StudyQA — Master: Software Engineering

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Description Contents Requirements Scholarships

You already know how to code. And over the years you've gained the necessary theoretical and practical experience. But you want more. You want to take your qualities as a software engineer to the next level. To work with other software engineers on realistic, complicated issues. To solve isolated technical problems, but also to operate within the whole dynamic and extensive field that software engineering is. To not just know the how, but to understand the why.

Is Software Engineering at the UvA the study for me?

It is, if you:

have a solid technological basis and a fundamental understanding of computer science and software
want to study software engineering on an academic level
are curious and like being challenged by complex software issues
want to learn how to make thorough strategic decisions
want to learn how to collaborate ánd negotiate effectively
are critical, but also innovative and open for discussion

What does Software Engineering at the UvA have to offer me?

The programme concerns the broad field of software engineering, a field that is in constant movement due to innovations in technology, design patterns and techniques. Software engineering distinguishes itself from classical computer science by its focus on human factors, system size and complexity of requirements. We believe a good software engineer is comparable to a good researcher, we teach you how to acquire relevant knowledge and how to reflect on your assumptions and ideas, by giving you:

technical courses covering software quality, specification-based automated testing, automatic code analysis, automatic code transformation and development of domain specific languages
non-technical, people-oriented courses on software architecture, requirements engineering and organisational aspects of software engineering
a very intensive programme filled with challenging assignments, wherein 40 hour-weeks are the rule rather than the exception
an intensive and personal learning environment, where staff members are always open to questions and discussions
continuous feedback through weekly paper sessions and progress meetings, wherein we work on your research skills
a tight and engaged team of staff members, with solid practical experience as well as strong scientific reputation
the option to study part-time next to a job
a very promising career perspective.
Thesis fair: connection with the industry

Whether you see your future in industry or in research, the staff of this Master's programme has just one mission: to make you a better software engineer and designer, who can make significant contributions to software (research) questions and projects.

Courses

The SE course load is based on the process of software engineering and its fixed components.

Software Evolution (1st semester, 6 EC)
Software Specification, Verification and Testing (1st semester, 6 EC)
Embedded Software and Systems (1st semester, 6 EC)
Requirements Engineering (1st semester, 6 EC)
Preparation Masterproject Software Engineering (1st semester, 6EC)
Software Process (2nd semester, 6 EC)
DevOps and Cloud-based Software (2nd semester, 6EC)
Masterproject Software Engineering (2nd semester, 18EC)

Research projects

Lab assignments are part of the programme. Most are conducted in small groups and have to be completed in one or two weeks. This requires that you work together with other students at the faculty, and do all your reading in advance at home. As the year progresses, more and more projects are carried out on an individual basis under supervision.

The end of the year is reserved for your individual Master's project (24 EC), which requires real academic research. There is an extensive array of possible subjects. Many students choose to conduct their project within the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI, located next to the faculty). Part-time students who combine the programme with a job can choose a subject that is of interest to their employer. Another great way to help you choosing an appropriate research project is the SE Thesis Fair. At this event students and organisations meet during speed dating sessions while trying to make a match.

Part-time study

SE can be done as a part-time study, in two years instead of one. Various companies offer the possibility to follow the programme within working hours.

study hours: per week 16 contact hours (two days: Monday and Tuesday, or Wednesday and Thursday) + approximately 4 hours self-study
study load: 6 EC (one course) per block
first year: three courses + preparation Master's project
second year: three courses + completion Master's project

One of the biggest challenges for part-time students is the Master's project. For most, the project will cause a significant increase in the duration of their study. Choosing a subject that is of interest to your employer can provide you with extra study time. We prescribe the following time allocation for the Master's project:

Year 1:

January: subject selection, part-time
April - June: preparation and start, part-time

Year 2:

April - May: execution, full-time
June: finishing up, part-time

General entry requirements

According to our formal regulations we distinguish between the following qualification categories:

Category 1: Bachelor’s degree in (Technical) Computer Science, Informatics or similar from a university (WO) in the Netherlands;
Category 2: Degree comparable to Category 1 from a university abroad with demonstrated proficiency in English (see below);
Category 3: Bachelor’s degree in (Technical) Computer Science, Informatics or similar from a university of applied sciences (HBO) in the Netherlands with a grade point average of 7 or higher and successful completion of an individual pre-Master’s programme (see below);
Category 4: Bachelor's degree in a different subject or completion of a significant part of a university undergraduate curriculum combined with substantial relevant work experience in the field of software engineering and successful completion of an individual pre-Master’s programme (see below).

The Admissions Board evaluates each application. Depending on the above category applicants may be asked to complete a questionnaire detailing their individual competences, may be invited for a cognitive capacity test and, in the final step, may be invited for a personal interview with a member of the Admissions Board.

The outcome of the intake process is one of the following three:

The Admissions Board accepts the application for the upcoming academic year.
The Admissions Board rejects the application.
The Admissions Board defines an individual pre-Master’s programme. Upon successful completion of all parts thereof, the applicant will be admitted to the programme in the following academic year.

Rejected candidates are allowed to re-apply in subsequent academic years. New academic skills or more industrial work experience in the software engineering field may let the Admissions Board come to a different conclusion in the future.

Pre-Master's programme

For category 3 and 4 applicants the Admissions Board will define a pre-Master’s programme tailor-made for the applicant. Our objective with this pre-Master’s programme is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to complete the Master’s programme successfully and in time. This personalised pre-Master’s programme helps us to achieve one of the university’s highest success rates.

The pre-Master’s programme consists of the following courses:

Data Structures / Datastructuren (6EC, block 2);
Compiler Construction / Compilerbouw (6EC, block 4);
Linear Algebra / Lineaire Algebra (6EC, block 4);
Operating Systems / Besturingssystemen (6EC, block 5);
Automata and Formal Languages / Automaten en Formele Talen (6EC, block 5);
Project Software Engineering (6EC, block 6);
Logic in Action (self-study);
Functional Programming (self-study).

The Admissions Board may waive courses from the above list based on the individual knowledge and skills of an applicant. All but the self-study courses are from the Bachelor’s programme Informatica. For details regarding these courses see the study guide.

It may be possible to include courses from the pre-Master’s programme in an on-going Bachelor education. This depends mainly on the Bachelor’s programme. However, self-study courses due to their nature are excluded from this under any circumstances.

Online application and required documents

After registering in Studielink, within 48 hours you will receive an email with your UvA student number (UvA-net ID) and an email with instructions for the next step of the application process. You need your UvA-net ID to submit your online application via Datanose.

In Datanose, we expect you to upload the following documents:

A motivation letter
Your Curriculum Vitae
A copy of your high school grade list and diploma
A list of courses of your final year (if you have not yet finished your current academic programme)
A copy of your Bachelor transcript and diploma, including an explanation of your University’s grading system
A description of your Bachelor thesis/project
Two academic reference letters
Proof of English proficiency

Grade point average

Applicants are expected to have an overall grade point average (GPA) equivalent to at least:

3.0 (American system)
2.1 (a second class upper/division one degree in the British system)
C (ECTS-system)

English language requirements

All our international programmes are conducted in English, therefore, applicants must show their ability to write and speak in English on an academic level. Students with a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university and students who successfully finished a full academic programme at an esteemed institute in one of the following countries are exempt: UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Please note we only accept the TOEFL Test, the test of the International English Language Testing Service (Academic IELTS) or a Cambridge Examination Score. For Non-EU/EEA students the required English test result should be received on or before 1 February in the year of application by the International Team at the Faculty of Science. If this in any case is not possible, contact the International Team first, before applying. For EU/EEA students the deadline of submitting the test results is 1 July.

TOEFL Test

The minimum scores required on the TOEFL Test are:

Internet-based test (iBT): 92 with a minimum of 20 on each subject

Exceptions:
Artificial Intelligence, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies: 98, with a minimum of 22 for reading and listining and 24 for writing and speaking
Software Engineering: 98 with a minimum of 22 on each subject

Please note the TOEFL-code for the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam is: 8628.

IELTS Test (only Academic IELTS is accepted)

Minimum score 6.5, at least 6.0 on sub-scores (listening/reading/writing/speaking).

Exceptions

Artificial Intelligence, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies> minimum score 7.0, sub-scores on writing and speaking at least 7.0, sub-scores on listening and reading at least 6.5
Software Engineering > minimum score 7.0, at least 6.5 on each sub-score (listening/reading/writing/speaking)
The UvA offers the IELTS test for free to current UvA students to assess their English language proficiency.

Cambridge Examination Score

A Cambridge Examination Score with a minimum test result of C1 Advanced (CAE) A or B will also be accepted. For the C2 Proficiency test (CPE) a minimal score of C is required.

Nuffic Certificate for Chinese students

Chinese applicants are required to take an IELTS test or the TOEFL (Internet-based test only). These are the only two tests accepted by the Nuffic, which provides certificates to all Chinese students who wish to study in the Netherlands.

Please note there are some differences between the TOEFL and IELTS test. Available practice material, test dates, prices and locations differ per country.