Computing
Computer Science
The foundations of computing — how machines represent and process information, how to design algorithms that scale, and how to build software other people can rely on. Broader and more theoretical than a software engineering degree.
What it is and what you'd build
What you'll study
You start with programming, discrete mathematics and how computers actually work, then specialise across areas such as algorithms, systems, networks, machine learning and security. Most courses end with a substantial individual project.
- Qualification
- BSc (Hons)
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Placement year
- Available — 4 years in total
- Subject area
- Computing
Skills you'll build
- Programming
- Algorithmic thinking
- System design
- Mathematical reasoning
- Technical writing
Found the course you were looking for?
Start your application and Computer Science is already on it. You choose the universities next — with an Ignition advisor to tell you which ones you realistically meet.
Free to start. An Ignition advisor reviews your profile before anything is sent to a university.
Typical modules
A representative structure for a course of this kind. Module names, the balance between compulsory and optional, and the order they run in are set by each university — two courses with the same title can be taught very differently.
Year 1
- Programming fundamentals
- Discrete mathematics
- Computer systems
- Web technologies
Year 2
- Algorithms and data structures
- Databases
- Operating systems
- Software engineering
Year 3
- Machine learning
- Distributed systems
- Security
- Individual project
What you need to get in
Requirements are set per course, per intake, by each university. The figures below are placeholders showing the shape of a typical offer for a course of this kind, not an offer from anyone.
A typical offer
Example data- Academic
- AAB–BBB at A-level, or an equivalent international qualification
- Subjects
- Mathematics usually required; computing helpful but rarely essential
- English
- IELTS 6.0–6.5 overall with no component below 5.5, or an accepted equivalent
What each university asks for
The same course, at the universities that teach it. The spread is normal — it is why applying to a range rather than to one level of offer is the standard advice.
Example Metropolitan University
BBB–BBC at A-level or an equivalent international qualification
IELTS 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5
Example Riverside University
AAA–ABB at A-level or an equivalent international qualification
IELTS 6.5–7.0 depending on the course
Example Northgate University
ABB–BBC at A-level or an equivalent international qualification
IELTS 6.0–6.5 depending on the course
Example Castleton University
ABB–BBC at A-level or an equivalent international qualification
IELTS 6.0–6.5 depending on the course
What this course costs
Across the universities that teach it, tuition runs from £16,500 to £38,000 a year. Tuition is the largest single line and the one you have least control over once you have accepted an offer — accommodation and the city are where a year actually gets cheaper or dearer.
Tuition, by university
Example Metropolitan University
Manchester · about £1,050 a month to live
£16,500–£21,000
Example Riverside University
Bristol · about £1,250 a month to live
£22,000–£38,000
Example Northgate University
Leeds · about £1,000 a month to live
£17,500–£24,000
Example Castleton University
Birmingham · about £1,020 a month to live
£17,000–£25,000
Funding available where it is taught
Full scholarships are rare and competitive. Partial awards and fee reductions are far more common, are often assessed automatically at the point of offer, and a surprising number go unclaimed.
Example Metropolitan University
- International Merit Award — £3,000. Automatic for applicants exceeding the standard offer.
- Placement Year Bursary — £1,000. For students taking an assessed industry placement.
Example Riverside University
- Global Excellence Scholarship — £5,000. Competitive, awarded on academic record and a written statement.
- Science Bursary — £2,000. For students entering mathematics and the physical sciences.
Example Northgate University
- Engineering Futures Award — £4,000. For international students entering accredited engineering programmes.
- Design Portfolio Award — £2,500. Assessed on portfolio at the point of application.
Example Castleton University
- Castleton Global Scholarship — £3,500. Awarded on academic merit at the point of offer.
- Business Leaders Award — £2,000. Competitive, for business and economics entrants.
Build your own number
Averages are useless here. The only figure worth planning against is one built from the city, the accommodation and the course you are actually considering.
Where it leads
Graduates of courses like this commonly move into the areas below. None of them is a fixed track — a degree opens doors rather than choosing one for you.
- Software engineering
- Data science
- Cybersecurity
- Research and postgraduate study
Career guides for this course
Each one covers what the work actually involves, the skills it needs, and the other degrees that lead there.
Where you can study it
4 universities teach this course in the example catalogue. The course is the decision; the university is the setting you make it in — so compare them on the city, the cost and the support rather than on reputation alone.
Example Metropolitan University
Manchester · England — North
£16,500–£21,000 a year · placement year available
View universityExample Riverside University
Bristol · England — South
£22,000–£38,000 a year · placement year available
View universityExample Northgate University
Leeds · England — North
£17,500–£24,000 a year · placement year available
View universityExample Castleton University
Birmingham · England — Midlands
£17,000–£25,000 a year · placement year available
View university