BSc Computer Science

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Exeter

Program Overview

Exeter's BSc Computer Science is built for students who want to master both the theory and the practical craft of computer system design, following the full development cycle from theory through to design, development, testing, and application. It's a great fit for logical thinkers who enjoy problem-solving, and covers everything from programming fundamentals to cutting-edge areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence, taught by staff active in internationally recognised research.

Curriculum structure

In Year 1, students build a strong foundation through modules like Programming, Object-Oriented Programming, and Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science, alongside an early introduction to Fundamentals of Machine Learning, giving them the technical and mathematical grounding for everything that follows.

Year 2 moves into rigorous software design and development practice, with modules such as Software Development, Database Theory and Design, and Network and Computer Security, while the Team Project module gives students hands-on experience collaborating the way real development teams do.

Students on the four-year route can take a paid Industrial Placement year, spending it working on real projects with an employer before returning to complete their final year with genuine industry insight.

By the Final Year, everything comes together in the Individual Literature Review and Project, where students research, design, and build a substantial software system of their own, with options like Computer Vision and Nature-Inspired Computation letting them specialise in the areas that excite them most.

Focus areas: Programming, software design and development, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer security, and the wider social, scientific, and industrial context in which computer science operates.

Learning outcomes: Graduates leave with practical skills in specifying, designing, and implementing computer systems, backed by a solid understanding of the underlying theory, plus the problem-solving, logical thinking, and mathematical skills needed to build and manage everything from business IT systems to safety-critical infrastructure.

Professional alignment: The degree is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, on behalf of the Engineering Council, fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting it for Chartered Engineer, alongside CITP accreditation for Chartered IT Professional status. The Industrial Placement variant also carries RITTech accreditation for IT Technician registration.

Reputation (employability rankings): Exeter is ranked Top 20 in the UK for Computer Science, 17th in the Complete University Guide 2027, with Computer Science graduate prospects ranked joint 9th in the UK and the university partnered with the Alan Turing Institute.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Exeter's BSc Computer Science puts you straight into hands-on practice, working through the full development cycle of theory, design, development, testing, and application in dedicated computer science labs built specifically for collaborative tech learning. Teaching blends lectures with seminars, workshops, and tutorials, giving you over 15 hours of direct contact time each week, and assessment goes well beyond exams to include practical exercises, project work, essays, and presentations. By second year you're working in a genuine Team Project, and by your final year you're leading your own substantial piece of research and development through the Individual Literature Review and Project, all guided by academics who are active researchers and connected to one of the UK's leading AI institutions. Here's what that looks like in practice:

Purpose-built computer labs: the Babbage lab, seating 60 students, and the Lovelace lab, seating 120, are sensory-friendly, quieter environments with fold-down monitors on every desk and shared display screens for group teaching and collaborative work.
Wide-ranging computing facilities: access to a wide range of machine types and software ecosystems alongside world-class computer science labs.
Group project work: the Team Project module has students collaborating on real problem-solving in a group setting, mirroring how software teams actually work in industry.
Optional industrial placement: the four-year "with Industrial Placement" route gives students a full paid year embedded in a company, working on a substantial live project, with previous industry partners including IBM, The Met Office, NATS, and Motorola.
Independent research project: in the final year, the Individual Literature Review and Project lets students research, design, and build their own substantial software system from start to finish.
Institute partnership: Exeter partners with the Alan Turing Institute, and students are taught by academics and industry practitioners connected to it.
Virtual learning environment: an interactive, computer-based platform hosts all module details, learning outcomes, and discussion forums, supporting learning beyond the classroom.
Breakout and collaboration spaces: a dedicated breakout space next to the Babbage lab, with wraparound whiteboards, is set up specifically for seminars and group discussion.
Careers support: a dedicated Careers Consultant runs workshops tailored specifically to computer science, alongside careers fairs and mock interviews with major UK employers starting from first year.
Early industry contact: employers visit the department from first year onward to meet students and hold mock interviews, helping shape module choices and placement decisions early on.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Exeter's BSc Computer Science graduates step into careers with genuinely limitless range, backed by broad-based technical skills that employers across every sector are looking for. It's a degree that leads into roles like Software Developer, Cyber Security Professional, Business Analyst, and IT Network Professional, giving graduates the versatility to work in software engineering, health, finance, communications, and manufacturing:

Career support services: a dedicated Careers Consultant runs workshops tailored specifically to computer science, alongside job application and interview skills support, and the Career Zone runs several careers fairs a year connecting students directly with major UK employers.
Employment stats and salary figures: Exeter Computer Science graduates are ranked joint 9th in the UK for graduate prospects, and are known for good salaries, strong job satisfaction, and a wide range of career possibilities.
University-industry partnerships: the department maintains excellent teaching links with major computer-related industry partners including IBM, The Met Office, NATS, and Motorola, and relevant employers visit the department from first year onward to meet students and hold mock interviews.
Long-term accreditation value: the degree is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, on behalf of the Engineering Council, fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting it for Chartered Engineer, plus CITP accreditation for Chartered IT Professional status, giving the qualification recognised, lasting professional value.
Graduation outcomes: graduates go on to work across the private and public sector in software engineering, health, communications, education, life sciences, physical sciences, finance, and manufacturing, with reputations as articulate, numerate problem solvers.

Further Academic Progression: Students who want to build further on their technical expertise have a natural next step at Exeter through the MSc Computer Science, allowing graduates to specialise further at postgraduate level. Exeter also offers an integrated MSci Computer Science route for students who want to combine undergraduate and masters-level study before moving into the workforce or research.