Data Science and Computing with Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

Our BSc Data Science and Computing will give you a strong foundation in mathematics, statistics and computer science and the skills to tackle real-world problems. You will learn cutting-edge techniques for collecting, storing, analysing and visualising data, and how to extract information to inform decision-making across various organisations, essential for a career as a data scientist or data-driven software developer. <br/><br/>**Why choose this course?** <br/><br/><br/>- This course offers a balance between learning current skills, essential in todays marketplace, and a deep understanding of the fundamentals, which provide a solid basis for long-lasting professional success.<br/><br/><br/>- Whilst studying this degree you will uncover valuable insights from data, a skill highly sought after by employers across business, finance, manufacturing and the public sector.<br/><br/><br/>- You will consider social, professional and organisational issues that play a key role in understanding how data science and computing contribute to the future of businesses and organisations.<br/><br/><br/>- The degree is accredited by the British Computer Society, the professional body for computing in the UK, which supports IT professionals and promotes the ethical and responsible use of technology.<br/><br/><br/>**What you will learn** <br/><br/>Data science combines data analytics, applied statistics, computer science and software engineering. You will gain a broad knowledge of computing and mathematics and acquire strong programming and data analysis skills using Python, R and Java - the most popular programming languages used by data scientists.<br/><br/>**How you will learn**<br/><br/>Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes. Many computing modules include laboratory-based exercises. All lectures are recorded and materials are made available online.<br/><br/>For the majority of the programming modules we adopt a flipped classroom approach, where you watch short videos and perform appropriate reading before the class, making this an active rather than passive learning experience.<br/><br/>**Foundation Year**<br/><br/>If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didnt achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. <br/><br/>**Highlights**<br/><br/><br/>- Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Computer Science and Informatics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.<br/><br/><br/>- Birkbeck established one of the first computing departments in the UK in 1957. Today, we provide a stimulating teaching and research environment for both part-time and full-time students.<br/><br/><br/>- Our world-class research in data science, data analytics and software engineering at the Birkbeck Institute for Data Analytics (BIDA) informs our teaching and our interactions with business, public and third-sector organisations.<br/><br/><br/>- We have four modern computing laboratories, with a total of 133 workstations. The labs have projection facilities and are air-conditioned. Our wide range of software runs on a number of platforms including Unix, Windows and Linux. The local area network is a switched gigabit/10gigabit ethernet. Our computers are connected to the SuperJANET academic network. <br/><br/><br/>**Careers and employability**<br/><br/>On successfully graduating from this BSc Data Science and Computing, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:<br/><br/><br/>- problem-solving<br/><br/><br/>- analytical thinking<br/><br/><br/>- communication<br/><br/><br/>- teamwork<br/><br/><br/>- project management.<br/><br/><br/>Graduates can pursue careers as programmers, data scientists or software engineers. Job opportunities exist in software companies, healthcare, banking, insurance, policing and tech companies as, for example: <br/><br/><br/>- machine learning engineers for artificial intelligence software<br/><br/><br/>- analytics associates/data scientists<br/><br/><br/>- quantitative analysts<br/><br/><br/>- graduate software developers. <br/>