Computing at AberystwythWhat we teach and how it is organised

Objectives of this Talk

Tell you about our degrees More details on a visit day once you have

applied

Structure of Department

On main (Penglais) campus 25 full-time lecturing staff 35 support and research staff 500 undergraduates and MSc students 25 PhD students

Aim of our coursesWe seek to produce graduates who have:

a broad knowledge of Computing, a wide skills base, good intellectual skills, and strengthened interpersonal skills.

So that they …. can adapt and be relevant in 10 years time.

Ideas Training

Do we succeed?

Our students get good jobs in the Computing

industry

Degrees accredited by British Computer Society

(BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT)

Top marks in last QAA assessment

Best Research rating in Wales

Undergraduate Courses

Degree schemes offered: Computer Science Software Engineering Internet Computing and Systems Administration Business Information Technology

Degree ‘flavours’ linked to our research interests Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence AI and Robotics Ubiquitous computing Computer Graphics, Vision and Games Open Source Computing

THE COMMON THREADS

Features of all our degrees

Year 3Final Year Project

Year in industry(optional)

Year 2Group project

Year 1Mostly in commonV

OCATIONAL

Activity weekend in first year - interpersonal and team skills.

Professional skills weekend in second year - mock interviews

Encouraged to spend a year in industry

Hard Work - Project based

Vocational

Year 1- Mostly Common

Flexible – you can change scheme or mix and match

Depends on background more than degree scheme

Year 2 - The Group Project

Year 2 Team of about 10 Whole product development process Examples:

Stock dealing Sky Digibox programmer Android Game

2D maze based game Pacman-style for Android phones The hero can fire bullets at the baddies If hit, they split into weaker baddies After being hit a few times, baddies die If baddies run into you, then you die New levels built on a PC Levels can be loaded into the game

The Group Project (same brief)

Optional Year in Industrybetween years 2 and 3

Practical experience for a year Working with companies Paid We help find jobs Improves future performance Makes it easier to get a job when you

graduate

A few places that our students have worked

Visualisation Centre

Plymouth Marine Lab

Link to 2012-13 map

Year 3 - Final Year Project

Final year – 33% of your time Individual working Complete project May be research led by staff member … …or from your industrial year Specify, develop, test, deliver a product Personal challenge

THE DEGREES

BSc in Computer Science G400 - 3 years - G401 - 4 years

Provides core modules Most flexible Covers core modules:

Programming, Unix and Windows, Software design, Software engineering, Professional issues, Telecommunications, Database management systems, Human computer interaction and electives

Types of final year projects : A ticket booking system for the Department of Theatre,

Film and TV Types of job:

Any typical position in software industry

From Cardiff Computer Science Worked for Information

Services in Industrial Year in Design Studio

Final Project: Knitting Pattern Generator

Went to work for spindogs in Cardiff as a programmer

Sarah Burdett

BEng in Software Engineering G600 - 4 years

Emphasises PROFESSIONAL engineering of large, high-quality software systems

More Technical – almost all modules must be in CS Compulsory industrial year Covers:

Core modules plus: C and Unix, C++, Distributed systems technologies and other electives

Types of final year projects : Instrumentation for a sailing robot

Types of job: Technical positions in software industry

BEng H622– Internet Engineering – 4 years Similar to G600 but electives and final project emphasise

distributed technologies and internet

MEng G601 – 5 years Our most prestigious scheme Final year all modules with MSc students Extra modules such as Computer Forensics

Types of job: Technical positions in software industry

Other Engineering Schemes

Rob Yeates From Somerset Mature student (was a catering

manager) Just returned from on industrial

year at Goldman-Sachs, London Was on MEng but they offered

him a job! Final Project: ?

BSc in Internet Computing and Systems Administration H602 - 3 years - H603 - 4 years

Building professional quality web sites, applications and networks.

Covers: Core modules plus: Web programming, Website design,

Database driven web sites, E-commerce, Commercial processes, E-commerce systems and internet security , Web tools selection…

Types of final year projects : multi-sport online league recording system for use by sports

clubs. Types of job:

Building and maintaining professional web sites Supporting computing users with networking skills

Adam Roberts From Wrexham Internet Computing Industrial year at Compliance

Control Ltd Final year project: staff

rostering for Corris railway Now working for a

consultancy firm as an Oracle database administrator

BSc in Business Information Technology G500 - 3 years - G501 - 4 years

Concerns methods and technologies that can be used to create effective IT systems as solutions to business problems.

Rather than emphasising programming, this degree concentrates on analysing business requirements and translating them into systems

Covers: Web programming, Systems analysis, DBMS and Commercial applications,

Professional issues, Business process engineering, E-commerce system and internet security, Web tools selection. Some modules are taken in other departments such as Information Studies and Media Studies.

Types of final year projects : Critique and redesign of multi-lingual web site (Eisteddfod)

Types of job: Providing database and web enabled commercial solutions Supporting computing users

Rachel Moss From Wolverhampton Switched to G501 after year 1 Industrial Year at what is now

Lloyds Banking, Marketing & IT Became interested in accessibility of

commercial info for Visually Impaired people Final Year project a system to investigate this PGCE in IT – Teaching and part-time PhD

BSc degrees with Artificial IntelligenceCS & AI: GG4R - 3 years, GG47 – 4 years

AI & Robotics: GH76 - 3 years, GH7P – 4 years Artificial Intelligence (AI) explores artificial systems that can do

things that are normally regarded as requiring intelligence. Robotics is the study of devices that automate tasks and may

exhibit AI. Covers:

Core modules plus: Practical application of AI, Appropriate tools, Theoretical understanding of AI, Hardware, Intelligent Robotics, Space Robotics, electives

Types of final year projects : Cracking the Zodiac killer's cypher with AI techniques Automatically steering an electric car

Types of job: Any technical job in the software industry or related to AI or Robotics

Tom Blanchard from Brighton AI and Robotics Industrial Year working for Dr.

Mark Neal in the department Final Year project: Development

of an Autonomous Tethered and Submersible Data Buoy

Now: PhD

Tom on a project involved with automated 3D modelling of the calving edge of glaciers

BSc degrees in New TechnologiesUbiquitous Computing: G404, G405

Concerns technologies for mobile and very lightweight computing systems. Mobile phones and PDAs form the backbone of this revolution.

Computer Graphics, Vision and Games: G450, G451 Specific applications include games development, (medical) image understanding, movie special effects and industrial quality control.

Open Source Computing: G402, G403 Covers programming, operating systems, software design, and the engineering of large software systems, from an open source perspective.

Covers: Core modules plus: appropriate other modules such as: ubiquitous computing,

interactive computer graphics, visualisation, C++

Types of final year projects : Graphics and games for mobile devices

Types of job: Any technical job in the software industry and specialised positions

How to get more information:Today:Please ask!cs-admissions@aber.ac.uk

While making your decision about University:http://www.aber.ac.uk/schemeshttp://www.aber.ac.uk/modules

After you apply:Visit Days

Once you are here:Lots of support available – if you are worried ask!

STUDENT LIFE!