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Computing with Foundation Year

Entry requirements


UCAS Tariff

32-56

A typical offer will require a UCAS Tariff score between 32 - 56. Every application is considered on an individual basis. For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our General Entry Requirements pages.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Computer science

From analysis and design, through to database theory, networking, object-orientated programming, mobile computing and web-development, this specialism offers a strong understanding of current computing applications, design and development.

You'll learn about all crucial aspects of computer system and software development including analysis, design, development, testing and maintenance. You'll study a full-range of system development skills, including maintenance and quality assurance.

The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.

**Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?**
Learn the latest industry knowledge alongside working with industry professionals to gain invaluable practical experience whilst building your network base. Studying our programme allows you to learn fundamental vocational skills such as analysis and design, programming and testing, networking and security, software engineering and databases.

We are a student focused and employer-led university which means that you are at the forefront of all that we do. We provide you with a thorough understanding in computing and systems, web development and programming and our modules are designed to reflect the latest issues in the constantly changing area of computing to ensure you graduate ready for employment or further postgraduate study.

Not only will you be learning vital information, you will be learning from innovative, forward-thinking and highly motivated expert lecturers. Our lecturers have close industrial links and all work together to ensure that you have the best possible enriched and stimulating learning environment.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in both your first and second year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

**What will I study?**
From analysis and design, through to database theory, networking, object-orientated programming, mobile computing and web-development, this pathway offers a strong understanding of current computing applications, design and development. You'll learn about all crucial aspects of computer system and software development including analysis, design, development, testing and maintenance. You'll study a full-range of system development skills, including maintenance and quality assurance.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to extend your knowledge in programming and database management. This hands-on course will see you master the art of Java, C# and C++. You’ll cover the full systems implementation cycle, using industry standard tools and techniques including CASE. You’ll learn alternative architectures for emerging cloud-based technologies. You will also study modules on developing and deploying secure and mobile-ready web applications with backend databases. This will help prepare you for both generic ‘computing’ job markets and more specialised areas that require mobile web-based services.

In year one you will work on developing a range of knowledge and skills to provide you with a solid foundation of the fundamentals of computing. You will look at a range of topics from computer architectures to networking (Cisco), application programming to web development, and user experience to digital technologies. You will also develop technical competency in user-interface and location-sensitive frameworks, industry-standards for secure and robust software engineering, database development, network operation, mobile systems, and information and network security.

Modules

**Foundation Year**
Inquiry and Research Skills
Preparing for Success Knowledge and Creativity
Preparing for Success Self-development and Responsibility
Digital Media
Computing Essentials

**Year one**
**Core Modules**
Programming Concepts
Computer Architecture
Networks
Web Development
Computational Fundamentals

**Opportunity Modules**
2 x 10 credit year one Opportunity modules

**Year two**
**Core Modules**
Algorithms and Data Structures
Object Orientated Design and Development
Research Methods

**Optional Modules**
Mobile Systems
Network Systems
Data Essentials

**Year three**
**Core Modules**
Digital Innovation
Extended Independent work

**Optional Modules**
Software Testing and QA
Design Patterns
Advanced Data Technologies
Cloud Computing
Advanced Mobile
Knowledge-Based Systems in Artificial Intelligence
Learning Machines & Intelligent Agents

Assessment methods

We have a strong computing department at the University, with a dedicated team of academics and professionals delivering industry-relevant courses in a suite of well-equipped computer labs. Our lecturers work closely with industry through partnerships or by helping web development and related industries with research, consultancy, technical and managerial inputs. These relationships provide a professional edge to our teaching. They are also a useful source of internship and industry-brief opportunities for our students.

You’ll benefit from small class sizes that give you a chance to develop close working relationships with the tutors and other students. You’ll be taught through a combination of formal lectures, tutorials, practical lab sessions, and seminars. You will also benefit from guest speakers and valuable networking opportunities.

Course assignments reflect real-life problems because we believe that’s the best way to learn – and it’s more fun! Over the years of your course you will be assessed and graded in a multitude of ways to allow you to develop and expand on your abilities and skills. Assessments for the various modules will mostly take the form of practical coursework, lab tests, shorter written exercises and written exams. However, the main focus will be on testing the practical application of the various concepts and techniques being conveyed.

We also encourage you to gain work experience whilst studying and actively look for clients for your project work, which provide you with the opportunity to develop your skills in a work-base setting.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£15,000
per year
International
£15,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.bucks.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/financial-support-bursaries-and-scholarships

The Uni


Course location:

Buckinghamshire New University

Department:

School of Creative And Digital Industries

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

75%
Computer science

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer science

Teaching and learning

75%
Staff make the subject interesting
75%
Staff are good at explaining things
85%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

71%
Library resources
53%
IT resources
68%
Course specific equipment and facilities
65%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

59%
UK students
41%
International students
80%
Male students
20%
Female students
60%
2:1 or above
30%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
D
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer science

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
low
Average annual salary
83%
low
Employed or in further education
60%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

33%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
15%
Information technology technicians
13%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. The subject is linked to important and growing computing industries, and over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Computer science

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£21k

£21k

£26k

£26k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here