BSc (Hons)
Computer Science
Preparation for roles in the technical computing environment
Course Overview
Why take this course?
With computers infiltrating every element of our society, we now need specialist people to create, understand and advance computer science.
Through the study of computer hardware, software, programming, computation and information processing, this course enables you to specialise in the more technical aspects of computer systems design.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Apply your skills to real-life practical problems as part of the department’s partnership scheme with charities, local and global organisations
- Design and develop software, hardware and networks for a variety of fields such as digital forensics and artificial intelligence
- Opt to do a salaried placement year
What opportunities might it lead to?
Accredited by the Chartered Institute for IT (formerly the British Computer Society), this course will enable you to gain Chartered IT Professional status and carries exemptions from the professional examinations needed to gain Chartered Engineer and Chartered Scientist status.
Studying this degree will enable you to gain employment in a variety of fields in the computing industry.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- IT management
- network design
- software engineering
- computer programming
- web development
I've always been interested in computer science, artificial intelligence and data mining, and this course meets every one of these interests!
Kieran Jay Edwards, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- G400
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry
260-300 points to include 160 points from a minimum of 2 A Levels, or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £11,900 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- technology.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2555 - Department
- School of Computing
Subject:
Computing and Creative Technologies
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Hands-on, practical work and real-life learning, which is transferable to future careers
- Modern facilities and access to the latest technology including numerous computer labs, TV studios and a motion capture suite
- Approachable lecturers who have experience and contacts in the industry
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
Alongside the core units studied in this year, you’ll also have the opportunity to study particular areas of interest, such as intelligent systems, computer security, web programming and computer graphics.
Core units in this year include:
- Programming Techniques
- Software Engineering
- Computer Architecture, Operating Systems and Networks
- Database Systems
- Theoretical Computer Science
- Distributed and Parallel Computing
Year two
There’s a selection of topics covering more advanced aspects of your first year. You’ll also have the opportunity to specialise in particular areas of interest, such as computer graphics, and developing web-based systems.
You will specifically focus on the following areas:
- software engineering
- data structures and algorithms
- advanced programming concepts
- mathematical foundations of computer science
- operating systems and networks
Year three*
In your final year, you will carry out a final-year project utilising the skills learned during your course and your areas of interest within computer science.
You will specifically focus on the following areas:
- distributed systems and parallel programming
- theoretical computer science
- neural networks and genetic algorithms
- advanced networks
- computer security and cryptography
- fuzzy logic
- data warehousing and mining
*This course is also available as a 4-year sandwich (work placement)
Teaching and Assessment
Here at the University, we aim to provide a lively and modern learning environment. During this course you will experience a mixture of lectures, tutorials, laboratory and project work. While lecture classes can be large, the more personal approach of seminars and tutorials offer more one-to-one support from our expert academics.
How are you assessed?
We assess you in ways that encourage a deeper understanding and allow you to develop your skills including through:
- multiple choice tests
- essays
- written exams
- mini projects
- presentations
- review articles
Tutor's view
Shelley Ward
Computing
At the heart of any successful business is the staff, IT infrastructure and the information systems used to carry out day-to-day business functions. This course uniquely gives you a broad understanding of computing and information systems development and management as well as the business context within which they operate.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Specialist Software and Equipment
You’ll have a range of excellent resources at your fingertips
Tutor Centre
A one-stop academic help and support resource
Maths Café
The Maths Café - drop in any time and get one-to-one help
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Specialist Software and Equipment
A full range of industry software will be available for you to use in the computer labs, supported by multi-platform network suites offering a variety of operating systems. You’ll have a range of excellent resources at your fingertips including:
- the network laboratory
- Cisco equipment
- ECAD and software development suites
- analogue and digital electronics
- microprocessors
- telecommunications and control systems
- Linux, Windows and Unix systems
Tutor Centre
A one-stop academic help and support resource for all School of Computing students. Need help understanding your assessments? Want to talk to someone about your project or about that programming problem? This is the place to go.
Maths Café
Drop in any time and get one-to-one help with that tricky maths or stats problem. With handouts on key topics to take away and computer-aided learning packages, we can get the problem solved and help you improve your numeracy skills.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
A special feature is the ability to take a year out in industry between year two and three which really helped further develop skills learnt from my course.
Darren Hale, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student 2013
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
On graduating from this course, you’ll be fully equipped to take your first steps towards a career in the technical computing environment. Possible employers include multinationals down to the smallest computer companies including software houses, communications companies, data warehouses and many other types of organisation.
It’s also fairly common for our graduates to be snapped up by the employer they worked for in their placement year. Others continue their study at both MSc and PhD levels, specialising further in areas such as artificial intelligence, parallel and distributed systems, and healthcare informatics.
Overall you will be well qualified for many of the major computing graduate programmes or employment in varied fields of the computing industry.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- business continuity analyst
- software engineer
- web developer
- systems analyst
- computer progr
Work experience
On this course you have the option to do a year UK or overseas placement with companies such as IBM or smaller organisations. This is a great opportunity to gain real-world perspective and exciting opportunities.
Our team at the Student Placement and Employability Centre (SPEC) ensures you have access to a range of volunteering and work experience opportunities. We also offer support during your year-long industrial placements, and provide support for the different types of application processes.
Here are some examples of the roles our students have secured for their placements:
- Software Engineer at Xerox
- Developer at Cranfield University
- Associate Software Engineer at Accenture
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
The course has really changed my life massively. Not many people can say that they've gone from working as a lifeguard to working for the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world at managerial level within four years.
Richard Morris, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student 2013
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more