Posted: 22nd July 2014

Software Engineering Programme has a combined programme of education that teaches the principles and practice of both software engineering and systems security. We see many points of interaction between the two - but some distinctive differences also.

Software engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the development of software systems—principles of design, analysis, and management—with the aim of:

• developing software that meets its requirements, even when these change;
• completing the development on time, and within budget;
• producing something of lasting value—easy to maintain, re-use and re-deploy.

Systems Security sets out to ensure the normal and expected behaviour of a wide variety of systems. These are vulnerable to attack through software and technical means, and also through subversion of their normal operation and the confusion or misdirection of the people who operate or participate in the system. Defeating those attacks, or mitigating their effects, requires careful and rigorous analysis of all aspects of design, implementation, and operation.

The Software Engineering Programme teaches the principles of modern software engineering and systems security, together with the tools, methods, and techniques that support their application. It offers working professionals the opportunity to learn more about the technological advances that are changing their lives, through a course of part-time study at one of the world's leading universities. Some people take the courses purely for interest's sake. Others are looking to fill gaps in their knowledge. Many have found it helpful for career progression.

The Programme will be holding an open day in Oxford on Thursday 25th September 2014. The event will be a taster for our part-time professional Master's degree: if you have considered applying but would like to know more before committing, or are just curious, this is an opportunity to find out about the Programme, meet the staff, ask questions, sit in on some example lectures, be interviewed, and so on.

Read about the Programme, look at the open day schedule, see some testimonials from past and present students, get travel directions, or register or ask for more information.