Academic excellence for business and the professions

Computing at City: Your Options Explained

Dr. Cristina Gacek

Associate Dean For Education, Department of Computer Science

Academic excellence for business and the professions

Computer Science means programming

Our first years take an intensive programming course in the first two weeks.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa97oK3KfUc

Your Future IT Careers

• Skilled professionals are needed that can both understand and solve business problems with IT.– Modern organisations need IT to be effective.– IT is a people- and team- orientated profession.

• IT industry sells business services, not technology– shaping business demand, – designing and managing business processes

• Experience gained during your degree will help you gain employment.

City’s Unique Strengths

• Focus on Academic Excellence– In the top 5% of universities world-wide (THE)– One of the UK’s most financially secure universities

(no debt, over 6 months expenditure in reserves) – World-class research with industrial focus– Applications/places ratio twice the UK average

• Focus on the Professions– Distinctive, professional with strong industrial links– EC1V is the top postcode for Hi-Tech startups.– Vast majority of students enter graduate-level jobs– Sector-leading industry placements: SAP, banks, BT, etc

• London – Europe’s IT Capital

EC1V is the top postcode for Hi-Tech Startups

Benefits of Placements at City• In 2011 the average starting salary of our placement graduates was

£27,647. Average starting salaries, by discipline – source www.the

completeuniversityguide.co.uk (The average Computer Science starting salary was £22,311)

• In 2014 we offered over 500 places for 160 second year students (some placements are unique to City because of our links).

• In their final year, placement students outperform non-placement students by an average of nearly 10%

• For placement students, the most common degree classification is a 1st (48% of students);69% get a 2:1 or higher

• In 2013 100% of placement students in full-time work (6 months after graduation), secure a graduate level job.

UG Programme: Quick Overview

• Common first year (you decide degree later)

• Full recognition from the British Computer Society

• NEW: portfolio modules – professional development and chance to study for industry certifications.

• All our degrees offer– A specialisation in a particular area– Expertise in key computing areas– Knowledge that students elsewhere will not have– Flexibility and a wide range of electives– Placements happen between second and final year.

Our Computing Degrees

– BSc (Hons) Computer Science (G400)– BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Games Technology (G490)– BSc (Hons) Software Engineering (G600)– BSc (Hons) Business Computing Systems (G422)

• Software Engineering requires a placement.

Part 1: Common First Year

• Teaches you the basic computing skills– Programming in Java– Systems Architecture– Software Design– Mathematics for Computing– Databases– Algorithms– Business & Professional Development (portfolio)

Then you decide which degree to choose...

Part 2: Choose & Consolidate

• Modules – Professionalism & Personal Development (portfolio module)– Software Engineering– Networks & Operating Systems

• Computing Modules Include:– Data Structures & Algorithms, C++– Games Technology Module

• Business Computing Modules include:– HCI, Information Management, Business Processes

• Team Project - simulates a real world industrial project, includes project within specialism (e.g. Games Technology students do a Games Technology Team Project).

Part 3: Advanced Topics

• Modules on advanced topics that enhance your degree– Many research-based or reflect industry issues– Modules are unique to City’s staff and expertise

• More flexible delivery– Many modules are electives - you choose 4 of the 5

• Individual project– Project on a single topic with a focused supervisor – Do what most interests you - develop new products, work with a

client, or undertake research

Elective Modules

• Examples of the over 20 available– Software Agents and Data Mining– Electronic Commerce– Business Engineering with SAP Products– Requirements Engineering– Advanced Databases and IT Security– Advanced Human-Computer Interaction– Entrepreneurship in IT– Pervasive Computing

• Plus specialist modules from the other IT degrees

One Year Placements

• Placements between second and final year:– get paid! 15-26K p.a. for a typical IT placement– may get job offer for when you finish the course– get ideas for final year project & better marks.

• City has over 25 years experience of placements:– we help you get a placement; – we get your experience externally recognised; and– we look after you while you are there! – Over 500 placements available this year – including many exclusive to

City.

Improve your education and employability

The Professional Pathway

• You can earn while you learn at City!– Same course content and exams as full-time students.– Degree with pathway placement takes four years. Same as one

year placement students.– Part-time study from Year 2 or 3 - one day per week at City, for

45 weeks of the year (no summer vacation!).– Placement employment for up to 4 days per week.

This is unique to City!

Where Students Go…

What Students Do

Tomas – Games Programmer Monika – First line Support

What Students Do

Malak – Programmer & Data Analysis

Katherine - Systems Integration

Kunal - Technical Account Manager

What City Wants…

• Typical offers this year, for all degrees, are:– A-levels: ABB or 360 Tariff points excluding Key Skills.– Advanced Diploma considered as per Tariff– BTEC National: DDD– Mature/Overseas/Other: individual basis.– Maths, science, technology subjects preferred (at least one

offered).

• We usually do not interview – we would rather ensure that you are well informed about our

courses!

Academic excellence for business and the professions

Any Questions?

Come to our stand, or try:

http://www.city.ac.uk/department-computer-science

ugadmissions@city.ac.uk

020 7040 8406