Studying at Surrey and undertaking a Professional Training year has given me the knowledge, skills and experience to pursue a successful career. My time at Surrey has…given me a great start and I would recommend the University and the Department of Computing to anyone!
Do you want to be involved in working on exciting web development, phone applications or large-scale systems, or in identifying innovative business solutions? For anyone who wants to be at the cutting edge of technological science, a computing degree is a natural first step. With sophisticated computing skills, you can be at the forefront of innovation and opportunity.
The Computer Science programme aims to provide you with a balance of knowledge and skills to design and implement software and systems to a professional standard. It is designed to equip you for a career at the forefront of innovation in software technologies.
The best computing specialists understand the capabilities of the most powerful computers and how to harness them effectively to meet an enormously varied range of real-world situations. Our graduates, with their unique combination of computing, business and technical knowledge, are equipped to enjoy significant rewards in the world’s most exciting industry. Our Department has an excellent network of contacts within industry to ensure a smooth transition from the university environment into the real world.
The programme will give you a thorough understanding of the principles and concepts underpinning computing systems. This will both enable you to analyse and resolve issues with today’s software systems and provide a foundation on which to design the next generation of computational systems.
You will study modules that cover a wide range of topics including object-oriented programming, artificial intelligence, mobile computing and computational mathematics, using languages and tools such as Java, C++, Android, SQL, Python, MATLAB, assembler and specialist hardware such as Arduino microcontrollers. You will gain the necessary mathematical skills for analysing, validating and verifying these systems.
Year 1 offers a broad base, with much of the content common across the two programmes. By the end of Year 1, our aim is that you will have developed good practical skills and be proficient in the programming language Java, using industry-standard tools. You will have a broad base from which to build during subsequent levels. We will also develop your understanding of the foundations of computing and the design and analysis of computational systems. Developing professional awareness is incorporated from the beginning of your studies with the inclusion of lecturers from industry. You will also be introduced to topics specific to your specialist pathway. During Year 1, you will also participate in CV workshops and receive support in order to prepare for internships and placements.
Year 2 develops and deepens your understanding of the core areas and focuses in more detail on developing your specialist skills and knowledge, for example, in intelligent systems and web technologies. Many Year 2 modules will equip you with strong teamwork, communication and presentation skills. Employers see these personal development skills as giving you an added value in addition to your technical competence, and they will help give you a head start in the job market. These skills will be particularly useful should you choose to undertake a Professional Training year.
A Professional Training placement year with an employer is available as an integral part of our programmes and is organised and supported by the Department. We have placements at a wide range of companies, with roles covering a broad spectrum of computer-related activities. Companies that have participated in the scheme include IBM, Eli Lilly, Microsoft, Accenture, Nokia, BAE Systems Detica and Research In Motion.
At the end of the Professional Training placement, many students receive offers of employment from their placement employers for when they graduate.
During Year 3, you will undertake an individual project that contributes approximately one third of the marks for the year, together with a range of optional modules. The project gives you the freedom, and is your opportunity, to explore a topic of your choice in greater depth. It may build on an interest that was awakened during your Professional Training year or during another part of your degree programme. It is also your chance to get involved in some of the leading-edge research that we do in the Department.
An example of a final-year project that demonstrates the application of these techniques is one that developed a system for the detection of events in CCTV footage. The prototype implemented a computational intelligence engine to detect events in a scene. The prototype included the integration of complex sub-systems. These included segmentation, classification, tracking, event detection, persistent searchable storage and a web interface to allow an end user to search for events. The project achieved a successful outcome by combining the techniques and principles of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and pattern recognition and mathematical modelling.
Modules in Year 3 reflect recent advances in computer science and are influenced by the Department’s research interests. These are particularly intellectually stimulating for our students. Modules are continually kept up to date to meet emerging industrial challenges. During Year 3, students also have the opportunity to get involved in career preparation workshops.
Compulsory module:
Optional modules (choose five of the following):
Our degrees are accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), subject to revalidation. The BCS Professional Development Scheme is also an integral part of our Professional Training year. It counts towards the experience required for professional membership of the BCS.
The experience and skills gained on placement really do equip our students for success, and their enhanced job prospects can be seen in our outstanding employment record. Many students continue their collaboration with their placement employers by basing their final-year project on work related to their placement. This results in a project with a strong industrial focus that can demonstrate their ability to apply their academic knowledge to real-world problems.
The Professional Training year counts towards the experience required for professional membership of the British Computer Society (BCS).
Teaching styles vary, from large group lectures to small group tutorials, computing laboratories and drop-in sessions for programming. You benefit from an integrated range of learning methods, which includes tutorials, case studies, projects, coursework, and practical and discussion classes, including the use of interactive voting handsets.
Our modules incorporate lectures from industry, such as Accenture’s participation in Year 1 Professional Studies, and involvement from EDF Energy and Allianz in Managing Information Systems in Year 3. This helps you appreciate that what is being taught is also being used in industry and why it is relevant to industry and research.
In the early stages of the programmes, the methods of teaching and assessment aim to ensure the acquisition of techniques and relevant knowledge. This includes practice in finding information and deciding whether it is relevant or not. The methods adopted in Year 3 are influenced by the need to broaden and deepen the knowledge that you have gained at the earlier levels and to develop the higher order skills that you will need as a professional.
Year co-ordinators are available to help with any problems or questions concerning your degree programme, or personal matters, throughout your period of study at the University. They provide support to discuss your exam results, your options and any other academic advice you require.
You will be formally assessed through examinations and by coursework. Examinations take place at the end of each semester on the modules studied during that semester. The assessments we use are tailored to what is being taught. For example, we strongly believe that practical examinations are more appropriate for Java programming. To ensure that you are fully prepared for your assessments, we provide plenty of practice with diagnostic tests throughout Year 1. This helps you check that you are on the right lines and that you understand the material. This support is essential to develop your ability to learn.
Marks from Year 2 onwards count towards your final degree grade, forming the basis of your award. If you undertake a Professional Training placement, you will also be assessed on your performance during the professional stage of your degree. Your final-year project accounts for about one third of the marks for Year 3.
Computing skills are the foundation of numerous professional careers in many dynamic sectors, such as technology, business, finance, health and the games industry. Our programmes are designed to prepare you to work at the cutting edge of computing and its applications, and our graduates can take many routes into rewarding careers.
Employers are increasingly seeking people with a broad range of skills that encompass management and leadership, as well as technical ability. Our programmes produce graduates with this well-rounded skill set of strong academic knowledge and Professional Training.
Our students are highly regarded in many areas of business and industry. Information technology, the focus of one of our degrees, combines business and computation skills that are particularly in demand across the world. Computer Science and Computing and Information Technology graduates will be highly sought after for a wide range of roles, including within the software, consumer electronics, telecommunications and security industries.
Former Surrey students are now involved in all areas, from software development and building simulation systems to devising IT strategies and managing organisations. Recent employers include Eli Lilly, IBM, Microsoft, McLaren Cars, Accenture, BAE Systems Detica, The Foundry and Thomson Reuters. According to the latest graduate employment data, ninety per cent of our students are employed within six months following graduation.
Our combination of technology, industrial relevance and Professional Training means that our graduates are among the most employable of any university. Employers include:
Come to one of our Open Days, when you can tour the campus, speak to students and academic staff, see our student accommodation and ask as many questions as you like. In the meantime, order a personal prospectus – tailored to only include the subjects that interest you.
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
Computer Science: Mathematics, Computing or Physics A-level required.
Offers are normally made in terms of grades. Suitable candidates will be invited to an Applicant Day. During the visit to the University the candidate can find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill (or equivalent).
We offer intensive English language pre-sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
| Award | Course Length | Professional Training | UCAS code | KIS code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) | 3 years | G400 | View KIS data set | |
| BSc (Hons) | 4 years | G401 | View KIS data set |
We offer a range of bursaries, scholarships and other financial support.
See course information for students applying to start in September 2013.
Professional Training placement students talk about their experiences at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
Phone: +44 (0)1483 681 681
