Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
A022
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
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1. Course summary
- Study your foundation year, then progress to a degree with industry accreditation from the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
- Learn the skills you need to write the software of tomorrow.
- Develop complex software and systems using analytical and mathematical approaches.
- Understand the fundamental principles behind the software that powers our world.
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start
Computer science provides a deep understanding of practical applications of computation in areas ranging from programming language design to everyday software systems. This course is aimed at anyone who wants to become a programmer, understands and can build on the fundamental principles behind the software that underpins modern society.
2. How you learn
The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BSc (Hons) Computer Science course. You share the first year with other computing foundation year students, then move on to the degree. During the first year of study, you will enhance your skills to maximise your academic potential ready to start your learning against the content of the main degree.
The combination of learning methods across the course allow you to develop a range of skills through problem-solving activities, practical implementations and teamwork, allowing you to take an active approach to learning and encouraging self-development.
In the foundation year, you'll build on your existing knowledge and experience, developing useful academic, computing and IT skills in preparation for undergraduate study. You'll benefit from innovative course content that allows you to access and use cutting-edge technology. Throughout, you'll reflect on your progress, and build valuable communication and interpersonal skills.
You learn through
- hands-on tutorials
- workshops
- discussions
- self-study
Applied learning
Work placements
You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your third and fourth years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.
You are supported by placement tutors and a college placement team through the process of successfully getting a placement and then while on placement. Although a placement year is not mandatory, the department has a strong track record in finding placements.
Live projects
The course includes a professional project which challenges you to solve real-world problems, possibly with an external client, while developing team and project management skills.
Networking opportunities
Employers and industry practitioners are an influential part of the design, content and teaching of the course. The employability focus of the course is supported by frequent involvement of employers and IT professionals.
3. Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
Previous graduates of BSc (Honours) Computer Science have gone on to work for
- computer-science related research and development
- software development and engineering
- mobile app development
- web development
- IBMClock DigitalPlusNetServelec GroupNext
4. Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Computing facilities tour
Take a look around the facilities and equipment in the Department of Computing at Sheffield Hallam University.
5. Equipment and facilities
You are introduced to the major programming languages, including
- C/C+/li>
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- SQL
In the foundation year, you’ll build on your existing knowledge and experience — developing useful academic, computing and IT skills in preparation for undergraduate study. You’ll benefit from innovative course content that allows you to access and use cutting-edge technology. Throughout, you’ll reflect on your progress, and build valuable communication and interpersonal skills.
6. Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 80
This must include at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:
- CDD at A Level
- MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma
- Pass overall from a T level qualification with C from core
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4
- Maths at grade C or 4
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying the subject.
Some applicants may be invited to attend an informal interview with the course leader to ensure that the programme is suitable for themselves and their aspirations.
UK students may be able to claim financial support for the course.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Compulsory modules
This module introduces basic computing knowledge and skills to a level that will give you confidence you can study and practice computing at Honours level.
Indicative Content
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Essential concepts of computer programming
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Databases queries
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Web technologies
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Basics of how computers and computer networks operate
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Issues of Security
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Awareness of own pace of learning, and how to learn effectively.
The focus of the module is on helping you gain a well-rounded understanding of computing, on able to see common threads in development methods, and being able to apply your learning about computing, and your learning about study approaches into project work on other areas on the course.
This module extends on “Foundations in Computing 1” (and has study of that module as a prerequisite). You will explore computing to a greater depth - for example further program design and implementation, and explore wider uses of computing used in business, social contexts and embedded into other technologies. .
Indicative Content:
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Programming simple programs effectively
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Understanding example application areas (e.g. IoT, Games)
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Understanding how computing supports businesses
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Further practise of skills in a topic area you are considering selecting for Honours studies
The module maintains the ethos of its prerequisite (Foundations in Computing 1), by provide you with a broad but largely integrated understanding of computing. A further strong aim is to help you make a properly informed choice as to which branch(es) of computing you wish to follow for study at Honours level.
This module develops your mathematics skills relevant to the IT discipline. You choose whether to target an “Advanced” level (which includes topics relevant to degrees in the Computer Science area), or “Standard” level (which includes topics that can occur in any IT-related studies).
You’ll study topics such as:
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Fractions and decimals
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Percentages, rounding, estimations
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Standard form, metric units, indices, powers
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Algebra and solving linear equations
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Factorisations
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Matrices
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Logic gates and truth tables
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Binary number system
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Statistics
Indices and powers (advanced level)
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Factorising and solving quadratic equations (advanced)
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Simultaneous equations and matrices (advanced)
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Correlation and linear regression (advanced)
This module is specifically designed to help support students on the Foundation Year of a BSc Honours course in a computing area. You will develop an understanding of, and practise, skills needed for study at Honours level and for eventual employment.
Indicative Content
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Disability and Inclusiveness
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Understanding learning processes and its relationship to success in assessment
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Finding appropriate information
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Effective communication
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Effective use of IT Tools for clear communications and personal professional organisation
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Academic Integrity
An underlying theme of the module is to help you gain an ability to see for yourself where your study skills lie, and which areas you can make further improvements.
Compulsory modules
This module introduces technologies needed to create modern web-based applications. It will develop your knowledge and practice skills in creating dynamic websites, that are underpin by databases, using standardised web technologies.
You’ll study topics such as:
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HTML
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CSS
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Javascript
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PHP
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SQL
This module will introduce concepts of computer architecture, discrete mathematics and numerical skills related to concepts for application in computer science. It will introduce the fundamental principles and features that underpin modern computing systems design and describe how the execution of software is influenced by the processor architecture being used.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Sets, relations, and functions
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Propositional and predicate logic
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Cardinality, combinatorics, recurrence, and modular arithmetic
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Proof techniques: structure, induction, counterexamples, contradiction
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Graphs and trees
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Discrete probability
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Data organisation: data structures, e.g., arrays, lists and trees
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Matrices
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Mathematics of cryptography
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Hexadecimal and binary number systems
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Floating point and other number systems
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Logic gates and circuits
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Boolean algebra
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Machine code and programming in a low-level assembler language
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The fetch-execute cycle
This module introduces computer programming. It will develop your understanding of practical programming concepts and their deployment in a mainstream object-oriented programming language through the creation of code and applications.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Problem solving, top-down design and functional decomposition
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The development process - specification, design, implementation, testing.
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Variables, data types, and data structures
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Algorithms and control structures
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Object-oriented programming
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Program quality
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Software tools and integrated development environments (IDEs)
This module uses real projects for you to apply and continue to develop your software development knowledge against. It will support the development of your collaborative skills in a software development environment alongside relevant Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional Issues (LSEPI) and their impact within the IT and software industry.
You’ll study topics such as:
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User requirements & user stories
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Acceptance testing
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Software prototyping and fidelity of prototypes
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Software development process and lifecycles
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Use case modelling
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Database design
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Object-oriented design
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User interface design
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Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional issues in IT
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Software testing
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Sustainable development and deployment
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Data security
Compulsory modules
This module will continue to build your programming knowledge, looking at object-oriented programming in a modern programming language such as C/C++. It will introduce manual dynamic memory management and discuss heap and stack memory alongside profiling. You will practice more advanced aspects of programming languages and develop an understanding of design patterns and standard software libraries.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Object-oriented principles, concepts and design: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism
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Abstract and interface classes
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Dynamic memory management
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Memory pointers and references
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Memory profiling
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Standard template libraries (STLs)
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Operator overloading
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Templates / generics
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Event-based coding
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Design patterns
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Tool support for OO development
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Version control software
Aims:
This module will impart key concepts in computer science to students and to further develop important skills in computer-based problem solving and data manipulation.
Indicative Content
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Introduction to algorithms (role and importance of algorithms in computer science). Concurrent, and parallel algorithms
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Sorting algorithms (merge sort, heap sort, quick sort)
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Searching algorithms
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Linked lists (Singly linked lists; double linked lists)
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Stacks and Queues
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Recursion
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Tree structures (creating, searching, traversing, merging).
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Graph structures (traversals, activity networks, critical paths, shortest paths)
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The theory of algorithms (Big-O notation, Computability; Turing machines).
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Complexity (computational and control flow).
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Optimisation problems (Travelling Salesman Problem, Bin Packing).
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Optimisation search methods (Genetic algorithm, Hill Climbing, Simulated Annealing, Tabu search algorithm, Iterated Local Search).
This module provides a platform for you to work collaboratively in small teams to build complex software applications relating to industry. You’ll typically work with external clients on the projects, where you will also continue to develop your professional practice and profile, that can be used to support placement opportunities.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Modern software development methodologies
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Effectively team working
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Version control tools
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Architecture of CRUDing applications
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Building secure APIs
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Testing strategies for software development
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Cloud deployment technologies
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Professional profile: CVs, covering letters, portfolio, and reflective practice
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Building secure and sustainable systems
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Accessible and culturally appropriate software
Elective modules
This module delivers knowledge and practical skills of machine learning algorithms for artificial intelligence applications. It will present the key mathematical principles and concepts required to create machine learning algorithms through data-driven approaches. You will gain practical experience while designing, implementing, and evaluating machine learning systems to solve real-world artificial intelligence problems.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Data-driven approaches to machine learning
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Linear regression and gradient descent
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Regression and classification problems
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Machine learning algorithms: decision trees, support vector machines, ensemble learning and k-mean/mean-shift clustering
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Data pre-processing, cleansing and feature extraction
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Evaluating machine learning system by using cross-validation, confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic
This module will develop your programming skills further through the production of games using industry-standard game engines and tools.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Game development concepts, processes, mathematics, and techniques
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Sprite sheets, animation, lighting, physics, collision detection, mathematical vectors, and quaternions
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Game development tools: game engines, image editing software, and audio editing software
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Development of 2D and 3D games
This module develops your ability to differentiate and choose between different operational database systems for daily operations or simple analytics and use of distributed systems to manage data on a larger scale. It will develop your understanding of relational and non-relational (NoSQL) databases, and how to program a NoSQL database Distributed System. You will get practical experience of storing, manipulating, and retrieving semi-structured data and perform aggregation functions with big datasets used in cloud computing.
You’ll study topics such as:
The module will advance on from the database module completed in the first year. Concepts covered at this stage will include:
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Data management and database management
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Database system architectures
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Relational data model
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Handling simple and complex data types
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Visualisation of data
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Database integrity, security, encryption, use of constraints
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Business driven data strategies
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Cloud-based data handling tools
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NoSQL
This module introduces you to mobile application development. It will explore the capabilities of modern devices for you to create highly interactive mobile applications, using industry standard software development kits (SDKs).
You’ll study topics such as:
- User interface components
- Layouts and styles
- Navigation
- Controls and lists
- Mobile application features: sound effects, notifications, gestures, camera/photo gallery, geo-location and maps integration
- App lifecycle
- Device storage procedures and access APIs
- Architectural patterns for mobile application development
- Authentication
- Mobile application deployment
This module is for undergraduate students to study abroad in their second year, Semester 2 (only for courses that offer this option). With this module, you can spend a semester at one of the University’s approved partner institutions worldwide – from Europe to the Americas, Australia or Canada.
Study Abroad plays an important role in the University's commitment to an engaging, challenging, and thriving learning culture. It offers opportunities to experience other academic cultures and foster intellectual maturity while enhancing co-curricular skills and students' long-term employability.
Study abroad for credit is permitted on existing university-approved courses only. Students are awarded credits and grades at the partner institution, which are converted into Sheffield Hallam credits and grades on return and included in the Sheffield Hallam degree classification.
Please check and refer to the webpage How study abroad works. You must submit a Learning Agreement outlining the modules you will be taking at the partner institution. The Learning Agreement will be signed off by your academic tutor to ensure that the Learning broadly covers the Learning Outcomes set out in your course curriculum during your study abroad.
Optional modules
Module aim:
The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).
A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will:
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Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course
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Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.
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Grow their student network and relationship building skills.
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Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs
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Help student make informed graduate careers choices.
Indicative Content:
In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.
To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work.
Compulsory modules
This module is a research project of your choice – you’ll identify a computer-based problem, investigate the requirements, analyse results of research undertaken and design, and develop and evaluate a solution to that problem. You’ll then evaluate the project’s success, your learnings and opportunities for further work.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Ideation and planning a larger-scale project
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Information gathering and literature reviews
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The selection of tools, techniques or methods
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Implementation, testing and user evaluation
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Critical reflection on project deliverables, success or failure
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Referencing and citation techniques
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Legal, social, and ethical considerations
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Security and confidentiality
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Sustainable development and deployment
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Employability skills and attributes
The aim of this module is to give you the opportunity to apply the principles of good design, usability, and security to the development of software. It does so by exploring a case study that forms the starting point for discovery, discussion and development. In adopting a practical approach, different design techniques and architectural styles can be used to develop solutions that are then evaluated against industry-standard criteria using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Indicative Content
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Gathering requirements
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User-Centred Design (including aspects of inclusive design with a particular focus on assistive technology).
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Designing a solution architecture
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Selecting and implementing design patterns.
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Understanding anti-patterns and code smells.
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Evaluating software architecture and quality characteristics.
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Understanding the role of measurement and modelling in the design of systems.
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The relationship between frameworks, design patterns and architectures.
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Implementation of software using frameworks.
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Software and user testing.
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Testing the security of a system
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The importance of understanding of culture and inclusivity in the design of systems
Elective modules
This module explores the machine learning techniques widely used in modern intelligent systems, such as artificial neural networks. We’ll share the key concepts, theories and practical skills for you to implement state-of-the-art neural networks techniques within the AI problems domain.
You’ll study topics such as:
- Smart system design, development, evaluation and optimisation
- Artificial and deep neural networks
- Algorithms of training neural networks
- Customising pre-trained models and transfer learning
- Training large scale neural networks
- GPUs, multiple devices and cloud computing
- Computer vision tasks with convolutional neural networks
- Natural language processing with recurrent neural networks
- Reinforcement learning algorithms
- Generative learning algorithms
This module is an opportunity to work as a software engineer, work out an innovative solution for a problem and define a software engineering method to develop the solution. You’ll focus on the end user’s functional pain points through a design thinking workshop, deciding on a software engineering methodology influenced by industry-standard methods.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Pain points and requirements using design thinking
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Technical solutions leveraging reference architectures
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Defining software engineering method
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Industry-standard practice-oriented methodology like IBM Garage Method
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MVP-driven ‘envisage co-create build-at-scale’ development
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Optimising software engineering methodology with techniques like LEAN
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Understanding organisation maturity in line with SEI/CMM
This module introduces you to functional programming, learning one of the popular languages (such as Scala or Erlang) and seeing how to apply it to a variety of data-intensive domains. Along the you’ll explore some of the data manipulation techniques which came out of research into AI.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Functional ideas
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Why functional programming?
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What are functions?
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Handling scale and concurrency effectively
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Treating program state as a homologue of data
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Lambda expressions
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How to know what result our program will produce
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Using a functional language (Scala/Erlang/Clojure/F#)
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Applying AI to manipulate state
This module explores some of the important applications we use – from Google and Amazon to the many social media platforms – which have built their utility and success on top of machine learning systems. Using Python programming and a range of libraries, you’ll learn to understand recognition, prediction, rankings, recommendation systems, social bookmarking and more.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Machine learning in AI, social media, and web applications
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Python libraries for machine learning
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Recommendations based on the ‘likes’ of individuals and groups
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Using neural networks to learn about computer vision tasks
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Ranking search results based on the context they were created in
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Building pricing models using a variety of techniques
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Building systems whose intelligence evolves using genetic algorithms
This module explores the recent progression of ‘electronics’ from the design and development of circuitry towards programmable devices which receive input from sensors, using that information in various ways to ‘control’ outputs and produce effects. This emerging ‘internet of things’ and ‘physical computing’ is seen in Arduino boards, robots, smart homes and embedded devices.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Prototyping tools, processes and methods
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Physical computing system controller, motors and sensors
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Embedded robotic devices
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Handling real-time data
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Control algorithms
This module introduces the practice of secure software engineering, exploring the main objectives of security in the construction of large complex applications. We’ll view historical cases of software failure to demonstrate the main problems and implications for poor security practices in software development, which you’ll use as motivation for the study of current software and security engineering practices.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Information security concepts, objectives and properties
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Confidentiality, integrity availability
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Security in the software development lifecycle
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Cryptography foundation and application
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Digital identity management and access control
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Identification, authentication, authorisation and audit
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Vulnerabilities, threats and attacks
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Protection and defence mechanisms and tools
8. Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for School of Computing and Digital Technologies (PDF, 131.3KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
