Overview

Computing touches nearly everything people do, from the apps in their pockets to the networks and platforms that keep organisations running. The BSc (Hons) Computing course at Bournemouth University lets students explore the breadth of the field, including web, mobile and desktop applications, databases and a range of programming languages and frameworks, while learning to solve problems like a versatile IT professional. Students train in specialist laboratories with enterprise-grade hardware and virtualisation-ready infrastructure, including a Cyber Competency Centre funded by the Office for Students. Teaching is delivered by senior academics, qualified practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students, with regular guest lectures from industry. Cisco Network Academy membership gives students the chance to prepare for recognised networking certifications. The course has initial accreditation from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, pending full accreditation, and students can add a work placement to build professional experience. In the final year, students shape their studies through option units that match their interests and career ambitions. The course suits analytical, technical and creative students who enjoy building things with technology, and it leaves them ready for varied roles such as software engineer, web developer, IT analyst or network technician.

What You'll Learn

• Computer fundamentals, networking and virtualisation
• Mathematics for computing
• Programming and software development
• Data management and database design
• Modelling and reliable computing systems
• Big data engineering and analytics
• Software engineering and systems analysis and design
• Data structures and algorithms
• Technological innovations and software business
• Human computer interaction
• Systems development for enterprise applications
• Digital technology and its impact on society
• Individual project on a topic of your choice
• Optional study in deep learning, digital transformation, data visualisation and wide area networks

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will understand computing at several levels, from the fundamentals of hardware, networks and security to the engineering of large-scale data systems and enterprise applications, along with the technical, legal and social effects of digital technology. They will be able to design and query databases, write and test software in different languages, analyse and design systems, and apply data structures, algorithms and mathematical reasoning to real-world problems. Laboratory practice and team-based units build hands-on competence and the ability to use emerging technologies in practical solutions, while commercial awareness grows through the study of software business models and innovation. Students learn to consider the human factors in complex systems and to evaluate technology critically. The individual project asks them to identify a problem, then choose and implement a solution, and option units let them specialise in areas such as deep learning, data visualisation, digital transformation or large-scale networking.