Course Summary
This MSc programme will provide you with the skills required to understand the entrepreneurship and innovation required for the software industry.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have obtained either:
A Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in Computer Science or a closely related degree in which at least 50% of the credits must be in the area of Computer Science and IT and must include the following subjects: object-oriented programming and problem solving, data structures, operating systems, computer networks, relational databases and software engineering;
Or
A First Class Honours in a Higher Diploma (NFQ, Level 8) conversion course, such as the Higher Diploma in Applied Computing Technology at UCC; such conversion course applicants must have successfully completed programming modules to the value of at least 15 ECTS credits and have achieved a First Class Honours standard in those programming modules.
Applicants from Grandes Écoles Colleges will be considered if they are studying a cognate discipline in an ENSEA or EFREI Graduate School and are eligible to enter the final year (M2) of their programme.
Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements as stated above but who can demonstrate five years relevant professional experience (in the form of a detailed job(s) specification) and an interview may also be required.
International Applicants
To be considered for an offer, you must provide all the required documents at the time of application:
1. If you are required to present an English language proficiency test, then you must present the certificate that meets the entry requirements at the time of submission for the application to be considered. Applications without a valid English certification will be automatically refused.
2. Check the entry requirements: You must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.
3. Only then start the application by clicking on the ‘Apply Now’ button at the end of the page.
For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.
International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.
- In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
- Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.
Application Details
Closing Date: Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date:
Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled but no later than June 15.
Start Date 7 September 2026
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Career Progression
Companies actively recruiting our graduates:
Accenture, Aer Lingus, Agility M3, Allied Irish Banks, Altada Technology Solutions Ltd, Amazon, Apple, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Bank of Ireland, BT, Central Statistics Office, Cisco, CiTi-Technology, Clearstream, Cloudreach, Dell EMC, Deloitte, Deutche Bank, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Ernst & Young, Ervia, Facebook, First Derivatives, Google, Guidewire, Intel, IBM, Janssen, KPMG, Logitech, Microsoft, Open Text, Paddy Power, Pfizer, Pilz, PWC, SAP Galway, Screendragon, Transverse Technologies, Trend Micro, Tyco, Uniwink, Verizon Connect, Snipp Interactive, Version 1 (Software), VMware, and more.
Starting Salaries
Salaries for this sector are in general higher than many other industries. Consult the Brightwater Salary Survey for information on salaries across the financial and IT sectors. https://www.brightwater.ie/salary-survey/