BSc (Hons) Computing and the Digital Image
- UCAS code: GW42
- Mode of study: Full time or sandwich with work placement
- Duration: 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry requirements 2013: 260-300 points to include 160 points from a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent.
- Please see details of the range of other qualifications that will also be considered on the 'Entry Requirements' tab below. Please do contact us for advice on other qualifications that aren't listed here.
Find out more:
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 2555
Email: technology.admissions@port.ac.uk
Department: The School of Computing
Course overview
From the creation of special digital effects for the cinema to manipulating the perfection of supermodels in fashion magazines and providing facial recognition as a tool for the prevention of crime and terrorism, digital images shape and inform the way we see the world.
The BSc (Hons) Computing and the Digital Image course gives you the opportunity to study the key aspects of computing with a particular emphasis on the skills required for working with a wide range of still and animated digital images. You’ll have the opportunity to acquire skills used throughout the entertainment industry and beyond, such as graphics, animation and computing, which will prepare you for a range of careers from multimedia production, computer animation and graphics, to website creation and design.
You do not need to have studied computing in the past to join this course, but you will need to have an interest in and enthusiasm for using computers, with a particular interest in graphics and animation.
This exciting course is one of the few in the country to offer this range of study. We have a long and distinguished record of running very successful degree courses and pride ourselves on working at the leading edge of technology and learning methods. Units on this course reflect close links with key innovators in the entertainment and computing industries, with staff involved in a number of high-profile research projects. The University’s academic staff also maintain close links with the world of work, both locally and further afield. This ensures that our courses always reflect the current and future needs of commerce and industry.
Career focused
The entrance criteria of this degree have been designed to comply with the requirements of the major computing graduate programmes. Competent students can have the opportunity to apply their skills to real-life practical problems as part of the department’s partnership scheme with charities, local and global organisations. Please view the 'Career Prospects' section for further details.
To find out more about placement opportunities in the Faculty of Technology, please visit our Placements Office pages.
Course content
You will study core computing topics such as programming, analysis and design, and web technologies, alongside specialist digital image topics, including graphics and image processing, computer animation and 3D imaging. The final year of the course includes both a major group project and a major individual project that draws together many different aspects of your studies.
Year one
The first year of this course aims to introduce you to the range of skills you will need across your degree, including:
- programming
- web development
- graphics
- video editing
- animation
Year two
The second year of the course builds and expands on the skills covered in the first year by exploring these topics in greater depth and introducing new topics including software engineering, 3D modelling and web server development. You will also have a small range of options appropriate to the course.
Industry placement (sandwich year)
This course offers you the opportunity to take an optional industrial placement between the second and third years of your university studies. The industrial placement year is recommended especially for those who have not yet gained any appropriate work experience.
Placements are varied and can be with large corporations such as IBM or smaller organisations, either in the UK or overseas. The School of Computing has considerable experience of supporting students throughout the placement process and has a dedicated placements officer to help with securing a placement.
Students who choose to undertake a placement find it a rewarding experience that gives them an invaluable insight into industry. Successful completion of the placement year is recognised by the award of a Diploma in Industrial Studies.
Year three
In the final year, you will undertake two substantive projects based in the area of digital imaging, as well as advanced specialist units in 3D rendering and information systems developments.
Teaching and assessment
By coming to the University of Portsmouth you will experience a lively and modern learning environment with lectures, tutorials and web-based sessions. Teaching has a strong practical and creative basis. Lecture classes can be large and in the first year you will have about six hours of this type of contact every week. A further six to eight hours will be used for small group seminars and tutorials. Small group work gives you plenty of opportunity to get individual help in those areas in which you would like to know more or are perhaps experiencing some difficulty. Some course material will also be provided via the internet, so that you can work at your own pace and from any location.
Assessment is geared towards the subject matter in a way that encourages a deeper understanding and allows you to develop your skills. It takes many forms, from examinations, multiple choice tests, essays and portfolio work to mini projects, seminars, presentations, case studies or extended review articles.
Career prospects
Placement opportunities
In the Faculty of Technology we feel that students should be given as many opportunities as possible to gain meaningful work experience and build employability skills throughout their studies to make them more attractive to future employers.
Working with other University services, the Faculty’s Student Placement and Employability Centre (SPEC) ensure students have access to a range of volunteering and work experience opportunities, including year-long industrial placements, and provide support for the different types of application processes.
To find out more about how you can gain work experience whilst studying BSc (Hons) Computing and the Digital Image, please visit our Placements Office pages.
Graduate roles
The BSc (Hons) Computing and the Digital Image course aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to work within a technical environment.
On graduating from this course you will be equipped with all the skills needed to pursue a career in this rapidly evolving and dynamic field, such as a multimedia programmer or animation designer.
Facilities and features
You will have access to modern computing laboratories that are continually updated with the latest hardware and software, including multimedia applications. The University also has a number of specialist video editing suites that will be used during the course. Knowledgeable staff are always on hand and you will have full access to email and the web.
In addition, you will have access to high specification computing facilities and to our newly extended University Library. Open from 8am to midnight every day during term-time, it supplies a variety of information to help with study and research. The University has also invested substantially in electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks available, which can be accessed across the University campus, at home or wherever there is an internet connection.
Tutor Centre
The School of Computing Tutor Centre provides friendly, one-to-one academic support for all School of Computing students. If you need help understanding your assessments, or with a wide range of subjects (programming, networks, systems analysis, databases, web apps), or if you want to talk to someone about your project or about any other academic issues (revision, referral, improving your marks), please come and see us. Appointments not necessary.
Maths Café
The Maths Café is a daily drop-in facility, where ANY student of the University can receive help on any maths or statistics problem they encounter in their studies. We operate in a friendly, informal location which we hope will encourage students to visit us. Handouts on key topics are available to take away. Students can be shown how to use computer aided learning packages, which can be accessed from any computer attached to the University's computer network.