Program Overview
Software engineering is an exciting and dynamic field that involves the application of engineering principles to design, develop, and maintain software systems. Without software engineering, you won’t be able to understand its depth. If you have a particular interest in this field, you want to study this, given that practically every item that simplifies your daily life is built on software. Mobile phones, laptops, household appliances, public transit, and emergency services depend on sophisticated software to get the most out of their technology.
When Dr David Parnas released the paper “On the Criteria To Be Used in Decomposing Systems into Modules” in 1972, ‘software engineering’ was first used. Several significant developments that occurred years earlier led to the publication of this article and the beginning of software engineering. A few distinct eras may be used to categorise software engineering development. The 1968–1986 period is the first era. The development of approaches for software requirement engineering was the primary concern at this period. Software engineering experienced a turbulent decade in the 1970s. The field needed to mature and change over this decade to keep from crumbling under its weight.
Learning the fundamental concepts of design and development is equally important as knowing programming languages while studying software engineering. For instance, software engineers have a firmer theoretical grasp of object-oriented programming and are familiar with programming languages like Python and JavaScript. Using data structures and algorithms, comprehension of the software life cycle, and understanding how to use project management tools and processes to keep software development projects on schedule are further essential principles of studying software engineering.
The essential design principles of systems are explained, along with modelling concepts, tool use, and design patterns. Additionally, it introduces software testing and examines various software processes. Issues related to software project management, which comprises the design, implementation, and assessment of a basic software system, will be built around all the topics covered in the module.
- Analysis of requirements.
- Design and implementation of software.
- Maintenance tasks.
- Test-driven development.
- Coding practices.
- Agile software engineering approaches.
- Version control
- Reviews of the design and code.
Since there is still a high need for software engineers, individuals who want to get the desired job must ensure their abilities are as up-to-date as possible. One of the most excellent methods to keep your abilities in the tech sector is to stay current on the most recent technologies and trends. Several choices are available to those who want to work as software engineers.
You must invest time in learning the necessary skills to become a software engineer. Unlike other professions where you may pick up skills, software engineering needs foundational programming knowledge. This article will help you figure out if software engineering is the field for you.
Why Study This Program
Capacity for Problem-Solving
You continually answer users’ concerns after studying software engineering in Malaysia. You can work on more straightforward tactical fixes and more involved strategic ones. Sorting challenging objectives into smaller, more doable ones is one of the problem-solving abilities needed to become a software engineer. Also, you must be able to think in parallel. Optimising your duties and saving time entails taking your more minor activities, rearranging them, and determining which are superfluous.
Software engineers could, for instance, strive to determine how a piece of software might carry out a particular task for a customer or how to design their code more effectively. Software engineering in Malaysia requires you to think creatively and with novel methods to solve difficulties for your business or customers. A software engineer must create future-proof solutions that do not require redesigning every time a parameter changes to save time. Keep in mind that not everything needs to be created from scratch. Before working on a new solution, use your creativity and current resources; you might discover you can skip a few stages.
Practical Experience
If you have decided to study software engineering in Malaysia, we know there is a chance you want more than just theoretical studies in the classroom. Malaysian universities will provide plenty of practical experience throughout your degree since they recognise the importance of understanding software. You’ll work on exciting hands-on projects like developing bio-amplifiers to monitor electrical brain activity or remote-controlled firefighting robots. You may extend your experience outside of the classroom by participating in some offered internships or industrial placements.
With a network of significant business partners and initiatives, you may gain valuable skills and self-assurance for the job as soon as you start your studies in software engineering in Malaysia. You will graduate from undergraduate engineering programmes with the knowledge and experience necessary to meet the demands of a dynamic, rapidly evolving industry because Malaysian software engineering programs incorporate project units and introductory courses in data and computing.
Working in Teams
Another benefit of studying software engineering in Malaysia is the opportunity to work well in a team. Are you more of a lone wolf or a team player? You could be unsure of its significance. In reality, you may work alone in various professions. There will undoubtedly be additional employees, but you won’t be responsible for them in any way. You must always be a team player if you work in software engineering since it focuses on teamwork.
Studying software engineering in Malaysia is for you if you are a team player or want to develop your skills. Even if you feel at ease working alone, you can still become a software developer. Just follow the flow, and you’ll discover you’re an excellent listener, self-starter, and compassionate team member. Do you wish to develop these unique skills? If so, learning software engineering is a good idea.
High-Income Opportunities
A lucrative salary is one of the benefits of studying software engineering in Malaysia since it is among the few engineering specialities with a median wage in the six figures. The beginning pay for a software engineer is $45,000. The most significant amount is $248,000. This suggests that the average salary is $120,000. Study software engineering if you want to major in something that will initially offer you six figures in income.
Engineering in software is distinct from engineering in other fields. Software engineering in Malaysia primarily relies on theoretical concepts, as opposed to most engineering, which heavily depends on applying concepts. As a result, a novice with a solid grasp of software engineering may occasionally land a position that pays far more than the average salary. If you build a solid reputation in your field, your income opportunities may rise.
Introducing Fresh Solutions
Some people try to stay out of trouble and enjoy themselves alone. On the contrary, others aspire to become famous and find success. They like the trials and obstacles. They dissect the problems in detail, examine them, and devise a solution. Coworkers, friends, and family then acknowledge and value them. Do you fall under this category? Are you one of these accomplished people? If yes, you should pursue a degree in software engineering in Malaysia.
Since discovering answers is the foundation of software engineering, you must comprehend a team member’s challenges, constraints, and needs. The next step is to dissect, research, and analyse them. The second step is to create and offer the solution.
Why Study In Malaysia
Get Creative With Code
Although working in software development differs from being a graphic designer or fine artist, it is nonetheless creative in its unique manner. People studying software engineering in Malaysia can be creative in various ways, such as how they approach problem-solving. For instance, to provide a solution, they must be able to put themselves in the position of the users.
They also must develop novel new systems and functionalities. Finally, they get to experiment with and learn new technologies. While attempting to build a well-thought-out sophisticated solution to make the most of computers, creativity is also a factor. To create your masterpiece with code, you only have some abstract ideas and a blank screen. One of the numerous motivations for studying software engineering in Malaysia is creativity.
Perpetual Learning
Being a software engineer requires you to continue your education, which is crucial. There are constantly new tools to learn and improved techniques to create software. To provide the finest possible solutions, a student studying software engineering in Malaysia must invest a lot of effort in staying current with the latest news and advances in their field. Software development may be a fulfilling career if you enjoy learning new things.
Affordable Course Fees
The fee required to study software engineering in Malaysia is comparatively less than that required in many other countries, such as the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada, to name just a few. With software engineering degree expenses shooting up worldwide, Malaysia comes across as a reliable option to receive a high-quality education at an affordable cost.
Globally Recognised Degrees
Software engineering degrees from Malaysian universities enjoy global recognition. Studying software engineering in Malaysia allows students to pursue the program in Malaysia and then move anywhere globally. Several students continue their master’s and specialisation in Malaysia or transfer to other countries to pursue different pathways.
International Education Standard
The standard of software engineering programs in Malaysia meets international standards. This ensures exceptional education for students who enrol in this course. The course curriculum is rigorously developed, keeping in line with international benchmarks to ensure students learn the latest developments in software engineering.
Excellent Campus Facilities and Infrastructure
Malaysia offers excellent campus facilities, modern infrastructure, and innovative teaching aids for studying software engineering in Malaysia. The schools in Malaysia offer a great learning atmosphere. Several leading universities have developed in-house labs and testing facilities dedicated to helping students learn with hands-on experience, operate with state-of-the-art machinery, and stay up to date with the latest innovations.
Career Prospects
A software engineer is a professional who creates, tests and maintains software systems and applications. They create and deliver software solutions that satisfy the requirements of companies, organisations, or end users by using their knowledge of programming languages, software development techniques, and tools.
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related subject is necessary to work as a software engineer. To succeed in this position, you must have at least five to seven years of software engineering or development expertise, ideally in a related industry.
Here are some roles and responsibilities you will be required to handle:
- Entire software development life cycle execution.
- Write testable, well-designed code.
- Maintaining and documenting software functionality.
- Upgrade, debug, and troubleshoot current systems.
- Activate programmes and assess user comments.
Employment opportunities for professionals looking for a career in software engineering have seldom been this good. Choosing a chosen job path may be the most challenging hurdle for an aspiring software engineer, given that practically every industry is undergoing a digital revolution. However, they must first have the necessary education and software engineering expertise.
- Design expertise for interactive apps
- The capacity to create software using programming languages such as Java, Ruby on Rails, C++, or others
- Excellent Understanding of ORM, SQL, and relational databases
- Knowledge of at least one well-known web framework for creating web apps.
- Understanding of test-driven development
- Knowledge of the tools used in software engineering
- Being able to write needs and specifications down
- Computer science, engineering, or a related discipline BSc
Mobile Developer
Engineers with a mobile development focus write software for smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets. Operating systems for iOS and Android are popular among mobile specialists. To deploy software, they must produce responsive code, supervise testing and debugging, and collaborate with other engineers, developers, designers, and analysts.
Sales Engineer
In actuality, everyone works in sales. Sales involve connecting a customer’s wants with the appropriate solution, whether you’re “selling” yourself as a job applicant during the interview process or arguing for a new framework on your technical team.
Graphics Engineer
These engineers create videos and games on digital platforms in 2D and 3D. Early graphics engineers were expected to have a strong maths and computer science background. But more recently, the bulk of the work has been done by open-source frameworks.
QA Engineer
A quality assurance (QA) engineer is responsible for testing software or products, making fixes, or outlining the fixes that must be made so that other team members may make them.
Data Engineer
Data engineers are software engineers with a focus on extensive data. Data engineers uncover insightful information from data to assist in making wise business decisions.
Business Analyst
Business analysts are at the opposite end of the product development process. They frequently link the business and technical teams to ensure that needs, constraints, and timetables are understood.
Game Engineer
Game Engineers are programmers focusing on video game development who deal with a wide range of software in several contexts. Game engineers ensure that the aesthetic and functional components of a computer, mobile, and console games run as intended on all intended devices while working with vast teams of developers and designers.
Application Developer
An application developer develops, enhances, and redesigns software applications for clients. To achieve the task of creating or developing the product, they collaborate with customers to learn what they require the application to perform. They then convey these demands to a technical team.
DevOps Engineer
Development and operations combine to form DevOps. An individual that facilitates, manages, and hastens the process of releasing code or deploying applications is known as a DevOps engineer.
R&D Engineer
For their business, R&D engineers are in charge of research and development. Their daily responsibilities vary by sector, but they frequently supervise product development and market research.
Program Duration
The duration to study software engineering in Malaysia is three years for the bachelor’s program. English is the medium of instruction followed in schools across all major international private universities.
The first year will have a number of common subjects between different specialisations. As students progress to years two and three, their modules and subjects will become more specialised as per their field of choice.
Students can sometimes switch from one specialisation to another, but it will require approval from the University faculty and the relevant authorities in Malaysia.
Students who want to opt for program transfers to another University will usually need to prepare the transfer paperwork and start processing from their second year onwards to ensure all the paperwork and approvals are in place so the program transfer can be done.
Entry Requirements
The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) sets the entry requirements and guidelines for university admissions in Malaysia, which all universities must adhere to. All prospective international students must meet the minimum entry requirements, as the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) takes these standards into account during the application acceptance and processing phases.
The admission requirements to study software engineering in Malaysia for international students may vary from one university to another. However, the basic entry requirements are the same for most universities.
Usually, there are two pathways to entering a degree program in Malaysia:
- First, students can join a foundation program after completing their secondary schooling, O levels, or equivalent qualifications. After completing the foundation in the information technology/computing program, they can continue to the bachelor’s degree as per their choice.
- Second, students who have completed their higher secondary school or A levels or equivalent will be able to join the bachelor’s degree programme directly into year one.
If a student fails to meet the entry requirements for a bachelor’s degree programme, the faculty may offer different pathways into the degree programme, for example, through a foundation or a diploma programme.
Universities may raise the entry requirements to ensure incoming students are academically prepared for the rigours of their programmes. So, prospective international students should consult with an admission advisor to determine the precise entry criteria for their chosen programme and their preferred university.
General Entry Requirements For Bachelor’s Degree
A Levels or Equivalent:
- 2 Passes in A-Level in Science stream with a Pass in Mathematics and one Science or ICT subject. Or
- 2 Passes in A-Level with a Credit in Additional Mathematics at IGCSE/O-Level or equivalent. Or
- 2 Passes in A-Level with a Credit in Mathematics and Science or ICT subjects at O-Level/IGCSE or equivalent. Candidates need to do a Prerequisite module in Further Mathematics or equivalent in the first semester of the Degree Programme.
Foundation:
- Passed the relevant Foundation programme (minimum CGPA of 2.0).
English Language
International students who wish to study software engineering in Malaysia will need to also provide proof of their English language proficiency with IELTS or TOEFL exams. Students who have studied the British or American curriculum are generally exempted from the English proficiency requirements since the medium of instruction for that curriculum is in English by default.
Students who have studied other curriculums where the medium of instruction is also English will usually need to provide a supporting letter from the school stating that the instruction language for their schooling has been English. With that letter, English language requirements are proven to have been completed.
Fees & Cost
Students sometimes only look at the tuition fee during the comparison. However, depending on how forthright and clearly the fee guidelines from the university are, the extra fees can be a hefty amount that could be a surprise. So students are advised to correctly add all the fees and decide which university fits their budget requirements to study software engineering in Malaysia.
Various factors will contribute to the overall cost structure, such as:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation fees
- Admission fee
- Registration and Visa fees and
- Other one-time fees.
These fees vary from university to university and can depend on varying factors. The quality, infrastructure, facilities and teacher-to-student ratio will also determine how much a university charges.
You must find the right balance between quality and cost to get the best education possible. The average cost to study software engineering in Malaysia is between RM30,000 to RM40,000 per year, depending on the University.
For reference, that’s around USD $7,500 to $10,000 per year for a 3-year software engineering degree program at the current exchange rate.
Accommodation
Accommodation cost is going to be another recurring fee for international students. Generally, students have two options: they can either stay at the on-campus accommodation provided by the university or at private accommodation. The prices will differ according to which university and area you choose.
Generally, campus accommodations at major universities start at around US$150 per month and can go up to $400 per month. The pricing for on-campus accommodation is determined by the size of the room, whether a student will be sharing the room or will be staying alone, or if the student is taking a master room which generally comes with an attached bathroom or decides to stay at a sharing room with shared bathroom.
Some universities also offer cooking facilities and on-campus accommodation, which are shared facilities which will also be factored into the accommodation costs. Utility costs are generally an add-on fee.
While choosing the university, you can check with your admissions advisor on the options available for accommodation and how much they will cost so that you have an idea of how much of a monthly budget you will require as a student.
Admission Procedure
Researching, applying and managing overseas admissions is a tedious, time-consuming and often confusing process. Incorrect application submissions can lead to lengthy processing, delayed approvals, or rejections. You can visit education, exhibitions and fairs to collect information. However, that is not enough. You can only collect cursory information at these places. However, your admission processing will usually take much longer. During that time, you will need consistent and dedicated support to ensure your application is in the right experienced hands.
This is where we help.
Edmates helps international students from around the world with complete admissions processing. Our integrated one-stop centre helps international students with everything. We help you find future-driven programs that match your abilities and interests in leading universities.
We handle the entire process from the beginning until you have joined the university. Our international support system will manage everything for you, absolutely free.
Each student is assigned with a dedicated admission advisor who will manage the complete admission process and also guide the student throughout the admissions process. The advisor will also liaise with the university admissions department to ensure clear communications and faster processing.
You can speak with your assigned advisor anytime by booking a free call online through the website. You will also receive regular updates regarding your application via emails, SMS and WhatsApp.
To learn about each step of the admission process, you can read our complete guide to start applying for your higher education the right way.