Master Programme
MSc in Software Engineering
A one-year master's for computing graduates who want to deepen their software engineering skills. Core modules cover research methods, advanced object-oriented and component-based design, software development paradigms, concurrency and parallelism, software quality, human-computer interaction and advanced software architectures. Students also pick a stream: Software Process and Analysis (software evolution, requirements engineering and project management) or Data Analytics (machine learning, big data and visualisation, and data mining). The year ends with a dissertation, which can be written as a conference-style research paper, and students who leave after the spring semester can take a Postgraduate Diploma.
University
University of Limerick
Country
Ireland
Level
Master
Field
Computer Science
Duration
1 year full-time (autumn, spring and summer semesters)
Language
English
Campus
Limerick (main campus, Castletroy)
Degree
Master of Science (MSc) in Software Engineering (NFQ Level 9)
Intake
September (full-time, on campus in Limerick)
Application Deadline
No programme-specific closing date was listed. UL's rule for non-EU visa-required applicants is an autumn deadline of 1 July (stated as 1 July 2026 for autumn 2026 entry; the 2027 date had not been updated), and later applications are not considered. Many programmes close earlier once places are filled, so UL advises applying early. Apply online through the programme page; the €50 application fee covers up to two programmes
Tuition Information
2026-27: the full-time non-EU fee is €20,800 for the year (including the €104 student levy), per UL's Student Fees Office 2026-2027 postgraduate taught schedule. The programme page, which already advertises September 2027 entry, now shows €21,500 for non-EU students without naming the year, which is probably the 2027-28 rate. Fees are billed by semester. Non-EU applicants are automatically considered for a Faculty of Science and Engineering merit scholarship of €2,000 a year (a tuition reduction, offered for 2026/27). Offers are accepted by paying a €1,000 deposit, which is taken off the tuition fee; visa-required students must pay at least 50% of the tuition fee to get the visa support letter
Admission Requirements
- Academic: a bachelor's degree (NFQ Level 8) with at least a second-class honours, grade 2 (2:2), in a relevant subject such as computer systems, computer science or applied mathematics. UL may shortlist applicants for interview, and a CV detailing work experience is required
- Country-specific degree equivalents (UL postgraduate international entry requirements): India, a four-year bachelor's or three-year honours bachelor's in a relevant subject with first-division results, normally 55-70% overall depending on the programme, with semester-by-semester mark sheets; Pakistan, a four-year bachelor's (awarded from 2016) with 70% or 3.0/4; Nigeria, a 2:2 from a federal university or 2:1 from a private or state university; China, high grades in a four-year degree (three-year degrees are not accepted). Some programmes also interview applicants
- English language (unless you completed a degree taught in English in a country where English is an official language): Academic IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 (some programmes ask for more; General IELTS is not accepted); TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with 4.5 in each section on the scale used from 21 January 2026 (90 iBT or 580 paper for earlier tests); PTE Academic 61 with no section below 59; Duolingo 120 with no subscore below 110 (an interview may be required); LanguageCert Academic 70 overall with 65 in each skill or LanguageCert ESOL B2 Communicator High Pass with 33+ in each skill; Cambridge Proficiency or Advanced grade C. Certificates must be less than two years old. Visa applicants may still need to show an English test result to immigration even if UL waives it
- Application: apply online from the programme page and upload transcripts and degree certificates (with English translations), a copy of your passport or birth certificate and an English language certificate. Applicants who have not graduated yet can apply with results to date. A €50 application fee covers up to two programmes