Quick facts
| Qualification type | T Level |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Study times | You will be expected to be in college for a minimum of 4 days per week, from 9:00 to 4:15. Your timetable will be confirmed at induction. |
| Entry requirements | 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 or above including English and maths at Grade 5 as a minimum, If progressing from Level 2 require a minimum of Merit. |
| Campus | West Suffolk College Sixth Form Campus, Bury St Edmunds |
| Work placements | Yes |
Is it for me?
If you are interested in the digital sector our Software Development course could be for you. With a focus on software design and development, you'll learn how business and software interact while gaining an understanding of data, testing, hardware and planning.
This T-Level aims to provide you with knowledge of digital technologies and their use for analysis and problem solving, as well as security, legal and moral implications. You will also learn about topics specific to software development, including roles within the software development sector, communication in software development, fault analysis and problem resolution.
As a T level qualification, this course provides a chance for you to learn on the job. During your time on the course classroom learning will account for 80% of your time, while your industry placement makes up the other 20%. Each placement is at least 315 hours long (that's roughly 45 days!). What makes T Levels unique is that they have been specially designed with employers and businesses, so as soon as you qualify you can step straight into your chosen career, higher apprenticeship or degree confident that you are equipped with all the industry knowledge you need to succeed.
What you'll learn
- Problem solving
- Introduction to programming
- Emerging issues and impact of digital
- Legislation and regulatory requirements
- Business context
- Data
- Digital environments
- Security
You will be taught four core employability skills ready to work in the software development sector:
- Communicating information clearly to a technical and non-technical audience
- Working with stakeholders to clarify and consider options to meet requirements
- Applying a logical approach to solving problems, identifying and resolving problems whilst recording progress and solutions
- Ensuring activity avoids risks to security
The second year of the course will then enable the student to:
- Progress into an occupational specialism: Digital Production, Design and Development
- Apply ethical principles and manage risks in line with legal and regulatory requirements when developing software
- Discover, evaluate and apply reliable sources of knowledge
- Create solutions in a social and collaborative environment
- Implement a solution using at least two appropriate languages
- Test a software solution
- Change, maintain and support software
Work experience placements
An industry placement is a big part of the T Level course - you'll need to undertake a minimum of 315 hours of mandatory industry experience where you can put your technical skills and classroom knowledge to the test, further enhance existing skills, as well as develop hands-on experience in your chosen industry.
Example careers
- Software Engineer
- Games Programmer
- General Programme Development
- Mobile App Developer
- Website Developer
- Bespoke Programmer
- AI Software Developer
Days & times
Starting September 2025