Choosing where to study is a big decision and you’ll want to make sure you choose the right fit for you. Here’s some of our top reasons why you should study computing at Birmingham City University.
1. Facilities
As a student here, you'll have access to our quality computing facilities, which include:
- A specialist forensics laboratory fully equipped with essential hardware and software for sensitive areas of study.
- A specialist games laboratory which houses high specification game development PCs, Sony PlayStation Dev Kits and a range of industry-standard software.
- Our laboratories, featuring specialist hardware training and development resources, and industry-standard software development and simulation tools.
- Our City Centre Campus houses a range of facilities that you will have full access to, across our Millennium Point and Parkside Buildings – including, a Vicon motion capture studio, one of the largest fixed green screen studios in the UK and a Milo motion control system.
- Your learning will span across all of these campuses to make the most of our outstanding facilities – including seven industry-standard recording studios, SSL mixing desks (more than anywhere else in Europe!) and complete AV digital interconnection.
2. Strong links with industry
To help you to stand out in today’s competitive jobs market, our courses offer a placement option. Our students have undertaken placements with companies including: Cisco Systems, IBM, Royal Shakespeare Company, Pinewood and more. Our location in the city centre means we have great industry partnerships providing you with placement and graduate opportunities.
The University is a Select Partner academy for Cisco Systems. It is the largest Academy Support Centre in the UK. We’re also a Microsoft Academy Centre and one of Microsoft’s top UK university-based academies. Students can become certified trainers such as Luke Tainton, who now works at Cisco.
3. STEAMhouse
Our brand new £70 million pound building, STEAMhouse, will become the new home for its School of Computing and Digital Technology from the start of the 2022 academic year. Based at our expanding City Centre Campus, this unique centre will give you access to outstanding facilities and equipment, as well as opportunities to collaborate with people and businesses across multiple sectors and work on real industry-based projects.
4. Birmingham Links
You will study in our state-of-the-art City Centre Campus, ideally located for you to take advantage of our links to Birmingham, the UK's second city. Our campus is also at the heart of the multi-million pound Eastside redevelopment project, which will put us right on the doorstep of the new HS2 trainline.
5. Learn from the experts
When you study with us, you’ll be taught by a range of staff who use their years of industry experience and knowledge to help prepare you for the world of work. This includes Professor Andy Aftelak, Head of the School of Computing and Digital Technology. He is an experienced engineer and senior executive with 26 years of service at top companies including Google and Motorola.
Learn more about our talented computing lecturers by reading their profiles.
6. Exciting events to be part of
You’ll get the chance to take part in Innovation Fest and our annual Hacks. These are great opportunities to expand your skills and showcase your creations!
7. Societies
Our Students' Union has many societies you can join, or you can set up your own! Hackathon and Computing Society (HaCS) and Film Society are just a couple that you can join to get involved in events, workshops and social sessions. Each society is led by a team of student volunteers and you can join at any point throughout your time here.
8. WISE
We are passionate about gender balance in science and technology, which is why we are official members of WISE.
Coupled with this agenda we also have representatives from the faculty acting as Ambassadors for the Women in Games initiative. These links allow our students to actively participate in events that encourage and promote engagement from women and girls in STEM related areas. Examples include the UK University Diversity in eSports Conference 2020 hosted by Women in Games.
Find out more
To be part of the School of Computing and Digital Technology visit our courses page to find the right degree for you.