Of Results for all university subjects you have taken. If relevant, please also list all modules you are studying in your current academic year. Please note that an undergraduate degree (equivalent to Irish Level 8) is required for Masters entry. Please include all other relevant information that might assist in your application. The number of places on the degree is limited and consequently admission is on a competitive basis. Thus, we cannot guarantee admission even if you meet the entry requirements.
The role of the software engineering stream, in the MSc in Computer Science is the development of quality software, coupled with the transfer of this knowledge to industry. Topics include requirements engineering, system design, testing strategies, and software development primarily using Java, with an overall emphasis on the development of reliable software systems.
The primary emphasis in this stream is on the principles of good scientific software engineering practice, grounded in a hands-on understanding of the applicability of these practices, so that successful participants will be able to lead major software engineering projects. Consequently, this stream entails significant involvement of industry, including the opportunity of completing an industrial based project where the student will obtain experience of the software industry (for more general information see the Maynooth University Postgraduate Prospectus).
Admission will normally be restricted to graduates who have achieved a 2.1 class honours degree, or better, in Computer Science or a closely-related discipline (with more than half the modules in Computer Science).
Very highly-qualified applicants from other disciplines may be considered. Ideally, these applicants will be currently working in the software industry, either in Ireland or abroad.
International students should supply evidence of their ability for the English Language (e.g. IELTS) and may obtain information regarding visas etc from the International Office at Maynooth University.
Further information, including the closing date, is available from the Maynooth University Graduate Studies Office.
Timetable Summary
Workshops and Orientation:
Java programming workshop
- This is held for 3 weeks before the start of Semester 1 (see University Timetable for details).
- It runs from 10 am - 5pm, Mon - Fri.
- The aim of the workshop is to revise the Java skills of incoming students. Please send an email admin at cs.nuim.ie) should you wish to take part in this Java workshop. If you have previously programmed in an object-oriented programming language and wish to revise/learn Java then you should join week three of this course. If you are very comfortable with your Java Programming Skills (including use of inheritance, polymorphism, generics etc) then you do not need to attend this course, but you are welcome anyway!
- Location: To Be Confirmed
University Orientation (see the Important Dates tab for dates & times)
- Induction for Postgraduate Students - Attendance at Orientation is mandatory for all new international students.
- International Office Induction - there is an induction meeting for all International students. This is a Mandatory meeting and all International students must attend.
- Registration for Postgraduate Students Registration takes place in the first week of term. All continuing students should register online. See here for more details.
Other Important Dates
- Note: there is a deadline in early October for Change of Semester 1 Module Selections - Change of mind to be made on-line in Student Web Services
Departmental Orientation
First week of semester 1 (introduction, setting up PPS, Bank Accounts, Module choices, Visa registrations, CV preparation etc.)
- Location: MSCSE room, ground floor, Eolas Building, North Campus
- Course orientation, Monday (starting at 10:00)
- Module Selection, Tuesday (individual meetings are time-tabled in the course directors office)
- Work placement orientation, Friday (12:00)
Semester 1:
- Location: MSCSE room, ground floor, Eolas Building, North Campus
- Lectures start on the second week of semester 1
- Details are available on the internal website for registered students
Semester 2:
- Location: MSCSE room, ground floor, Eolas Building, North Campus
- Lectures start on the first week of semester 2
- Details are available on the internal website for registered students
Timetable Summary
Other Dates:
- CS630 - Work placement. The Work Placement normally starts after the winter exams, at the beginning of the second semester, but the exact date depends on the company. The length of the placement also depends on the company, but normally runs for 6 months. A Work Placement Report is submitted at the end of the placement (deadline, 31st July)
- CS640 - MSc Dissertation. This starts nominally at the start of the fisrt semester of the second year, but students are encouraged to make a start once they have received their first year results (by early July). You must select a supervisor, and submit your dissertation proposal early in the first semeste.
- Study Weeks: See University Calendar for details
- Exam Period: See University Calendar for details
Overview
The degree is run over 2 years. In the first year, students attend a series of taught modules - with at least eight modules offered per year. In general each module runs for a semester, in a series of half-day or full-day slots, and consists of:
- 30 hours lectures (or equivalent)
- 30 hours practical work
- 60 hours independent study and revision
The module lectures run from mid September to December (Semester 1) and from the start of February to the end of April (Semester 2). Examination periods are typically in January and May of each year, during which modules offered in the previous semester are examined. Each module is run only once per year and the modules offered will vary from year to year. There are no repeat examinations.
In the second year, students complete a research project and submit a dissertation in the first semester (students are recommended to start work on this once their first year examination results are released). They then complete work placement in industry over the second semester (this may extend into the summer). Student are normally paid a salary by the company, and the placements are organised by the University Industrial Placement Office.
The degree is normally taken full-time over 2 years. The degree may be made available on a modular basis over more than two years. Part time/modular students need to arrange their availability to attend from 9.00- 5pm during the days of modules that they wish to attend. In all cases the Dissertation and Work Placement follow successful completion of the taught modules. Contact the course director for details.
Dissertation
All participants complete a research project, and submit a dissertation which contributes to 33% of the final degree mark.
The topic may be proposed by either the student or a member of staff, and approved by the course co-ordinator. The dissertation must pertaining to an aspect of Software Engineering in the more general discipline of Computer Science.
A completed Thesis Proposal Form is submitted to the course co-ordinator early in the second year of the course. The dissertation must be completed by the end of the following January. Details and exact dates will be circulated by the course director via the course website.
Important Dates: The deadline for submission of a draft dissertation for review is before 5pm on Dec 1 each year. Drafts submitted after this date can only be submitted on agreement with the supervisor and there will be no onus on the supervisor to review the thesis. This date allows the supervisor an adequate period to review the dissertation, to provide feedback and to allow the student to prepare a final draft by the submission date of before January 31st.
Module List
Click here for details.
Fees
Details on the fees for the MSc in Computer Science (Software Engineering) and Postgraduate Diploma in Science (Software Engineering) are available from the Student Fees and Grants webpage (EU and International fees).
Students on MSc work placements normally receive a salary. Further details on fees information (e.g. per module fees) is available from the fees office (fees website) around mid July each year.
Students on the Postgraduate Diploma who meet the Masters standard (typically >= 50%) in the taught module examinations will be considered for immediate transfer to the MSc programme where, if successful, they will undertake two extra modules CS630 and CS640.
Scholarship Opportunities
New Alumni Scholarships
A number of Scholarships may be awarded to NUIM graduates who are pursuing a Taught Masters Programme. Terms and Conditions and the Application Forms are available here.
Student Grant Scheme:
In addition to the funding options available from NUI Maynooth, students at the University may also benefit from the funding available through the Student Grant Scheme. All new applications should be made online to a single awarding authority, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) through www.studentfinance.ie.
International Students:
Please visit our International Office webpage for more information about Fees and Funding and/or email international.office@nuim.ie for details of country specific scholarships.
Students from Northern Ireland institutions are recommended to check out the North-South Masters Bursaries site for funding opportunities.
International Students
Other Dates
For all other important dates see www.nuim.ie/registrar/key-term-dates
Exams - Timetable
All exams are 3 hours and will be held in January and May each year. The official timetables are published by the examinations office.
Policies Relating To Examination Results
The following policies are currently in place:
(1) Module practical exam marks can be given to students prior to the module examination.
(2) Project exam marks will be given to students following an examination board meeting.
(3) Official results can only be given to students after the university exam board meeting, usually held in June.
(4) There are no repeat exams - consult the course co-ordinator for further information.
Note that the module/part-time option is not available every year. When available:
- Modules are normally delivered in one-day slots.
- Part-time students may take the course over more than two years, accumulating the modules needed to meet the course requirements. This means taking the necessary days or half-days off work during each academic year, to attend the selected modules. Practical work for each module may be completed off campus, and does not necessitate additional time from work (except in the case of assessed practical work, which may require attendance on-campus). Extra days off work are usually required during the examination period.
- The work placement module (CS630) and report is normally based on their regular place of employment.
- The dissertation (CS640) may be based on a topic that derives from a particular aspect of their working environment.
The course is worth a total of 90 credits: 60 credits are allocated to the taught modules, with each having the same credit value. Students will be required to pass (or compensate in) eight taught modules, a required dissertation module and a required work experience module. The taught modules consist of a number of "required" and "non-required" modules - see here for details (click first on Year 1, and then on Computer Science & Software Engineering).
The pass mark for all modules is 50%. In the case where the student does not obtain 50% in a module that is non-required, they may compensate with a mark greater than 39%, provided their overall average mark is 50% in the eight taught modules. No more than two non-required modules may be passed by compensation. Please see the Postgraduate Marks and Standards for further details (under Policies and Regulations).
Students may only resit failed modules, in the following year, with the permission of the course coordinator, provided there is availability of resources. There are no repeats in the Autumn examinations and students need to reapply in writing for the next academic year. Students who wish to repeat a failed module must repeat the entire module, including all course work and lectures. There is no guarantee that the same modules will be available in successive years.
On completion of the course work a dissertation must be submitted (see relevant section). It is weighted as 4 modules (33% of total) and must also be passed (50%) in order for the MSc to be awarded.
Any student failing to meet the pass requirements as stated above will be considered for a PostGraduate Diploma in Science (Software Engineering). See the Postgraduate Diploma in Science (Software Engineering) page for further details. This postgraduate diploma was previously known as the "Higher Diploma in Science (Software Engineering)". Its new title reflects that this diploma builds on students previous undergraduate qualifications in computer science.
Participants must complete -or have already completed- a period of between 6 and 12 months in an industrial setting. Our placement officer will assist you to find such an industrial placement, if required.
Copying or plagiarism as defined in the departmental handbook is completely forbidden and will result in disciplinary action, with potential expulsion from the course. Students are reminded to check the university calendar to ensure that prerequisite modules are taken prior to other modules.
Note this is only a summary - refer to the Postgraduate Marks and Standards and Course Description for full details.
Click here make an enquiry on the course.
