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Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

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The BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence with Foundation Year course is aimed at developing strong computing skills in artificial intelligence. The development of core skills in this domain tops the list of grand challenges facing British industry, which features in the government’s industrial strategy....

  • Level Foundation
  • Study mode Full Time
  • Location City Centre
  • School School of Computing and Digital Technology
  • Faculty Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment

Overview

The BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence with Foundation Year course is aimed at developing strong computing skills in artificial intelligence. The development of core skills in this domain tops the list of grand challenges facing British industry, which features in the government’s industrial strategy.

The course is aimed at producing computer scientists for roles such as computer programmer, software developer, website designer, and artificial intelligence and machine learning engineer. Skilled in cyber security, cloud computing, deep learning, natural language processing and computer vision, graduates deliver high-value software solutions for modern economy..

Available in the UK to home and international students, the course enables you to study a diverse programme, ensuring you are incredibly well-equipped for employment within the industry once completing your degree.

STEAMhouse building exterior

Introducing STEAMhouse

STEAMhouse is a centre for technology, innovation, creative thinking, prototyping and business development. Our brand new £70 million pound building is the new home for the School of Computing and Digital Technology.

Find out more

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to interact with a curriculum that is supported by commercial and industrial content and partners.

The Foundation Year course option enables you to study for our BSc (Hons) degree over an extended full-time duration of four years by including a Foundation Certificate (year one of four). The Foundation Certificate provides a broad study programme that underpins the follow-on degree. In order to progress to the next year of your degree, it is necessary to achieve a pass in all of the modules of the Foundation Certificate.

In your first year, you will share five out of six modules with the BSc (Hons) Computer Science course. The first year covers fundamental concepts, such as computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer systems, website development and introductory artificial intelligence, and nurtures your creativity with an innovation project.

In the second year, you will consolidate your learning with four computer science modules and two artificial intelligence specific modules. The computer science modules teach advanced topics, including cyber security and software design, as well as core topics, such as object-oriented programming and database and web application development. The other two modules teach artificial intelligence and machine learning and deploying software with machine learning operations.

You will have the opportunity to take a professional placement year between your third and fourth year, which we highly recommend, as it will give you an invaluable opportunity to hone your expertise, try out a potential career path and get relevant workplace experience that is valued by many employers, boosting your CV.

In the final year, you will study cutting-edge techniques in modern computing, including deep neural networks, modern data stores, cloud computing and natural language processing. In addition, you will complete an individual project to demonstrate your technical skills and general employability in preparation for your career. The individual project simulates typical graduate workplace tasks that require in-depth knowledge and skills in a specific area of computer science and artificial intelligence. This will include a consideration of wider issues and the ability to manage activities and resources, and to generate, implement and report on solutions to meet objectives.

Machine Learning Operations taught at BCU is a truly amazing subject as it got the students to develop “real world” examples; it has sparked my interest to continue further studies here.
Zan Zver

Why Choose Us?

  • Brand new facilities at STEAMhouse - This state-of-the-art building 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 teaching spaces, as well as opportunities to collaborate with people and businesses across multiple sectors and work on real industry-based projects
  • Learn from industry experts - Our staff have a wide range of research and industrial experience. They are also actively involved in a range of professional associations such as the British Computer Society and the Higher Education Academy   
  • Strong industry links - With companies such as Oracle, Linux Professional Institute, Microsoft and Apple. This allows us to ensure that the course is up to date, relevant and respected by employers
  • Become a specialist  - You will learn about the international standards and regulatory frameworks to allow you to work in an ever-changing computing industry, both at a local level and a global stage
  • Optional professional placement year  - You will have the opportunity to undertake professional placement in between your second and final year of study
  • Practice based - With emphasis on computer lab-based practical work and project delivery, this course will provide you with many opportunities to acquire both the technical and transferable skills desired by industry
  • Employability driven - We focus on employability so our course encourages and enables collaborative activity, engagement with work placements, projects and international exchanges. Various activities have been built into the course to promote employability such as innovation fest, mid-semester employability week and the mini project during level 4 induction week.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Open Day: March 2023

Register your interest

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2024/25.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.

Essential

96 UCAS Tariff points, from three A Levels or equivalent

Level 2 qualifications

GCSE

GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level)

See level 3 entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details.

Scottish National 5

English Language or English Literature and Maths at grade C or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other Level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) qualifications

A Level and Advanced VCE

  • CCC / 96 UCAS points

Access to HE Diploma

  • Pass with 60 credits overall in a related subject. At least 45 credits at Level 3

BTEC Extended Diploma

  • MMM

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

  • MMM

International Baccalaureate Diploma

  • Obtain a minimum score of 24 overall, including Computer Science, Chemistry, Design Technology, Physics or Maths at Higher Level
  • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at Grade C/4 or above, we will accept Standard Level English Language (not literature) English A - Grade 4 or English B - Grade 5 from the IB Diploma
  • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above, we will accept grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) from the IB Diploma

Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers)

  • Pass the Irish Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 96 tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
  • This must include English Language and Maths taken at either Ordinary Level (minimum grade O4) or Higher level (minimum grade H4)

Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher

  • Achieve a minimum of 96 tariff points achieved in either three Advanced Highers or from a combination of two Advanced Highers plus two Highers
  • Where three Advanced Highers have been taken achieve a minimum of grades DDD
  • Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken, you must achieve grades of CDDD

Welsh Baccalaureate

  • 96 UCAS points
  • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications

T-Levels

  • Pass overall (C or above on the core)
  • All T Level subjects are accepted for our foundation year degrees in Computing and Digital Technology
Other qualifications

Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website.

Additional information for EU/International students

Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept.

In additional to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require the qualifications detailed in this table.

IELTS

6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands

If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses.

Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information.

International Baccalaureate Diploma (or equivalent, including internationally accredited Foundation courses).

Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall. Students who do not complete the IB Diploma and who achieve the minimum of 11 points from two High Level subjects, will be considered on the basis of their IB Certificates.

For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at Grade C/4 or above Standard Level English Language (not literature) Group A English Group A - Grade 4 or above, OR English Group B Grade 5 from the IB will be accepted.

A combination of GCSEs, A-levels and IB certificates will be considered on a case by case basis.

Country-specific entry requirements and qualifications.

 

International students who cannot meet the direct entry requirements can begin their degree studies at Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC).

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2024

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 4 years
  • £16,085 in 2024/25

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key Software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Microsoft Certifications (optional)

The exams required to gain Microsoft Office (MOS), Microsoft Technical Certification (MTC) and Microsoft Technical Associate (MTA) certifications are currently free for our students. We also provide free self-paced resources and access to practice exams via dedicated Moodle pages. Find out more about the exams available, and the objectives covered.

Project materials (mandatory)

This course includes project work that requires you to develop and produce a portfolio or collection. You'll be expected to provide the materials for use in your individual major projects; costs will vary depending on the materials selected.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books (optional)

Some modules may suggest that you purchase a key textbook. All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. Many students choose to purchase a copy.

Placement expenses (optional)

If you choose to undertake a placement, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home.

Accommodation and living costs

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Guidance for UK students

UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

Applying through UCAS

  1. Register with UCAS
  2. Login to UCAS and complete your details
  3. Select your course and write a personal statement
  4. Get a reference
  5. Pay your application fee and submit your application

Course in Depth

Foundation

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

Year One

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

Year Two

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

Year Three

In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).

Download course specification

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BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence embodies the academic and industrial understanding that artificial intelligence is a highly demanded specialisation of computer science, and therefore practitioners of artificial intelligence must have a strong and solid foundation in computer science.

Foundation Year

The Foundation Year course option enables you to study for our BSc (Hons) degree over an extended full-time duration of four years by including a Foundation Certificate (year one of four). The Foundation Certificate provides a broad study programme that underpins the follow-on degree. In order to progress to the next year of your degree, it is necessary to achieve a pass in all of the modules of the Foundation Certificate.

Level Four

Following the Foundation Year, the first year of the BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence course equips you with a solid foundation in key topics in Computer Science and introduces artificial intelligence. Therefore, the first year of this course shares five of its six modules with BSc (Hons) Computer Science and covers key concepts, such as computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer systems, website development and introductory artificial intelligence, and nurtures your creativity with an innovation project. Your practice is supported by presentations, seminar discussions of key topics and ideas, and collaborative practices with other students in the school or faculty. After this year, you will have covered a broad range of topics in Computer Science that will upskill you to understand the key industrial skills and prepare you to take advanced topics in the subsequent years.

Level Five

The next year consolidates your learning with four computer science modules and two artificial intelligence specific modules. The computer science curriculum includes highly sought-after skills in cyber security, software design, object-oriented programming, databases, and web application development. The topics on artificial intelligence are machine learning, and machine learning operations.

These topics are highly practical and underpin the roles of Software Developers, Computer Programmers and Machine Learning Engineers in industry.

Level Six

The final year covers the advanced topics in practice of artificial intelligence and covers the key application areas. These include Deep Learning, the technology behind the mass adoption of artificial intelligence in industry and its applications in computer vision and natural language processing. This year also teaches key enabling technology powering scalable computing in industry.

Your learning culminates into an Individual Honours Project where you display your learning by developing a well-rounded, professionally developed, artificial intelligence driven software solution for a problem of modern relevance.

The final year readies you for a graduate level job in the computing, artificial intelligence, and data science industry.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

You will learn of range of skills which will be key to enhancing your future employability.

Specifically, you will learn to:

  • Develop software solutions to real world problems.
  • Use a range of modern techniques to engineer software products.
  • Understand the role, and techniques and application of artificial intelligence in the modern software systems and their societal impact.
  • Implement the deployment pipeline of artificial intelligence and machine learning based software system.
  • Work independently and collaboratively.
  • Be a self-motivated, organised, effective learner.
  • Communicate your work effectively via both oral and written communication skills.

Professional practice guidance will teach you a range of skills such as writing CVs and job applications, and preparing for interviews; the use of social media and other platforms for self-promotion, presenting yourself and your work in a professional framework using a range of appropriate communication skills, such various types of presentation software will also be practised.

Graduate Jobs

The job opportunities for the graduates of BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence are immensely broad because they can work both in roles concerning software development as well as artificial intelligence and data science.

The graduates can apply for job roles such as:

  • Software Developer
  • Software Engineer
  • Web Developer
  • Computer Programmer
  • Java Developer
  • Python Programmer
  • Computer Scientist
  • Machine Learning Engineer
  • Machine Learning Scientist
  • Artificial Intelligence Engineer
  • Artificial Intelligence Developer
  • Data Scientist
  • Data Engineer
  • Backend Developer
  • Analyst
  • Machine Learning Operations Engineer

Further Study

You can progress onto a range of postgraduate studies, including (but not limited to) an MSc in disciplines concerning Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Software Engineering, and Computer Games. You could also potentially go straight to doctoral research study.

MSc Big Data Analytics and MSc Artificial Intelligence are popular choices for applicants with background or interest in the above-mentioned disciplines.

Placements

You will have the opportunity to take a placement year between your second and third year. This is something that is highly recommended, as it will give you an invaluable opportunity to put your skills into practice, try out a potential career path and get relevant workplace experience that is valued by so many employers.

Industry Links

While studying your Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence degree with us, you’ll also have access to dedicated industry-standard facilities in a fully equipped lab running the latest software. Plus, we’re home to a Cisco Systems and a Microsoft Academy Centre, so you can rest assured knowing our university course will prepare you for a successful career in the industry.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities. This course will be taught at Millennium Point at the City Centre Campus.

The course is supported with a wide range of cutting-edge facilities in the City Centre Campus. We have a state-of-the-art computer games technology lab which contains high-performance PCs, Sony PlayStation development kits and a range of industry standard software including Unity, Unreal and a suite of professional Microsoft development tools.

We also have many open access areas where students can study together and even hire out laptops for use in these spaces and others within the university.

Within the University there are many internationally recognised research teams giving you the opportunity to collaborate with them on exciting interdisciplinary projects.

Computer networking

The laboratories are well-equipped for all our computer networking courses, as well as specialist areas for practical work such as voice-over internet protocol (VoIP), forensic and ethical hacking technologies, wireless and mobile technologies and radio frequency identification technologies to name but a few.

Software development and computer programming

There are a number of open access, software development and computer programming laboratories that can be used to develop systems and programmes, including database management systems such as MySQL, to name but a few.

Systems laboratories

Our embedded systems laboratories are used to develop real-time systems, such as specialist hardware training and development resources, and industrial-standard software development and simulation tools. These include microcontroller software and robotics design and development, to name but a few.

Electronic systems

To underpin the basic principles of electronic systems, we have a well-equipped laboratory of general and specialist test and measurement kits, including powered prototyping development boards, dual power supplies, frequency generators and counters and digital multi-meters to name but a few.

Forensic computing

Our successful development of forensic computing has led to a specialist forensics laboratory that is fully equipped with essential hardware and software for this sensitive area of study. The laboratory includes high-spec PCs with built-in multi interface Tableau write blockers, EnCase and FTK computer forensic software and steganography detection and analysis software, to name but a few.

More on our facilities

Our staff

Dr Quanbin Sun

Senior Lecturer

Dr. Quanbin Sun is the director of undergraduate study in the department of computer and data science (CDS). He is the year lead of Level 6 and would like to hear all your voices. He also looks after the final year project (CMP6200) and leads the L4 common module (Computer Programming) across the whole school.  He is currently an active...

More about Quanbin

Dr Roger Tait

Senior Lecturer in Distributed Computing

Dr Roger Tait is an experienced software engineer with more than 15 years of service in academic research environments. He completed his PhD, in the field of Parallel Architectures, in 2007 at Nottingham Trent University. After graduating he joined the Centre of Innovation and Technology Exploitation at Nottingham Trent University as a research...

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Kira Summers

Programme Leader, Lecturer

Akira Summers has been working in software and technological development since the year 2000. Starting off in web development and interactive media, she has held many development roles and spent several years working as an embedded game programmer, multimedia developer and learning technologist. 

More about Kira

Dr Iain Rice

Senior Lecturer

Dr Rice is a specialist in Machine Learning and Signal Processing with several years of experience applying AI models to a wide range of real-world problems. As the head data scientist for The RAPID Project Iain created algorithms allowing for up to 12 hours advanced prediction of cardiac arrest in children.

More about Iain

Dr Mariam Adedoyin-Olowe

Programme Leader – MSc Artificial Intelligence

Mariam is Programme Leader of MSc Artificial Intelligence in the School of Computing and Digital Technology at Birmingham City University. She is also a researcher in the field of Data Mining/Data Analytics/Data Science. She obtained her PhD degree in Computing Science from the School of Computing Science and Digital Media (IDEAS Research...

More about Mariam

Dr Abdel Rahman H. Tawil

Associate Professor in Software Engineering

Abdel-Rahman H. Tawil is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Computing and Digital Technology. He received his BSc in Computer Science from the University of Jordan in Amman and his PhD is in the area of Semantic Interoperability in Heterogeneous and Distributed Multiple-Information Servers Environment from Cardiff University, Cardiff...

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Jay Patel

Senior Lecturer

Jay is a Lecturer in the School of Digital Media Technology. Jay has been involved with the delivery of ERDF projects. Since the successful completion of these projects he has moved into teaching. He currently delivers a variety of modules such as Audio Visual Technology, Moving Image Technology and Mathematics for Media.

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Dr Antonio Nehme

Lecturer in Computer Science

Antonio Nehme holds a BSc in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics from the Lebanese American University and a PhD in Cyber Security from Birmingham City University. His research focuses on identity management and access control, security of microservices-based applications, auditing and secure collaborations in distributed systems,...

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Dr Sara Hassan

Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering

Sara is a full-time Senior Lecturer in software engineering. She received her PhD in Computer Science in 2019 from University of Birmingham, UK. She worked as a teaching assistant for Software Engineering 2015-2019 at the University of Birmingham, UK. Prior to that she got her MEng in Computer Science with Software Engineering from...

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Dr Mohammed Abdelsamea

Senior Lecturer in Information and Data Science

Mohammed is a Senior Lecturer in Data and Information Science at the School of Computing and Digital Technology, Birmingham City University. He has been working on developing artificial intelligence tools for healthcare and life science applications since 2005. 

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Dr Ogerta Elezaj

Lecturer of Computing and Digital Technology

Ogerta Elezaj is currently a Lecturer of Computer Science at the School of Computing and Digital Technology. For the past six years, she has been a Senior Lecturer in the University of Tirana, teaching different courses such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Mining. She was recipient of Alain Bensoussan postdoctoral fellowship from...

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Dr Khaled Mahbub

Associate Professor in Software Engineering

Khaled started his academic career, in September 1999, as a Lecturer (US hierarchy) in Computer Science & Engineering at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he worked until March 2001.

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Dr Jason Hockman

Associate Professor

Jason Hockman is Associate Professor of Audio Engineering at Birmingham City University. He is a member of the Digital Media Technology Laboratory (DMT Lab), in which he leads the Sound and Music (SoMA) Group for computational analysis of sound and music and digital audio processing.  

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