Software Engineering - Master of Science (MSc)

The master’s programme in software engineering at Ulm University employs a decidedly hands-on and practical approach to prepare its graduates for careers in the software industry. Students will design, develop and execute two extensive application projects giving them essential experience for successful project development.

Key data

Type of programme

Master of Science (MSc)

Type of study
  • full-time
Study curriculum

Information on the study curriculum

Application

Information for applicants

Start of programme
  • each winter and summer semester
Language of instruction
  • German, partly English
Admission
  • no restriction
ECTS credit points

120

Standard period of study (semester)

4

Contact

Prof.Dr. Birte Glimm

Prof.Dr. Birte Glimm
Prof.Dr. Birte Glimm
Vice Deans
University Ulm
Office of the Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology
Albert-Einstein-Allee 11
89081 Ulm

More about the course

The following competences, knowledge and skills are the essential goals of this course of study:

  • In the context of a concrete software project, students will know how to select the optimal procedures, methods, languages and tools using objective criteria for each individual phase of the development process and for continual quality assurance.
  • Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current development techniques and tools.
  • They will know how to develop new approaches based on scientific criteria and standards.
  • Students will improve their communication and teamwork as well as other soft skills such as time management, foreign languages, presentations and moderation.
  • They will reflect on the legal and ethical consequences of implementing software solutions in various areas of life.

Last but not least, the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in the master’s programme prepare graduates to pursue doctoral studies in the information sciences.

Study

Excellent teacher to student ratio

The generous teacher to student ratio in our Software Engineering programme allows for an exceptionally good support of our students.
Reasonably sized classes and tutorial, active encouragement of study groups and additional offers like programming workshops and electronic learning platforms help our students to ease into this versatile programme, especially during their first semesters.

Core qualification goals

  • Students will acquire in-depth knowledge of the core areas of software engineering (e.g. requirements engineering, software project management, architecture and design of software systems, quality assurance, documentation and procedures).
  • They will learn current techniques in the areas of formal specification, implementation and formal verification. 
  • They will gain specialised knowledge in elective areas such as databases and information systems, distributed and integrated systems, formal methods of software engineering, data security and IT security as well as human–computer interaction (HCI).
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to recognise problems in project development in a timely manner, to evaluate possible courses of action and to plan suitable countermeasures.
  • They will reflect on the legal and ethical consequences of implementing software solutions in various areas of life and how this is connected to their own actions.

Interdisciplinary qualification goals

  • Students will gain an overview of personnel management and further soft skills such as time management, foreign languages, presentations and moderating.
  • They will demonstrate solid communicative and social competence including the ability to appropriately convey meaning and knowledge.

The master’s course of study continues the emphasis on real-world applications with students taking part in two extensive software projects in cooperation with industry partners. By tackling authentic challenges, students acquire detailed first-hand experience in the successful execution of software engineering projects. Master’s theses can be written on current topics of research at the university institutes or in cooperation with partners in industry. The selection of electives in the third year of the bachelor’s course can pave the way for a potential area of concentration in the master’s course. This could be a focus on theoretical topics that would lead towards a career in research, an emphasis on practical and technical skills leading more towards a career as a developer of software-intensive systems or a concentration on business competence leading towards a career in management.

(Plan. Distribution of course work over the semesters and the relevant credits. Click to enlarge.)

International students, researchers and guests will find all necessary information for their stay at the Ulm Universty at International Office

Career opportunities

The University of Ulm is located in the heart of a region whose companies possess a strong technological and industrial orientation both in its immediate vicinity as well as in the surrounding areas. You will find medium-sized companies that are global leaders in their respective markets as well as local subsidiaries and headquarters of major global concerns such as BMW, Bosch, Cassidian, Continental, Daimler, EADS, IBM, Liebherr, NSN, Porsche, Siemens or Zeiss. These companies maintain their international leadership position by closely following trends in scientific research in order to develop cutting-edge innovative products. As a result, they compete for graduates in their high-demand technological fields.

Regardless of their chosen subspecialty, all graduates of the Master’s Programme in Computer Science of the University of Ulm will encounter excellent career opportunities both locally and internationally. The university maintains a robust working relationship with the aforementioned and other companies and students of the engineering sciences have many opportunities to acquire practical experience through voluntary internships and work-study positions. Many students at the University of Ulm choose to write their master’s thesis on topic of current research and development directly related to their practical experiences.

The majority of our students are seeking to garner a position in research and development at local and international companies. They come to the University of Ulm because they recognise that our programme’s broad training and methods-oriented approach will provide them with optimal prerequisites and opportunities for reaching their goals. Many candidates also find employment in management, production optimisation, application and distribution.

The demand for highly-trained graduates of the engineering and information sciences currently far outpaces supply, such that virtually every graduate is sure to find employment.

With their methods-oriented and scientifically broad training, graduates of the engineering and information sciences of the University of Ulm are also optimally positioned to pursue careers in university research and doctoral studies. The master’s degree is the gateway to careers at institutions of higher learning, universities and research institutes.

Campus life

Student society of Computer Science
Commission
Dean of Studies: Prof. Dr. Birte Glimm
Subject-specific student advice: Dr. Alexander Raschke
Examinations committee: Prof. Dr. Enno Ohlebusch
Auslandsstudium: Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Slomka Ph.D Sabine Habermalz (Erasmus, International Office), Brigitte Baur (BW Austauschprogramme, International Office)

Online adressbook