Industry expertise

Demonstrate your skills in projects involving real-world clients. Many of our courses are accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

Outstanding support

Benefit from a £2.7 million investment in collaborative computer labs, and access to a dedicated industrial mentor.

Develop video games

Every year, third-year MEng Computer Science students work in teams to create state-of-the-art computer games, which are showcased at our annual Games Day.

Computer Science at Bristol

You will be taught by internationally-renowned experts with a passion for computer science. You can study topics such as high-performance computing, machine learning, cryptology and artificial intelligence. You will also develop skills in software development and system design, and gain important transferable skills in teamwork, communication and enterprise.

We work closely with industry, enabling you to gain knowledge from leading companies, work with industrial mentors and spend time with them on internships. The department awards several industry-sponsored prizes to exceptional students. Each year several client-led products are developed and released by computer science students.

You will develop your analytical skills and get experience devising practical solutions for real-world challenges during a range of individual and group projects that you will co-create with leading academics.

Our teaching facilities include a new collaborative lab, designed for flexibility and usability and equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology and Linux machines. It's a brilliant addition to our modern building, which also houses the popular Hackspace - a creative space for hacking, making and crafting - and a large atrium that's a hive of activity.

The faculty's Industrial Liaison Office matches every student with an industrial mentor and assists with internships and industry placements.

On my course there are a few special moments where something really clicks and suddenly I feel like I'm completely in my element. I love being in this city. Different parts have very different vibes but all within walking distance - it makes it feel like home.

Catt, BSc Mathematics and Computer Science

Career prospects

Four people are sat around a laptop having a discussion in a teaching room.

There is strong and growing demand for computer science skills. Our courses provide a balance between leading-edge topics and technical and transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and entrepreneurship. This means Bristol graduates have a wide range of career opportunities and a high earning potential.

Typical career routes include:

  • Software, products and services
  • IT and commerce
  • Media
  • Startups
  • Postgraduate study.

Find out more about these career routes.

Our graduates are highly regarded by employers such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Logica and Cisco.

What our students do after graduating

Course structure

A student wears a virtual reality headset

Our degrees first teach the core concepts underpinning computer science before allowing you to choose from a wide range of advanced computer science topics.

In year one, you will study the fundamental core skills and knowledge underpinning computer science: all three major programming paradigms; algorithmics; the mathematics integral to computer science; computer architecture; and software tools.

You will gain experience of implementing these techniques in supervised practical classes and individual assignments, solving problems using a variety of programming languages. This will quickly build up your analytic and programming abilities, enabling you to adapt easily to new programming languages and paradigms.

In year two, you will take classes introducing major areas within computer science, including theoretical and data-driven computer science and the relationship between computer science and society.

You will also gain experience working on a practical project in collaboration with a real-world client such as Hewlett Packard or the Environment Agency, before specialising in areas of computing that are of interest to you for the rest of your degree.

Bristol, tech city

Red lights in the evening at We the Curious in Millennium Square, Bristol.

A concentration of high-technology industries in and around Bristol offers unparalleled opportunities before and after graduation, such as scholarships, summer placements, industrial seminars and exclusive employment opportunities.

We keep our courses relevant thanks to our strong links with local employers working in software development, animation, microelectronics, games and communications, as well as other industries with significant computer users such as financial services.

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