MSc Advanced Software Engineering Alumni
“The structure of the course fits well with a full-time job”
At our recent “Back to the Future” Software Engineering Evening, we spoke to some graduates of the UCD MSc Advanced Software Engineering (MSc ASE) to find out what attracted them to go back to university to study.
Kris Foster, Salesforce, Lead Software Engineer (2022)
Q. What attracted you to go back to university to study for the MSc ASE?
I worked in industry as a Software Engineer for a few years after graduating with an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. During these years, I discovered a renewed appreciation for some concepts that I did not value as much during my undergraduate degree. One example of this was the Design Patterns module. Another driving factor in enrolling in ASE was the opportunity to spend some structured learning time in areas outside my daily work.
Q. It's a big commitment to take on a masters while working full-time. How did you manage the workload? What was your study routine like?
The workload was manageable as the modules considered the fact that we all had full-time jobs. I dedicated about one hour on Monday-Friday evenings on ASE coursework/lectures along with three hours on Saturday mornings to complete assignments. It added a nice variety to my day along with my full-time job.
Q. What have been the benefits to you of doing the Masters?
The greatest benefit for me was being able to explore areas of Software Engineering that are outside my daily responsibilities. I studied aspects of Software Engineering that I would not have otherwise explored. One example of this was the performance of distributed systems, a module which I thoroughly enjoyed. Some of these learnings actually overlapped
Q. What would you say to someone who was thinking of doing the MSc in ASE?
I would highly recommend the MSc in ASE to anyone who is thinking about it. The structure of the course fits well with a full-time job!
Yuxin Wang, GoMappEd, CEO & Co-Founder (2007)
Q. What attracted you to go back to university to study for the MSc ASE?
At that time, I worked in a technical company with foundational programming skills, and had the privilege of using various exceptional software. This motivated me to develop my career further in software engineering. Pursuing a Master's in Advanced Software Engineering at UCD has been a natural choice, given its comprehensive curriculum that encompasses cutting-edge software engineering modules, and I am confident that completing the UCD master's course will surely contribute positively to my career growth.
Q. It's a big commitment to take on a masters while working full-time. How did you manage the workload? What was your study routine like?
It was a big commitment, but the courses were so interesting that I was really motivated. I used all my holidays to join the master's program. Luckily, my employer was very supportive and let me study at work when it wasn't too busy. As the company is right next to UCD, so I could easily walk to the UCD library after my daily work to keep studying.
Q. What have been the benefits to you of doing the Masters?
The projects and thesis during this programme were guided by amazing and open-minded lecturers and professors. They always encouraged us to push our limits and create things we thought were impossible. After finishing the master programme, I successfully moved to the R&D team in my company and had been able to complete useful innovations with my colleagues. The most important is that it keep me curious about new technologies and helps me think positively and big when facing new challenges.
Q. What would you say to someone who was thinking of doing the MSc in ASE?
This program is perfect for students passionate about software engineering. The always cutting-edge technologies and innovative projects bring students to the forefront of innovation, helping them think big and stay confident about their future careers.
David Bowman, XorCon technology consultants (MSc ASE 2021)
Q. You did the Masters in Advanced Software Engineering at UCD. What attracted you to go back to university to study this?
I had started a Masters 25 years ago, but ended up moving to London for a while and then, on returning, did a business degree rather than a CS masters. So for me it was largely unfinished business. The UCD masters was particularly interesting to me over other institutions due to the variety of modules.
Q. It's a big commitment to take on a masters while working full-time. How did you manage the workload? What was your study routine like?
I was studying two nights a week and large portions of the weekends. I tried to keep three days of the week free for actual life. When it came to producing the thesis, that became almost a full time second job. I did suffer from some health issues during the course of the masters program (I ended up taking some of the classes from a hospital bed!), but UCD were very supportive in getting me through the programme.
Q. What have been the benefits to you of doing the Masters in Advanced Software Engineering?
Some of the modules covered areas that I had no practical experience in, expanding my toolkit of solutions that could be applied to the challenges faced in my day to day work. I’ve always been a strong advocate of lifelong learning, which is completely necessary in the software development world. There is huge benefit to progressing through a formal education process rather than a self directed exploration as it serves to reinforce the theories underpinning the technologies which are easily ignored in the rush to get solutions out the door.
Q. What would you say to someone who was thinking of doing the MSc in ASE?
I would consider the time commitment - it’s more than just the formal lectures. But the benefits are huge. The team of lecturers have extensive knowledge in their field, and are clearly passionate about their subjects, which comes through in every lecture. I’d highly recommend it.
More information about the programme
A word from the Course Director
Professor Liam Murphy is the Course Director of the MSc Advanced Software Engineering
“What's unique about the MSc in ASE is the way it's structured to suit working software engineers: not just the flexibility around how the course material is delivered and assessed, but also the small class sizes and resulting connections between students. We find that ASE students enjoy studying with a varied group of experienced and motivated software engineers from a range of industry backgrounds, who bring new and interesting perspectives on the subject. For students who may have spent a lot of their career in one company or in a particular software engineering role, this can open up new avenues for their professional development and their future career. They will also be exposed to some cutting-edge topics they wouldn't ordinarily see in their day-to-day work, and have an opportunity through the dissertation to dive into a particular topic with the aid of one of our leading academics.”
Why we offer this course
Software engineers must continually update their skills and qualifications in order to stay competitive in the workplace and improve their career prospects. The UCD MSc Advanced Software Engineering is a part-time masters programme designed for experienced software engineers who wish to advance their skillset in areas of computer science and software development that impact directly on their work. Participants are exposed to current technologies, methodologies, processes and theories as well as those still under research that may become mainstream in the future.
Who is this course for?
This programme is designed for industry-based software engineers and it is delivered online and part-time over two-years to allow them to study for the MSc while they work. As well as having a good undergraduate degree in computer science, successful applicants usually have several years work experience in software engineering. They would often be currently working in a senior technical or technology leadership role.
Who has done this Masters?
Alumni of this programme are currently working in a range of industries. We have graduates in financial services (PTSB, FINEOS) software development (Amazon, Google, Toast) IT Services and IT Consulting (IBM, TitanHQ), Hospitals and Health Care (Optum), Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (JLR), Computer and Network Security ( Rapid7), Legal Services (Knomos) and in startups. They are working in roles such as Systems Engineer, System Development Engineer, Customer Engineer, Software Architect, AI/ML Engineer, Generative AI Software Developer, Cloud Data Architect, Solutions Architect, Chief Architect.
What will I learn?
The programme includes six taught modules (60 credits) and a Masters dissertation (30 credits) also know as the Research Project in Advanced Software Engineering. If all the taught modules are passed and a 2.1 honours standard is achieved, the student may proceed to the dissertation component. Otherwise, the candidate completes with a Graduate Diploma. The current taught modules are:
- Agent-Oriented Software
- Design Patterns
- Knowledge-based Techniques for Industrial Systems
- Performance of Distributed Systems
- High Performance Computing
- Secure Software Engineering
The course starts in September each year and the 2024 tuition fees are €4,770.00 per year (EU students). More information on our web site. For any questions you have about about the programme, be they academic or administrative in nature, please contact (opens in a new window)rosemary.deevy@ucd.ie.
Published 19th February 2024