MSc Computer Science (including Professional Practice)

This course has been developed specifically for those who haven't studied Computer Science at undergraduate level, and also features the opportunity to undertake a professional placement in its second year.

Course outline and modules

Almost everything we do in our lives has been touched by software engineering, programming or some form of computing. From the obvious, such as ordering products online to playing computer games, to the less obvious, like paying for your shopping at the supermarket or booking an appointment with the doctor, the supporting systems have all been built using computer science knowledge and skills.

As a non-computing graduate on our Computer Science masters course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and experience you need to build an exciting career.

The difference between this course and the MSc Computer Science course is that this one features a professional placement. Students are responsible for finding their own work placement, with the help of our award-winning Careers and Placements Team, who have helped so many of our students to secure placement and work opportunities. Aston is 3rd in the UK for the number of students taking a sandwich year (HESA 2018), showing just how much we encourage students getting professional experience and how successful we are at enabling them to secure work placements. Take a look at our specific placement information and support. Please find more about the timeframe under ‘Learning, teaching and assessment’.

What you’ll learn

You’ll learn to master the tools you need to meet the computational challenges that business and society face, while building a solid base of theoretical knowledge to underpin your delivery of smart solutions and in-depth analysis.

As well as developing a systematic understanding of the software development process you’ll also learn how to make best use of huge amounts of data, enabling you and your future employer to make better business decisions.

We teach specialist subjects ranging from user experience (UX) design to artificial intelligence (AI) and data mining, and give you unique opportunities to apply your knowledge to solve real-world problems.

You’ll be able to get involved with our student-run software development company, Beautiful Canoe, as well as opportunities to work with businesses on real-world issues.

Career prospects

There is a widespread skills shortage in this field, and our course has been designed specifically to develop the next generation of computing professionals, capable of going on to build long and successful careers in computer science.

Recent graduates on similar programmes have joined a wide range of exciting companies including Cap Gemini, Microsoft, KPMG, IBM and Ford.