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Two people seated at a desk, focused on a computer screen. One, with long hair and wearing headphones around his neck, gestures with a pen. The other, a woman with her hair tied back, smiles while pointing at the monitor. Several other computers and equipment are in the background.
Student working on a laptop in the Creative Tech Lab

Computer Science BSc (Hons)

Study new systems, methodologies, and ways of thinking to solve real-world problems with our Computer Science BSc.

Key information

How to Apply
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Do you enjoy programming? Do you want to know how to talk to audiences to understand their needs, and be able to specify, design, build and test the software they want? If you do and want to learn about the fundamentals of computer science, software engineering, networks, and the latest trends in tech, our BSc (Hons) in Computer Science is for you.

From harnessing coding to exploring AI, web platforms, communication technology, and machine learning, you’ll acquire the knowledge and skills that top employers seek. We understand that theory alone won’t cut it in the real world, so this course prioritises practical hands-on experience through real-world projects and industry collaborations. Whether you aim to become a software engineer, a systems analyst, or a tech entrepreneur, our course offers the flexibility and support to match your career aspirations and passions.

Grounded in core principles and practical application, this course provides a solid foundation in communication technology and machine learning. The course has been developed with an iterative approach to study, where you will gain understanding and skill sets as you progress, acquiring rigorous grounding in essential concepts, theories, and hands-on practical know-how. Each of the projects is designed to develop problem-solving abilities, facilitating an ability to understand the fundamentals of how computers process, store, and retrieve data.

The hands-on nature of the course allows you to experiment with coding languages like Python, Java, or C++, while also learning about database management, web development and networked communications. As you progress, you will develop confidence in dealing with more complex aspects of the discipline, such as algorithms, software engineering, IDE development, AI, computer vision and real-time performance systems.

One of the distinguishing features of the course is the emphasis on collaborative and independent work. You will participate in team-based projects throughout the course, learning to solve real-world problems and develop software in group environments that mirror industry practices and processes. In your final year, you undertake an individual problem-based project, exercising your creativity and innovation to design and implement a software solution to the problem, applying scientific principles you have learnt.

  • A student working on a laptop in the Creative Tech Lab at Norwich University of the Arts
  • Two people seated at a desk, focused on a computer screen. One, with long hair and wearing headphones around his neck, gestures with a pen. The other, a woman with her hair tied back, smiles while pointing at the monitor. Several other computers and equipment are in the background.
  • photo of person using virtual reality headset and handheld controllers against backdrop of the mutator exhibit showing scaly abstract 3D objects in organic forms
  • A group of people sits around a white table in a classroom setting, attentively listening to a speaker who points at a large screen displaying a software interface. The room, bathed in natural light from large windows, has an open clearing feel with several laptops open on the table.

Why study with us

  • Study fast-developing areas such as software engineering, concepts in artificial intelligence, networked communications, and cloud-based systems.
  • Learn the principles of computer science and how to apply them to problems across different industries and contexts.
  • Develop creativity and teamwork through project-based learning, working with your classmates to solve problems together, a core attribute highly valued by employers.
  • Excellent tutorial support and extensive course-specific interactive teaching in a friendly and supportive learning environment.

Course details

Year 1

Core Units

This unit covers the fundamentals of computer science, including computational power and foundational concepts prepares students to innovate and adapt within the dynamic landscape of computer science. Blending theoretical learning with hands-on exploration, it explores the significance of computer science in shaping the modern world and initiates students into technical learning with high-level programming languages, such as JavaScript and Python, alongside fundamental mathematics relevant to computing. Students will engage with both the historical and cultural impacts of computer science throughout.

40 credits

This unit introduces key research methodologies in Computer Science and user research and user centred design, preparing you for advanced study and professional challenges in the field. It will develop your critical thinking, practical research skills, and ethical awareness. Real-world applications are explored through case studies, design simulations, and problem-based learning, allowing students to apply theoretical concepts to tangible issues. Technical learning includes web programming, building websites, and designing interfaces and interactions using HTML 5, CSS, and JavaScript.

40 credits

In this unit you will explore some of the key contemporary concepts within computer science. You will explore data security, trust, and network management in computational and networked environments. You will explore strategies for creating secure networks, including industry-standard protocols for firewall management, penetration testing, intrusion detection, data encryption, and Wi-Fi security. You will engage with full-stack development, incorporating both SQL and NoSQL databases. You will gain hands-on experience in data analysis for detecting security anomalies and understanding attack patterns, as well as ethical considerations around hacking tools and user privacy.

40 credits

Core Projects

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus. The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.

Year 2

Core Units

How do you develop high fidelity multimedia content across web platforms? This unit focuses on developing computational skills and methodologies for audio-visual media, emphasising design thinking, multimedia optimization, and introduces real-time rendering. You will engage in workshops applying HCI and UX principles, gaining experience in audio mixing, and machine learning theory, as well as essential multimedia practices. Design thinking sessions will develop both your divergent and convergent thinking, supporting iterative ideation and data-driven problem-solving approaches.

40 credits

How do we develop intelligent systems and what are the implications for society? This unit explores the ethical, social, and global challenges in Computer Science and Machine Learning, encouraging you to critically assess the implications of internationalization, localization, and the technical impact on sustainability. Technical learning will include developing machine learning systems and artificial intelligence, including neural networks, reinforcement learning and other specialist approaches. Through case studies and ethical frameworks like GDPR and AI ethics, you will gain practical knowledge of legal and moral standards shaping the industry. Awareness of unconscious bias, sustainable tech ecosystems, and ethical data handling are integral parts of our curriculum.

40 credits

This unit ensures you understand best practice in current software development and are able to work in collaborative settings to create computer codes and systems to solve real world problems. This unit explores cross-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging creative risk-taking and the cross-fertilization of ideas and practices. Through workshops and seminars, you’ll develop skills in identifying productive collaborators, understanding audience and context, and applying effective ideation and problem-solving methodologies. Technical session cover Software Engineering principles and code repository management. Hands-on experience with Agile and Scrum methodologies, alongside hackathons, enables flexible, team-oriented development practice, preparing you for dynamic, collaborative work environments.

40 credits

Core Projects

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.

Diploma Year (optional)

Level 5 Diploma (120 credits)

Students have the opportunity to spend a year after the second of their degree (or the third year if studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year) enhancing their employability options through a Level 5 Diploma. They can choose from courses designed to provide:

  • opportunities to gain industry insight, developing employability skills through a series of supported experiences, expanding professional networks and building confidence in the workplace, or
  • an introduction to creative computing, building an understanding of how coding skills can be used to advance and complement creative practice.

Find out more about our Level 5 Diplomas.

Final year

Core Units

This unit provides a practical understanding of how to develop and deploy systems with leading approaches to cybersecurity. It provides the organisational context to know how this supports critical business needs. Students will gain hands-on experience through cybersecurity hackathons, penetration testing, ethical hacking, and secure deployment using cloud platforms. Exploring roles such as SOC Analyst, Threat Intelligence Analyst, and AI/ML Engineer, you’ll map career paths and essential skills needed across the field. In this unit, you also reflect on your personal future career and identify key skills for roles and sectors you intend to work in upon graduation, including start-up culture. Workshops cover postgraduate study options, freelance project management, and the legal and financial aspects of tech startups, alongside best practices in independent working strategies.

40 credits

In this unit, you will develop real-time systems that leverage computer vision, gaining insight into how cutting-edge research in these areas is conducted. Alongside technical learning in computer vision and real-time performance systems, the unit examines the intersection of ethics, technology, and innovation, equipping you to navigate complex ethical dilemmas in tech. Through case studies in real-time decision-making, you’ll explore the balance between innovation and ethics, addressing issues such as bias, user safety, privacy, accountability, and transparency. You will explore critical areas of post-humanism and the evolving boundaries between humans and machines to understand technology’s impact on society. You will also learn the essentials of crafting a research proposal, from identifying research problems to defining objectives and methodologies, ensuring readiness for academic and professional advancements in the field.

40 credits

What project will you show future collaborators and/or employers to showcase your computing skills? Your Computer Science Project is a chance to combine the knowledge and skills you have gained throughout your degree. Project work consists of independent study, guided by regular meetings with a member of staff who will advise you on how to proceed with the year’s work. You may choose a project title and subject area from a large list of project descriptions or suggest your project for possible approval to aid your graduate progression.

40 credits

Core Projects

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus. The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.

Learning and teaching

This course is taught through a mixture of learning and teaching methods including:

Learning and Teaching at Norwich

  • Group briefings

  • Academic tutorials

  • Group tutorials

  • Workshops

  • Critiques (crits)

  • Seminars

  • Lectures


Assessment

Assessment for this course is entirely coursework-based, meaning there are no exams. Your progress will be evaluated through the projects and assignments you complete for each unit. Throughout the year, you’ll receive ongoing feedback to help you refine your work and develop your skills. To support your learning and ensure you achieve the course outcomes, we use a variety of assessment methods, including:

  • Finished pieces of work
  • Presentations
  • Written work
  • Your research
  • A reflective journal

Find out more about Assessment at Norwich

Here to help you succeed

The UK’s creative sector is thriving, contributing £111.7 billion annually to the economy and offering over 2 million jobs.

Employability and career development are integral to every unit of our courses, ensuring students are well-prepared for the industry. Our students go on to secure exciting roles, launch successful businesses, and make a lasting impact in many sectors worldwide.

From day one, you’ll also get specialist career advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.

Typical career paths

Our degrees facilitate progression into a wide range of careers in both industry and academia. Computing graduates are in high demand across many sectors including hospitality, banking, travel, retail, manufacturing, public sector, and the media.

  • AI engineer
  • Business analyst
  • Cyber security specialists
  • Data analyst
  • Forensic computer analyst
  • Network engineer
  • Secondary school teacher
  • Software engineer
  • Systems designer
  • Systems engineer
  • Web developer

92% of our graduates are in employment or further education within six months of graduating”

Graduate Outcomes 2021

Entry requirements

Norwich University of the Arts welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds.

If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications.

A/AS Levels (GCE)

GCE A/AS Levels 3 A-level qualifications at grades BCC (104 UCAS Tariff points) or above. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, Norwich University of the Arts will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)

Distinction, Merit, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)

Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject

T Levels

A T Level in any subject with overall grade A* to C (Pass)

UAL Extended Diploma

Merit

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Pass

UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Pass

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)

Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma

A minimum of 26 points

We accept qualifications from all over the world.

To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.

English language qualifications

Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).

We also accept some alternative English qualifications. Learn more about our English entry requirements.

You can email us on international@norwichuni.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss your application individually.

Additional requirements for this course

GCSE in English and Maths at Grade 4 or above
If you do not have a Science or Mathematics-based A-level, you should have at least Grade B/Grade 5 at GCSE Mathematics.

Norwich University of the Arts welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds.

Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio (if required), responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.
If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications. Please do contact our Student Recruitment Team if you have any queries.

Portfolio Advice and Guidance

Portfolios should show examples of your work — both finished and work in progress — that demonstrate your interests and skills. Your portfolio should be made up of work that reflects your creativity, personal interests and influences, as well as demonstrating your technical skills and ability. It doesn’t have to be perfect as we can assess your potential from your work in progress.

Your portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of storytelling.

Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts and when to submit your portfolio in the application process.

Image of a student sat at a mac computer

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year

  • BA course (three year): £9,535 per year
  • Integrated Foundation Year (optional): £9,535 per year
  • Level 5 Diploma Year (optional): £9,535 year

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

Tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation, subject to government regulations. The inflation rate used is expected to be the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage payments (RPIX). We would confirm this in advance to you of each academic year. 

Find our more about fees and funding

Funding your study

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.

Additional Costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert employability team, access to workshops and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.

The tuition fees that will be payable by you to the University for the 2025/26 academic year will be:

  • BA course (three year): £18,500
  • Integrated Foundation Year (optional): £18,500
  • level 5 Diploma year (optional): £18,500

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you’re classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

For Overseas students starting in 2025 inflation will be applied to your fees in later years. We will confirm this in advance to you of each academic year, and we will limit the increase to no more than the Office for Students’ recommended inflationary measure.

Find our more about fees and funding

Funding your study

Please take a look at our International students page for information about fees, scholarships for international students, visas and much more.

Additional Costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert employability team, access to workshops and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.

How to apply

All applications for undergraduate courses will need to be made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

You’ll need our university UCAS code (N39) as well as your course code which you’ll find on your course page.

When you register with UCAS you will need include your previous and current qualifications information, personal statement, and reference.

Once we receive your application form through UCAS, we will email confirmation that we have received it and will give you access and instructions for logging into the applicant portal. Our decision will be communicated via UCAS.

Applying for an undergraduate degree

Full-time Undergraduate International applicants can either apply via UCAS or directly by completing the online application form below or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Online Application Form

Undergraduate Application Form

Apply via UCAS

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our international pages.

Undergraduate open days

Get a taste of life at Norwich, learn more about our courses, our campus and meet the creators and makers you’ll be learning from.

Book an open day

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