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There are hundreds of different Computing degrees at many universities.
How do you find the one that is right for you?
Here are some questions that you might ask when looking at the prospectuses
of different universities, or even better, in person when you visit them.
Many of the questions do not have one correct answer - you need to think
what kind of a career you want and what kind of things interest you, and
then select a course that fits your needs.
Where do course graduates typically get jobs?
If you want to work for a software supplier, and all the graduates work
for ICT users (or vice versa), then is probably not the right degree for
you. This is a question you can actually ask a university if you are visiting
them. If the staff aren’t able to answer the question, then that
is a bad sign…
Do the staff have industrial experience?
If you intend to work in the Computing industry after graduation, then
at least some of the people teaching you should have experience of that
industry. I’d look for at least a third of the staff with at least
three years experience of industry, and some with senior experience (running
project teams or companies). That is enough of a percentage that the Department
will be able to run the practical part of the degree properly, and will
understand professional issues thoroughly.
Is this degree an education or just training?
A university education in Computing is a difficult balance. On the one
hand, we could just teach you guru-level use of Access and Java, and you
might be unemployable in 5 years as the popular skills change. On the
other hand, we could teach you the Lambda calculus, Church’s thesis
and complexity theory, and you would be unemployable as soon as you complete
the course (or at least need further training).
The ideal course will fit you for useful work as soon as you finish (by
including state of the art tools and practical work), but give you the
theoretical underpinnings to adapt to change in a rapidly-changing Computing
industry.
What is the mix of theoretical/practical work?
A good degree will have a mixture of theoretical courses, along with
practical work that uses state of the art tools.
Does the course include any team working?
Much work in the Computing industry is done in teams. This means that
realistic team working during the degree course, where you can point out
how you fitted in the team and how well you fitted in, may well help you
get a better job afterwards.
How easy is it to change courses if I choose wrongly?
Some degree schemes have more flexibility than others. For example, if
you are not sure how much programming you want to do, or whether you want
to specialize in internet-related topics, then is it possible to change
between courses once you have started? What is the range of courses between
which you can change?
How much hardware teaching is there?
There’s no right answer to this question. It depends how interested
you are in the hardware side of Computing rather than the software side.
Computing degrees can differ quite a lot in how much hardware teaching
there is.
How much Maths is there?
There is no right answer to this question. Some Computing degrees can
have quite a lot of Mathematics, and even ask for Maths A-level. If you
like Maths and want to do more of it, then go for those courses (or even
a joint degree in Maths and Computing). My own opinion is that the Maths
needed by the average Computer practitioner is only one or two modules,
so if you are not a Maths enthusiast, choose your course appropriately.
Is there opportunity for industrial experience?
In my university department, more students graduate from degrees having
done an industrial year than originally applied for a degree that included
an industrial year (they change degree registration at the end of the
first year), and on average their degree is a grade higher than people
who did not do an industrial year. There are two reasons why they do better.
The first is just that they learn good work habits in industry, and keep
them during their final year. The second is more important. They gain
experience in industry that helps them to understand better what they
are being taught in university - it makes the information relevant. The
year’s experience also makes getting a job at the end of the course
even easier.
Does the course include professional issues?
If you are intending to work in the Computer industry, then one of the
things that is needed is an understanding of the legal, professional,
social and ethical issues involved in such work.
Is the course accredited (by BCS, IEE)?
Especially at the more challenging levels, Computing is becoming a profession,
and like other professionals (lawyers, doctors etc.), there is a growing
need for both recognized qualifications and professional experience to
show that you are qualified. The British Computer Society (BCS) and the
Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) are two institutions that accredit
Computing and IT degree courses in the UK.
Each organisation visits UK universities to assess their courses, and
say that their students have an education fitting for someone who wants
to be a member of the society and/or a Chartered Engineer.
Another advantage to you of accreditation is that it answers positively
some of the other questions listed. They will have investigated whether
the accredited degree is appropriate in the following areas for future
Computing professionals:
- Does the course have sufficient coverage of Computing topics?
- Does the course have sufficient coverage of professional issues?
- Is it an appropriate mix of theoretical and practical work?
- Are the students reasonably happy with the education they are receiving?
If a Computing course is not accredited by one of these organisations,
I would be asking why not.
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