Why Computer Science at Manchester?

WHY

CS @

MANCHESTER?

www.cs.manchester.ac.uk 01/01

The REF2014 assessed our School as: In the

top 5% in the UK for research quality

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

The best environment in the UK for computer science and informatics research

94% of research classed as “world-leading” (4*) or “internationally excellent” (3*)

WElCoME To WHY CS @ MANCHESTER? Hi, I’m Toby Howard, Director of Undergraduate Studies here in the School of Computer Science. Within these pages we hope to give you a flavour of what you can expect from your time here. If you’ve already made the decision to come to Manchester then this will help to prepare you for what is to come; and if you are still undecided then we aim to help you to reach that all-important decision.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, we hope you find it useful!

Yours, Toby Director of Undergraduate Studies

Each week Toby produces the Monday Mail, a weekly newsletter for our undergraduate students. Our back catalogue can be found here: studentnet.cs.manchester.ac.uk/ ugt/mondaymail

02/03

YoUR TYpiCAl WEEK‌ problem-solving workshops

Examples Classes

peer-Assisted Study Scheme (pASS)

10 x 50 min lectures per week

Tutorial Groups of 6

20 Hours Self-Study

linux operating System You may have heard of the Linux operating system, which is increasingly used commercially: in around two thirds of the world's web servers, in 90% of the world's top 500 super computers and in devices such as smart TVs, smart phones and games consoles - it's everywhere! We believe it is vital that you haven't merely heard of it, which is why all the coursework we set during the ďŹ rst and second year is undertaken in a Linux context.

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

“Regardless of any experience you may have in programming languages, our first programming course will help you to become an excellent programmer. The course uses Java - an industry standard language - as a vehicle, and has unique features such as the careful ordering of concepts via the highly successful `Just in Time' pedagogy, the fact that all the learning is example-driven, and much more.”

Dr John latham Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science

SAMpLE TiMETAbLE UG Timetable

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

09:00

Fundamentals of computer Engineering (w2+)

10:00

13:00

14:00

Mathematical Mathematical Techniques for Techniques for Computer Computer Science Science (w1-5,7-11)

Fundamentals of computer Architecture

Fundamentals of computer Architecture

16:00

Fundamentals of computer Engineering • Lab

• Examples class

Fundamentals of computer Architecture (w3+)

PASS

Fundamentals of computer Architecture (b) Object Oriented Object Oriented Programming Programming with Java 1 (a) with Java 1

15:00

Legend: • Lecture

Friday

Object Oriented First Year Team Object Oriented Programming Project Programming with Java 1 (w1-5,7-10,12) with Java 1

11:00

12:00

Thursday Fundamentals of computer Engineering

First Year Team Project

Mathematical Techniques for Computer Science (w1-5,7-11)

Object Oriented Programming with Java 1

• Workshops

This is an example of the type of timetable you might have as a first year student in the School of Computer Science.

04/05

FolloW oUR STUDENTS BloGS This placement is flying by!

“I have been extremely lucky in my placement role at Accentre in London as I have had a lot of freedom in creating the designs – something which is very rarely done when working for clients. I hope I will be able to use what I have learnt on my third year project next year back at University.”

Veneta Haramplieva bit.ly/veneta-blog

The final sprint...

“This is that bit of the year where you see everyone sprinting, studying, revising and moving quickly. For a third year student this is the time where we are working on our report, which describes the work we have achieved during the year with our Third Year Project.

As well as writing my dissertation, I also will be doing a “Screencast”, which is a short video-presentation to staff and students!”

Edoardo Moreni bit.ly/edoardo-blog

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

CS pASS PASS (Peer-Assisted Study Sessions) is a student mentoring scheme in which second and third year undergraduate students run study sessions for first years. This helps new undergraduates to make the transition to a more independent style of study and to gain a solid grasp of the important foundational material covered during the first year.

Follow the full team at cspassmanchester.tumblr.com

Sarah King pASS Experience: “Leader in my second year, took a year out at IBM and couldn’t wait to return as co-ordinator!”

What are you most excited for this year? ”The socials we have planned, and making PASS more than an academic thing!”

What people may not know about you: “My favourite way to spend time in the evening is watching Supernatural and knitting - I’m so old!”

06/07

YoUR FiRST YEAR

AUG

SEp

Read Crucial Guide Check out reading lists

Register and Welcome Week Meet your Personal Tutor Join societies Visit the Careers Fair

oCT

NoV

Lectures and labs start Begin group project with fellow 1st years Halloween Hackathon!

Reading Week – a week off to catch up!

ACM International Coding Competition

DEC

JAN

Revise for January Exams Xmas break!

Return to University Sit exams

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

it might seem a long way off but it is important to plan ahead.

Here’s a taster of what you could be doing during your first year at Manchester.

FEB

MAR

Start of Semester 2 1st Year project presentations

Easter break Think about your second year course units

ApR

MAY

Start looking for Summer jobs Staff v Students Coding Competition

Prepare for June Exams End of year parties

JUN

JUl/AUG

Sit exams Break for Summer

Enjoy your rest... ...then get ready for 2nd year!

08/09

STUDENT liFE

SoC...

JoiN CS . iTioNS..

T E p M o EN T E R C

TUD S A E

M BECo WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

ENT

SSAD A B AM

MiSSED ANYTHiNG? Re-discover CS with our Virtual Visit Day Remind yourself about all the great things our School has to offer by revisiting our Virtual Visit Day for offer holders only.

ViRTUAl ViSiT DAY ACTiViTiES

Remember what you’ve seen and done so far by ticking the boxes below: Watch a welcome from our Head of School Click through our Visit Day slides Watch our introduction to a CS degree and Java demonstration Get international admissions advice Your typical week Watch a video about student life in CS Watch a video about first year team project work Watch our third year project video Watch our graduation video

...

DoR bit.ly/virtual-visit-day

Watch a flyover of some of our campus Life in Manchester See where our students come from Join our offer holder Facebook group

10/11

GET CoNNECTED @csmcr @seanbechhofer Getting ready to be humiliated in the @csmcr Staff vs Students Coding Comp... codingdojo.cs.man.ac/scs/ Dr Sean Bechhofer 1st year tutor

www.facebook.com/ groups/CSUGofferHolders

www.cs.manchester.ac.uk

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

WATCH youtube.com/uomcompsci

Meet our Student Ambassadors

life in Computer Science

First Year Team projects

12/13

CS pRoBlEM SolVED 1

2 3 4

5 6

7

8

9

10

11 12

13

14

WHY CS @ MANCHESTER

ACRoSS

DoWN

3 Our School undergraduate director (4,6)

1 The School of Computer Science’s age this academic year (5)

4 Fundamental programming language, taught in Year One (4) 7 Students teaching other students CS group (4) 8 Name of the recent biopic of Alan Turing’s life, played by Benedict Cumberbatch (3,9,4) 10 To gain work experience, some students may choose to take a year in in their Third year? (8) 12 Programming language which shares name with a snake (5)

2 The credit-card computer, which each student will receive free when arriving (9-2) 5 What one may call a robot’s intelligence? (10) 6 Mathematical technique used for solving Su Dokus (5) 9 The Computer Science society abbreviated name (5) 11 Number of lectures per week in the first year (3)

13 Name of the School of Computer Science building and former Professor here (7) 14 Operating system (5)

Good luck in your exams, We hope to see you in September!

Best wishes, School of Computer Science

14/15

School of Computer Science Kilburn Building The University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL +44(0)161 275 6124 www.cs.manchester.ac.uk Royal Charter Number RC000797 KD183 04.15