Exploring Computing degrees at Aberystwyth University

1. Computing at AberystwythWhat we teach and how it is organised

3. Objectives of this Talk • Tell you about our degrees • More details on a visit day once you have applied

4. 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

5. Aim of our courses We 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. THE COMMON THREADS

9. Features of all our degrees Year 1 Mostly in common V O C A T I O N A L Year 2 Group project Year in industry (optional) Year 3 Final Year Project

10. Vocational • 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

11. Year 1- Mostly Common • Flexible – you can change scheme or mix and match • Depends on background more than degree scheme

12. Year 2 - The Group Project • Year 2 • Team of about 10 • Whole product development process • Examples: • Stock dealing • Sky Digibox programmer • Android Game

13. The Group Project (same brief) • 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

15. 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

16. A few places that our students have worked Visualisation Centre Plymouth Marine Lab

17. Link to 2012-13 map

18. 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

19. THE DEGREES

20. 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

21. Sarah Burdett • 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

22. 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

23. Other Engineering Schemes • 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

24. 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: ?

25. 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

26. 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

27. BSc in Business Information TechnologyG500 - 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

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

32. BSc degrees in New Technologies Ubiquitous 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

33. How to get more information: Today: Please ask! cs-admissions@aber.ac.uk While making your decision about University: http://www.aber.ac.uk/schemes http://www.aber.ac.uk/modules After you apply: Visit Days Once you are here: Lots of support available – if you are worried ask!

34. STUDENT LIFE!