University of Bristol - Science and Engineering
MSc Computer Science (Conversion)
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 35,500 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* overseas full-time tuition
Key Summary
This MSc conversion programme is for students from a variety of academic backgrounds who have little or no previous academic computing experience. We would, however, encourage prospective students to try a basic online course in programming (in any language) before applying so that they can confirm they have both the appetite and aptitude for this discipline. The aims of the programme are to build:
- an understanding of the basis of computer science and its importance in software development;
- an understanding of the underlying principles of computer systems and their applications;
- an introduction to industrial-style methods of analysis, design, implementation, testing and documentation in software development.
from 25th November 2024- 4th of December 2025
The programme is split into two teaching blocks and a summer project that involves researching, planning and implementing a major piece of work with a significant scientific, technical or software development component. The main programming languages taught on the course are C and Java. There is a strong emphasis on individual and group projects for putting into practice what you learn about software engineering, web technologies, databases, computer architecture and research skills.
By the conclusion of the first teaching block, you will have a solid foundation in imperative programming and computer architecture. You will also have begun to acquire complementary technical skills through the software tools unit. By the end of the second teaching block, you will be able to apply industrial-style tools and techniques for software development and web applications in a teamwork context.
Over the summer you will implement and evaluate your project, and you will submit a dissertation describing your work in September.
Unit names
- Object-Oriented Programming with Java
- Overview of Computer Architecture
- Overview of Software Tools
- Programming in C
- Software Engineering Discipline and Practice
Please select one of the following 60 credit Summer projects:
- Summer Team Project
- MSc Project Computer Science
University of Bristol is ranked 8th in the UK and 51st in the world (QS World University rankings 2026)
This programme aims to provide a sufficiently comprehensive and practical foundation to enable you to start a new career in IT, or to stand out from the crowd and enhance your employment opportunities within your existing field.
It will also provide the required background in computer science to enable you to undertake further study, leading to the specialisation needed for a research career.