Computer Science BSc

Understanding the potential of technology is key to modern life and our programmes are designed to address the latest business needs.

You’ll develop expertise in software development and the key applications of computing science through each year of the programme with particular emphasis on its use in industry and commerce.

You’ll be given a grounding in computer science early in your course, specialising and developing more advanced and unique expertise in later modules, for example computational intelligence, game development or computer animation.

What you’ll learn

You’ll learn how to run software projects, developing the skills to be a designer, programmer and project manager and understanding how to create usable and accessible software.

If you choose our four year programme, you’ll spend your third year in a paid professional placement of direct relevance to your studies. This placement will give you invaluable practical experience in a real work environment and further enhance your career prospects.

Our staff will help you find a suitable placement and support you during your year. Our current and recent placement employers include companies in the UK and abroad such as: IBM, 3M, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Intel, BT, Corus and TNT.

In your final year, you’ll undertake a project to enable you to further explore a particular subject. Your project could be based on a topic from an extensive list or you can suggest your own, perhaps based on your professional placement.

We provide opportunities to get involved in our student-run software development organisation, Beautiful Canoe (https://beautifulcanoe.com/), through the provision of a number of summer internships every year. There is also an Industry Club, open to everyone, which gives you opportunities to meet with employers and showcase your work, increasing your chance of securing that all-important graduate job or placement.

Modules

Year 1

•    Computer Systems
•    Internet Applications and Database Design
•    Mathematics for Computing Professionals
•    Object Oriented Programming
•    Business Aspects of Computing
•    Professional and Social Aspects of Computing

Year 2

•    Software Engineering 
•    Data Structures and Algorithms in Java 
•    Human Computer Interaction
•    Information Security
•    Programming Language Concepts
•    Introduction to Artificial Intelligence 
•    Team Project

Year 3

Find out more about the Aston placement year.

•    EPS Study Placement Year 
•    EPS Industrial Placement Year 
•    EPS Study/Work Placement Year 

Final Year 

Core modules:

•    Individual Project 
•    Software Project Management 

Select four of the following optional modules.
All optional modules are 15 credits, select 60 credits from the following options (with a maximum of 2 modules from section A):

Section A:

•    Operating Systems
•    Computer Graphics
•    Secure Network Services 

Section B:

•    System Administration
•    Interaction Design
•    Mobile Design and Development 
•    Computational Intelligence
•    Multi-Agent Systems
•    Advanced Database Systems and GIS
•    Techniques for Data Analysis (Data Mining)
•    Game Development
•    Image and Video Processing
•    Multimedia Information Retrieval
•    Computer Animation 
•    Enterprise Computing Strategies

Accreditation

Our Computer Science degrees are accredited for Chartered IT Professional (CITP), the British Computer Society's (BCS) Chartered qualification. On graduation, you’ll have the right to join the BCS - the principal organisation for IT professionals in the UK. 

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham, it’s also a great place to live. Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability and our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Choosing to start your Aston journey with one of our foundation programmes will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics and group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey.

We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes. 

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS.

Typical offers:

A Levels

BBB
BBC if grade B achieved in EPQ or Core Maths
BCC Contextual offer* 

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

IB

International Baccalaureate: 31 overall points and above, with 5, 5, 5 in Higher Level subjects.

BTEC

• Extended Diploma and National Extended Diploma: DDM
• National Diploma and Diploma: DM plus 1 A-level at minimum Grade B 
• Foundation or 90 credits Diploma: DM plus 2 A-level minimum grade B 
• National Extended Certificate or Subsidiary Diploma: M plus 2 A-level minimum Grade B
• Certificate/ National Certificate Level 3: Not accepted

Access & other

Access

Subject related Access with at least 30 Distinctions and 15 Merits at level 3.

Non-standard qualifications

Degree:

• Year 1 entry: We may consider applicants for year 1 entry who are undertaking a 1st year degree elsewhere. You must meet the GCSEs and A level (or equivalent) requirements as listed. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications and this must include an academic reference.
   
• Year 2 entry: Please note that second year transfers are not part of the standard admissions process and is up to the discretion of the admissions team and tutor. Applications are only considered if there is space on that year of the programme.
  
  Typically, applicants for second year entry must meet the GCSEs and A level (or equivalent) requirements as listed. Alongside this you must have gained (or be expected to gain) 65% overall and 120 credits  on an equivalent programme at another recognised university.
  
  The equivalency of the programme is reviewed by the Admissions Tutor and you will be required to provide an official copy of the programme specification of this. In order to be considered you will need to submit a UCAS application as we do not accept direct applications and this must include an academic reference.
   
• Year 3: We will not be able to consider any application for Year 3.

 

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and the whole application is reviewed which includes previous and predicted qualifications, any experience, references and motivation. 

T Levels 

The following T levels are accepted qualifications for this course:

Accounting Grade D

Agriculture, Land Management and Production Grade D

Animal Care and Management Grade D

Building Services Engineering for Construction Grade D

Catering Grade D

Craft and Design Grade D

Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing Grade D

Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction Grade D

 

Digital Business Services Grade D

Digital Production, Design and Development Grade D

Digital Support Services Grade D

Education and Childcare Grade D

Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control Grade D

Finance Grade D

Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty Therapy Grade D

Legal Services Grade D

Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing Grade D

Management and Administration Grade D

Media, Broadcast and Production Grade D

Onsite Construction Grade D

Health Grade D

Healthcare Science Grade D

Science Grade D

GCSEs

Additionally to our Level 3 requirement, you will also need to have achieved:

Maths and English Grade C/4 and above

Our Admissions Policy

View our Admissions Policy

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated above).

Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

International students

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements. For more information about qualifications view our Aston in your country webpage.

At Aston you will learn both theory and practical skills across a spectrum of industrially-relevant Computer Science sub-disciplines, including gaining in-depth experience with a range of programming languages. You will be supported at each stage by our team of lecturers, teaching assistants and programming support officers. We deliver our programmes using a blend of in-person and online teaching, with a strong emphasis on face-to-face teaching for interactive sessions.

Our teaching facilities provide students with access to a cloud based computing infrastructure allowing them to access university computing facilities from home.

To ensure you have the right equipment for your studies, we are pleased to be able to provide students starting in September 2023 with a brand new laptop which will be yours to keep and study with. 

Assessment: We employ a range of authentic assessment methods, including portfolio projects, presentations, courseworks, quizzes, and exams.  We coordinate deadlines to ensure you have a manageable workload.

We spoke to BSc Computer Science student Ebadur about his experience working with student-led software enterprise Beautiful Canoe and what advice he would give to future students.

More information

* The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as Home students. Further information can be found here. 

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our scholarships here.

Why study Computer Science at Aston?

If you’re interested in a computer-related career in industry or commerce, this course will give you the academic and practical skills and knowledge to carve out a successful career.  

What will I be doing on the Computer Science course at Aston?

You will gain the skills and knowledge you need in a range of ways - from lectures to lab exercises - as well as having opportunities to spend time in industry and explore a subject in greater depth through your final year project. 

Why should I take a year in industry?

The optional placement year is available with all our computing courses, giving you invaluable practical experience and enhancing your career prospects through a paid professional placement in the UK or abroad.  
We have excellent links with industry and will help to arrange this placement for you. 

Does accreditation matter?

Yes. Being a Chartered IT Professional means you meet the independent standard of competence and professionalism in the technology industry and can set yourself apart from others working in the sector. 

Why should international students choose Aston University?

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham it’s also a great place to live. 

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career.  

Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course.