g400 - Comp Sci BSc
Computer Science BSc Honours
UCAS Code: G400 (full time: 3 Years)
Course Overview
This wide-ranging degree equips you with a deep understanding across a variety of computer science topics.
At a Glance
UCAS Code
G400
UCAS Institution Name and Code
NEWC, N21
Degree Awarded
BSc Honours
Course Duration
3 Years
Entry Requirements
A Level: AAB
IB: 34-35 points
Opportunities
You can explore all of our computing specialisms in your first two years and see where your interests lie. During this time you will cover different aspects of computing science, such as:
- games design
- bioinformatics
- security
You then continue with a broad spectrum of of specialist topics, choosing from a diverse range of optional modules. This means you will graduate with breadth and depth of knowledge.
Quality and ranking
- top 20 in the UK (Computer Science Category) - Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020
- 9th overall in the UK for research – Research Excellence Framework 2014
Professional accreditation*
We seek British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation for our degrees so you can be assured that you will graduate with a degree that meets the standard set by the IT industry.
BCS is the Chartered Institute for IT. Studying a BCS-accredited degree provides the foundation for a chartered IT professional, engineer or scientist.
*All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.
Flexible degree structure
You might not be sure which area of computing science you want to specialise in yet. Don't worry. At Newcastle, all Computing Science students study the same modules for the first two years, before specialising in the later years.
This gives you time to explore the subject and decide which area you want to specialise in. It also means you can transfer between our degrees up to the end of second year (although transfer from a BSc to an MComp is dependent on your academic performance).
Our MComp degrees involve an additional year of advanced study during which you follow Master's-level modules from one of our MSc programmes. This provides you with a deeper level of knowledge that some employers will look for when recruiting.
If you are unsure whether to apply for a BSc or an MComp, please contact us for more information.
Industry links
We have strong links with a number of organisations within the industry. Various parts of our degrees attract prizes awarded by major companies.
Local businesses approach the School to advertise small, part-time or voluntary work opportunities, giving you the chance to gain valuable work experience.
Careers Service Placement Year
On completion of Stage 2 and before entering Stage 3, you may as part of your studies for the degree, spend a year in a placement with an approved organisation. If you are required to re‐sit your Stage 2 assessment, you must delay the start of your placement until you have done so. Students who fail Stage 2 may not complete a placement year.
Facilities and support
You will be part of the School of Computing, based in the Urban Sciences Building on our Newcastle Helix area of campus.
Facilities
Our brand new £58m building offers great facilities for our students, including:
- cyber physical systems laboratory
- decision theatre for data visualisation
- flat floor teaching facilities
- 315 PCs with a Raspberry Pi3 on every desk
The building and its surrounding area will become a living laboratory, underpinning research to make urban centres more sustainable for future generations. Research at Newcastle Helix will focus on:
- cyber physical systems
- infrastructure
- smart grids
- future of our city
- big data
Support
You'll be supported by a personal tutor throughout your degree – an academic member of staff who can help with academic and personal issues.
You'll also have access to a peer mentor in your first year – a fellow student who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have.
Social activities
Our student-led Computing Society offers a range of activities throughout the year to help you meet people on your course. Activities range from coding and gaming nights to events with key speakers from industry.
Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS)
Do you want to become a technical officer in the Royal Navy, British Army, RAF or Defence Engineering and Science Group when you graduate?
This degree is approved by the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS).
DTUS is a sponsorship programme for students interested in a scientific, engineering or technical career in the armed forces or the Ministry of Defence.
Find out more on our Armed Forces page.
Alex, Computer Science BSc HonoursThe lecturers are passionate about their specialist areas, making the whole university experience thought-provoking and interesting.
Modules for 2019 entry
Please note
The module and/or programme information below is for 2019 entry. Our teaching is informed by research and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers of students interested (in an optional module). To find out more read our terms and conditions.
Module/programme information for 2020 entry will be published here as soon as it is available (end of May 2020).
Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts for an academic year and you need to complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Further information, including the credit value of the module, is available in each of the module descriptions below.
Stage 1
Compulsory modules
- CSC1032 Computer Systems Design and Architectures
- CSC1033 Information Storage and Retrieval
- CSC1034 Programming Portfolio 1
- CSC1035 Programming Portfolio 2
Stage 2
Compulsory modules
Work Placement Year
On completion of Stage 2 and before entering Stage 3, you may as part of your studies for the degree, spend a year in a placement with an approved organisation. If you are required to re‐sit your Stage 2 assessment, you must delay the start of your placement until you have done so. Students who fail Stage 2 may not complete a placement year.
Stage 3
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You choose 60 credits from the following:
- CSC3131 Building Systems for People
- CSC3231 Graphics for Games
- CSC3232 Gaming Technologies and Simulations
- CSC3331 Real Time and Cyber-Physical Systems
- CSC3332 Programming Language Design and Verification
- CSC3333 Understanding Concurrency
- CSC3431 Introduction to BioDesign and Natural Computing
- CSC3432 Biomedical Data Analytics
- CSC3631 Cryptography
- CSC3632 System and Network Security
- CSC3633 Reliability and Fault Tolerance
- CSC3731 Human Computer Interaction: Interaction Design
- CSC3732 Human Computer Interaction: Applied Innovation
- CSC3831 Data Exploration
- CSC3832 Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning
You may not select more than two 10 credit modules. You may take modules from other Schools to a value of 20 credits, subject to the approval of the Degree Programme Director.
All candidates are considered on an individual basis.
If your qualifications are not listed here, please see our additional entry requirements web pages to find out which other qualifications are considered.
The entrance requirements below apply to 2020 entry.
Careers
Computer Science careers
In the present job market, computing science graduates are better placed than many others to obtain employment in a challenging and fulfilling career, and the employability of Newcastle graduates is particularly high.
Computing manufacturers and software houses, for example, recruit specialists to develop software solutions. Organisations that use computers on a large scale – such as banks, insurance companies, the electronics industry, central and local government, and management in all areas of business – also offer employment opportunities to graduates with computing skills.
Find out more about the career options for Computer Science from Prospects: The UK's Official Careers Website.
What our graduates go on to do: employment and further study choices
See what our recent graduates went on to do and view graduate destinations statistics. These statistics are based on what graduates were doing on a specific date, approximately six months after graduation. Take a look at the most recent data available for our graduates.
The destination data is available in varying levels, beginning with the University and moving through Faculty and School down to individual course reports. This final level may give you some useful ideas about possible options after your course or a course you are considering.
Careers and employability at Newcastle
Newcastle University consistently has one of the best records for graduate employment in the UK.
96% of our 2017 UK-domiciled UG/PG graduates progressed to employment or further study within six months of graduating.
85.5% of our graduates are in graduate level employment or further study within six months of graduating.
We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through an initiative called ncl+. This enables you to develop personal, employability and enterprise skills and to give you the edge in the employment market after you graduate.
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers.
Applying to Newcastle University through UCAS
To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
UCAS codes for Newcastle University
- institution name - NEWC
- institution code - N21
UCAS buzzword
Ask your teacher or adviser from your school or college for the UCAS buzzword. You need the buzzword when you register on the Apply system. This makes it clear which school or college you are applying from.
All UK schools and colleges and a small number of EU and international establishments are registered with UCAS.
If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.
Making your application
On the UCAS website you can also find out more about:
- application deadlines and other important dates
- offers and tracking your application
Application decisions and enquiries
Find out more about our admissions process and who to contact if you need help with your application.