Computer Science MEng - 2024/5

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Digital Capabilities
The skills taught in this programme provide students with a solid grounding in the foundation theory of computer science and practical skills that will allow them to thrive in a world where digital skills are key. The first year covers the foundational theory and practical digital skills that are required as a computer scientist. An early grounding in programming, web applications and databases provides the knowledge to use computers to solve complex problems. Software Engineering demonstrates how a professional development approach can help a developer tackle larger, more complex problems. Students also present their work in the form of reports and presentations using appropriate applications. Later modules in the degree build on these skills to teach more advanced content such as the theory and practical application of artificial intelligence and securing digital systems. In year 4 the students further develop their digital capabilities by working collaboratively on a Multidisciplinary Design Project that involves communicating the design from the inception report to final oral and poster presentations.

Employability
This programme provides the foundational theory and practical skills that allow our students to work in a range of different industries such as tech or finance. Throughout this programme students work individually or in a group on solving complex problems with real-world grounding. Our modules use industry standard software as a base to teach the core computing science content in areas that have a huge industry demand such as AI, Distributed Systems and Security. Students are equipped with valuable technical skills such as software engineering, programming, and data analysis. They gain practical problem-solving skills with modules teaching students to take large scale problems and break them down into smaller parts that can be solved individually. In particular, our second year Software Engineering Project pitches students into a large-scale team project where they must work with other students to complete the project on time and engage with a project sponsor to ensure requirements are met. This project is designed to closely replicate the challenges they will face in an industry context. The final year professional project allows students to complete all aspects of a large-scale software project individually and can act as a portfolio piece when applying for jobs. Approximately 50% of our students go on the professional placement year which contributes to our strong graduate level employment figures. The advanced modules in year 4 provide in-depth knowledge and practical skills in key industry areas such as security, artificial intelligence and distributed systems. In the Multidisciplinary Design project, students get the experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team, on a complex design project specified by an industrial partner.

Global and Cultural Skills
Computer Science is a global language and the tools and languages used on this programme can be used internationally. Students learn about the BCS code of conduct and the importance of respect in teamwork. Students learn to work together in groups with other students from different backgrounds to solve a problem. This programme allows students to develop skills that will allow them to build applications with global reach and collaborate with their peers around the world.

Resourcefulness and Resilience
This programme requires practical problem-solving skills that teach a student how to reason about and solve new unseen problems starting with a problem scenario and designing and developing a complex and practical solution to the problem. A typical coursework will present a scenario (often in a real-world context) and ask students to develop a solution. This requires not just technical development skills but the planning and problems-solving skills needed to approach a large problem, break it down into smaller chunks and solve and integrate these chunks into a working solution. We encourage an open-ended approach to our practical work where possible; This encourages students to go beyond the taught material and deliver innovative solutions to large scale problems. Modules Such as Software Engineering Project teach students how to work in a group to plan and execute a self-proposed project. The third year Professional Project module requires students to use these skills to take an idea concept through to implementation and write a professional report detailing their work. The Multidisciplinary design project in the final year teaches students to work in multidisciplinary teams with students having different perspectives and skills to contribute towards a solution for a large scale project.

Sustainability
Computers are embedded within almost every industry including industries such as energy and agriculture to enhance sustainability. As part of Software Engineering Project, students are asked to work in teams to develop an application that provides societal benefit considering the UN Sustainability Goals. Many of the teams develop sustainable applications that monitor the environment or make lifestyle recommendations. The final year project is another opportunity for students to explore sustainable computing applications and gives them the opportunity to consider the ethics and impact on the world of their solution. The Multidisciplinary Design project gives students the chance to work towards a solution to a project where sustainability is embedded at the core.