FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Q: Is the University or the Department of Computing part of the MSDN Academy or the Microsoft Academic Alliance
A: Yes, this means staff and students have access to certain Microsoft products that they can download onto their personal computers for home use. more information is available at: http://www.msdnaa.net/emea/, http://www.microsoft.com/uk/academia/software/default.mspx and see this PDF document on how the Department of Computing is using Microsoft products (all links open in a new window). - Q: Do I need to know any programming languages before I start?
A: No. Everyone learns programming 'from scratch' in the first year.
- Will I have to learn lots of programming languages?
A: No. Most modules throughout the course that involve much programming will use Java. You learn Java in the first year and build on that in the rest of the course. But we teach Java in a way that will let you transfer your skills to other languages easily. And if you are interested to learn other languages there are opportunities to do so later in the course.
- Q: Do I need to have A Level Maths?
A: No. We teach the relevant mathematical topics in the first year Formal Foundations module.
- Q: Will I need a computer of my own?
A: No. We have an extensive network of computers in the department, and you will have no problems getting the use of a computer when you need one. All our systems are fully networked so that you can use any computer to do your work.
- Q: Can I use my own computer?
A: Yes. You can access our network remotely from wherever you are living. If you are living in University accommodation this is free of charge using the internal phone system.
- Q: I can't decide which course to take.
A: All of the courses in the department (except Business Computing and Multimedia Computing) have a common first year. This means that you can easily transfer between courses at the end of the first year when you may have more idea of what particularly interests you and which direction you want to follow. In the second and third years a wide range of projects and options allows you to 'flavour' the course with the things you are interested in.
- Q: I don't know if I want to do an industrial placement.
A: Currently about a third of students choose this option - it is a useful way to broaden your practical experience and to get some idea about the sort of career you might wish to follow, as well as earning some money! But if you are not sure, we recommend that you apply for the four year course and simply transfer to the three year version later if you find that you do not want to do an industrial placement.
- Q: Will I need to find my own job if I do an industrial placement?
A: In the second year we get lots of information from employers about possible placements. It's up to you to actually apply for and get the job, but we provide help and support, and we have designed the Key Skills module in year 1 to make sure that you have the skills you will need.
- Q: What sort of job can I get at the end of the course?
A: In the last two years graduates have joined companies across Britain and Europe as software developers, IT consultants, systems analysts, web designers, and network administrators. An accountant, a risk analyst and a few teachers demonstrate that you don't have to feel confined to the computing field. Our BCS accredited courses mean that you can be sure that you have the sort of experience that employers are looking for.
- Q: Are your courses recognised by professional bodies?
A: Our courses have been accredited by the British Computer Society. We have full exemption for Computer Science Computing and Information Systems Internet Computing Multimedia Computing Software Engineering and partial exemption for Business Computing. Our new courses will be submitted for accreditation in due course.