Computing
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Computer technology has revolutionised all our lives. From entertainment to engineering, and from music to shopping, computers now play a vital role in almost every field. With a computing degree from Sunderland you could be at the cutting edge of that revolution.
The Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology is a Microsoft Regional Centre for the North of England and a Certified Cisco Academy for both Associate (CCNA) and Professional (CCNP) levels. The City of Sunderland has also recently been named as one of the seven most IT-intelligent communities in the world. In addition the University of Sunderland is also a Macromedia University Alliance member and the School continues to build on its prior relationships with Macromedia, and is now able to offer students free educational copies of Adobe CS3 (which includes the latest versions of Flash and Dreamweaver).
Our students have access to Microsoft software development products and Adobe products for use at home or on their laptops. These include packages such as Visual Studio, Visio, Project, SQL Server 2005, Adobe Dreamweaver and Flash, as well as current operating systems (Windows Vista and Server 2003). Every student also gets free access to the Internet from their laptops via the University's extended wireless network.
Computing is an exciting and rewarding area in which to work and there is a huge demand for qualified computing personnel. Almost every employer needs specialist skills in Information Communication Technology (ICT), whether they employ two, 20 or 200 people. There is a shortage of trained professionals in Europe as a whole and the workforce is forecast to grow by between 1.5% and 2.2% per year over the next decade. It's no wonder that a high percentage of our graduates get a job or go on to study a postgraduate course within six months of graduating.
On a computing programme at Sunderland, you will develop specialist ICT skills and a deep theoretical understanding of computing subjects. You also acquire more widely applicable skills such as research abilities, creativity and the capacity to communicate well-reasoned arguments both orally and in writing. Add to these interpersonal skills such as team working and problem solving and you can see why you will be primed to make a practical contribution to industry and commerce.
All-rounded graduates with strong technical expertise and interpersonal skills will be able to command a premium in the job market and will be highly sought-after.
We offer a wide range of postgraduate courses. The majority of these have modules which are accredited by the Institution of Analysts and Programmer (IAP). This is Britain's leading professional organisation for those working in development, installation and testing of business systems and computer software. The British Computer Society (BCS), which is the UK's industry organisation for IT professionals, checks the level of our courses against their own standards. As a result, success at Sunderland can make it easier to achieve professional membership of the BCS, with the minimum of further exams.
Employability is a key aim of the Faculty and after graduation you will be qualified to go on to a well-paid job in a variety of professions. These include opportunities in web and multimedia development, programming, systems analysis, software engineering, networking, management consultancy and teaching. We encourage our graduates to be innovative and we try to empower them into business creation through our strong links with regional developments such as the Software City initiative which plans to make Sunderland a centre of excellence in computing.
We offer a diverse range of courses to suit all interests from the technical to user-oriented, focusing on the role of computers in any organisation.
