Computer Science MEng, BSc

Course overview

Computer science is a dynamic and fast-moving area of study which opens opportunities in many different industrial sectors. Developments in computer science are radically changing the way that we interact with each other, process data and make decisions.

Successful computer scientists are not only skilled programmers, but they are also highly creative thinkers and problem-solvers who are adept at handling complex information. From commerce to healthcare, AgriTech to government – computing touches every industry, everywhere. That’s why computer scientists are often at the forefront of new technological developments, creating the solutions of tomorrow.

Studying computer science at Leeds will equip you with the core technical and problem-solving skills to tackle current and emerging challenges in this fast-changing field. Alongside technical skills such as algorithm design, problem solving and practical programming, you'll develop a raft of vital workplace skills such as collaborative working and project management. You'll also be taught in our purpose-built hub for students and academics – the Sir William Henry Bragg Building – which is home to world-leading research and specialist teaching facilities right here on campus.

If you want to be challenged, to work in multidisciplinary teams, solve global and emerging challenges and have a portable and highly sought-after skill set then studying computer science is a great option. The topics you’ll study reflect the latest developments in computer science, equipping you with the key knowledge, skills and experience you need to begin your career in this highly valued profession.

Why study at Leeds:

• Our globally-renowned research feeds directly into your course, shaping your learning with the latest thinking in areas such as algorithms and complexity, artificial intelligence, computational science and engineering, biomedicine & health and distributed systems and services.
• Experience expert teaching delivered by a programme team made up of academics and researchers who specialise in a variety of computing areas.
• Access excellent facilities including two custom-built teaching laboratories containing high-specification Linux machines and a range of collaborative and quiet study spaces.
• Enhance your career prospects and give your CV that competitive edge before you graduate with our industrial work placement opportunities. Our close industry links have given previous students the chance to work at — and build professional relationships with — organisations such as Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.
• Gain invaluable life experience and advance your personal development with our exciting study abroad programmes, spanning across universities worldwide.
• Make the most of your time at Leeds by joining CompSoc, where you can meet like-minded peers and enjoy a variety of social, professional and academic events including Hackathons, community outreach and professional networking. CompSoc also host sports teams and academic support groups.

Accreditation

Accreditation is the assurance that a university course meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students.

The School of Computing at Leeds has a successful history of delivering courses accredited by the British Computing Society (BCS). This means our computer science courses have consistently met the quality standards set by the British Computer Society (BCS).

As we are reviewing our curriculum, we are currently seeking reaccreditation from the BCS for accreditation of full Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Course details

We are currently reviewing our curriculum as part of a university-wide process. As a result, we are unable to publish module information for this course at this time. The information below provides an overview of what you’ll study and our approach to teaching and assessment. We will update this page as soon as the changes are confirmed. Read more in our terms and conditions.

This content was last updated on 3 April 2023.

In this course, you'll develop industrially relevant skills which will aid you in a successful career of your choosing. You'll gain a fundamental understanding of computer hardware, software engineering and the underpinnings of mathematical principles. Alongside, you'll also have opportunities to develop critical thinking and creative skills that'll transfer into your career once you graduate.

You'll develop your commercial and industrial awareness by completing real-world problem-solving tasks, building up a portfolio of work to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in analysis, communication and teamwork to prospective employers.

Throughout this course, we work closely with you to develop personalised learning plans to ensure you are progressing towards the goal of becoming an outstanding computer science graduate ready to apply your skills.

This course will develop you into a well-rounded computer scientist with an awareness of the global challenges and opportunities available to you, ready for a challenging and rewarding career and equipped to continue learning to stay at the cutting edge of developments.

You'll study computing ethics as part of your course. This is taught using real-life case studies, with input from specialist ethicists as well as your tutors and lecturers. The team responsible for the ethics taught in computing has produced educational material used to stimulate debate in class about topics such as ethical hacking, open-source software and the use of personal data.

Each academic year, you'll take a total of 120 credits.

Years 1 and 2

You'll learn about the core topics in computer science and how they can be applied in a variety of real-world scenarios. You'll learn about programming and software engineering ensuring that you have a good grasp on contemporary programming languages and software engineering design principles. You'll also develop a good understanding of computer hardware, which is essential to being able to design software and algorithms.

Learn how to exploit hardware to your advantage to produce systems which meet customer requirements. In order to be able to justify that your software behaves as expected, with particular performance guarantees you'll learn about the theoretical foundations of computer science.

Through these topics, you'll develop into a holistic computer scientist capable of problem identification, solution design, consideration of impact, implementation and evaluation. You'll develop an understanding of sustainability in computing and appreciate how your professional behaviour can help to develop a more equitable future for all. You'll work collaboratively with your fellow students in group projects and will have an opportunity to share your knowledge and experiences with students in different years.

Throughout years 1 and 2, you'll study topics relevant to artificial intelligence, data science, computer graphics, robotics, algorithms and complexity and distributed systems.

Year 3

In your third year, you'll complete an individual project showcasing your accumulated skills and knowledge. You'll work with a member of academic staff to define, refine and complete a project related to your interests. You'll also study professionalism, innovation and enterprise ensuring you are well equipped to enter the workplace or continue your journey in education.

In year 3, you also have an opportunity to branch out and shape your learning journey by selecting from our advanced topics modules in subjects such as computer graphics, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, algorithms and complexity and distributed systems.

Year 4

In your fourth year, you’ll complete a group project. Working as part of a small team you will be paired with an academic to tackle a problem related to your interests and the School of Computing’s research expertise. You will also complete a research skills/seminar module where you will develop your skills to engage with cutting edge academic literature.

In year 4, you also have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the advanced topic modules you studied in year 3. You will be taught by our world-leading research academics and develop an appreciation for the tools and techniques that they apply as part of their research.

One-year optional work placement or study abroad

During your course, you’ll be given the opportunity to advance your skill set and experience further. You can apply to either undertake a one-year work placement or study abroad for a year, choosing from a selection of universities we’re in partnership with worldwide.

Learning and teaching

In the School of Computing, you'll be part of a large and welcoming learning community where academic staff and your fellow students work collaboratively together. Our expert academic staff bring a wealth of industrial and research experience meaning you'll have awareness of the forefront of developments when you graduate.

You'll be joining a diverse community of computer scientists from a range of backgrounds, where you'll be encouraged to share your experiences with and to learn from others in order to develop a university culture where our differences are our strengths. Our research feeds directly into our teaching, meaning you'll learn about the very latest developments in your subject while gaining the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of your graduate job.

To help you benefit from our expertise, you'll be engaged in a mix of lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical labs, complemented by online learning resources and project-based learning. This mix of activities will develop you into a flexible and agile learner, suitable for keeping up with the fast pace of development in graduate careers. The approach is inclusive by design, and you'll be supported to develop the skills to best benefit from each type of activity.

Our personal tutorial system will provide you with academic and pastoral support. You'll be assigned to an academic personal tutor who will mentor you throughout your studies at Leeds. Everyone will have a different set of experience, interests and motivations for studying the subject, and your personal tutor will help you to understand what these are and how you can best leverage your experiences to make the most of your time at Leeds.

Specialist facilities

You’ll study in the Sir William Henry Bragg Building which offers a wealth of facilities to support your learning. It has two custom-built teaching laboratories containing high-specification Linux machines – sufficient to complete all work asked of you on our programmes. In addition, the Sir William Henry Bragg Building houses our state-of-the-art research laboratories which are used by our internationally leading researchers and postgraduate students – and are available to students as part of their final year individual project.

There's also a number of social and collaborative study spaces which are available for you to use whenever the building is open. Whether you require a quiet place to work, or you thrive being in a busy stimulating environment there is a space suitable for you.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You'll be assessed using a variety of methods which are chosen to emulate real-life tasks or activities you are likely to encounter in a graduate career. This may include time-constrained assessments, laboratory practicals, reports, problem-solving worksheets, projects and presentations.

Where possible, assessment is designed to be contemporary with recent events and developments in computer science – making them interesting and relevant.

We use summative assessment, which contributes to your degree outcome, as well as formative assessment, which does not contribute to your degree outcome but provides an indication of performance. This combination allows you to become comfortable with the style of assessment and allows us to provide targeted additional support where it is required. Your work will be assessed by a member of academic staff who’ll provide feedback on what you did well, areas of improvement and stretch goals. This feedback may be in written or verbal form.

Our assessment approach is designed to be inclusive by default, however, we also make reasonable adjustments where required.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA including Mathematics or Computing. Grade B (6) or above in GCSE Mathematics is required if no Mathematics A-level is taken.

Where an A-level Science subject is taken, we require a pass in the practical science element, alongside the achievement of the A-Level at the stated grade.

Excludes A-level General Studies or Critical Thinking.

GCSE: English Language at grade C (4) or above. Grade B (6) or above in Mathematics is required if no Mathematics A-level is taken. We will accept Level 2 Functional Skills English in lieu of GCSE English.

Extended Project Qualification and International Project Qualification: Whilst we recognise the value of these qualifications and the effort and enthusiasm that applicants put into them, we do not currently include them as part of our offer-making. We do, however, encourage you to provide further information on your project in your personal statement.

Alternative qualification

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications or contact the School’s Undergraduate Admissions Team.

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.

Typical Access to Leeds A Level offer: ABB, including an A in Mathematics or Computing. Grade B (6) or above in GCSE Mathematics is required if no Mathematics A-level is taken.

If you do not have the formal qualifications for immediate entry to one of our degrees, you may be able to progress through a foundation year. We offer a Studies in Science with a Foundation Year BSc for students without a science background at A-level and an Interdisciplinary Science with Foundation Year BSc for applicants who meet specific widening participation criteria.

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each section.. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: £9,250 (per year)

International: £29,250 (per year)

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24 and 2024/25
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students are set by the UK Government and will remain capped at £9,250 for 2023/24 and 2024/25. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation only as a consequence of future changes in Government legislation and as permitted by law.

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24 and 2024/25
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 and 2024/25 are available on individual course pages.

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Applying

Apply to this course through UCAS. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

We may consider applications submitted after the deadline. Availability of courses in UCAS Extra will be detailed on UCAS at the appropriate stage in the cycle.

Admissions guidance

Read our admissions guidance about applying and writing your personal statement.

What happens after you’ve applied

You can keep up to date with the progress of your application through UCAS.

UCAS will notify you when we make a decision on your application. If you receive an offer, you can inform us of your decision to accept or decline your place through UCAS.

How long will it take to receive a decision

We typically receive a high number of applications to our courses. For applications submitted by the January UCAS deadline, UCAS asks universities to make decisions by mid-May at the latest.

Offer holder events

If you receive an offer from us, you’ll be invited to an offer holder event. This event is more in-depth than an open day. It gives you the chance to learn more about your course and get your questions answered by academic staff and students. Plus, you can explore our campus, facilities and accommodation.

International applicants

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students.

We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Read about visas, immigration and other information here.

If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024

This course is taught by

School of Computing

Contact us

School of Computing Undergraduate Admissions

Email: ugcomp@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Career opportunities

There’s a wealth of excellent job opportunities for graduate computer scientists – making it easy for you to choose your ideal career.

Our graduates are sought after for their technical knowledge, industrial and commercial awareness, independence and proactiveness. Plus, University of Leeds students are among the top 10 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2023, High Fliers Research.

From start-ups to international organisations and non-governmental organisations, the computing industry is always looking for computer science graduates to realise the next opportunity.

Our graduates find employment across a range of sectors including:

• Non-governmental organisations
• Government agencies
• Education
• Media
• Technology
• Consultancies
• Finance (& Finance Technologies)
• Public Authority
• Retail
• Research & Development

Careers support

Study abroad and work placements

Study abroad

Studying abroad is a unique opportunity to explore the world, whilst gaining invaluable skills and experience that could enhance your future employability and career prospects too.

From Europe to Asia, the USA to Australasia, we have many University partners worldwide you can apply to, spanning across some of the most popular destinations for students.

The University of Leeds and the South-West Jiaotong University have established a Joint School in Chengdu, China. There is an opportunity for you to complete a study abroad year at the Joint School in Chengdu without extending your duration of study.

This course offers you the chance to spend time abroad, usually as an extra academic year between years 2 and 3 which will extend your studies by 12 months.

Once you’ve successfully completed your year abroad, you'll be awarded the ‘international’ variant in your degree title which demonstrates your added experience to future employers.

Find out more at the Study Abroad website.

Work placements

A placement year is a great way to help you decide on a career path when you graduate. You’ll develop your skills and gain a real insight into working life in a particular company or sector. It will also help you to stand out in a competitive graduate jobs market and improve your chances of securing the career you want.

Benefits of a work placement year:

• 100+ organisations to choose from, both in the UK and overseas
• Build industry contacts within your chosen field
• Our close industry links mean you’ll be in direct contact with potential employers
• Advance your experience and skills by putting the course teachings into practice
• Gain invaluable insight into working as a professional in this industry
• Improve your employability

If you decide to undertake a placement year, this will extend your period of study by 12 months and, on successful completion, you will be awarded the ‘industrial’ variant in your degree title to demonstrate your added experience to future employers.

With the help and support of our dedicated Employability team, you can find the right placement to suit you and your future career goals.

Here are some examples of placements our students have recently completed:

• Arm
• HP inc UK
• GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development
• UK Research & Innovation
• Apple
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• PwC

Find out more about Industrial placements.

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