National Software Academy

in my opinion, this course was unlike any other course in a university. It's more practical and relevant to today's standards. You don't just go to a lecture, sit there, and listen to the lecturer until he/she finishes but rather you will have the opportunity to be in an environment that is similar to what in the real industry. You will be working on real client projects from the earliest days on the course. You will be working alongside fellow students and staff, and be at the centre of a teaching network which includes industry mentors and experts. It is been 3 years for me in this course and I have just graduated. I found the course very informative and preparatory for the real job. I knew that because I did a summer placement during the last two years in the course and when I was in the company where I did the placement at, my knowledge was highly relevant to the work I was responsible for. The course is new and the curriculum keep changing a lot for the better off course since the IT industry is changing very fast too. Staff are trying their best to provide the best experience and they take students' feedback seriously and that was really obvious. I never regret joining this course and I highly recommend it :)
May 10th, 2020

Lectures can sometimes be interesting but there is a definite lack of staff with industry experience which doesn't align with how the course was advertised. It seems they struggle to find good lecturers with industry backgrounds so resort to less engaging staff from academic computer science backgrounds, which shows in the content delivered. The course description says 'you will be at the centre of a teaching network of industry mentors and experts'. In the first year there was a member of staff in lectures who was a contractor and from an industry background, and he was helpful and knowledgeable and one of the best parts of the NSA. Unfortunately, in the whole of the second year there hasn't been any teaching staff apart from the normal lecturers so I'm not sure who the 'industry mentors and experts' are. Despite being tucked away in the not so nice city of Newport, the building and lecture rooms are very nice, with a kitchen with tea/coffee making facilities and microwave on each floor. They do give you a cheque for the transport costs. A lot of student feedback hasn't been acted on. For example, even after many students gave feedback saying they didn't benefit from a practical lecture involving making wallets out of paper (something to do with agile?!) they ran the same lecture for the first years the year after. Despite my criticisms, the course definitely does deliver employability and the opportunities for placements and networking are plentiful, and it looks good on paper. It's just a shame the quality of teaching and selection of content to include sometimes isn't as good as it could be.
Apr 6th, 2020

This is the most up and coming course you can do for the tech field, as a new course, I was in the second lot of student cohort the course has had, and all I can say is they're doing an amazing job They offer real, employable skills, as well as networking events from year one, which every event I have gone to has more and more companies wanting the software engineering students. Even from first year, getting a summer placement is doable and gives you commerical experience It's not an easy ride, and you do have to put in the effort to recieve the benefits - like with most courses. But I would highly recommend this course to new students
Mar 22nd, 2020

Nov 10th, 2019

Brilliant degree for developing a new generation of Software Engineers that are business and office ready. Great lecturers and a very dynamic course willing to change and adapt as the software industry does - highly recommend to students and businesses looking for great, agile graduates
Oct 5th, 2019