<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000707606</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYSTEMS &amp; COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SCTC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001254815</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HASKELL ERIC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SYSTEMS &amp; COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY CORPOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4 COUNTRY VIEW ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MALVERN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19355</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>EVP, Finance&amp;Adm., Treas., CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>60000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-10-29</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>60000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>60000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option granted 10/29/03 and is exercisable for one-third of the shares on each of the first three anniversaries of the date of the grant.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Eric Haskell</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

