Computer Science - BSc (Hons)

Overview

At Kent, we teach you the fundamentals of computer science as well as giving you the opportunity to specialise in areas of your choice in your final year. Our excellence in teaching is underpinned by our research; we are an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research as well as being experts in programming languages and artificial intelligence. We give you lots of support via peer mentoring, web forums as well as study skills services to help you fulfil your potential.

Why study a Computer Science degree at Kent

• We lead cutting-edge research in cyber security, artificial intelligence and programming languages
• Our graduates have excellent career prospects. Recent graduates have gone to work at companies including BT, The Walt Disney Company, Microsoft, IBM and HSBC
• Choose to add a year in industry after the second year, giving you work experience, a salary and the possibility of a job with the same company after graduation
• Take advantage of the fantastic resources in ‘The Shed’, our creative makerspace
• This programme has full CITP and partial CEng accreditation from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
• Join ‘TinkerSoc’, a student-run society for those who enjoy making things

What you’ll study

You’re taught by experts in programming languages, data science, artificial intelligence and cyber security and learn to code in several languages, starting with the Java programming language, which is widely used in industry. 

Building on these programming skills, you learn the principles and techniques that underpin the algorithms and systems shaping our world today. These include artificial intelligence, computer security, network technology, software engineering, and human-computer interaction. Using your knowledge you develop software in small-scale exercises before completing a major software project. 

You can gain experience in teaching with our Computing in the Classroom module.

• Contact us or order a prospectus

Course structure

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules and provides details of the content of this course. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Teaching & Assessment

Teaching

We know that people learn in a variety of ways, so most modules consist of a mix of lectures, 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.

Teaching staff

Courses are taught by leading researchers who are experts in their fields. You'll have access to authors of widely-used textbooks and award-winning scientists.

Overall workload

Each stage comprises eight modules. Most modules run for a single 12-week term and have two lectures and one to two hours of classes, making 14 formal contact hours per week and eight hours of 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.

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. 

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. 

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

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 the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

Funding

Enquire or order a prospectus