About the course
Course content
If your first degree is not in computing but you want to move into IT then our BCS accredited MSc in Computing is designed for you. Our course provides the basis for starting a career in computing and IT; teaching you the fundamentals of programming, hardware, networks and software engineering.
The course will enable you to develop a sound knowledge of computer software development for a range of problem areas, such as interactive websites, stand-alone applications and network systems. Because of its emphasis on software system construction and management, and data organisation, the qualification is applicable to a wide variety of fields concerned with using computers, as well as directly to the computer industry itself.
Why choose this course?
This programme is rooted in real-world and industry-relevant experiences. Lecturing staff have extensive experience in research and university teaching, as well as a wide range of previous industrial and commercial backgrounds. You will have the opportunity to put the skills you have gained into practice if you choose to undertake our 1 year optional placement.
You will be joining a department with a diverse and truly international postgraduate community. The universal nature of the technical skills developed in our programmes means our courses are of equal relevance to both new graduates and those with many years of industrial experience.
Professional accreditation
BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. The MSc in Computing is accredited as partially meeting the requirements for CITP and have been awarded the EQANIE (European Quality Assurance Network for Informatics Education) label.
This course in detail
The MSc in Computing has a modular course unit design providing you with maximum flexibility and choice. To qualify for a master’s degree, you must pass modules amounting to 180 credits. This comprises six taught modules (20 credits each) plus your dissertation (60 credits).
The MSc in Computing with placement enables you to work in industry for a year in the middle of your course to give valuable workplace experience. Placements are not guaranteed, but the Department's dedicated placement team will help with the process of finding and applying for placements. To qualify for a Master’s degree with placement, you must pass modules amounting to 180 credits plus the zero credit placement module. This comprises six taught modules (20 credits each) plus your dissertation (60 credits).
The Postgraduate Diploma in Computing allows you to concentrate on the taught part of the degree and is ideal for people working in the computing industry who wish to brush up their skills. To qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma, you must pass modules amounting to 120 credits. This comprises six taught modules (20 credits each). In some cases, it may be possible for a student on a Postgraduate Diploma to do 3 taught modules (20 credits each) plus your dissertation (60 credits).
The Postgraduate Certificate in Computing allows you to concentrate on the taught part of the degree and is ideal for people working in the computing industry who wish to learn a specific area in this rapidly changing discipline. To qualify for a Postgraduate Certificate, you must pass modules amounting to 60 credits. This comprises three taught modules (20 credits each).
We also offer a Postgraduate Certificate Computing Research Project.
Part-time students normally distribute the work evenly over a two-year period.
Semester 1 - You can choose from the following modules:
-Research and Scholarship Methods (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)
-Object-Oriented Programming (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)
-Structured Data (compulsory for MSc)
Semester 2 - You can choose from the following modules:
-Computer Systems and Networks (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)
-Software Production (compulsory for MSc)
-Cyber security and the web (Compulsory for MSc)
As courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the list of taught modules you choose from may vary from the list here.
Students undertaking an MSc with placement will do a 1 year placement in industry. The placement will be undertaken after the taught component and before doing the dissertation.
Students studying for an MSc will also take:
-MSc Dissertation (completed over summer)
Careers and professional development
Our MSc students come from all over the world and graduate to follow careers in technical, business-related and creative roles, for example as developers, engineers, IT managers or web developers. Whatever their interest, our graduates tell us that the relevance of our courses and the skills they've learnt enable them to achieve their goals and build their careers.