MSci Computer Science with a Year in Industry
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Get as involved as you can! Run events with the student societies, run for committee, talk to your lecturers and genuinely take advantage of everything the University can offer. You're going to meet so many awesome people and make so many great long-lasting friends; you just need to get out there!"
Why did you originally apply to do your chosen course at Birmingham?
I actually didn't! I applied to do a regular MSci Computer Science degree, and switched over to my current course in my second year. This was actually surprisingly easy, and the fact that the first two years of Computer Science are the same for everyone really helped that. I applied to study Computer Science because I really love software development and computers themselves (having swapped schools twice to do it at GCSE and A-Level); so it was the natural choice for me!
What do you think are the best points of your course?
I think it really boils down to a couple of things: the lecturers and the wide range of topics taught. There's a real trust between students and lecturers in Computer Science where they really want to teach you everything they know, and they're super passionate about it. In tandem with that, it makes for such a wide variety of subjects- ranging from artificial intelligence through to the theories of how computers work themselves! It's truly a fascinating subject.
What’s the best thing about studying at the University of Birmingham?
The best thing about studying at the University of Birmingham is the people, hands down, with the campus itself coming in at a close second. I think the people here are amazing - they're so accepting and lovely to talk to. As a result of there being so many people, there's a wide range of societies as well, so you really can find other people who are interested in the exact thing you like. As well as the people, the campus itself is actually really amazing! It's lovely and green as well as being situated both close to the city centre, and to student housing.
What’s your highlight of your time at the University?
Being on the committee of the Computer Science Society, the highlight has been seeing so many happy people over the last few years. A particular highlight was putting on the first CSS ball in person since COVID, and having such great positive feedback at the end. The night was truly a blast, and I'm happy to say that everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I'm really proud of that.
What advice would you give to students thinking about studying on the course?
You don't need to know anything about computer science to study it. It's a super easy course to get into, but it's a lot of work at the same time. Stay on top of your weekly work and you'll have a blast learning everything you could possibly want to about the subject.