The BSc and MEng Computer Science programmes provide you with a solid and practical introduction to the fundamentals of Computer Science, followed by opportunities to specialise in exciting research areas including Machine Learning, Human-Computer Interaction and Computational Neuroscience.
At Bristol, we teach you the practical skills that you will need for a successful career. Our curruiculum has a strong project-oriented focus:
Our degrees are accreded by BCS, the British Computing Society who are the professional body for computing in the United Kingdom.
The first two years are common to the BSc and MEng degrees. In these years, you learn the basics of programming in different approaches and languages, including Imperative Programming (C language), Functional Programming (Haskell language), Object-Oriented Programming (Java language) and Concurrent Programming (Go language).
You will also learn the foundations of algorithms and data structures, data science, programming language and compiler design, system administration on Linux, design and user testing, and computer architecture.
In your first year you will also take two mathematics units that teach you the mathematical skills you may need in your optional units in later years.
On the BSc, in third year you take two coursework options and three exam-based options in your first term, and in second term you complete a final project (dissertation) worth 2/3 of the term and a mini-project worth 1/3 of the term. You do not have any final exams at the end of your degree.
On the MEng, you take an advanced group software project in the second term instead of a dissertation. In fourth year, the structure is the same as for 3rd year BSc but you pick your units from a different menu of more advanced options.
Assessment at Bristol is a mix of coursework, written exams, vivas (oral exams) and class tests. On some units, you may submit work and then give a presentation or take an oral exam on the work you submitted.
Written exams take place in separate exam periods after each term. Coursework and class tests take place during term. Vivas are arranged separately for each unit and may take place during term or during the exam periods.
Your first year does not count towards your final degree classification. For the BSc, the degree weightings are 25% Year 2 and 75% Year 3, and for the MEng they are 10% Year 2, 40% Year 3 and 50% Year 4.