PG Cert Computer Science
Online United Kingdom
Postgraduate Certificate
DURATION
8 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 4,286 / per course *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* £4,286 UK / £4,476 International (2025-26) | £4,402 UK / £4,628 International (2026-27)
Key Summary
This 100% online and part-time short conversion course will introduce you to the fundamentals of computing. It is intended for individuals interested in the field of computing who don’t have the required academic background or work experience to break into this in-demand industry.
Through this online PG Cert Computer Science, you will explore current trends, best practices and gain technical skills, as well as developing your ability to collaborate with others and problem solve. By the end of your studies, you will have gained computing knowledge and skills that will prepare you for a number of career paths in this rapidly growing industry. You will also be able to continue your studies and advance onto our PG Dip or Masters programme.
Teaching methods
We’re a 100% online education provider, so we use a state-of-the-art virtual learning environment (VLE) to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE is accessible 24/7 and allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and live seminars.
For our PG Cert Computer Science, there’s no need to download different software packages – all programming languages are included within the tuition fee and all work is carried out in an online development environment.
We believe you get the most out of your time spent studying when you are kept informed of your performance, and we achieve this by:
- assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for the end of year assessments
- showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the virtual learning environment (VLE)
- rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
- ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Support team
Assessment methods
All assessments are delivered through our virtual learning environment (VLE). There is no requirement to travel to external test centres or to sit exams! Instead, you will submit assignments through the VLE, such as written reports, discussion forum participation or reflective journal entries.
We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.
Why Essex Online?
Study online. Graduate on campus.
You will complete your studies and assessments 100% online and your qualification will be awarded by the University of Essex, an award-winning university with a 60-year heritage of teaching and research excellence and one of the top 30 universities in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025). Upon completing your course, you will graduate with the same certificate as campus-based students – your mode of study is only mentioned on your academic transcript.
World-class academic and mentoring support
Our online tutors are leading authorities and specialists in their respective fields. They are passionate about what they teach and combine their knowledge of industry practice with high-quality academic delivery, offering you an unparalleled learning experience.
We also have a dedicated team of Student Advisers and Study Skills Advisers that will support you from your first day to graduation. They will be on hand to help and guide you as you progress through your studies. Whatever the question or issue, they will work with you to find a solution.
We're proud to be rated Gold in the Times Higher Education (THE) Online Rankings 2024. Our achievement, which is based on four pillars - resources, engagement, outcomes and environment - recognises our commitment to excellent online education.
There is a huge level of demand for computer science professionals and this course is designed to enable you to make a career change to this technical field. After completing your studies, you will be prepared to succeed in roles such as Entry Level Software Developer or Programmer, Web Developer or Programmer, and Information System Administrator.
On successful completion of this course, you will also be able to progress onto our PG Dip or MSc Computer Science.
You can study the following modules on the PG Cert Computer Science:
- Launch into Computing (20 credits)*
- Advanced Object-Oriented Design and Programming (20 credits)
- Secure Software Development (20 credits)
*This module is core and must be passed in order to achieve the award.
- Simple monthly payment plan available, enabling you to spread the cost over the duration of your studies.
- Full payment discount of 5% if you pay upfront.
- Regional scholarship available for international students based overseas in eligible countries.
- Alumni discount of 10% of the tuition fee available if you are a previous graduate with the University of Essex or University of Essex Online.
- 10% corporate discount available when three or more of your employees study with us.
Please note, a maximum of two discounts or scholarships can be applied. The corporate discount can only be used in combination with our upfront payment discount, but not in conjunction with any other discount or scholarship. Find out more information about our discounts and scholarships.
A range of scholarships are available subject to applicants meeting certain criteria. To find out whether you're eligible for scholarships, please contact the school.
Teaching methods and style
We’re a 100% online education provider, so we use a state-of-the art virtual learning environment (VLE) to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE is accessible 24/7 and allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and live seminars.
For our PG Cert Computer Science, there’s no need to download different software packages – all programming languages are included within the tuition fee and all work is carried out on an online development environment.
Assessment
All assessments are delivered through our virtual learning environment (VLE). There is no requirement to go to external test centres; instead you will submit written assignments through the VLE. For the few courses where exams are required, we use a virtual system which allows you to take academically rigorous exams from the comfort of your own home.
We believe you get the most out of your time spent studying when you are kept informed of your performance, and we achieve this by:
- assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for end of year exams
- showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the VLE
- rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
- ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Support team
We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.