NUS
 
ISS
 

Master of Technology in Software Engineering

Overview

Next Intake Aug 2025 (Full-Time) | Jan 2026 (Part-Time)
Duration
  • Full-time 1 year (2 semesters)
  • Part-time 2 years (4 semesters)
Application Timeline Admissions into the MTech programme is competitive. Eligible students will be offered admissions on a first-come first-served basis.

Applications for August 2025 admissions into the full-time MTech SE programme should be submitted before 15 April 2025.

Applications for January 2026 admissions into the part-time MTech SE programme will commence from 1st March 2025 and should be submitted before 1 October 2025.

*The dates above are subjected to changes.
Entrance Test / GRE Face-to-Face: 17 April 2025 [FINAL Entrance Test for Aug 25]
             
*Applicants based in Singapore are to take the entrance test in NUS-ISS. Applicants based overseas are required to submit their GRE scores in place of the Entrance Test. Please refer to the section "Admission & Application" for further details. 

The dates above are subjected to changes. 

Download Brochure English
Info-session
Group discussion
Click here for dates
Enquiry iss-admissions@nus.edu.sg

The NUS Master of Technology in Software Engineering (MTech SE) is designed to meet the industry demand for software engineers who can help Singapore organisations to realise the smart nation initiatives through building robust, reliable and scalable software systems. This programme is best suited for individuals who have a few years of experience in software engineering roles and are looking to further enhance their knowledge and skills in architecting scalable, secure and smart software systems.

The MTech SE programme emphasises the skills required for architecting scalable, secure and smart systems and platforms. The focus will also be exploitation of software technologies, methodologies and management techniques. It focuses on the practical and systematic construction of software systems, using innovative and state-of-the-art techniques..

The programme will equip you with the essential knowledge and practical experience to architect, design, build and manage the delivery of robust software systems for your organisation and customers.

Learning outcomes:

  • Become software architects capable of architecting and designing systems that exploit major contemporary software platforms, technologies and methodologies
  • Become software architects capable of architecting and designing smart and secure systems
  • Become data architects equipped with data engineering skills to engineer big data from a variety of sources

Recognition:

  • Top student is awarded the Accenture Medal and Prize
  • Top project team is awarded the Best Project Prize

Scholarship:

  • IMDA Post Graduate Scholarship: 
    The SG Digital Scholarship (Postgraduate) is an industry scholarship that empowers students pursuing tech or media-related studies at the Masters or PhD level. Individuals pursuing postgraduate studies in specialised tech or media-related areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies, Immersive Media, and Film Studies can chart their future with this scholarship. Scholarship details and eligibility criteria can be found here.

SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme:

Singaporeans aged 40 and above can receive a SkillsFuture Credit enhanced subsidy top-up of $4,000 through the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. The subsidy can be used to offset the course fees. 
For more information on this programme, please write into us at ask-iss@nus.edu.sg.

Courses

MTech SE candidates must successfully complete the following course components to be awarded the degree:

  • Fundamental - Complete 2 Graduate Certificates
  • Specialist - Complete 2 of 4 Graduate Certificates

Fundamental Software Engineering Areas

Designing Modern Software Systems

Members of agile teams will learn how to apply essential agile practices, software design skills and DevSecOps practices to analyse, design and implement nontrivial software systems that are robust, reusable, maintainable and extensible with the relevant project artifacts.

Courses:

  • Essential Practices for Agile Teams
  • Software Analysis & Design
  • Software Design Patterns
  • DevSecOps Engineering and Automation



Architecting Scalable Systems

Students will learn how to architect scalable, robust and reliable ubiquitous systems using the latest Cloud-based technology. Students will also focus on how to architect the back-end support for large systems and platforms.

Courses:
  • Architecting Software Solutions
  • Platform Engineering
  • Cloud Native Solution Design

 

Specialist Software Engineering Areas

Architecting Smart Systems

Students will learn skills and techniques required to engineer end-to-end Intelligent Smart Systems. Topics in architecting smart IoT platforms and systems that are scalable will be covered. Students will learn to design, develop and integrate systems that make sense of data from a variety of sensors and edge devices. Students will also learn to create interfaces to smart systems that are apt for interacting with humans in intelligent manners.

Courses:
  • Architecting IoT Solutions
  • Designing Intelligent Edge Computing
  • Humanizing Smart Systems

Designing and Managing Products and Platforms

Students will learn how to design and manage software products and platforms. The key components include using design thinking principles and market research to innovate and concretise product ideas; a framework to scaffold the multidisciplinary aspects of managing a product; develop a product strategy that aligns with business goals and to architect a platform business model from first principles. Students can expect a hands-on approach, engaging class dialogues, lectures and offline study. Valuable insights will be shared by industry practitioners.

Courses:
  • Service Design
  • Managing Digital Products
  • Digital Product Strategy
  • Architecting Platforms as a Business

Engineering Big Data

Students will learn various aspects of data engineering and processes required for building resilient distributed datasets. Students will also learn to apply key practices, identify multiple data sources appraised against their business value, design the right data storage model(s), and implement fitting data access patterns. Finally, students will build a scalable data pipeline composed of pluggable functional compute components based on the business insight requirements in a vendor/technology agnostic manner. Students will work with Spark and Hadoop framework along with detailed focus on graph, ML, query and streaming libraries.

Courses:
  • Information Architecture for Data-driven Insights
  • Big Data Engineering for Analytics
  • Architecting Systems for Real-Time data processing

Securing Ubiquitous Systems

Students will be equipped with skills to design and manage cyber security for ubiquitous systems that need to be highly secure. Students will learn about cyber security and its application in securing mobile systems and software platforms. Students will also learn how to incorporate security during the software development lifecycle.

Courses:
  • ISC2 CISSP CBK Training Seminar
  • Secure Software Development Lifecycle for Agile
  • Design Secure Mobile Architecture
  • Platform Security

 



Learning Journey

 



Capstone Project & Internships

A central element of the MTech programme is the capstone project.

Student projects for MTech SE students extend over a period of 5 months for full-time students and 7 months for part-time students. Students are required to conduct their projects in teams. The expected commitment for the project is 45 man-days per team member.

Objectives

  • Architect, design and develop a real-world software system
  • Demonstrate technical and management skills by documenting various aspects of the system development and on-time delivery of quality systems.
  • Deliver a fully-tested system that fulfils the requirements of the sponsoring company

Learning outcomes:

  • Manage a software development project following a formal approach
  • Engineer software systems using appropriate software engineering methods and construction technologies
  • Apply project and quality management techniques to deliver a robust solution that meets user requirements
Read more on Internship & Placements

Timetable & Exams

Timetable & Exams for Full-time Students

Year

Curriculum

Assessment

Year 1

Semester 1 (Jul - Nov)

SWE5006: Designing Modern Software Systems (compulsory)

  • Essential Practices for Agile Teams
  • Software Analysis & Design
  • Software Design Patterns
  • DevSecOps Engineering and Automation


SWE5001: Architecting Scalable Systems (compulsory)

  • Architecting Software Solutions
  • Platform Engineering
  • Cloud Native Solution Design
  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams (not applicable to SWE5006)

Year 1

Semester 2

(Jan - Mar)

Choose ONE

  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams (not applicable to SWE5002)

SWE5002: Designing and Managing Products and Platforms

  • Service Design
  • Managing Digital Products
  • Digital Product Strategy
  • Architecting Platforms as a Business

SWE5005: Securing Ubiquitous Systems

  • ISC2 CISSP CBK Training Seminar
  • Secure Software Development Lifecycle for Agile
  • Design Secure Mobile Architecture
  • Platform Security

Choose ONE

  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams

SWE5003: Engineering Big Data

  • Information Architecture for Data-driven Insights
  • Big Data Engineering for Analytics
  • Architecting Systems for Real-Time Data Processing

SWE5004: Architecting Smart Systems

  • Architecting IoT Solutions
  • Designing Intelligent Edge Computing
  • Humanizing Smart Systems

Year 1

Semester 2 (Mar - Jul/Aug)

Team-based Internship or Off-site Project

Hands-on project with external organisation

  • Project, presentation & report

Timetable & Exams for Part-time Students

Year

Curriculum

Assessment

Year 1

Semester 1 (Jan - May)

SWE5006: Designing Modern Software Systems (compulsory)

  • Essential Practices for Agile Teams
  • Software Analysis and Design
  • Software Design Patterns
  • DevSecOps Engineering and Automation
  • Continuous assessments

Year 1

Semester 2 (Jul-Nov)

SWE5001: Architecting Scalable Systems (compulsory)

  • Architecting Software Solutions
  • Platform Engineering
  • Cloud Native Solution Design
  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams

Year 2

Semester 1 (Jan - May)

Choose ONE

  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams (not applicable to SWE5002)

SWE5002: Designing and Managing Products and Platforms

  • Service Design
  • Managing Digital Products
  • Digital Product Strategy
  • Architecting Platforms as a Business

SWE5005: Securing Ubiquitous Systems

  • ISC2 CISSP CBK Training Seminar
  • Secure Software Development Lifecycle for Agile
  • Design Secure Mobile Architecture
  • Platform Security

Year 2

Semester 2 (Jul - Nov)

Choose ONE

  • Continuous assessments
  • Open book written exams

SWE5003: Engineering Big Data

  • Information Architecture for Data-driven Insights
  • Big Data Engineering for Analytics
  • Architecting Systems for Real-Time Data Processing

SWE5004: Architecting Smart Systems

  • Architecting IoT Solutions
  • Designing Intelligent Edge Computing
  • Humanizing Smart Systems

Year 2

Semester 1-2 (Mar - Sep)

Team-based Internship or Off-site Project

Hands-on project with external organisation

  • Project, presentation & report

Students are evaluated through a combination of course work, project work and examinations. All students are required to complete a three-hour examination, where applicable, for each fundamental and specialist module taken.

Students who fail a module will be asked to withdraw. A minimum average grade across all examinations and practice assessments must be achieved to be awarded the degree.



Fees

 

Fees for AY2024/25 Semester 2 (January 2025) intake onwards

Fee Component Singapore Citizens/Singapore Permanent Residents International Students (Alumni) International Students (Non-Alumni)
Full Tuition Fees S$53,800 to S$54,090 S$53,800 to S$54,090 S$53,800 to S$54,090 
NUS Enhanced Rebate S$21,520 to S$21,636 - -
NUS Alumni Rebate - S$10,760 to S$10,818 -
Nett Tuition Fees S$32,280 to S$32,454
S$43,040 to S$43,272 S$53,800 to S$54,090
9% GST on Nett Tuition Fees  S$2,905.20 to S$2,920.86 S$3,873.60 to S$3,894.48  S$4,842 to S$4,868.10
Total Nett Tuition Fees, including GST S$35,185.20 to S$35,374.86 S$46,913.60 to S$47,166.48  S$58,642 to S$58,958.10

Note:
  1. SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) Tuition Fee subsidies may apply to selected courses, which may be offered to Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents, subject to availability. No other subsidy shall apply concurrently. 
  2. NUS provides an enhanced rebate of 40% of the full tuition fees for Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents. No other subsidy shall apply concurrently.
  3. NUS will provide incoming alumni with a 20% tuition fee rebate on selected Master's Degrees (Coursework) that are not under government subsidy. No other subsidy shall apply concurrently.
  4. All Rebates are only for eligible self-paying students.  
  5. NUS-ISS will be collecting a non-refundable and non-transferable acceptance fee of S$3,000 (S$3,270 inclusive of 9% GST), which will be credited towards your tuition fees, upon acceptance of the offer. Starting from AY2025/26 Semester 1 (August 2025 intake onwards) the acceptance fee will be revised to S$5,000 (S$5,450 inclusive of 9% GST). 
  6. The exact tuition fees will be calculated based on the student’s selection of the Graduate Certificates
  7. The miscellaneous fees payable is set out here
  8. Individuals using credit/debit card and eWallet to make payment via NUSFastPay will have to pay a 1% processing fee.
  9. Please note that NUS-ISS reserves the right to change our Fees and Rebates without prior notice.

What Do Miscellaneous Fees Cover?

Miscellaneous fees are typically levied on items that are either not covered or partially covered by tuition fee and grant/subsidy. All students, whether registered on a full-time or part-time basis, are charged the mandatory miscellaneous fees. These are due at the same time as the tuition fees. These fees help defray the costs of student activity, health services and insurance, campus shuttle service and other services.

Any queries about fees and payment, please contact us at issfinance@nus.edu.sg.

Subsidies

Students can use the:-

SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme:

Singaporeans aged 40 and above can receive a SkillsFuture Credit enhanced subsidy top-up of $4,000 through the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. The subsidy can be used to offset the course fees.


 

Admission & Application

Admissions Criteria:

  • Bachelor's degree preferably in Science or Engineering and a grade point average of at least B
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the English Language (written and spoken)*
  • An acceptable GRE score (overseas applicants) or pass NUS-ISS Entrance Test
  • Have received a favourable assessment at admissions interview conducted by NUS-ISS
  • Preferably two years of relevant working experience
  • The NUS-ISS Entrance Test or GRE and interview requirements will be waived for applicants with relevant Bachelor's degrees from NUS, NTU, SMU and SUTD with Second Upper or above Honours.
  • NUS-ISS Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis alumni who wishes to apply to NUS-ISS Master of Technology programmes may be waived of Entrance Test/GRE and interview requirement if they meet the GPA's requirements*
  • Admission is on competitive basis; eligible students will be offered admisions on a first-come first-served basis. 
* GDipSA Alumni who obtain admission into the MTech Software Engineering may request to be exempted from the Essential Practices for Agile Teams and Software Analysis and Design courses in the Designing Modern Software Systems GradCert. If the request is granted, the net applicable fees for the MTech programme will be reduced to exclude the fees of the exempted courses and subsidies will also be given commensurate with the net applicable fees for the programme.


GRE / NUS-ISS Entrance Test:
  • International applicants residing overseas are required to submit GRE as evidence to demonstrate their academic capability:
    • A minimum GRE score of 320 (verbal & quantitative) and 3.5 (analytical) is recommended, within 5 years validity. (GRE institution code: 0677)
    • Applicants who have significant work experience relevant to their intended area of study may be considered for admission even if they do not meet the recommended GRE scores (upon submission). Please note that school projects, internships and enrichment programmes do not count as work experience.
    • Please note that applications will not be processed if GRE is not submitted.
  • Applicants residing in Singapore will be required to pass an Entrance Test administered face-to-face in NUS-ISS
    • Local applicants may opt to submit GREs instead of taking the Entrance Test in which case the same conditions apply as above.
    • A sample entrance test paper can be found here.

Work Experience:

  • Preferably two years relevant working experience as a software engineer (e.g. programmer, designer, technical team lead).
  • Preferable proficiency in the following areas:
    • Software development lifecycle, including Agile software development methods such as Scrum.
    • Software development using one or more contemporary programming languages, software design including the use of design patterns, software testing and test-driven development.

*English Language Proficiency

  • Applicants who graduated from universities where English is not the medium of instruction should submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score as evidence of their proficiency in the English language.
  • TOEFL

    Paper-based test (580)
    Computer-based test (237)
    Internet-based Test (85)
    *TOEFL iBT Home Edition is not accepted.

    IELTS

    Result of 6.0

    • Institution code of NUS-ISS for TOEFL is 2432
    • TOEFL and IELTS are only valid for two years after the test and the validity should not expire before the beginning of the application period for the coursework programme.
    • NUS only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores.

    How to Apply 

    All applicants are required to submit an online application for our graduate coursework programme (through-train) through GDA3.

    Step 1:     You can refer to our detailed step-by-step guide on how to complete the online application.

    Step 2:     It will take you about 30 minutes or more to complete your application. You will need the softcopies of the supporting documents for your online application. Click here for the supporting documents to be uploaded and additional information required.

    Step 3:     You can proceed to apply online. Remember to upload all the required supporting documents under the “Documents Upload” section before you do the online submission. You can refer to our FAQ.

    Step 4:     Please ensure you submit your online application(s) and make online payment for the application fee (non-refundable) of S$50.00 per application (exclude prevailing GST).

     Important: 

    1. Applications that are incomplete, including missing supporting document(s), will not be processed till they are submitted.
    2. Applicants who are found to have given inaccurate or false information will be required to withdraw from the programme.
    3. All payments for application fee are non-refundable.
    4. Please note that the University has not engaged any external agencies to undertake student recruitment on its behalf. Candidates interested in our graduate programmes are advised to apply directly to the University and not through any agents. Candidates who apply through agents will not have any added advantage in gaining admission and the University reserves the right to reject such applications without giving reasons.

Career Pathways

Find your fit with new opened doors

There are opportunities in Singapore for most areas of IT. What you learn in terms of IT skills is not as important as what you do with it. It is the attitude and the ability to learn from mistakes, and to contribute back to the company that you work for that is likely to make more of a difference than specific IT skills.

There are two main paths for advancement in IT - either technical or management. Technical means you continue to deepen your technical area in a domain (such as system architecture, or software engineering, etc.) and you become an expert in those areas. The other is management, where you can focus on project management, outsourcing, etc.

Our internship companies often tell us that if we can give them good students as interns, it is very likely they will get a job offer at the end of the internship.

As an MTech SE graduate, you will be equipped with the essential knowledge and practical experience to architect, design, build and manage the delivery of robust software systems for organisations.

Career Prospects

  • Software Architect (general, smart systems, data)
  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Data Architect
  • Product Manager

MTech alumni are pursuing their careers at these global organisations:

  • Accenture
  • Creative Technology
  • DBS Bank
  • Defence Science & Technology Agency
  • Deutsche Bank AG
  • Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific
  • HP Singapore
  • IBM Singapore
  • Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
  • Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
  • Jurong Port
  • Microsoft
  • Murex
  • NCS
  • NEC Asia Pacific
  • OCBC Bank
  • Revolution Analytics
  • Singapore Telecommunications
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • Starhub
  • ST Electronics
  • Tata Consultancy Services

The NUS-ISS Career Services Office helps students to match jobs based on their skills and experience. There will be bi-yearly Career Fairs held for students and graduates to network with employers. However, successful employment will depend on the employers.

The average starting salary of an IT professional depends on the degree and your previous working experience. For fresh graduates with no work experience, the average salary starts from S$4,000 onwards. Graduates with more than 3 years of work experience can expect a starting pay of S$4,000 and above.

The most important skill is to get the job done and be persistent. You need to be broad-based and the technology does not matter.

You can get some salary benchmarks from these sites:

Discover Life with Us

Our Students

Our Students

Building up a portfolio for work and life.

Find Out More
Internship & Placements

Internship & Placements

Get a headstart with actual work experience under your belt.

Find Out More
Career Services

Career Services

Receive job placement opportunities with partner organisations.

Find Out More
Teaching Staff

Teaching Staff

Learn from our teaching staff with more than 20 years of industry experience.

Find Out More
A+
A-
Scrolltop
More than one Google Analytics scripts are registered. Please verify your pages and templates.