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Computer Science BSc (Hons)

Broaden your prospects with a firm foundation in the practice and theory of core computing principles, with a focus on software development, database design, web technologies and security.

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Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

Watch: Discover how DMU's Computer Science degree offers industry-standard teaching and resources to prepare you for your career.

From programming to software engineering, computer science is directly linked to a range of industries such as medicine, education, entertainment, security, and architecture. 

Find your place within this diverse course at DMU  - with over 50 years of teaching and BCS accreditation, we continue to focus on modern approaches to software systems development as well as the exploration of theoretical and practical programming language concepts and software design methods.  

Our facilities provide computer workstations for students to use, with four interconnected computing laboratories with HP PCs running Windows/Linux. Many of the software packages are open source, meaning our students can download and run the software as needed for their course while at home.

Computer science prepares you for a variety of career opportunities, from programming and developer roles to software engineer, systems developer and analyst.

Key features

  • Our diverse curriculum provides students with an equal balance of theory and practice and is embedded with contemporary technologies designed to tackle modern multi-core platforms.
  • Important professional issues are covered including computer ethics, law, and security. Final year study includes big data, machine learning, and AI.
  • Tailor your learning to your career ambitions through a range of optional third year modules, including: Functional Programming, Advanced Web Development, Fuzzy Logic and Inference Systems, and Privacy and Data Protection.
  • Explore professional opportunities with an optional placement year. Previous Computer Science students have spent their third year in industry working in roles such as Placement Developer, Cloud Reliability Developer, Solution Engineer and Business Analyst Intern for organisations including Next, Leicestershire Police, Oracle, IBM and The Walt Disney Company. 
  • Graduates have gone on to work for companies such as ITN, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, BT, RBS, HSBC, DNEG and Experian.
  • Gain valuable international experience as part of your studies with our DMU Global programme. On previous trips, Computer Science students met tech entrepreneurs in San Francisco and put their hacking skills to the test at New York’s Spyscape Museum.
  • This course has been fully-certified by the British Computer Society (BCS). BCS accreditation is a mark of quality assurance and means our course content and provision has been assessed by academics and employers to ensure it meets the rigorous standards set by the profession.
  • Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.

 Accredited by BCS; The Chartered Institute for IT

This course has been fully-certified by the British Computer Society (BCS). The BCS accreditation is a mark of quality assurance and means our course content and provision has been assessed by academics and employers to ensure it meets the rigorous standards set by the profession.

Graduating from a BCS-accredited course will help you to stand out in the world of work, and also enable you to have your qualification recognised globally. Upon completing this course, you will meet the criteria (in part* or in full) to become professionally registered with BCS as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP), Registered IT Technician (RITTech), Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng).

*Partial CITP accredited degrees are not recognised under the Seoul Accord agreement

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Computer Science stories

 

  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: G400

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: G400

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £16,250

Find out more about available funding for international students.

 

I found a new beginning

The tutors that believed in Tennessee and shared their industry experience took her from foundation degree to software engineer – now she's helping the next generation.

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Entry criteria

  • A typical offer is 112 UCAS points from at least two A-levels or equivalent or
  • BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DMM

Plus five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent.

Alternative qualifications include:

  • Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English and Mathematics GCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification.

We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course

  • International Baccalaureate: 26+ points
  • T Levels Merit

Portfolio Required: No

Interview Required: No

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer 

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

 

English language

If English is not your first language then an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (or equivalent) is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

Accreditation

 

 

First year

  • Block 1: Database Design and Implementation
  • Block 2: Fundamental Concepts of Computer Science
  • Block 3: Computer Programming
  • Block 4: Operating Systems and Networks

Second year

  • Block 1: Object-Oriented Design and Development
  • Block 2: Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Block 3: Web Application Development
  • Block 4: Agile Development Team Project

Third year

  • Block 1: Software Development -
  • Methods and Standards
  • Block 2: Big Data and Machine Learning
  • Block 3 / 4: Development Project

Optional  modules (choose one):

  • Block 3 / 4: Functional Programming
  • Block 3 / 4: Advanced Web Development
  • Block 3 / 4: Fuzzy Logic and Inference Systems
  • Block 3 / 4: Privacy and Data Protection

 

Teaching and assessment

On this course, you will benefit from Education 2030  - DMU’s new way of delivering courses. Through block teaching, you will focus on one subject at a time instead of several at once.

The teaching methods delivered on this course include staff directed learning via lectures, tutorials and laboratories, in addition to student-centred resource-based learning (including web-based resources), collaborative and group working, individual learning and student-centred learning via individual research / literature review.

Students will be assessed via a range of methods including time constrained phase tests, portfolios of work, programming and other laboratory exercises, viva voce examinations, project work, individual work and group work.

 

Accreditation from BCS provides you with independent assurance and recognition of the quality of our computing education. Your course content and provision are assessed by academics and employers, aligned with IT industry frameworks and benchmarked against other educational institutions, to ensure they meet the rigorous standards set by the profession. 

Students choose to study BCS-accredited degrees knowing they’ll gain the right set of technical, personal and professional skills for the evolving tech industry — while employers can be confident that graduates are prepped and ready to make an impact in their business.

 

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Facilities and features

Computer Science Laboratories

Our Computer Science laboratories provide computer workstations for students to use, with four interconnected computing laboratories with HP PCs running Windows/Linux.

All the machines are connected to a dedicated, high-performance file server for storage and backup of students' work. Many of the software packages are open source, which means students can download and run the software needed for their course work while at home. The laboratories also include study spaces where you can work individually or in groups.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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Graduate careers

Computer Science graduates have gone on to work as associate software engineers, computer engineers, systems engineers, database managers, software developers and web developers for companies including HSBC Bank, Sainsbury’s, MMT Digital, RR Donnelley and Serck Controls.

Graduates can also continue their academic careers by embarking on postgraduate study in either research or taught areas, which provides opportunities for further specialisation and the enhancement of existing skills.

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DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through #DMUglobal, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Our Computer Science students have visited top tech companies in San Francisco to get an insight into the skills and talent needed for careers in the technology sector, as well as visited New York’s Spyscape museum to test out their espionage and surveillance skills.

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Placements

Work placements are offered as part of this course as one of the best ways to boost your skills and experience while studying, as well as improving your chances of gaining a graduate level job.

We have links with organisations both in the UK and internationally, and the placements team will help you find a placement to suit your interests and aspirations. Students on this course have taken part in placements at companies including Syngenta, Jagex, PepsiCo, HSBC Bank, Honda Racing Corporation and Avis Europe.

Computer Science student Judyta Dabek secured a year-long placement as an automation trainee at Rolls-Royce. She said: “It’s an inspiring place to work and a very important opportunity for me. I’m learning how to use different programming languages and documentation, as well as developing my research skills and knowledge of law and ethics, all of which will broaden my career opportunities after university.”

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