This exciting programme offers a solid base of computing skills, enabling graduates to pursue a wide range of careers spanning programmer to systems analyst, software developer to computer scientist. You have the opportunity to put your skills into practice on a paid year in industry placement.
Our Computing degrees give you the skills you need for the practical application of computing to areas typically found in industry. These include e-commerce, information systems, and computer consultancy. This degree looks at computer science and its application to real world computer and information systems.
Our programmes are taught by leading researchers who are experts in their fields.
All of our programmes have a similar structure, and are divided into three stages.
In your first year, you are introduced to programming, web and databases. You begin with the fundamentals of programming (object-oriented and web) and a grounding in software engineering, then master the principles of database systems, networking, parallel programming and artificial intelligence.
In your second year, you develop your computing skills and extend to advanced technologies. You then have the opportunity to apply your learning in a paid role during your year in industry.
During the final year, you apply these concepts to specialised fields such as cryptography, e-commerce, signal analysis, e-health, semantic web, consultancy and data mining.
Our module topics suit many career paths, and our general principle is to equip you to effectively apply computing concepts to solve real-world problems.
Kent student Anamika talks about her course
Your year in industry takes place between your second and final year, giving you invaluable work experience. You earn a salary and there may be the possibility of a job with the same company after graduation.
We have a dedicated Placement Team to guide you through the whole process and support you on your placement. The School has strong links with industry in Kent, nationally and internationally.
In previous years, students have worked in a range of large and small organisations including well-known names such as:
It is possible to take this degree as a three-year programme, without a year in industry. For details, see Computing.
Apart from core learning towards your degree, we provide access to a wealth of other activities such as entrepreneurship (including business start-up opportunities), community engagement, public lectures, participation in short research projects and assistance in obtaining summer placements.
The School of Computing also hosts events that you are welcome to attend. These include our successful seminar programme where guest speakers from academia and industry discuss current developments in the field.
Our programmes are informed by a stakeholder panel of industry experts who give feedback on the skills that employers require from a modern workforce.
Our two dedicated placement co-ordinators help students obtain and benefit from high-quality work placements. Previous year in industry participants have worked with leading companies such as BAE Systems, Citigroup and The Walt Disney Company. Many return to their final year with the security of an employment offer – testament to the high esteem in which our graduates are held by industry.
We also have a dedicated Employability Coordinator who is the first point of contact for students and employers.
*The University of Kent's Statement of Findings can be found here
Please also see our general entry requirements.
ABB-BBC
Mathematics grade 4/C
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.
Distinction, Distinction, Merit - Distinction, Merit, Merit
34 points overall or 15 points at HL including HL or SL Maths at 4 or SL Maths Studies at 5
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 50% overall average and 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics (irrespective of whether GCSE Maths or equivalent has been obtained in pre-foundation studies).
International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
Duration: 4 years full-time
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
All modules listed at Stages 1 and 2 are compulsory.
You take the following compulsory modules:
CO320 - Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
CO322 - Foundations of Computing 1
CO328 - Human Computer Interaction
CO520 - Further Object-Oriented Programming
CO337 - Computers and the Cloud
CO383 - Problem Solving with Algorithms
CO325 - Foundations of Computing II
You take the following compulsory modules:
CO528 - Introduction to Intelligent Systems
CO518 - Algorithms, Correctness and Efficiency
CO558 - Introduction to Cyber Security
You spend a year working in an industrial or commercial environment between Stages 2 and 3. Our students go to a wide range of companies, including:
They have also been to overseas employers in locations including Amsterdam, Hong Kong and the US.
The year in industry forms an integral part of your degree and constitutes 10% of your final grade. Assessment comprises an employer evaluation, a reflective report and a logbook/portfolio.
Although it is your responsibility to find a suitable placement, the School of Computing’s dedicated Placement Team will help to identify suitable opportunities, assist with your application and prepare you for interviews.
To automatically progress onto the year in industry, you must pass Stage 2 at the first attempt. If you fail, you must pass the first resit opportunity in the August of the same year. Students who do not obtain a work placement will have their registration changed to the equivalent three-year programme without a year in industry.
You choose one of the following:
You also have a wide range of optional modules. These may include:
CO634 - Computer Security and Cryptography
CO636 - Cognitive Neural Networks
CO645 - IT Consultancy Practice 2*
CO656 - Computational Intelligence for Business, Economics and Finance
CO659 - Computational Creativity
CO662 - Signal Analysis for Computing
CB729 - Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
CB742 - Creating Your Own Enterprise
*participation is subject to interview.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarshipsKent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
Within the School of Computing are authors of widely used textbooks, a National Teaching Fellow and Association of Computer Machinery (ACM) Award-winning scientists. Programmes are taught by leading researchers who are experts in their fields.
Teaching is based on lectures, with practical classes and seminars, but we are also introducing more innovative ways of teaching, such as virtual learning environments and work-based tuition. Work includes group projects, case studies and computer simulations, with a large-scale project of your own choice in the final year.
Each stage comprises eight modules. Most modules run for a single 12-week term. Each module has two lectures and one to two hours of classes, making 14 formal contact hours per week and eight hours of 'homework club' drop-in sessions each term.
We provide excellent support for you throughout your time at Kent. This includes access to web-based information systems, podcasts and web forums for students who can benefit from extra help. We use innovative teaching methodologies, including BlueJ and LEGO© Mindstorms for teaching Java programming.
Our staff have written internationally acclaimed textbooks for learning programming, which have been translated into eight languages and are used worldwide. A member of staff has received the SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education. The award is made by ACM, the world's largest educational and scientific computing society.
Assessment is by a combination of coursework and end-of-year examination and details are shown in the module outlines on the web. Project modules are assessed wholly by coursework.
The marks from stage one do not go towards your final degree grade, but you must pass to continue to stage two. You must pass stage two to go on your year in industry.
The year in industry forms an integral part of your degree and constitutes 10% of your final grade. Assessment comprises an employer evaluation, a reflective report and a logbook/portfolio.
Most stage two modules are assessed by coursework and end-of-year examination. Marks from stage two count towards your degree result.
Most stage three modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and end-of-year examination. Projects are assessed by your contribution to the final project, the final report, and oral presentation and viva examination. Marks from stage three count towards your degree result.
In stage three your project counts for 25% of the year's marks.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
The programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You gain intellectual skills in:
You gain subject-specific skills in:
You gain transferable skills in:
Computer Science at Kent (which includes all programmes offered by the School of Computing) scored 90% overall in The Complete University Guide 2021.
For graduate prospects, Computer Science at Kent was ranked 15th out of 110 in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Computer Science at Kent was ranked 8th for research intensity in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Graduates who have both IT knowledge and business skills can expect excellent career prospects. Our graduates have gone on to work in:
Recent graduates have gone on to develop successful careers at leading companies such as:
The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can give you advice on how to:
The School has a dedicated Employability Coordinator who is a useful contact for all student employability queries.
To help you appeal to employers, you learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:
You can also gain extra skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
This degree has full Chartered IT Professional (CITP) accreditation from the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.
T: +44 (0)1227 768896
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
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