Computer Science MSci/BSc (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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The Computer Science course at Coventry University covers the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to be successful in this fast-paced, ever-changing industrial sector.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

BSc:
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
MSci:
4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

G400 / I108

Start date

September 2024
January 2025 - condensed


Course overview

Whether you see your future self as an app developer, a systems administrator, or an information technology specialist, our Computer Science course equips you with the knowledge and skills you will need to help drive the digital revolution.

  • Master the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to develop software solutions that address demanding user expectations and complex customer requirements.
  • Explore fascinating fields, such as artificial intelligence, parallel programming, and data science, and learn how these areas continue to drive major change in the domain of computer science.
  • Gain industry-relevant experience as you apply real-world, software development practices within peer groups, preparing you for your career after graduation.
  • The January start for this course is condensed in Year 1. Please see the ‘How you’ll learn’ section below for more details.
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Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects

Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2023

Why you should study this course

  • Activity-led learning helps you consolidate what you’re taught through practical application of everything you’re covering in lectures.
  • Opportunity to spend a year on industrial placement2.
  • Strong professional skills focus.
  • Hybrid, online, and asynchronous learning to support students with different needs across a range of locations4.
  • If you choose to start this course in January you will study exactly the same course but over a slightly shorter timescale in Year 1. This is ideal if you missed the September start, want to transfer from a different university or course or just need a bit more time to prepare for life at university.

What you'll study

In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field. 

We want your degree to fit around you, so upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first-year courses

  • Computer Science with AI MSci/BSc (Hons)
  • Information Technology Management BSc (Hons)
  • Interactive Media and Web Technologies BSc (Hons)
  • Software Engineering BSc (Hons)

Modules

In Year two, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with artificial intelligence, theory of computation, advanced algorithms, amongst others.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

In year three, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with mobile application development, web API development, parallel and distributed programming, amongst others.

Modules

If you meet the criteria, you could choose to take an additional fourth-year master’s option, which will deepen your knowledge and expertise. The MSci year aims to consolidate and strengthen the skills you’ve developed over the course of your first three years of study. Building on your existing knowledge, you’ll explore a series of highly advanced subjects in the field of Computer Science which lie beyond the scope of undergraduate study, from Computer Vision to GPU programming, equipping you to undertake employment or postgraduate research at the leading edge of digital technology.

This year provides insight into more advanced topics in computer science and can act as a steppingstone to postgraduate research or further study.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

Our teaching is active, applied, social and inclusive. We work interactively to address your needs as an individual, and support you to maximise your outcomes.

Learning is facilitated through a variety of methods which can include:

  • Lectures and lectorials
  • Seminars
  • Interactive labs
  • Interactive workshops
  • Online activities
  • Groupwork

As a student, you may engage in both class and online activities and discussions. There will be a range of online materials, accessible at any time, through our online platform, currently Aula. You will participate in additional guided reading and self-directed study to reinforce the learning gained from timetabled sessions. Formative feedback will be used to prepare you for assessment and support your progress towards success at module, year, and ultimately degree levels.

If you choose to start this course in January it will be run as a condensed programme. You’ll start your course in January and finish your first year in August. Upon successful completion of Year 1, you will progress onto Year 2 in September and then continue to start subsequent years of your course in September, completing your degree at the same time as the September starters unless you opt to do a placement year.


Teaching contact hours

We understand that everyone learns differently, so each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which includes: 

  • On campus lectures, seminars and workshops 
  • Group work 
  • Self-directed learning 
  • Work placement opportunities.

If you would like more information, you can request information about teaching hours.

Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week, you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include:

  • Individual coursework
  • Group coursework
  • Exams
  • Tests
  • Essays
  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Projects
  • Vivas
  • Core assessments (these are pass / fail and can be attempted multiple times)

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.  


International experience opportunities

The degree offers a range of potential international experiences including:

  • COIL projects – online internationalised learning, working with university students based in other countries.
  • Fieldtrips – short trips of one or two weeks to visit other countries for cultural and learning experiences.
  • Study Abroad optional extra year – live and study abroad for a year between your second and final years. 

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, you may want to consider studying this course with an international foundation year. Upon successful completion our International Foundation Year - Computing will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to progress onto this undergraduate degree.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5 (BSc Hons)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student Full-time Part-time
International £19,850 per year Not available

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Optional international field trips: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Condensed course – January start date

If you choose to start this degree in January please make sure you check the Fees and Finance page for more information. Although starting this course in January does not prohibit you from being eligible for student finance, the way it is paid in your first year differs from those who start their course in September.

If you start the degree in January, your tuition fees will be paid in accordance with the university’s Tuition Fees, Refund and Withdrawal Terms and Conditions for January starters and for any further years of study, your fees will be paid in accordance with the terms for September starters.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

The School of Computing, Mathematics and Data Science is based in the Engineering and Computing Building, and the attached Beatrice Shilling Building. Both buildings are high-specification learning environments which benefit from extensive social learning facilities4, well-appointed laboratories, lecturing facilities and classrooms, facilitating our innovative teaching methods across a diverse suite of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Cisco Lab

Cisco Lab

The Cisco lab is used for working with general networking and towards accreditation by CISCO. Optional modules allow students to work in the lab to develop skills in preparation for the CISCO certification exam.

Virtual Laboratories

Virtual Laboratories

Provide a cutting edge virtualisation environment that can be used to create entire virtual networks, complete with services, users and even attackers. Students can access this environment from anywhere on or off campus.

Sigma Centre

Sigma Centre

An award-winning Mathematics Support Centre which provides a wide range of learning resources in mathematics and statistics. Students can make use of drop-in sessions or one-to-one appointments.


Careers and opportunities

The Computer Science degree is designed to equip you with the knowledge, technical skills, and professional skills for a career in the computing industry. On successful completion of the degree, you will be able to:

  • Program. You will create working solutions to a variety of computational and real world problems using an appropriate programming language (or languages) for the task.
  • Think computationally. You will be able to create, develop and evaluate algorithms, and measure and optimise algorithm complexity.
  • Develop software. You will develop a product from the initial stage of requirements all the way through development to its final stages of testing and evaluation.
  • Solve problems in a range of key application areas including web and app development, machine learning, data science and artificial intelligence. 
  • Work professionally. You will understand professional practice, both technical, and social, ethical and legal responsibilities. You will be equipped with a range of graduate level attributes including thinking critically, contributing confidently, communicating effectively, and collaborating collegiately.  

Computer Science is changing the world. Technologies produced by computer scientists now support and enhance all areas of our modern lives, from e-commerce, through social networking, to smart cities. Ongoing technological developments, innovations and breakthroughs depend crucially on skills in computer science. The Computer Science degree teaches these skills, and, equipped with them, you’ll be able to pursue your preferred career in the computing industry: software developer, web developer, mobile application developer, IT specialist, network analyst, data scientist and AI programmer are just some of the exciting opportunities that could be available.  

Where our graduates work

Successful graduates of this course have worked with a variety of companies ranging from start-ups through SMEs to large familiar names. Recently, these companies, and the roles taken have included:

  • Test Consultant at TSG-Consulting
  • Tech Grad – IBM
  • Technical Writer at Red Hat
  • Graduate IT Engineer at PPS
  • Technical Analyst at National Grid
  • Consultant at Swiss FTS
  • Digital Project Manager at Pfizer UK
  • Application Support Engineer at Motorola

Further study

The Computer Science degree includes an optional MSci year. Alternatively, the BSc (Hons) degree serves as a basis for a wide range of standalone masters degrees, both at Coventry University, nationally and internationally. It is also possible to take a PhD.

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.


How to apply


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