Computer Science

Our courses build on your strengths within a young and dynamic department.

The UCAS codes for the degree streams with year abroad and industry variants are as follows:

Full entry requirements

Computer Science at Leicester

Leicester offers you a young and dynamic department that takes a scientific and rigorous approach to computing. We recognise that computing is a vibrant and diverse discipline, ranging from the management and architecture of global IT projects, through to the scientific development of innovative theories and technologies. At Leicester you can build on your strengths and interests, whether they lie in creativity, inventiveness, scientific problem-solving, or in applying business sense and organisation.

Our teaching is inspired by our research and aims to help you become a highly skilled professional well versed in advanced methods and techniques. We will help you develop an inquiring and problem-solving culture that will make you an invaluable asset to future employers. We provide an academic educational experience, but we ensure that you acquire key transferable skills. We also provide excellent academic and personal support along with comprehensive careers guidance.

The Department of Computer Science offers you a wide variety of programmes, at BSc and MComp level, but you are always treated as an individual. Our staff are friendly and approachable, passionate about computing, and dedicated to both teaching and research – this provides for an excellent student experience. There are many PhD students and graduate teaching assistants, postdoctoral researchers working on national and international projects, and international visitors from industry and academia. This creates a dynamic and exciting environment.

Why Choose Computer Science at Leicester?

National Student Survey: 84% of students studying Computer Science satisfied with their course
Places: 75
Applications: 619
Example jobs: Application Support Analyst; Infrastructure Analyst; IT Consultant; IT Support Analyst; Managed Services Administrator; Software Developer; Teaching Assistant; Web Developer; Web Programmer; Website Designer.
Example Employers: Barclays Corporate; Data Interchange Plc; FDM; J P Morgan; Launde Primary School; Leo Burnett; University of Warwick.
Example Postgraduate Courses: MSc Advanced Computational Methods; MSc Computer Games Programming; MSc Computer Security; MSc Embedding Systems Software; MSc Management; MSc Ocean Technology.
Example jobs and employers information comes from the University’s ‘Where Did They Go?’ survey, and shows destinations of 2010/11 graduates six months after graduation.

You can choose programmes that build on your strengths, whether they lie in creativity and innovation, applying business and financial sense, understanding the latest technologies or learning about scientific foundations. We work together with top researchers around the world to push the boundaries of knowledge, so the modules you study are modern, cover state of the art topics and are taught by experts.

Our degrees contribute to the accreditation criteria of the British Computer Society (BCS). The BCS has commended the Department and the students for producing excellent project work and for the level of support given to students. Similarly, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) noted about the Department that “they had total confidence in the academic standards and quality of learning opportunities”, and “final-year projects are impressive”. They commended the friendly relationship between staff and students.

We also produce iCS, a short magazine for students and teachers, intended to encourage young people to enter the fascinating world of computing and continue within the profession.

Companies tell us that project work is vital as a preparation for employment, and it is a prominent part of the degrees. In the Second Year project, you will be part of a team of students working together to develop software that has been commissioned by a real client. These projects have been praised by the BCS and allow you to gain a real insight into the practises of realistic design and implementation techniques and professional project management.

The Third Year individual project is a chance to follow your own particular interest in much greater depth, with one-to-one supervision. Popular recent computing projects have included 3-D games, internet telephony, programming robots, and sophisticated e-commerce sites for managing stock portfolios or auctioning cars. More specialist projects included software for garden landscaping or a guitar tablature editor. Some computer science students code complex software such as theorem provers and investigate how these tools are used within international companies such as Intel.

The Department has 24-hour access general-purpose laboratories, containing fully networked Windows 7/Linux dual-boot PCs, and wireless access for laptops. The laboratories are maintained by departmental technical support officers. A networking laboratory makes available specialised wired and wireless equipment.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Our approach to teaching includes lectures and laboratory classes together with small group tutorials. Lectures include innovative software demonstrations as well as more traditional presentations. State-of-the-art web-based materials, automated feedback and marking systems, online tests and electronic coursework submission all provide an excellent modern learning environment. Coursework contributes to your marks, especially in practical modules. We have a team of graduate teaching assistants. These are PhD students who also organise computer laboratories and assist staff in their teaching duties. Teaching assistants also run regular help sessions that provide additional student support.

Our modules are assessed through a combination of coursework and written examinations. Project modules are 100% coursework. Most other modules are 40% coursework and 60% examination; a few 30% coursework and 70% examination. This means that you will have plenty of opportunity to gain credit from the work you do during your course, but you will still be taking a degree programme with rigorous examinations that support high standards.

Course Opportunities

If you take a BSc Europe degree, your Third Year will be spent at a partner university – currently Université Henri Poincaré (Nancy, France), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (Spain) and Università degli studi di Roma 'La Sapienza' (Italy). If you are a UK or EU student, you will receive a grant under the Erasmus Scheme and free language training.

Each of our degrees is available with the option of a year spent on an industrial placement (a 'sandwich' degree). The Department and the University offer advice and assistance and you can get considerable guidance from the Department’s active Industrial Advisory Board. These degrees enable you to enhance your profile with the knowledge and experience that comes from working for a year within a computing company. You will perform well in your Final Year having gained in maturity during the placement.

The University of Leicester Computing Society provides both social and academic support for all our students. Each year our students assist us in the organisation of Open Days and UCAS Applicant Visit Days, allowing them to experience working with academic staff. Students may also help in the delivery of Masterclasses for Schools. We welcome any other initiatives that promote student participation in academic life.

International Students

The Department of Computer Science welcomes international students. Our stimulating environment attracts students and academics from many countries worldwide, including continental Europe, the Indian sub-continent, China, Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East.

We accept most international qualifications for entry to our programmes. We currently offer direct entry to the Second Year of our Computer Science and Computing BSc and MComp degrees to students with relevant advanced qualifications.

Skills Gained

On all our programmes you will gain an in-depth understanding of how to specify, design and develop software systems, particularly distributed or networked ones. Technologies currently taught include Java, XML, .NET and PHP, but the emphasis is on developing understanding and logical thinking that will allow you to adapt throughout your career.

You will have many opportunities to develop your transferable skills, such as learning how to work in, and lead, teams; to be a good communicator; and to manage and plan substantial individual projects. You will also learn how to critically review your own work. With such a tool-kit of skills you will be well equipped to enter employment.

Graduate Opportunities

Our computing graduates experience a breadth of lucrative and rewarding careers, working in large companies, such as Accenture, BAE systems, Bloomberg and LogicaCMG, through to small start-ups. Many apply their knowledge directly, as software engineers, analysts or programmers; others apply their IT skills and problem-solving abilities in finance, marketing and general business. Those with Computer Science degrees are also especially well-suited to working in the research and development of new cutting-edge technologies.

Further Study

Some of our graduates go on to study an MSc in computer science, management or management and IT, at Leicester or elsewhere. The Department offers one-year advanced taught MSc courses in Agile Software Engineering Techniques, Computer Science, Computational Methods, Distributed Systems, Software Engineering, Software Engineering for Financial Services, and Web Applications and Services.

We have MPhil/PhD students doing research in diverse areas such as adaptive socio-technical systems, algebraic methods and design techniques, concurrent and distributed systems, evolutionary computing, formal languages, model-driven software development, optimisation problems in communication networks, service-oriented computing, system re-engineering, or visual languages
.

Full entry requirements

Opportunities to Visit and Further Information

Choosing where and what to study at university is an important decision for you. We believe it is important to give you the opportunity to talk to one of our admissions team so you can find out whether our programmes are the right choice for you.

For further information, please contact:
The Admissions Team
0116 252 3600
csug@mcs.le.ac.uk
www.cs.le.ac.uk

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