This is an archived page and for reference purposes only
Computer Science is an exciting and rapidly developing subject that offers excellent employment prospects and well-paid careers.
Overview
At the University of Kent, we teach you the fundamentals of computer science as well as giving you the opportunity to specialise in an area of your choice.
Our degree programme can be studied as the Computer Science general degree, where a subject focus is decided during the course of your study, or as a themed degree, such as Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), where a specific focus is decided at the time of enrolment and named in the degree title.
Over half our students choose to do a Year in Industry. This gives you work experience, a salary and the possibility of a job with the same company after graduation. The Kent IT Consultancy option offers the opportunity to learn how to become an IT Consultant by providing computing support to local businesses while earning credits towards your degree.
The School of Computing is an internationally recognised Centre of Excellence for programming education, with 95% of our research judged to be of international quality.
The School is also home to two National Teaching Fellows, authors of widely used textbooks and award-winning Java teaching systems such as BlueJ and Greenfoot.
Think Kent video series
In this lecture, Dr Mark Batty from the School of Computing explores how mathematics can be used to better specify and design computer systems. He makes the case that computer systems should not be built above prose specifications and that a solid basis for computer-system engineering does not exist.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2015, 87% of School of Computing students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course.
The School of Computing at Kent is ranked 3rd in the UK for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2016, and, in the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey*, 96% of students had found employment or gone on to further study within six months of graduating in 2014.
*conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Year in industry
Spend a year working in an industrial or commercial environment between Stages 2 and 3.
Our students go to a wide range of companies including IBM, Intel, Disney and Morgan Stanley and have been to overseas employers in locations including Amsterdam, Hong Kong and the US. The Year in Industry forms an integral part of your degree and constitutes 10% of your final grade. Assessment comprises an employer evaluation, a reflective report and a logbook/portfolio.
Although it is your responsibility to find a suitable placement, the School of Computing’s dedicated Placement Team will help to identify suitable opportunities, assist with your application and prepare you for interviews.
To automatically progress onto the Year in Industry, you must pass Stage 2 at the first attempt. If you fail, you must pass the first resit opportunity in the August of the same year. Students who do not obtain a work placement will have their registration changed to the equivalent three-year programme without a Year in Industry.
Teaching and assessment
Most modules run for a single 12-week term, and are usually a combination of lectures, seminars, private study and practical sessions. Assessment is by a combination of coursework and end-of-year examination and details are shown in the module outlines on the web. Project modules are assessed wholly by coursework.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- provide a programme that attracts and meets the needs of those contemplating a career in computing and those motivated primarily by an intellectual interest in computer ccience
- be compatible with widening participation in higher education by offering a wide variety of entry routes
- provide knowledge and understanding of the principles of computer science
- provide computing skills that will be of lasting value in a field that is constantly changing
- offer a range of options so students can match their interests and study selected areas of computing in more depth
- provide teaching informed by current research and scholarship, which requires students to engage with work at the frontiers of knowledge
- develop general critical, analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied in a range of computing and non-computing settings
- provide both a broad overview of the subject and enable specialisation in selected areas
- offer several themed pathways that build on the core modules allowing students to pursue particular interests.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- hardware – the major functional components of a computer system
- software – programming languages and practise; tools and packages; computer applications; structuring of data and information
- communication and interaction – basic computer communication network concepts; communication between computers and people; the control and operation of computers
- practise – problem identification and analysis; design development, testing and evaluation
- aspects of the core subject areas from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- modelling – knowledge and understanding of the modelling and design of computer-based systems including the trade-off involved in design choices
- reflection and communication: presenting rational and reasoned arguments succinctly to a range of audiences
- requirements – identifying and analysing criteria and specifications appropriate to specific problems and planning strategies for their solution
- criteria evaluation and testing – analysing the extent to which a computer-based system meets the criteria defined for its current use and future development
- methods and tools – deploying appropriate theory, practices and tools for the specification, design, implementation and evaluation of computer-based systems
- professional responsibility – recognising and being guided by the professional, economic, social, environmental, moral and ethical issues involved in the sustainable exploitation of computer technology
- computational thinking – demonstrating analytical ability and its relevance to everyday life.
- apply some of the intellectual skills outlined above from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in:
- design and implementation – specifying, designing, and implementing computerbased systems.
- evaluation – evaluating systems in terms of general quality attributes and possible tradeoffs
- information management – applying the principles of effective information management, information organisation and information retrieval skills to information of various kinds, including text, images, sound, and video
- tools – deploying the tools used for the construction and documentation of software, with particular emphasis on understanding the whole process involved in using computers to solve practical problems
- operation – operating computing equipment and software systems effectively
- applying some of the subject-specific skills outlined above from the perspective of a commercial or industrial organisation.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in:
- teamwork – working effectively as a member of a development team
- communication – making succinct presentations to a range of audiences about technical problems and their solutions
- information technology – effective use of general IT facilities; information retrieval skills
- numeracy and literacy – understand and explain the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of a problem
- self management – managing your own learning and development, including time management and organisational skills.
- professional development – appreciating the need for continuing professional development.
Careers
Students who choose to take the year in industry option find the practical experience they gain gives them a real advantage in the graduate job market. In addition, the Kent IT Clinic gives you the opportunity to take on consultancy work for local companies, giving you real-world experience and earning credits towards your academic studies.
Our high graduate employment rate speaks for itself, with recent graduates going on to work at Accenture, BT, Cisco, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Intel, Lilly, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Oracle, Thomson Reuters, Siemens and T-Mobile.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade C |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 at HL including Mathematics 5 at HL or SL, or Mathematics Studies 6 at SL |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
UK/EU/International students on an approved Year Abroad for the full 2016/17 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Those on an approved Year in Industry pay an annual fee of £865 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.