G4N1 B.Sc. Computing with Management

The degree is offered in conjunction with the School of Management at the University of Leicester. It responds to increasing demands from many organisations and companies from all sectors of the economy for graduates who have a good understanding of management techniques in addition to a strong technical background in IT. As noted by Prospects.ac.uk (the UK's official graduate careers website) in a recent editorial:

"The key to success in the IT-market lies in choosing a course with content relevant to industry and which nurtures in the undergraduate a business acumen to supplement technical knowledge."

Outcomes

All our degrees aim at fostering confidence, conveying knowledge and developing expertise in computing:

Further Information

The course covers in depth the skills, the practice and technological foundations of developing software systems for business applications. This is combined with modules aimed at developing an understanding of management techniques and theories, in particular as they apply to IT.

The degree also covers wide aspects of both computing and management, such as the structure of computers, their operating systems and how they communicate, and specialised topics in management.

Our approach to teaching includes lectures and laboratory classes together with small group tutorials and problem classes. Innovative software demonstrations may be given during lectures, as well as more traditional presentations. Students are given assistance with coursework, but expected to undertake significant private study, exploring information sources independently. They are aided by state-of-the-art web-based module materials, automated feedback and marking systems, on-line tests and electronic coursework submission. Coursework contributes to your marks, especially in practical modules, but we place emphasis on traditional academic examinations. You must undertake a project in both the second and third years.

In the second year project, you will be part of a team of students working together to develop software that has been commissioned by a real client. You will learn to work with, and manage, a team. Each team works within a teaching framework, broad enough to allow you to work flexibly and innovatively, but moderated to ensure that teams are performing and progressing. You will learn to prepare written reports, and give a group presentation-these are valuable skills. Our approach to the second year project has been commended by members of our Industrial Advisory Board.

The third year project is a chance to follow your own interests in depth, with one-to-one supervision. You will develop a topic of your choice in the intersection of computing and management: this will involve domain modelling, system design and implementation work, as well as oral presentations and the writing of a report, which will prepare you for employment whether this be in the computing industry, business, finance or management.

At the end of your degree, you will have both a thorough grounding in the core subjects of computing, and detailed knowledge of your chosen higher level topics. You will have learned to critically analyse and evaluate issues that arise in the complex and changing organisational environment in which today's business IT solutions are developed. You will also gained valuable transferable skills in problem-solving and written and oral communication. Having successfully graduated from a rigorous and intellectually demanding degree programme, you will be ideally prepared for your future career.

Entry Requirements

For many of our applicants, our entry requirements are 300 UCAS Tariff points, together with GCSE Mathematics and English Language grade C. However, we are willing to consider many alternative qualifications, and in particular applications from mature students are welcomed. Direct (second or third) year entry is not permitted.

We welcome international students and the typical offers below include international qualifications.

Typical Offers (Guidance Only)

A/AS Levels: BBB from three A-levels, or from 2 A-Levels and 2 AS-levels.
Apolyterion: Pass with a mark of at least 18 out of 20.
Indian HSSC: Pass 12th grade with 75% overall. Good SSSC grades required.
European Baccalaureate: Pass with 65% overall.
International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 28-30 points.
Access: Pass with a substantial number of distinction credits at level 3, normally a minimum of 54 (new credits).
BTEC National Certification/Diploma: DDD, or sometimes DDM with strength elsewhere.
Foundation Years: Pass with an average of 60%.

Structure of the Degree Programme

In the first year you will be able to spend about a third of your study time learning about the fundamentals of marketing, and the principles of management. This provides a solid foundation on which to build the more advanced management modules. In addition you will be able to study core computer science modules that provide a good grounding in the technologies that underpin computing. We cover Java programming and program development environments, along with database systems and internet technologies. There is a core module on discrete mathematics for applications. We also teach you a variety of study skills, organisation and management techniques ensuring that you can complete your degree effectively and are best placed to enter the real world of work.

In the second year, modules in management cover human resources, marketing and communications, buyer behaviour and the management of markets. You will be able to choose topics and focus on the aspects of management that interest you the most. The 2nd year group project is a key feature of the second year, and we provide an extensive introduction that covers further organisational skills, and we teach you about computing law and professional practise. You will also take a module on software engineering and design. There are also modules on networks and operating systems, and multimedia and computer graphics.

In the third year, typical options in management cover global marketing, business ethics and international business with corporate strategy. In addition to a special 3rd year individual project, which combines elements of computing and management, we offer you options including distributed systems, covering issues such as multi-threading and transactional interactions; compression methods for multimedia, where you find out how to store thousands of songs on a small music player; web technologies, where you learn how to write advanced web service programs; and a module on techniques for ensuring software quality. Each year other state-of-the-art topics may also be available.

Please note that our programmes are subject to constant review and improvement. The list of available modules is published every year and may differ from that of previous years.

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