Computer Science
Entry requirements
A level
112-120 points from 2 or 3 A levels, including an A level in a relevant subject.
112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 54-56, to include a Principal Subject in a relevant subject.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English and Mathematics/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English and Mathematics.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
29 points from the IB Diploma. 655/754 at Higher Level, with one relevant subject at Higher Level - 29 points from the IB Diploma. 664 at Higher Level, with one relevant subject at Higher Level.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H3,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3
To include a Higher Level in a relevant subject.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Must be in a relevant subject.
112-120 Tariff points, including an Advanced Higher in a relevant subject.
T Level
Acceptable T Level Subjects: T Level in Digital: Digital Production, Design and Development, T Level in Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning, T Level in Digital Business Services, T Level in Digital Support and Services, T Level in Science
UCAS Tariff
112-120 points from 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including an A level in a relevant subject.
112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 2 A levels one of which must be a relevant subject, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**This is a Connected Degree**
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.
**Overview**
Develop technology that will define the future.
On this BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree, you'll build a solid foundation of core computer science concepts – everything from program design, data structures and algorithms, networking and operating systems to cyber security.
Further strengthen your knowledge on an optional placement, following past students who've gained industry insight at global organisations like IBM and BAE Systems.
**BSc or MEng?**
The 3-year Bachelor's degree (BSc) and 4-year integrated Master's degree (MEng) share many of the same modules in years 1–3.
The MEng allows you to achieve a Master’s level degree with an extra year of undergraduate study, which can further enhance your career prospects. In the final year of your MEng, you'll study advanced topics and complete an interdisciplinary project to get practical experience in the field.
**Course highlights**
- Specialise in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, robotics, data mining, cryptography and the Internet of Things (IoT).
- Take part in fast-paced hackathons and visit companies with specialist computer science departments.
- Learn from experts researching artificial intelligence that could save lives and winning awards for prototype software to predict a Covid-19 diagnosis.
**Accreditation**
This course is accredited by the British Computer Society, partially meeting the educational requirement for CITP.
**Careers and opportunities**
More than 40,000 'open' roles advertised in April 2021 asked for related computer science skills and qualifications. And 90% of our graduates who are in work 15 months after they graduate are in highly skilled, professional-level occupations.
The skills you get on this course will set you up for a career implementing the latest computer science concepts in innovative global companies.
Our graduates have worked for companies such as:
- BAE Systems
- Aviva
- Capita
- NHS
- Penningtons Manches Cooper
- Honeywell / Trend Controls
- MASS
- DQ Global
- Servicenow
Roles you could go onto include:
- applications engineer
- data analyst
- systems analyst and developer
- information security analyst
- artificial intelligence and machine learning engineer
- research and development (R&D) scientist
You could also become a qualified teacher by taking the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) pathway – you'll save an extra year of study and get a £9,000 bursary.
**Placement year opportunities**
Taking an optional placement year gives you the experience you need to increase your chances of landing your perfect role after graduation. You could work in a paid role in a professional organisation or set up your own business, giving you the change to grow your professional network and enhance your CV.
We'll give you all the support you need to find a placement that prepares you for your career, and we'll continue to mentor you throughout your placement.
Modules
Year 1
Core modules this year include:
- Architecture and Operating Systems
- Core Computing Concepts
- Database Systems Development
- Networks
- Programming
Year 2
Core modules in this year include:
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Discrete Mathematics and Functional Programming
- Operating Systems and Internetworking
- Programming Applications and Programming Languages
- Software Engineering Theory and Practice
Optional modules in this year currently include:
- 3D Computer Graphics and Animation
- Big Data
- Computing Undergraduate Ambassador Scheme
- Data Analytics and Visualisation
- Ethical Hacking
- Modern Foreign Language
- Security and Cryptography
- Web Programming
Placement year (optional)
At the end of your second year, you have the option to take a placement year to get experience working in the field. We’ll help you find a placement that matches your workplace ambitions.
Previous students have secured placements at high-profile organisations, including: IBM, Airbus, and Veritas.
You’ll get mentoring and support to make sure you’re getting the most out of your placement year.
Year 3
Core modules in this year include:
- Distributed Systems and Security
- Individual Project (Engineering)
- Theoretical Computer Science
Optional modules in this year currently include:
- Advanced Networks
- Artificial Intelligence
- Business Analytics
- Complex Problem Solving
- Computer Science Teaching Placement
- Digital Enterprise and Innovation
- Graphics and Computer Vision
- Internet of Things
- IT and Internetworking Security
- Practical Data Analytics and Mining
- Robotics
- Security and Cryptography
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Assessment methods
How you're assessed
You’ll be assessed through:
- multiple choice tests
- in-class exercises
- written exams
- mini projects
- presentations
- written reports
- review articles
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
Year 1 students: 33% by written exams and 67% by coursework
Year 2 students: 58% by written exams, 3% by practical exams and 39% by coursework
Year 3 students: 22% by written exams and 78% by coursework
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Technology
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.
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
£27k
£31k
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.
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
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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):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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?
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