WHICH DEGREE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
WHY YOU SHOULD DO A PLACEMENT!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR RESEARCH
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It’s never too early to start thinking about what you would like to do after school or college, or if you are thinking of a career move. At Plymouth, we know that choosing a university and course is a big decision. If you have a career aspiration or an inkling of which profession or industry you would like to enter into but are unsure of what to do next, then this is where our handy subject guide comes in.
FEATURES:
P.8 Which degree is right for me? Which Computer Science course is right for you?
P.10 Built for industry, designed for your career
How our degrees integrate real-world work and industry knowledge and experience.
Meet some of this issue’s contributors:
When it comes to finding out if university feels right for you, nothing compares to an open day. Talk to current students and quiz lecturers about your course. You can register to attend here plymouth.ac.uk/open-days
city.
Experience first-hand what it is like to be on campus and explore the environments and facilities that inspire and shape our learning every day. Step into one of our campus buildings and picture yourself studying here with us.
P.20 Ryan’s story Ryan’s final-year project developing an app to help asthma sufferers manage their condition.
P.22 Careers support that grows with you
Find out how our Careers Service can support you throughout your degree and after you graduate.
If you’ve picked up this guide, you’ve already started considering your future and are perhaps asking yourself if studying Computer Science is something you would like to do, and whether the University of Plymouth is the right place for you.
At this stage, you will have a mixture of emotions as you’re going through this process: one perhaps of excitement, maybe nervousness or even stress. This may not be the first guide you’ve looked through saying similar things, and you’re probably overwhelmed with a lot of choices that need to be made.
Well, let’s see if I can help you. Here are my top 10 reasons for studying with us for starters!
Dr Vasilios Kelefouras Computer Science Admissions Tutor
Our Computer Science degrees equip you with an industry focused skill set that is attractive to potential employers. We have a strong network of industrial contacts, some of which visit us every year to give talks and meet our students. We also offer an optional, but highly recommended, paid placement year. Our placement team can help and support you with finding a placement. This industryfocused approach is endorsed by our excellent graduate employment rates, which are well above the sector average.
Our degrees all share a common first year and selected common modules in the second year. Modules in your final year allow you to focus on a specific area of interest, i.e. artificial intelligence, cyber security, games development or software engineering. You have the opportunity to transfer between Computer Science degrees at the end of the first year giving you flexibility as your interests develop.
Our Computer Science open plan learning space provides a dedicated space for our community of students, staff and technicians. We also have artificial intelligence, games development, cyber security and software engineering labs to support our suite of specialist degrees.
Computer Science continues to shape the modern world, advancing quicker than ever before and benefiting humanity in multiple ways. The application of Computer Science can be found everywhere: it is in our phones, cars, TVs, and even in our bodies, e.g. hearing implants.
Our Computer Science courses are accredited by the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. Accreditation is a mark of quality that provides employers with confidence that your knowledge and skills are cutting edge and that you will quickly become an asset to their organisation
Our ‘learning through doing’ ethos means you build the skills to make you desirable to employers. You will learn by solving real-world problems and by developing realworld applications. You’ll learn from dedicated teaching staff who are actively working at the frontiers of internationally significant research.
Find your place within the team and work on projects from week one. Learn how to develop workflows, processes and understanding that allows your team to innovate. All of our courses are practical to ensure you gain hands-on experience of the topics discussed in lectures.
Outside of academic life, Plymouth offers a vibrant city surrounded by a relaxing environment in which to study and live. A range of student societies offers something for everyone, with a notable example being CompSoc, our student-run computing society. CompSoc offers regular hackathons and activities and is a great way to meet like-minded students from your course. Lastly, the University campus is located in the city center which makes commuting very easy.
By living and studying in Plymouth you can explore the stunning beaches and beautiful countryside Devon and Cornwall have to offer. Only 30 minutes’ drive from the University campus is Dartmoor National Park with its wild, open moorlands, deep river valleys, rich history and rare wildlife. The surrounding landscape has stunning views, awe-inspiring granite tors and deep wooded valleys.
All your lecturers are active researchers in their field, and their research underpins the curriculum’s content. The University is committed to enhancing your experience of research-informed teaching. Linking teaching with research benefits you in many ways, e.g. developing critical thinking, enhancing employability, improving your confidence and enhancing your experience of realworld issues.
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE
Technology continues to revolutionise the way we live, build, work, shop, learn and even access medical care. At Plymouth, you will gain handson skills across a range of topics including coding, algorithms, database and software development, cyber security, networks and social, legal and ethical aspects of IT. Through studying with our experts and applying your knowledge, you too will advance new technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, virtual reality and smart devices.
Find out more about our BSc
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field within computer science. With this course you will gain skills in realworld applications, AI theory, and creating tools for Industry 4.0. You will also explore the wider ethical and societal implications of AI.
Taught by a team of internationally recognised AI experts, this course offers you an exciting opportunity to engage with world-leading research.
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE (CYBER SECURITY)
Cyber security is now widely recognised as an international priority, with hacking, malicious code and data theft being just three of the many reasons why it’s vital in the design, development and implementation of today’s IT systems. This NCSC certified course delivers a view of security threats and solutions, alongside an essential background in wider IT topics. This is particularly important considering the national Cyber Security Strategy and the current shortage of related skills in the marketplace.
Find out more about
Find out more about
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE (GAMES DEVELOPMENT)
Create your own apps, indie releases and serious games, and build your profile as a software developer. This course challenges you to innovate in the games sector while honing your software development skills and working for real clients on live projects. Work individually and as a part of a team, and prove your capabilities with tech demos and releases. Our course is built on a core of computer science topics and supported by industry-leading games technologists.
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE (SOFTWARE ENGINEERING)
Computer science and software development drives many of the world’s greatest technologies, helping us to live, learn, build and even save lives. On this course, you will develop the hands-on technical skills that are currently in demand by employers, as well as the appropriate foundations in computer science, software engineering and information systems, to support you in the long term.
BS c (Hons) COMPUTER SCIENCE WITH FOUNDATION YEAR
Our foundation year provides a solid grounding in the disciplines underpinning computer science while developing hands-on skills across a range of topics. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of computing and electronic systems, including programming and software development, ensuring you’re well-prepared for advanced study. Successful completion of the foundation year enables you to progress into the first year of any of our Computer Science degrees.
Being at the forefront of the next generation of computer scientists means more than learning theory - it means learning by doing, working in industry, tackling real-world challenges and seeing first-hand how computer science operates in practice.
Our Computer Science degrees are built around employability, with a strong focus on the technical, professional and collaborative skills employers actively look for. From week one, you’ll be working in specialist labs on both individual and team-based projects, learning in an environment that reflects how the industry actually works.
You’ll use industry-standard tools and agile development processes, contribute to real-world and simulated projects. You’ll gain experience that mirrors professional software, cyber and digital teams.
Real-world work experience from day one with hands-on projects and industry placements
Along the way, you’ll be challenged to develop ideas, solve complex problems and work effectively with others – building confidence as well as capability.
As you progress, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that demonstrates not just what you know, but what you can do. This portfolio becomes a powerful way to evidence your technical ability, problem-solving skills and innovative mindset to employers – helping you graduate ready to step into the industry with confidence and impact.
“We regularly have students securing placements and jobs at FTSE 100 companies. There’s a perception that only students from red brick universities go to these places – but it simply isn’t the case. Our students are highly competitive and win these placements as well.”
Nathan Clarke, Professor in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics
In your third year, you’ll have the opportunity to take an optional placement year – a chance to step fully into the professional world and apply your learning in a real working environment.
With a minimum of 48 weeks of fulltime employment, the placement year allows you to build experience, confidence and insight that can be genuinely career-defining. Students have secured placements with leading global companies such as IBM, Intel, HP and Microsoft; national and government organisations including the BBC, Met Office and Land Registry; and at local companies and organisations such as
Delt Shared Services, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth’s Technology Information Service (TIS) department.
Whether your interests lie in software engineering, cyber security, or emerging technologies, a placement year will help you test career paths, grow your professional network and strengthen your CV. All whilst developing the communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills that set our graduates apart.
“My placement really set me up for the final year by giving me experience of what it’s actually like to do this as a job. It means everything becomes much more familiar and by the time you come back, you think, ‘I know what I am doing,’ and it’s actually a really nice feeling.”
Lewis, BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Software Engineering)
“It wasn’t until I worked at Renishaw that I fully understood what it takes to become a successful software engineer. It was the most important year of my degree – and possibly my life – in terms of my career and personal development.”
Jodie spent her placement working on software for the neurological products division in the concept and design team at Renishaw.
WHO WAS YOUR PLACEMENT WITH AND WHAT WAS YOUR JOB TITLE?
For my placement year, I worked for a company called Renishaw in Wottonunder-Edge, Gloucestershire. Renishaw is predominantly an engineering company specialising in metrology and precision. Renishaw have taken their expertise in metrology and applied it to many different areas over the years, from industrial manufacturing to healthcare.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR PLACEMENT?
I worked within a small team called the concept and design team, who worked solely on software for the Neurological Products Division. Our focus was working on future releases for neuroinspire, a surgical planning software for stereotactic neurosurgery. A new feature for neuroinspire is proposed and researched thoroughly by the research team. As the concept and design team, we then take the research and create prototype work for the requested feature. Our prototypes take the feature end to end and prove whether it is feasible or not. We also meet with various stakeholders, from
management to users, throughout the duration of prototyping to ensure it is heading in the right direction. When complete, the prototype is passed on to our production team who enhance the performance of any complex calculations and then integrate the feature into neuroinspire. When I first started at Renishaw, I was given small tasks to implement in the prototype (for example enabling buttons in certain scenarios and adding labels) to give me a chance to learn the code base. Once my confidence grew, I contributed to more difficult aspects of the development, some of which required a high level of maths and problem-solving. I was also more involved in meetings and demos to stakeholders.
IN TERMS OF YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT SO FAR, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BENEFITS OF UNDERTAKING THIS PLACEMENT?
me the chance to massively improve my skills and learn new things, I feel I now also have a chance of getting a higher degree classification than I would have if I went straight into my final year.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT THINKING ABOUT UNDERTAKING A PLACEMENT YEAR?
Do it! I honestly can’t recommend it enough. I feel my time at university prior to placement did help create some of the building blocks I need to become a successful software engineer. However, I feel that it wasn’t until I worked at Renishaw that I fully understood what it took to become that successful software engineer. It was the most important year of my degree and possibly my life in terms of my career and personal development.
The most obvious benefit would be that I have managed to secure a year of experience before even graduating. This makes you stand out massively when applying for graduate jobs as some candidates may not have been given this opportunity. As the year gave
WHO WAS YOUR PLACEMENT WITH AND WHAT WAS YOUR JOB TITLE?
I worked for the Science and Technology Facilities Council as a Software Engineer for ISIS Business Systems. The ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences. It is owned and operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR PLACEMENT?
The placement involved the specification, design, programming, testing, deployment and documentation of software solutions to meet the business information management needs of the facility, scientists and users. Following the release of software, the products would go into a maintenance phase and the role also included some work to support customers (internal and external) in using existing and new systems. A wide variety of responsibilities were given ranging from supporting users via email, phone and in person to being responsible
for designing and implementing a completely new system for collating and transferring experiment proposals, from scientists around the world, into another existing system.
HOW DID YOUR PLACEMENT HELP YOU WITH APPLYING FOR A GRADUATE JOB
Actually spending a year doing the work really helps to embed the knowledge I gained on the course. When applying for a graduate job, employers often expect you to have a year’s experience at this point so the applicants who have this from their time at placement will be in a much better position. Besides this, a placement also provides a gentle introduction into working as you’re not expected to perform as well as a graduate at this point.
WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS OF UNDERTAKING THIS PLACEMENT?
The placement has helped strengthen my skills in software engineering, gain an insight into how software development is done in industry using technologies and procedures such as continuous integration and it
further developed my ‘soft skills’ such as working in teams, communicating with others in the workplace and my presentation skills. All these skills are becoming increasingly important to employers when recruiting so having a year’s worth of experience definitely put me above most other applicants when applying for a role as a software engineer after graduation.
Brian graduated with first class honours from the BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree and was a participant of the Tamar Engineering Project (TEP) Scholarship Scheme.
Through TEP, Brian received oneto-one mentoring from Michael LeGoff, who guided Brian through the essential non-academic skills that employers look for, helping to develop Brian’s confidence and sense of direction in his career. Brian was also awarded Best Overall Computing Student from the BCS, demonstrating his determination to succeed.
Our specialist labs aid our researchdriven, handson teaching
“Computer Science might sound like it’s all about machines, but ultimately the technology and our projects exist to support people – whether that’s making tasks easier through AI, enhancing protection in cyber security, or providing recreation through games design.
Having labs combined with the open plan learning space means that students are able to collaborate with each other across disciplines and with industry, exactly as they would in employment.”
Dr Rory Hopcraft Programme Director for Computer Science
As a computer science student at Plymouth you will benefit from a range of specialist facilities, including six dedicated labs and an open plan learning space. These environments provide diverse hardware and software setups, from high-performance Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) for AI development, to flexible networking infrastructure for cyber security and penetration testing on our cyber range.
Open plan learning space - our open plan communal space sits at the heart of our facilities.
While it doesn’t house traditional lab hardware, it offers an ideal environment for collaboration, idea exchange and student-led events.
It’s complimented by our artificial intelligence, games development, cyber security and software engineering labs that support our suite of specialist degrees.
While we encourage everyone to use the facilities in person for hands-on collaboration with peers and staff, remote access is also available — allowing 24/7 virtual access to our labs.
“There’s a fantastic openplan study space with high tables, comfy sofas and plenty of room to work solo or in groups. It’s a great place to meet people, share ideas and get inspired. Studying Computer Science at Plymouth already feels like being part of a forwardthinking, supportive community.”
Aspa, Computer Science student
“The computers and labs have all the software you’d use for any of your projects. It’s great and ensures that any student can access what they need to.”
“I honestly don’t think there’s been a single week where I haven’t used the computing lab at least five out of seven days. Having free, full access to specialised software like MATLAB, VirtualBox, Azure, Eclipse and more has been a game-changer. The technical staff have also been incredibly supportive. They’re always approachable and helpful, whether it’s installing software, fixing equipment, or answering questions about specific facilities.”
Samuel, Computer Science student
BSc (Hons) Computer Science graduate Chloe, has been able to put the theory she learnt during her time at university into her graduate role as a Junior Developer.
WHAT ORIGINALLY MOTIVATED YOU TO STUDY IN THE FIELD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE?
It was always something I was good at and passionate about in school. I always liked helping relatives and friends if they had a tech issue. I think one of the main things that motivated me though was the lack of women in IT. Both in my secondary school and college I was the only girl in the class and I wanted to change that.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR CAREER AND HOW DID YOUR TIME AT PLYMOUTH HELP YOU OVERCOME THESE?
The most difficult experience I’ve had during my career is being a woman. However, the University’s Women in STEM society really helped me overcome the fear of being a minority and also helped me
“Plymouth feels like a safe environment, just like home for me.”
make friends for life. Women in STEM regularly held events, such as bowling, to gather all of the women going through the same things I was. It was super helpful as without this I’d have very little communication with other women, which is sometimes what you need.
HOW CAN STUDYING A DEGREE WITHIN THE AREA OF COMPUTER SCIENCE ENABLE ONE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT TOWARDS RESOLVING GLOBAL CHALLENGES (I.E. CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD POVERTY, SUSTAINABILITY, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, ETC)?
There are lots of tech companies that focus on improving climate change, whether this be research into how to improve climate change or making processes more environmentally friendly. This is definitely something I would like to look into during my career.
YOU DID A PLACEMENT, HOW WAS IT?
For me, my placement confirmed that I really wanted to go into software development. It made me a lot more confident than I was when I left my second year. I enhanced a lot of my technical skills, including learning how to mobile develop, which became extremely helpful during my final-year project. I learnt how to do releases to the Google App Store, which really felt amazing as it finally felt like my work meant something. I also managed to get a job at the end of my placement secured for when I graduated. As well as getting a job I made some amazing contacts and friends, who I am still in contact with despite them no longer working at the company.
For his final year project, BSc (Hons) Computer Science graduate Ryan developed an app that interprets air quality data from monitors sited around city centres. It’s aim? To help sufferers of asthma to manage their condition.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do after college; to be honest, I felt a bit lost. I’ve always been interested in programming and tinkering, and especially the joy that comes from creating things. Four years ago, when I began this journey, I never thought I would be where I am now. I’ve gone from writing scripts for games in my bedroom to making a difference to real people’s lives. That’s what I want to do with my life. And Plymouth has given me the skills I need to do that.
“My final-year project was driven by this same passion. I designed Breathe to help people take control of their environment by giving them the information they need to do so. From activists lobbying their local government to reduce traffic, to ensuring people with respiratory conditions (like myself) can monitor
their surroundings and prepare for the unexpected, it offers people the agency to improve their own lives.
“This project is the largest I’ve taken on to date. From inception to delivery, the staff at the University were nothing but supportive. I never would have dreamed I’d be doing this just a few years ago. My experiences at university and on my placement year imbued me with the confidence needed to begin my career as a software engineer, and spend a lifetime solving global problems in ways I never thought possible.
“I know exactly where I’m going now, and Uni helped me get there.”
Career development is embedded throughout your studies. You’ll be introduced to a wide range of computing disciplines while developing the essential professional, communication and teamwork skills needed to thrive in industry.
Alongside your academic mentors, our dedicated Careers Service bring industry insight directly to you. You’ll receive specialist, personalised support throughout your degree.
You’ll take part in our Enhance Your Future programme, which helps you explore career options, shape your goals and understand where your skills can take you. Employer led sessions and work experience preparation workshops give you invaluable insight into recruitment and selection processes. Our targeted support boosts your confidence in applications, interviews and assessment centres.
We open the door to industry early. You will regularly meet employers through careers fairs, guest talks and networking events. You’ll gain direct access to graduate and placement opportunities. You’ll receive individual placement support before, during and after your placement, ensuring you make the most of every opportunity.
Our paid work placement programme draws on extensive industry connections, while our industry mentoring scheme matches students with professionals - often University of Plymouth alumni - who offer first hand insight, advice and encouragement from inside the sector.
All students and graduates have access to myCareer, the University’s online careers platform. With an extensive vacancy database, CV builder, interview simulator, online courses and video resources. myCareer equips you with everything you need to manage your career – now and in the future.
“The Careers Service supported me during my placement and helped me secure it. I first heard about the opportunity from my current employer and many others at the careers fair.”
Daniel, Computer Science graduate
With demand for computing and IT professionals continuing to grow, job prospects remain excellent. The sector has proven its resilience and importance, offering graduates long term career security, flexibility and opportunity.
With expert careers support embedded throughout your degree, you’ll graduate confident, connected and ready to make your mark in industry.
If your dream is to start your own company by yourself or with a team, we will support you with the help of the The Cube’s entrepreneur programme.
The Cube’s services are open to students at all levels of study and graduates. We offer advice, funding and support at every stage of your entrepreneurial journey; you can come to us with anything from an idea to a fully-fledged business.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CUBE’S SUPPORT SERVICES.
GET IN TOUCH
Simran Kooner and Laura Haddy Computer Science students
“My hope is that we will see a world where more girls are empowered to help guide us through the advancement of AI and contribute to technologies, which benefits everyone. So, it becomes a world where girls working in STEM are not simply the minority, but an integral part of industries making a positive difference,” says Simran.
She continues: “Women in Computing is an unofficial society, which will become official soon. It focuses on
ensuring that those individuals in computing, or STEM in general, don’t feel like they’re doing it alone. We tend to do social meet-ups, but if educational ones are needed then we organise them, too. The meet-ups are decided through a group chat where polls are used to make final decisions so everyone is in their comfort zone.
“The reason Laura and I decided to create this was to ensure that all women felt supported, as this was one of the many struggles that we
encountered, until we realised we weren’t the only ones. Since starting the society I’ve seen a difference through the support we’re providing, but also in terms of how confident people are becoming through networking as they understand each other more and more. My personal outcome of this has been making new friends and finally feeling like people understand me.”
“My choice to study Computer Science at the University of Plymouth (or any university, even) was both an obvious one and, equally, one fraught with unknown after unknown. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved programming and computers, but it’s always been more of a means to an end for me. I don’t love spending days and days in front of a screen doing nothing but typing; what I really love doing is making things. Things to make my own life and other people’s lives easier.
“Every single time I see a notification pop up that someone, somewhere, has downloaded my software – or even when somebody files a bug report to let me know that it’s not working as it should –that’s what I live for. It’s worth the time and effort spent, even if I’m able to help just one person.
“My final-year project is absolutely no exception to this rule. It is by far the most ambitious software project I’ve ever attempted, and I’m really proud of what it’s turning out to be.
“See, making most kinds of websites these days is trivial. Pop on over to Squarespace, Wix or WordPress, and you can have a website up and running within about an hour (all bells and whistles included). That’s exactly what my dad did when he wanted to make a website for his business, both because he could and because it was easy. I love the fact that oodles of much-smarter-than-me developers have made tools that make it easier for folks like my dad to be a web developer without writing a single line of code.
“Now, that works great for most websites. You have some text, links, images and
maybe even some videos and music. Web ‘applications’, however, are a whole different kettle of fish. These are websites like Gmail, Facebook and YouTube. Y’know, complicated stuff. All of those ‘bells and whistles’ from earlier are now all things you have to worry about yourself (and where lots of things can go wrong).
“Here’s where my final-year project, Orbit, comes in. It’s designed to allow people like my dad to deploy complicated web applications without having to write a single line of code while automating away pretty much all of the hard parts. I’m going to open source it and release it entirely for free (and continue to support it while I do). As far as I’m aware, nothing quite like it exists yet, and I’m crossing my mostlytyping fingers that it helps as many people as I believe it has the potential to.”
“With a wide variety of modules throughout the first and second year, my degree has allowed me to develop the knowledge I already had before I started university, as well as learn completely new things, one of which was programming. This was something that I wanted to learn more about, and is something that continues to interest me. Having now developed programs in languages such as C#, ASP.NET, SQL, HTML and CSS, my degree has given me the knowledge to create and develop several types of applications.
“My degree is broad, allowing me to develop skills in areas I am more interested in, as well as gain an understanding of areas such as security, and the business aspect of computing.
“All of these skills have prepared me well for my upcoming placement, and are also preparing me for when I graduate. With computing developing more and more everyday, it is something that is going to be an ongoing interest for me.”
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH SINCE GRADUATION. My work involves 3D programming for simulations, including underwater simulations, along with prototypes and offering hardware integration and support. It is a great working environment and I love the fact that I’m getting challenged with such interesting and unusual projects.
Studying for this degree at Plymouth has been crucial, because during my years as a student it allowed me to explore unique projects helping me to focus towards an area that I was interested in. For my final-year project I created a paragliding simulator called “Gestalt Flight”
where the user navigates a virtual environment strapped into an authentic paragliding harness. The experience focuses on immersion, using air fans to simulate the air flow with customised music enhancing the experience. The support I received for creating this complicated project was amazing, not only in terms of mentoring but also in terms of sponsorship and manufacturing support from the faculty.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT CONSIDERING STUDYING, AND THUS DEVELOPING THEIR CAREER, IN THE SAME FIELD AS YOU?
Software development is currently a growing industry that will be beneficial when you graduate. From what I have learned from other software developers, you are constantly learning and improving your understanding of concepts, and this is what initially attracted
me to the field. The only advice I would give is to emphasise the importance of soft skills. One way to improve them is to get a part-time job that involves customer-facing interactions. Coming across professionally in video calls can be difficult when working from home, so one method I used is to create a space in which you only work from. This separation keeps my work and home life in balance.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH SINCE GRADUATION. Since graduation, I have been working for a company called Software Solved. Software Solved is a software consultancy firm based in Exeter, UK. My current job role is as a Junior Developer. In less than a year
as a Junior Developer, I have learnt about and contributed to a variety of projects in my job.
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING ACHIEVEMENT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER, TO DATE?
Securing my software placement was a huge achievement. Like many others, I strongly dislike the interview process. I applied to many different companies in the hope of securing a placement for my final year. The whole interview process gave me a bunch of different insights into how different companies conduct interviews.
The University prides itself on its active role in purpose-driven research, and Computer Science is no exception. Our research centres of excellence are dedicated to resolving some of industry’s most pressing issues. Active core members of these centres make up a large proportion of your lecturers and tutors throughout your university experience, and you will be taught by some of the best academics in the field.
CENTRE FOR MARINE AUTONOMY, MARITIME CYBER SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY (CMAST)
CMAST is founded on the achievement of research excellence across autonomous maritime technology and systems, and the cyber security of these technologies and systems.
The Centre blends these areas of research excellence holistically, understanding the systems of technology, people and processes in unique surface and underwater environments. This mirrors the complex microcosm of industry and defence in the South West region, but also nationally and (because of the nature of our oceans) internationally.
Find out more about our marine autonomy and cyber security research:
CENTRE OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE IN INTELLIGENT AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS (CRISPS) CRISPS brings together a vibrant community of transdisciplinary researchers, working towards addressing the challenge of sustainably feeding a global population of 9 billion.
Founded upon research excellence in aquaculture, agricultural technology and soil health, and underpinned by investment in cutting-edge facilities, the Centre will create the critical mass required to ensure impactful research and real-world deployment in the UK and beyond.
Find out more about our sustainable productive systems research:
CENTRE FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Healthcare systems worldwide are striving for the ‘quadruple aim’ of better population health and reducing inequalities, improved experience of care, healthcare team wellbeing (including that of carers) and lower system costs.
Many technological solutions exist to support this ambition. However, health and care systems are not making the most of the technological revolution, due to a range of architectural, evidential and cultural challenges – and computer science is helping to lay the groundwork to overcome them.
Find out more about our health technology research:
“Research and wider industry engagement is a core activity all of our Computer Science staff are incredibly passionate about – whether that involves the penetration testing of maritime systems in our nationally unique Cyber-SHIP Lab, exploring our understanding of human brain development to aid the development of novel artificial intelligence or
creating innovative technologies to overcome challenges in health and medicine (to name but a few!). These novel and creative insights gained by our research directly contribute to our daily teaching – into the curriculum we deliver and the incredible projects our students undertake.”
Professor Nathan Clarke Programme Manager for MSc Cyber Security
Over 95% of our graduates are in work or further study*