COMPUTER SCIENCE

Postgraduate programme

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Offered by UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

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Programme overview

Why choose this programme?

Computer science is about understanding computer systems and networks at a deep level. You will use your understanding of mathematical reasoning to reason rigorously about the behaviours of computer programmes and systems.

This course concentrates on creating links between theory and practice, covering a wide variety of software and hardware technologies and their applications.

The course offers the opportunity to develop more understanding of Computer Science as a subject, and focuses on the mathematical underpinnings of computer science. It offers the opportunity to gain practical problem-solving and programme design skills.

The first year and part of second year you will spend acquiring a grounding in core topics. Students can then choose from a range of options in Computer Science subjects starting in second year.

In the second year, students take part in a group design practical, which may be sponsored by industry.
Unistats information

Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.

Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for Computer Science.

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small.

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.
By studying Computer Science at Oxford, you will open up a world of exciting career opportunities. Computer scientists are in high demand, as global technology continues to advance at pace, and, with the knowledge, skills and experience you will have as a graduate at Oxford, you can expect to be extremely sought after.

In recent years, our graduates have progressed to careers in a wide range of fields that need an understanding of computer systems, what such systems can (and cannot) do, and how to design them.

Graduates fill technical, managerial, academic, financial and commercial posts, both in the UK and abroad, with jobs ranging from senior software engineers, developers and analysts to games programmers, and technical leads.

Modality

ON-CAMPUS: OXFORD

UCAS entry grades

A*AA

UCAS Tariff points

152 points

Entry requirements

- A-levels: A*AA including at least an A in Mathematics, with the A* in Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Computer Science. Those taking Further Mathematics A-level or AS-level are required to achieve at least Grade A.

- Advanced Highers: AA/AAB with an A in Mathematics

- International Baccalaureate (IB): 39 (including core points) with 766 at HL (the 7 must be in HL Mathematics)

- BTEC: Please visit the Computer Science website for the latest information on our standard offers for students taking BTECs.

- Any other equivalent qualification: View information on other UK qualifications, and international qualifications.

Subject requirements

- Essential: Candidates are expected to have Mathematics to A-level (A* or A grade), Advanced Higher (A grade), Higher Level in the IB (score 7) or another equivalent.
- Recommended: Further Mathematics A-level is highly recommended.* Candidates taking Further Mathematics are required to achieve A*AA including Mathematics and Further Mathematics with the A* in Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Computer Science.

*If your school offers Further Mathematics A-Level we expect you to have taken it. Please note from 2022-25, 96% of A-level students who were offered places for Computer Science courses (including joint courses) took Further Mathematics to A-level. Candidates taking Further Mathematics are required to achieve A*AA including Mathematics and Further Mathematics, with the A* in Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Computer Science.

Candidates not taking Further Mathematics are required to achieve A*AA with the A* in Mathematics.

If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.

If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.

Dates and duration

3 years (BA) 4 years (MCompSci)

Career opportunities

Where this programme can take you


By studying Computer Science at Oxford, you will open up a world of exciting career opportunities. Computer scientists are in high demand, as global technology continues to advance at pace, and, with the knowledge, skills and experience you will have as a graduate at Oxford, you can expect to be extremely sought after.

In recent years, our graduates have progressed to careers in a wide range of fields that need an understanding of computer systems, what such systems can (and cannot) do, and how to design them.

Graduates fill technical, managerial, academic, financial and commercial posts, both in the UK and abroad, with jobs ranging from senior software engineers, developers and analysts to games programmers, and technical leads.

SYLLABUS

A typical week

During the first part of the course, a typical week would be made up of around eight lectures, two tutorials and up to two practical sessions.

Tutorials are usually 2-4 students with a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There will usually be around 8-15 students though classes for some of the more popular papers may be larger. Lectures can be up to 120 students.

As the course progresses there will be opportunity to undertake project work. There will be a group project in year two, an (optional) individual project in year three and, for those that choose to continue to year four, a large individual project.

Throughout your time studying you will learn from leading computer science specialists and researchers.

To find out more about how our teaching year is structured, visit our Academic Year page.

Course structure

Computer Science can be studied for three years (BA) or four years, leading to an award of Master of Computer Science (MCompSci).

Students do not need to choose between the three-year and four-year options when applying to the course. All students apply for the four-year course, and then decide by the end of their third year whether they wish to continue to the fourth year. In order to proceed into the fourth year (part C), students will need to achieve a 2:1 or higher classification at the end of their third year. Year 1

1. Core courses (100%):

- Continuous mathematics
- Design and analysis of algorithms
- Digital systems
- Discrete mathematics
- Functional programming
- Imperative programming
- Introduction to proof systems
- Linear algebra
- Probability

Year 2

1. Core courses (50%):

- Algorithms and data structures
- Compilers
- Concurrent programming
- Models of computation
- Group design practical

2. Current options (50%) include:

- Artificial intelligence
- Computer architecture
- Computer graphics
- Databases
- Logic and proof
- Quantum information

Year 3

1. Current options (75%) include:

- Computer-aided formal verification
- Computational complexity
- Computer security
- Geometric modelling
- Lambda calculus and types
- Machine learning
- Principals of programming languages

2. Optional project work (25%)*

Year 4

1. Current options (62%) include:

- Advanced security
- Automata, logic and games
- Categories, proofs and processes
- Concurrent algorithms and data structures
- Computational biology
- Computational game theory
- Computational learning theory
- Database systems implementation
- Foundation of self-programming agents
- Geometric deep learning
- Graph representational learning
- Probabilistic model checking
- Quantum software

2. Project work (38%)