BSc (Hons) Computing & Information Systems
This programme provides a balance between the development of software on the one hand, and its application in all areas of business on the other.
Mohsina Mahmuda Ferdous, former BSc Computing & Information Systems student
3 years full-time; 4 years full-time with the third year spent on industrial placement in a Computing, Digital Design or Information Technology field; 4-6 years part-time.
G500
BCC or equivalent; see entrance requirements for alternative qualifications.
If you do not have a Science- or Mathematics-based A-level, you should normally have at least Grade B at GCSE Mathematics. You can study for this degree as an external student of the University of London. If you are already studying for the BSc in Computing and Information Systems on the University of London External Programme, you may transfer into the second or third year of this degree.
The Department has excellent computing facilities for teaching and laboratory work, supporting Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. There are three departmental laboratories, plus a laboratory for final year students working on specialised projects on networking and communications.
Our degrees are designed to equip you with a wide range of knowledge and skills to meet the current demands of the industry and increase your career prospects.
In terms of job opportunities and salaries the IT sector is well ahead of most other industrial and commercial sectors. Careers include web developer, systems analyst, systems designer, IT consultant, software engineer, IT technician, systems integration developer, market researcher. Employers increasingly demand that new recruits are able to add immediate value to their organisation. Because this programme offers the option of an industrial placement year, students can demonstrate that they have already achieved a certain level of professional competence and maturity, which could help you stand out in the job market.
Please see Undergraduate tuition fees.
Computing
This degree will equip you with the fundamental skills to become a professional working in all areas relating to computing and information systems, providing a clear view of the wide-ranging issues involved in the design and application of software. The programme will encourage you to develop the skills needed by the industry as it evolves throughout the 21st century.
What you Study
Courses are taught by a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops and laboratory sessions. Core courses introduce you to basic computer skills, the fundamentals of computing (hardware, software, architecture and operating systems), and how different kinds of data can be represented and stored on computer media. You also concentrate on the internet, and you'll be given the necessary mathematical background you will need in your computing studies. Additional courses give you an overview of how businesses use computing to become and remain competitive, and will allow you to learn what managers expect of information systems. They also introduce you to Java and object-oriented programming languages.
Courses in the second year introduce team working and help you develop report writing skills. You study the development of database systems, object-oriented software engineering principles and techniques, and specific features of the programming language Java. You will also consider commercial implications of networks, and you'll analyse case studies of object-oriented systems deployed in industry.
Our degrees include an optional industrial placement year between the second and final year of study. Although we encourage you to take the opportunity of a placement year, you can also complete your degree in a straight three years.
Your final year consists of option courses and a major project, in which you apply your new technological skills to solve real-world problems in innovative and practical ways.
Assessment
Modular: assignments, tests, laboratory exercises, exams, final year project. If you opt for an industrial placement year, your placement tutor will assess your work. If you complete the placement year successfully, you earn the endorsement ‘with work experience' on your degree certificate.
Application enquiries
Please see how to apply for information on applying to this programme.