Software engineering

What you will study

Comparing traditional approaches with agile processes and practices, you will learn about well-known software development processes, their phases, activities and techniques. This will help you to develop a critical understanding of the diversity of contexts of organisations, problems, and development teams, which will allow you to use your own judgement in a real situation.

By studying this module you will:

• be able to understand the business domain for a problem requiring a software solution or a change to an existing solution
• acquire the tools and knowledge to analyse and design such a solution or change
• understand how any chosen software architecture will impact on the satisfaction of all users requirements and expectations
• be able to apply and reuse design expertise from a set of design patterns
• develop the skills for testing outputs of all activities throughout the development process.

You will be equipped to apply your knowledge to the design of a wide range of software systems; from small systems in a single organisation (which still need to interact with a range of other services online) to those working in large-scale distributed environments based on coalitions of systems.

If you are considering progressing to The computing and IT project (TM470), this is one of the OU level 3 modules on which you could base your project topic. Normally, you should have completed one of these OU level 3 modules (or be currently studying one) before registering for the project module.

Entry

This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from previous studies at levels 1 and 2. They are only intended for students with recent experience of higher education in a related subject.

To study this module you will need some basic knowledge of object-oriented concepts and programming, sufficient to follow the meaning of short passages of code written in the Java language.

You should also be able to:

• use your computer to carry out tasks such as writing with a word-processor, saving and locating files, installing software and accessing a website
• perform simple calculations
• read and understand written English of a style and complexity characteristic of a professional magazine or quality newspaper
• write clearly in English.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please speak to an adviser.

Study materials

What's included

Printed study texts, online study texts, website, and online forums.

Computing requirements

• Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It's possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
• Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
• Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
• Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
• Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
• Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

Throughout your module studies, you'll get help and support from your assigned module tutor. They'll help you by:

• Marking your assignments (TMAs) and providing detailed feedback for you to improve.
• Guiding you to additional learning resources.
• Providing individual guidance, whether that's for general study skills or specific module content.
• Facilitating online discussions between your fellow students, in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Module tutors also run online tutorials throughout the module. Where possible, recordings of online tutorials will be made available to students. While these tutorials won't be compulsory for you to complete the module, you're strongly encouraged to take part.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Some of the TMAs will involve your participation in a collaborative online exercise.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone. The Accessibility Statement below outlines what studying this module involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.