Computer Science with a Year in Industry - BSc (Hons)
Canterbury
The Year in Industry takes place between the second and final years of study and forms an integral and assessed part of the degree.
Computer Science is an exciting and rapidly evolving subject that affects every area of our lives. A deep understanding of computing puts you in a great position to influence the future as well as opening up excellent employment prospects and well-paid careers.
Overview
Computer Science is an exciting and evolving subject that affects every area of our lives. A deep understanding of computing puts you in a great position to influence the future as well as paving the way to excellent employment opportunities and well-paid careers. You'll be offered plenty of support, including peer mentoring, web forums and study skills services to give you the best start to your career.
Year in Industry
Take a year in industry and gain paid practical experience and a real advantage in the graduate job market. Our dedicated placement team supports you through the process.
Accreditation
This degree has been accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT on behalf of the Engineering Council. Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK- PEC). The Year in Industry course also has BCS RITTech accreditation.
Independent rankings
89% of Kent Computer Science and Information Systems graduates were in graduate-level jobs or further study 15 months after graduation. (The Guardian University Guide 2023)
Computer Science at Kent scored over 87% for graduate prospects in The Times Good University Guide 2023.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules 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.
Year in industry
You 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
- Vodaphone
- Holiday Extras
- Bank of America
They have also 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 & Assessment
Teaching
Within the School of Computing are authors of widely used textbooks, a National Teaching Fellow and Association of Computer Machinery (ACM) Award-winning scientists. Programmes are taught by leading researchers who are experts in their fields.
Teaching is based on lectures, with practical classes and seminars, but we are also introducing more innovative ways of teaching, such as virtual learning environments and work-based tuition. Work includes group projects, case studies and computer simulations, with a large-scale project of your own choice in the final year.
Overall workload
Each stage comprises eight modules. Most modules run for a single 12-week term. Each module has two lectures and one to two hours of classes, making 14 formal contact hours per week and eight hours of 'homework club' drop-in sessions each term.
Academic support
We provide excellent support for you throughout your time at Kent. This includes access to web-based information systems, podcasts and web forums for students who can benefit from extra help. We use innovative teaching methodologies, including BlueJ and LEGO© Mindstorms for teaching Java programming.
Teaching staff
Our staff have written internationally acclaimed textbooks for learning programming, which have been translated into eight languages and are used worldwide. A member of staff has received the SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education. The award is made by ACM, the world's largest educational and scientific computing society.
Assessment
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.
The marks from stage one do not go towards your final degree grade, but you must pass to continue to stage two.
Most stage two modules are assessed by coursework and end-of-year examination. Marks from stage two count towards your degree result. You must pass stage two to go on your year in industry.
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.
Most stage three modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and end-of-year examination. Projects are assessed by your contribution to the final project, the final report, and oral presentation and viva examination. Marks from stage three count towards your degree result.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
In stage three your project counts for 25% of the year's marks.
Programme aims
For programme aims and learning outcomes please see the programme specification.
KIS Course data
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. All applications are assessed on an individual basis but some of our typical requirements are listed below. Students offering qualifications not listed are welcome to contact our Admissions Team for further advice. Please also see our general entry requirements.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | BBB |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade 4/C |
| Access to HE Diploma | Obtain the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 credits at Level 3, with 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | Distinction, Distinction, Merit |
| International Baccalaureate | 120 tariff points from your IB Diploma, including Maths at 4 at HL or SL, typically H5, H6, H6 or equivalent |
International students
International students
If you are an international student, visit our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country. For details about the International Foundation Year and International Year Zero, please visit our International College website. Please note that international fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.
Please note that meeting the typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee that you will receive an offer.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| English Language Requirements | This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR. Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English language entry requirements web page. Examples: IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English Language IB Standard Level Grade 5 or above in English A: Language and Literature A Level Grade C or above in English Language or English Literature |
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Careers
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
- software engineering
- mobile applications development
- systems analysis
- consultancy
- networking
- web design and e-commerce
- finance and insurance
- commerce
- engineering
- education
- government
- healthcare.
Recent graduates have gone on to develop successful careers at leading companies such as:
- BAE Systems
- Cisco
- IBM
- The Walt Disney Company
- Citigroup
- BT.
Help finding a job
Employers are always keen to employ graduates with experience of the workplace, so your year in industry gives you a real advantage when it comes to starting your career.
The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews.
You have access to a dedicated Employability Coordinator who is a useful contact for all student employability queries.
Career-enhancing skills
You graduate with a solid grounding in the fundamentals of computer science and a range of professional skills, including:
- programming
- modelling
- design.
To help you appeal to employers, you also learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:
- think critically
- communicate your ideas and opinions
- analyse situations and troubleshoot problems
- work independently or as part of a team.
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Professional recognition
Our Computer Science degree has full Chartered IT Professional (CITP) accreditation from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Enquire or order a prospectus
BSc (Hons)
- Full-time Enquire online | Order a prospectus
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Enquiries
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