Department of Informatics

Year in Computing

Develop new skills and enhance your employment prospects with a Year in Computing. The Year in Computing is available between your second and third, or third and fourth year of study depending on your degree.

Applying

If you would like to do the 2017-18 Year in Computing, please register your interest

A Year in Computing

Requiring no prior computing skills or qualifications, this course will enable you to develop programming skills and will equip you with the digital knowledge needed for employment across a wide variety of roles.

Based in the School of Engineering and Informatics, you’ll develop an understanding of computational and digital technology, and be equipped with computer programming skills in Java – an industry-standard object oriented language.

As well as learning to program, you will learn how to apply computational techniques to areas such as digital media, business and commerce, web development and technology-based interaction. Depending on your skills and interests you'll have the freedom to select one of four specialist routes through the course: 

  • computing
  • digital media
  • business
  • interactive design.

Benefits of a Year in Computing

  • develop your skillset and gain a working knowledge of computing in addition to your main subject
  • study in the School of Engineering and Informatics for a year
  • the successful completion of a Year in Computing will be reflected in your degree title. For example ‘BSc (Hons) International Business with an Intercalated Year in Computing’
  • the Year in Computing helps you develop transferrable skills including problem-solving, communication, analytical thinking and data interpretation
  • your computing knowledge and experience will make you stand out from other graduates. 

Applying for a Year in Computing

The Year in Computing is taken - depending on your degree - between year two and three, or three and four, before you return to your course to complete your final year of study.

You apply for the Year in Computing from March onwards in the preceding academic year. If you would like to do the 2017-18 Year in Computing, please register your interest.

Although applicants do not require any prior computer programming experience or computing qualifications, all applicants will be assessed to determine their suitability for this course.

Tuition fees 

Home/EU students: £9,250 (2017 fee)
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £9,250 (2017 fee)
Overseas students: £18,750 (2017 fee)

Fees for 2018 entry are not yet published, but will be available in September 2017.

Grants and funding

You'll still receive your UK student loan or grant for your additional year.

First generation scholars will continue to receive their £1,000 cash award and £400 travel allowance, provided family income is below £42,620. This is the same threshold for non-repayable grants which continue to be available to students admitted to university prior to September 2017.

For further information, please contact the Engineering and Informatics School Office enquiries@enginf.sussex.ac.uk, or the course convenor Professor Sriram Subramanian Sriram@sussex.ac.uk

Employers desire graduates with digital skills:

In 2014, a survey of HR professionals and employers by the British Computer Society (BCS - the Chartered Institute for IT) identified a significant skills shortage:

“81% of employers require their workforce to have digital skills yet only 52% of employers believe that their workforce has the digital skills to meet their future challenges”.