Computer Science
Entry requirements
A level
Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Mathematics. Specific subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking. Information: Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A Levels.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
To include Mathematics
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Nineteen points (7, 6, 6) from Higher Level subjects including Mathematics. We accept Maths Analysis & Approaches, and Maths Applications & Interpretation
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
To include Mathematics
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Must be accompanied by an A grade at A-level Mathematics (or equivalent).
Scottish Advanced Higher
To include Mathematics at grade A.
Scottish Higher
We will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. If an applicant has not been able to take 3 Advanced Highers, offers may be made with a combination of Advanced Highers and Highers, or on a number of Highers.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
This degree balances fundamental knowledge and practical application in order to provide you with both specialised and transferable skills that are greatly valued in the marketplace. The course emphasises from the start both programming and mathematical skills that allow in the later years engagement through your 'Individual Project' with cutting-edge research being done in the department.
**Year 1**
You will take five computer science modules, which cover programming, the characteristics of computers and computing systems, and the mathematical foundations of the subject. You will also be introduced to the concept and philosophy of computational thinking and explore cutting-edge technological applications of recent research. You will take an elective module, which may be from elsewhere within the Department, Faculty or University. Once you complete the first year you will have had a thorough introduction to the fundamentals of computer science and to the principles, practices and methodologies that make computer science unique as a scientific subject. You will also have had a glimpse at aspects of computer science research that have enabled major technological advances in society.
Compulsory modules:
Programming
Computational Thinking
Algorithms and Data Structures
Computer Systems
Mathematics for Computer Science.
**Year 2**
You will study six modules covering a core set of topics. One module Software Engineering (double module) involves a team software development project and enables you to usually work with external organisations and gain practical software development experience. Other compulsory topics include, for example, computer networks, parallel and distributed computing, concurrency, data structures, algorithms and complexity, image processing, different programming paradigms, systems programming, security, human-computer interaction, aspects of artificial intelligence, and computer graphics. The topics taken in the second year will prepare you with an excellent grounding in a wide range of fundamental subjects within computer science, ready for subsequent specialisation in your final third year.
**Year 3**
A key element of the third year is the individual project (which is a double module). This is undertaken under the direct supervision of a member of staff and gives you the opportunity to tackle a specific computing task in much greater depth than is possible for other modules. At the end of the project, you will write a technical paper describing your findings. You are given a considerable amount of choice as to the subject of your projects; indeed, you can suggest specific projects themselves. In addition, you will get to choose the four other modules that you undertake in your final year.
A range of modules is offered for example, previous modules have included: theoretical computer science, software and software systems, computing methodologies, applications and contemporary computer science . There is also the opportunity to follow specific modules offered such as a module involving the teaching of computer science in schools, giving an early taste of teaching computer science to those interested in pursuing it as a career or on other career pathways where a public understanding of science is required.
We review course structures and core content every year, and will publish finalised core requirements for 2020 entry from September 2019.
**Study Abroad**
Computer Science is an international discipline and living and working in another country is a valuable addition to your CV. We are part of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS and University Exchange programme, which encourages you to study for part of your course in a university worldwide. You can request to transfer onto the BSc Computer Science (with Year Abroad (G408) course at the beginning of your second year and will spend the third year studying at another EU or worldwide university, and then return to Durham for your final year.
Modules
https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/faculty.handbook/degrees/frameworks/g400.pdf
Year 1
You will take five computer science modules, which cover programming, the characteristics of computers and computing systems, and the mathematical foundations of the subject. You will also be introduced to the concept and philosophy of computational thinking and explore cutting-edge technological applications of recent research.
Once you complete the first year you will have had a thorough introduction to the fundamentals of computer science and to the principles, practices and methodologies that make computer science unique as a scientific subject. You will also have had a glimpse at aspects of computer science research that have enabled major technological advances in society.
Compulsory modules:
Programming
Computational Thinking
Algorithms and Data Structures
Computer Systems
Mathematics for Computer Science.
Year 2
You will study six modules covering a core set of topics. One module Software Engineering involves a team software development project and enables you to usually work with external organisations and gain practical software development experience.
Other compulsory topics include, for example, aspects of artificial intelligence including bias, machine learning, data science, cybersecurity, computer networks, parallel and distributed computing, concurrency, data structures, algorithms and complexity, image processing, different programming paradigms, systems programming, security, human-computer interaction and computer graphics.
The topics taken in the second year will prepare you with an excellent grounding in a wide range of fundamental subjects within computer science, ready for subsequent specialisation in your final third year. By the end of the second year, you should be in a position to make informed judgments as to which particular aspects of the subject you might wish to focus on.
Compulsory modules:
Networks and Systems
Programming Paradigms
Software Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Data Science
Theory of Computation.
Year 3
A key element of the third year is the individual project (which you spend one-third of your time on). This is undertaken under the direct supervision of a member of staff and gives you the opportunity to tackle a specific computing task in much greater depth than is possible for other modules. At the end of the project, you will write a technical paper describing your findings. You are given a considerable amount of choice as to the subject of your projects; indeed, you can suggest specific projects themselves. In addition, you will get to choose the other modules that you undertake in your final year.
A range of modules is offered (many reflecting current research interests of staff) for example, previous modules have included: scientific computing, virtual reality, codes and cryptography, computer vision, deep learning, recommender systems, game development, computational modelling, computational complexity, game theory, bioinformatics, and advanced algorithms.
There is also the opportunity to follow a specific module involving the teaching of computer science in schools, giving an early taste of teaching computer science to those interested in pursuing it as a career or on other career pathways where a public understanding of science is required.
We review course structure and core content (in light of e.g. external and student feedback) every year, and will publish finalised core requirements for 2021 entry from September 2020.
Please note that the list of optional modules available in any year will vary depending on available teaching staff. The lists above provide an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Collingwood College
St Chad's College
Josephine Butler College
St Cuthbert's Society
St John's College
St Mary's College
College of St Hild and St Bede
Van Mildert College
John Snow College
Stephenson College
Trevelyan College
No college preference
University College
Grey College
Hatfield College
St Aidan's College
South College
School of Engineering and Computer Sciences
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
Computing
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£32k
£34k
£38k
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 information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
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?
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