Computer Science with Foundation Year

Our BSc Computer Science will give you the knowledge and skills to develop your career in computing and software systems development. You will learn the theory and practice of software and how to succeed in a rapidly changing information technology environment. This course offers a balance between learning current skills, which are essential in today's marketplace, and a deep understanding of the fundamentals, which provide a solid basis for long-lasting professional success.

Why choose this course?

• This course will provide you with hands-on experience with industry-standard tools and techniques throughout the entire software development lifecycle.

• You will also work on real-world problems and develop an extensive final-year project allied to the software industry.

• It also offers you the chance to follow a Placement route designed to enhance your career prospects, build your professional networks and apply the knowledge and skills you have gained in a work context.

• Our world-class research activity informs our teaching and interactions with business, public and third-sector organisations.

What you will learn

You will study core topics like programming, algorithms, databases, information security and data structures. These foundational skills will equip you to solve complex problems, design software systems and analyse data.

How you will learn

Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes, while the Foundation Year is composed of group work, individual tutorial work and practical lab work. Many computing modules include laboratory-based exercises. All lectures are recorded and materials are made available online.

For the majority of the programming modules we adopt a 'flipped classroom' approach, where you watch short videos and undertake appropriate reading before the class, making this an active learning experience.

You can study this course full- or part-time. You can also choose your own timetable for the core/compulsory modules selecting whether to study them in the daytime or the evening. Please note that Foundation Year classes are available in the evening only.

Placement route

If you opt for the full-time Placement route on this course, it will give you the opportunity to develop your computer science skills in the workplace and apply learning from your degree in a professional setting to further increase your employability when you graduate.

Foundation Year

If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.

Highlights

• Our world-class research activity informs our teaching, and we provide a stimulating teaching and research environment for both part-time and full-time students.

• Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Computer Science and Informatics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

• Birkbeck established one of the first computing departments in the UK in 1957 and was a pioneer in database technologies, e-commerce and data science studies.

• We have modern computing laboratories, with a total of 133 workstations. The labs have projection facilities and are air-conditioned. Our wide range of software runs on a number of platforms including Unix, Windows and Linux. The local area network is a switched gigabit/10gigabit ethernet. Our computers are connected to the SuperJANET academic network.

Careers and employability

Our BSc Computer Science opens doors to a wide range of exciting careers in the tech industry. Some popular options include:

• software developer

• data analyst

• database developer

• cyber security analyst

• web developer

• games developer

• IT consultant.

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

A combination of examinations, coursework (test, essay, practical task, presentation) and project work.