BSC (HONOURS) Computing at Sheffield Hallam University

• Develop technical literacy and confidence to configure industry-strength software applications to construct robust information systems.
• Gain a critical awareness of current and future technical environments and learn how to manage IT systems within them.
• Be equipped with a strong understanding of the context of organisations.

The course has more than just a technical focus. There is a strong thread of helping you understand why businesses want information systems, and how to translate user requirements into working systems. You learn how to apply classic and agile project management methods, and implement practical methods to make systems secure and recoverable.

Work placements

You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.

A specialist college placement team helps you through the process of getting a placement, and tutors visit you while on placement. Although a placement year is not mandatory, the department has a strong track record in finding placements for the majority of our students.

Live projects

In year two, you have the opportunity to work in teams on live projects for local businesses. For example, this may involve installing, configuring and operating a content management system to help run their website.

These projects allow you to practise more than just your technical computing skills. By working with real companies you can apply the project management techniques and technical skills you have learned, and test your interpersonal and time management skills.

In the final year, you undertake an individual project on an IT topic of your choice. Under the guidance of a supervisor, you will demonstrate the technical skills and professional competencies developed throughout the course, culminating in an academic dissertation.

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career as a

• website developer
• database designer/administrator
• application developer
• IT solutions analyst
• systems analyst
• applications support analyst
• technical support engineer
• business consultant
• project architect

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in senior management roles or directors of their own businesses.