BSc Computer Engineering

UCAS code: H611

Programme length: 3 years

Accreditation: British Computer Society

The course combines traditional computer science and electronic engineering principles with good practice in design and project management applied to technically demanding problems. At the end of the course you should be capable of applying these skills to problems requiring the integration of software and hardware. There is an emphasis on team and group work, and the production of quality written reports. Graduates will be well qualified to play a disciplined and innovative part in research and development across the IT and Electronics sector.

The course focuses on equipping you with the knowledge and skills needed to create advanced software using any programming language and to create sophisticated solutions to difficult technical problems.Your skills will then be applied to a range of practical disciplines, including computer networks, computer vision, digital circuit design, computer graphics, robotics, embedded microprocessor design and Web technologies.

You will obtain knowledge and understanding of:

• computer science and electronics
• relevant technology and research
• appropriate mathematical techniques for analysing and designing systems
• business context
• engineering practice

Course content

The course is divided into 3 Parts (years) with each part comprising a number of modules as listed below (follow the links to find out more about each module).

Part 1

Compulsory Modules

• Electronic Circuits
• Computer and Internet Technologies
• Programming
• Software Engineering
• Computer Science Roadmap
• Mathematics for Computer Scientists

Part 2

Compulsory Modules

• Compilers
• Databases
• Operating Systems
• Computer Architecture
• Object Oriented Design
• Essential Algorithms
• Further Algorithms
• Programming with Java
• Software Engineering 2 and Career Management
• Embedded Microprocessor Systems
• Digital Circuit Design
• FPGA's and HDL's

Part 3

Compulsory Modules

• Computer Engineering Project
• Computer Networking
• Functional Verification
• Social, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Science and Engineering

Optional Modules

• GUI, Web and Multimedia Design
• Dependable Systems Design
• Computer Graphics II
• Distributed Computing
• XML and Semantic Web Technologies and Applications
• Computer Graphics I
• Neural Computation
• Evolutionary Computation
• Software Quality and Testing
• Requirements Analysis
• Informatics for E-Enterprise
• Network Security
• Image Analysis
• Multi-Agent Systems
• Robot Systems
• Virtual Reality

You may also wish to do an Industrial Year on placement within an IT company. If so, you can switch to the BSc Applied Computer Engineering at any point in the first two years of your course and look for a placement for your third year. More details on the Industrial Year can be found in the Applied Computer Engineering section.

Career prospects

Career prospects are good, as the programme is very relevant to today's high technology society. Most graduates are employed in a technological capacity, often associated with programming, either in a large company or a smaller company or consultancy; whereas others choose to further their research interests either in the School or at other Universities.

For a full description of this course please download the BSc in Computer Engineering (PDF-133 KB) programme specification.