The best of both worlds
Software engineering brings together the disciplines of computer science and information technology. The Massey Bachelor of Information Sciences (Software Engineering) gives you a highly-practical and sought-after qualification that is practice-focused and industry-relevant.
Studying software engineering will see you gain the knowledge, tools and practical skills to be able to design, construct, test and maintain large software applications.
The Bachelor of Information Sciences (Software Engineering) is a joint major which means that you will study aspects of both computer science and information technology.
Your learning will focus on:
Employers are always seeking increasing numbers of staff. Look at the SEEK website to see the demand for ICT professionals in New Zealand. The majority of the hiring is taking place because of increased demand and new projects.
Software engineering is a high demand area, including jobs for developers, architects, software testers, user requirement specialists and business analysts. As well as network security, project management and data/databases.
Software engineers are in high demand throughout the world, which means there are plenty of jobs out there for hard working graduates.
An exciting part of the joint major is the team project in the third year, when you will work together with other students to create a new application.
You can change your major within the degree up until the end of your first year.
Graduates with the software engineering joint major possess a broad range of skills and practice and are able to move into any one of a wide range of employment opportunities.
This programme will give you the skills to enter the computing profession at the level of software engineer. Later, you may be able to move into management of large software projects, including those in safety critical systems.
You’ll also have the necessary background to fully participate in software development teams.You’ll be particularly well-equipped to hold positions in the design and management of large software systems.
Roles available to programme graduates include:
There are a huge number of job opportunities in this area worldwide. Check out the SEEK website for the around 2000 ICT careers available in New Zealand at any one time.
Once you graduate you can move on to advanced study in the Postgraduate Diploma in Information Sciences (one year of 120 credits in taught courses) or the Master of Information Sciences (180 credits including 120 credits of taught courses and a major professional project).
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
Core courses
Elective courses
Ensure that overall, you also have:
Attend field trips, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| 45 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 158212 | Application Software Development | 15 |
| 158222 | Data Wrangling and Machine Learning | 15 |
| 158225 | Systems Analysis and Modelling | 15 |
| 158235 | Networks, Security and Privacy | 15 |
| 158244 | System Management and Testing | 15 |
| 158247 | Database Design | 15 |
| 158256 | Web Application Design | 15 |
| 158258 | Web Development | 15 |
| 45 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 159201 | Algorithms and Data Structures | 15 |
| 159202 | Declarative Programming | 15 |
| 159234 | Object-Oriented Programming | 15 |
| 159236 | Embedded Programming | 15 |
| 159251 | Software Engineering Design and Construction | 15 |
| 159271 | Computational Thinking for Problem Solving | 15 |
| 159272 | Programming Paradigms | 15 |
| 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 158326 | Software Architecture | 15 |
| 158333 | Applied Machine Learning and Big Data Processing | 15 |
| 158335 | The Internet of Things and Cloud Computing | 15 |
| 158337 | Database Development | 15 |
| 158359 | User Experience Design | 15 |
| 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 159302 | Artificial Intelligence | 15 |
| 159336 | Mobile Application Development | 15 |
| 159339 | Internet Programming | 15 |
| 159341 | Programming Languages, Algorithms and Concurrency | 15 |
| 159342 | Operating Systems and Networks | 15 |
| 159352 | Advanced Web Development | 15 |
| 159355 | Concurrent Systems | 15 |
| 159360 | Programming for Computer Graphics | 15 |
| Between 15 and 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 159333 | Programming Project | 15 |
| 159356 | Software Engineering Capstone Project | 15 |
| 247310 | ICT Industry Engagement Project | 30 |
This is a guide. You are advised to check the Courses for this Programme section and the regulations for this programme on this page for the latest information on courses.
First year for a full-time student usually consists of eight courses. Take electives (or courses from other majors) to get the total number of courses to eight. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study. You can change your major up until the start of your second year and it is a good idea to keep your options open by taking courses such that you are ready to move on to several different majors. In the first year of study, you should take the following courses:
See ‘Courses for this programme’ for the required courses at 200-level and 300-level.
Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities. A minor must be in a different subject from your major.
You may choose a minor from any University undergraduate degree that has recognised minors. If the minor is from another undergraduate degree, the regulations of that programme will apply.
If you are not studying towards a Bachelor of Information Sciences (Software Engineering) and wish to complete a minor in software engineering see the regulations for the requirements of this minor.
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
“
I’ve always had a keen interest in technology so when it came time to choose a university, Massey in Auckland appealed to me for a number of reasons.
” Georgia Barnett
“
Massey really set me up with the fundamentals - what you get taught at Massey is 100% relevant to the real world.
” Gray Salmond
The Bachelor of Information Sciences is one of the few computing degrees in New Zealand to be accredited by the IT industry through IITP. Majors in computer science, information technology and software engineering are all endorsed by the Institute. Accreditation ensures that courses are relevant to the industry.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.