Study Software Engineering in English 

The English-language master's program in Software Engineering (M.Sc.) at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt is designed for students with a strong background in software engineering. Over the course of three semesters, they develop their expertise in modern software development, scientific methodology, and practical project work. The program focuses on the ability to design, evaluate, secure, and further develop complex software systems across their entire lifecycle. A key feature is its project-oriented approach: as early as the first two semesters, students work on real-world, realistic, or research-oriented questions in Enterprise Projects or Research Projects. 

The Master Software Engineering program will be offered from the winter semester 2026/27.
 

Program content 

The master's program in Software Engineering (M.Sc.) takes a first degree with a focus on software engineering or software development to the next level. For graduates of FH Erfurt, it follows on directly from the bachelor's programs Applied Computer Science (B.Sc.) and Applied Computer Science DUAL (B.Sc.). At the same time, the program is also open to qualified applicants from other universities, provided that their degree has a comparable software-related focus and they meet the admission requirements. 

Building on this foundation, the program places software at the center as a complex technical, organizational, and socially relevant system. Software is therefore understood not merely as program code, but as a solution that must be systematically designed, built to high quality standards, operated securely, and developed responsibly over time. Students thus build competencies that span the entire lifecycle of modern software systems. 

The program has an engineering-based profile and combines current development practice with scientific methodology, project work, and reflective technical decision-making. Through the choice between Enterprise Projects and Research Projects, students set their own focus areas: Enterprise Projects are practice-oriented modules with a company or application context, while Research Projects are research-oriented modules within the academic environment of the department. The focus is not on individual technologies in isolation, but on the interplay of technical, methodological, and responsibility-related competencies. 

The program concludes with the master's thesis with colloquium, worth 25 ECTS. In the thesis, students demonstrate that they can work independently and on a sound scientific basis on a demanding, application-oriented topic. They critically reflect on their results, present them clearly, and defend them convincingly in the colloquium. 
 

Competency profile

Who the program is for 

The Master Software Engineering program is aimed at students who already have a solid grounding in software development, application development, or related software fields and who want to build on this knowledge in a focused way. 

It is particularly suitable for students who want to 

• design and improve complex software systems, 
• strengthen their knowledge of software quality, DevOps, and secure development processes, 
• work with data-driven and knowledge-based applications, 
• make technical decisions on a sound scientific basis, 
• work in international project teams, 
• take responsibility for software across its entire lifecycle.
   

Study structure 

The Master Software Engineering program comprises three semesters with a total of 90 ECTS and leads to the degree Master of Science (M.Sc.). The language of instruction is English. A characteristic feature is its project orientation: in the first two semesters, students choose between an Enterprise Project and a Research Project. The third semester is dedicated to the master's thesis.

Modules

The program concludes with the master's thesis with colloquium (25 ECTS) in the third semester. A more detailed description can be found in the "Program content" tab. 

Detailed module descriptions, including module numbers (MAIE…), are available in the download section or in the module catalog.