New Software Engineering Curriculum UCM 2026-27: What Changes and Who It Affects

Key data

The Universidad Complutense de Madrid is comprehensively renewing its Software Engineering Degree. From the 2026-27 academic year, all new students will take an updated curriculum of 240 ECTS that incorporates Artificial Intelligence as a mandatory subject and strengthens training in business management. The modification, approved by the Council of Universities with a favorable report from the Fundación Madri+d, is published through the Resolution of July 23, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-17075) and becomes effective on September 1, 2026.

For technology companies, consulting firms and HR departments that hire engineering profiles, this change has a direct implication: UCM graduates from 2030 onwards will arrive on the market with formal training in AI and business management integrated into their official degree.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution approves the official modification of the Software Engineering Degree curriculum at UCM. The complete structure of the new curriculum is as follows:

The elective module offers a total of 156 ECTS from which the student must choose 24. Within this module, there is the possibility of taking external internships, which opens the door for companies to collaborate with UCM in the practical training of future engineers.

The two most relevant innovations in the mandatory block are:

• Artificial Intelligence (12 mandatory ECTS): for the first time, AI ceases to be elective and becomes a core subject of the degree.
• Business Management (mandatory): future engineers will receive formal training in business management, a historical demand from the technology sector.

The modification is binding only for students who begin the degree from the 2026-27 academic year. Previous cohorts are not affected and continue with their original curriculum.

Economic and operational impact

For technology companies, the impact is not directly regulatory, but strategic in terms of talent. The key points are:

• Profiles with certified AI: graduates from 2030 onwards will have 12 ECTS of AI on their official transcript, which simplifies competency verification in selection processes.
• Smaller training gap in management: the inclusion of Business Management as mandatory reduces the need for internal complementary training for junior profiles assuming project responsibilities.
• External internships in the elective module: companies that collaborate with UCM as internship centers will be able to access talent in training with a profile more aligned with current market needs.
• No direct cost or obligation for companies: this resolution imposes no economic or administrative obligation on private entities. The impact is indirect, through the labor market.

Who does it affect?

• New students at UCM who begin the Software Engineering Degree in the 2026-27 academic year or later.
• HR and talent acquisition departments of technology companies that hire UCM graduates: they will need to update expected competency profiles.
• Companies collaborating in external internships with UCM: the new elective module expands opportunities for internship agreements.
• Technology consulting firms and practices that value formal training in AI and management when evaluating junior candidates.
• Students from cohorts prior to 2026-27: they are not affected. They continue with their current curriculum without changes.

Practical example

A student who begins the Software Engineering Degree at UCM in September 2026 will follow the following path under the new curriculum:

• Will complete 60 ECTS of basic training during the first years.
• Will take 144 ECTS of mandatory subjects, including Artificial Intelligence (12 ECTS) and Business Management.
• Will choose 24 elective ECTS from a catalog of 156 available ECTS, which may include external internships in companies.
• Will defend a Final Degree Project of 12 ECTS to complete the 240 ECTS of the degree.

If that same student had enrolled in the 2025-26 academic year, they would have taken the previous curriculum, without Artificial Intelligence as a mandatory subject or Business Management in the core block. Both cohorts will coexist in the labor market from 2030 onwards, with differentiated profiles in their formal training.

What should companies do now?

1. Update competency profiles for junior hiring: from 2030 onwards, UCM Software Engineering graduates will have AI and Business Management on their official transcript. Review job offer requirements to reflect this new standard.
2. Explore external internship agreements with UCM: the 156 ECTS elective module includes external internships. This is the time to contact the faculty to formalize agreements and access talent in training with the new profile.
3. Inform selection departments: talent acquisition managers should be aware of the difference between cohorts (before and after 2026-27) to correctly interpret candidates' transcripts.
4. No mandatory action or legal deadline for companies: this regulation does not impose obligations on private entities. The previous actions are strategic recommendations, not compliance requirements.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17075