Computer Science with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

This is a four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Computer Science course, with an integrated foundation year. Study the fundamentals of computer science and systems administration. Design and develop for web, multimedia and mobile platforms. Challenge your creativity and technical skills with a series of challenging, hands-on practical projects.

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Overview

This interesting and challenging course combines hands-on development with the theories behind how and why computers work as they do. You will have full access to the University’s outstanding IT facilities, which include specialist networking laboratories. We provide professional-level developer software and advanced hardware through accreditations with Cisco and other major companies.

Topics include programming, software development, database systems, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and Cybersecurity.

Why us?

Our Computer Science and Information Systems courses are 25th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2024)
Sunderland boasts the second-fastest growth in digital turnover outside of London, and is the ideal city to study computing and set up a business

We are a University that is nationally recognised for supporting learners particularly from non-traditional backgrounds and many students come to us with no formal qualifications but with valuable work experience
You'll have access to state-of-the-art equipment within the School of Computer Science so that you can apply your skills in an industry-standard setting

Course structure

Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials, seminars and laboratory sessions. You will be encouraged to develop independent study skills as well as work with other students on group projects. As well as assessments (i.e. coursework) that count towards your degree, there are also ongoing opportunities for feedback and consolidating your learning.

Foundation Year

The Computing Integrated Foundation Year includes five modules:

Foundations of Computing (40 credits)

Consider a wide range of perspectives related to the field of computing to help prepare you for your degree study. Understand how a modern computer works and how this has developed over time, leading to the adoption of the Von Neumann architecture. Comprehend various ways of programming a computer using a modern compiled software language.

Essential Study Skills (20 credits)

Develop the necessary skills for study at university. Enhance your academic writing, communication, and presentation skills. Reflect upon your development, career aspirations, and personal goals.

Project (20 credits)

Investigate a topic area related to your degree programme, and produce either a portfolio, practical project, performance, artefact, video, website, essay, or analysis of data/report. Engage in lectures, tutorials, lab, and/or practical sessions with subject specialists. Gain experience of researching your subject area and further develop your critical thinking, writing, time management, and organisational skills.

Fundamentals of Computer Networking and Security (20 credits)

Study the components of a computer network, install and power up virtual machines and describe threats to their security and well-being. Develop your confidence when working with networks, virtualization, and security. Enhance the skills vital to becoming an IT professional, including communication skills, operation procedures, and ethical and legal considerations.

Practical Maths (20 credits)

Consolidate your numeracy skills and see how to apply them to real-life scenarios. Consider how statistical results are presented, calculated, and misrepresented. Study the foundations of numeracy, including powers, roots, fractions, percentages, standard form, area and volume, ratio, and proportion.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Software Engineering (20 credits)

Explore a wide range of software engineering techniques and industry practices, designed to promote the production of high-quality, efficient, reliable, and secure software. Examine how software is created and the various stages of the software development lifecycle, together with consideration of social, ethical, professional, and legal issues. Evaluate software products to ensure that they are functioning correctly, and conclude their strengths and weaknesses.

Computer Systems, Architectures and Networks (20 credits)

Gain an overview of how a computer works, from the moment it is switched on. Explore what happens inside the machine, including how computers process input, generate output and store data. Install and configure a modern operating system, and troubleshoot hardware and software problems using real equipment and simulations.

Introduction to Programming (20 credits)

Learn about the fundamental programming concepts, including how to write computer programs using a high-level programming language such as Python or C#. Develop an understanding of debugging techniques to find and resolve defects. Select and implement appropriate structures for file handling, data manipulation, and error handling within a program.

Full Stack Development (20 credits)

Explore both front-end and back-end web development, and use frameworks to create a fully dynamic web application. Consider the development of the modern web and review the underlying technologies and standards. Create programs that run on a live web server and use a modern programming language.

Specialist Project (20 credits)

Explore and develop an individual project based around your preferred area of study. Work directly with subject specialists in workshop-style sessions to explore your specialism. Appreciate the social, ethical, professional, and legal issues as they apply to computer-based systems.

Emerging Technologies (20 credits)

Delve into the emergence of novel tools and techniques within computer science. Discuss the potential impacts of a range of emerging technologies on industry and society, including virtual and augmented reality, drone technology, cryptocurrencies, wearable technologies, and cybersecurity. Consider the issues associated with end user adoption of new and emerging technologies.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Agile Development and DevOps (20 credits)

Learn how to use Agile and DevOps practices in modern software development, using a range of modern tools and technologies. Apply SCM concepts and GIT commands to a range of developer situations. Design, develop and deploy a workflow on a remote repository that automatically builds, tests and deploy a software product.

Database Systems (20 credits)

Gain a foundational understanding of database and the relational database model. Learn to use extended relational programming languages for manipulation of relational databases. Analyse and evaluate current problems and insights associated with modern secure database information systems development.

Advanced Programming (20 credits)

Propose solutions to programming problems through OO software design modeling, using UML diagrams, notations, and techniques. Apply advanced OO programming constructs to the development of professional-standard software. Select appropriate software design patterns, data structures and algorithms to provide efficient solutions to complex programming problems.

IoT and Robotics (20 credits)

Enhance your understanding of IoT technologies and their application to robotics and automation. Use driver packages, with appropriate programming language (such as Python) for prototyping IoT device applications involving the use of sensors and effectors. Apply appropriate networking concepts (such as protocols, transports, and services) to support the remote operation and connectivity between edge computing devices.

Cyber Security (20 credits)

Analyse security principles and the core technology used to enforce and maintain security of data and computer systems. Investigate case studies of cyber security incidents relating to businesses, where social factors such as social engineering, oversharing, and phishing attacks have played a major part. Design and create a secure system.

Enterprise Project (20 credits)

Participate in the organising, running, controlling, and monitoring of a team tasked to produce a computer-based solution to a client-posed problem. Respond to client analysis and feedback to progress and complete your prototype solution. Appreciate enterprise approaches for software project determination, selection, development, implementation, and criteria-based evaluation.

Optional placement:

Industrial Placement (120 credits)

Spend 48 weeks on placement working within the industry. Refine, plan, schedule and produce an individual project based on your experience. Critically reflect on the skills and experience gained as part of your placement.

Final year (national level 6)

Project (40 credits)

Articulate an in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of your chosen research topic. Develop your professional skills, such as problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, self-reflection, and time management. Collect, organise, and present your body of work, including a critical evaluation and correct citation and reference of appropriate research sources.

Artificial Intelligence (20 credits)

Examine a range of AI techniques and their application to problem-solving within society, industry, and research. Develop an awareness of the contemporary developments in the field of AI and their application and potential implications. Critically assess real-world problems and determine which AI approaches are suitable for their solutions.

UX Design (20 credits)

Translate research user and contextual data into human-centered design tools such as user stories, personas, and scenarios. Design and develop digital prototypes for a given problem specification. Critically evaluate the usability and user experience of a given interactive system.

Mobile Technologies (20 credits)

Investigate the different ways apps can be created and look at the range of technologies available for the creation of web apps, hybrid applications, and native applications. Design and create applications for a range of different hardware platforms, such as smartphones, tablets, wearable technology, and embedded systems. Critically evaluate a mobile application designed for cross-platform deployment.

Big Data and Visualisation (20 credits)

Dive into the key concepts and applications of Big Data, including how to manage, use, analyse and visualise Big Data effectively in real-world scenarios. Examine Big Data challenges, including privacy issues and data storage. Select and apply Data Science tools and methods such as data visualisation, data mining, and data analytics for analysing Big Data sets.

David Goldman Technology Centre 360
Our outstanding IT facilities include the David Goldman Technology Centre, which has hundreds of computers so it’s easy to find a free workstation with the software you need.

We are an accredited Cisco Academy and have two laboratories packed with Cisco networking equipment including routers, switches, terminals and specialist equipment for simulating frame relay and ISDN links.

We host high-performance computing platforms, including a Big Data machine and a High Performance Computing Cluster system, for concurrent processing of complex computational tasks. We also have the equipment and licences for our own public mobile cellular network.

IT facilities for computing, networks and big data
The David Goldman Technology Centre has a variety of open plan spaces, and the Level 2 Gallery is a communal space for students to relax and study.
Audio Visual Technology is available for students to use whenever, for example, using smart screens to view presentations for further study.
Level 2 Gallery
Study physical networking and virtual networking in this space, as well as how to secure networks.
Facilities include switches and routers, picocell mobile technology and an eye-tracker which can be used in research projects.
There is even the opportunity to program sensors used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and healthcare, for example heart monitors used in the healthcare industry.

View our AccessAble accessibility guide for the Networks and Cybersecurity Lab.
Networks and Cybersecurity Lab
The Project Lab is used by final year Computing students to enable them to work on their final year project in their individual study time. Specific software can be added to the computer stations, if necessary for the students’ projects. Presentations and vivas (an oral exam whereby students present their thesis) are carried out in this space too.

View our AccessAble accessibility guide for the David Goldman Technology Centre.
Project Lab
Map and directions

Facilities

This course is based at the David Goldman Technology Centre, a high-tech computing environment with strong links to software companies and a constant exchange of ideas and people.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.

Eligible entry qualifications:

1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE or equivalent), including Maths and English at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, T Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses or equivalent)
OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.

If you are unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!

** If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you are able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course is not available to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

This course has a strong emphasis on real-world learning and problem-solving that boosts your employability and equips you with the transferable skills needed to make an impactful contribution to the workplace.

Graduate success

In your final year of the course, you will undertake a major individual project with research-active staff. This adds to your hands-on experience and, in some cases, leads to a job offer that can be taken up as soon as the course ends.

Career options

Our graduates have gone on to become web programmers, IT managers, information analysts and software developers. Employers that have taken on our graduates include Sage, British Airways and the NHS. Other graduates have started their own businesses or become software contractors earning over £50,000 a year.

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Technology.

Page last updated: 25 September 2023

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

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Computer Science with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Foundation Year

Year 1 (national level 4):

Year 2 (national level 5):

Optional placement:

Final year (national level 6)

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Graduate success

Career options

Meet the team — BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Integrated Foundation Year

Related courses

Contact

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