A Week in the Life: Warwick edition (see first post)

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Programming for computer scientists. This is basically your introduction to Java. There are two pieces of coursework, one due half-way through term 1, and the other due at the end of term 1. Don't worry about this for now. The first piece of coursework will be spoon-fed to you and by the time the second piece comes around you'll know loads of Java. A lot of people get 100% on both pieces of coursework. Last year this was 2 lectures a week for 10 weeks, plus about 5 or 6 group seminars during that time

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Mathematics for computer scientists 1. This includes logic, proof, set theory, relations, functions, graph theory, and probability. 3 lectures a week for 10 weeks, plus 10 seminars which will help you with the four problem sheets that you have to complete throughout the term.

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Computer organisation and architecture (terms 1 & 2). This module doesn't start until mid-term. It's concentrated on the hardware side of things, like buses and CPUs and RAM, motherboards, chips, bits... In term 2 you'll have a number of three-hour lab sessions where you can experiment with the hardware, and towards the end of the second term you'll be asked to do a mini project by programming in C to interact with the hardware (C is taught briefly during the module). 2 lectures a week for 10 weeks.

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Introduction to computer security (optional; terms 1 & 2). Starts mid-term 1 and finishes mid-term 2. Speaks for itself really, it's all about computer security - hacking, viruses, malware, worms, encryption. There's a cool piece of coursework you have to do where you have to hack into a specially made sandbox-system to try and find security flaws with it . This is 2 lectures a week for 10 weeks, plus 5 lab sessions and 5 seminars.

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Statistical laboratory 1 (optional). This runs for the 10 weeks of term 1 with 2 lectures and 1 seminar per week. It's run by the statistics department but it's a popular optional module for first year computer scientists. If you've done maths or similar at A-level, it's very similar to S1 and S2 (distributions, probabilities etc.) and it's really not hard at all. 2 small pieces of coursework. The exam for this module is usually in December.

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The second half of computer organisation and architecture

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The second half of security, if you do it

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Design of information structures. I think this has a weird structure, something like 3 lectures a week for 7 weeks. Anyway, this is an extension of programming for CS, so more advanced Java. You'll have 5 two-hour marked lab sessions, and a relatively large programming coursework. The exam is quite hard but only worth 50% of the module.

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Mathematics for computer scientists 2. More maths, 3 lectures a week for 10 weeks, plus 8 seminars. More proofs, vectors, linear equations, and lots of calculus. 4 problem sheets, just like maths 1.

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Professional skills. This is horrible. In term 1, you'll learn all about using the UNIX system, and you'll have one lab session a week in which you'll build up a "portfolio" of what you've learned, which will be examined. In term 2, you'll learn about the professional aspects of computing, such as ethics, computing/data laws etc. You'll also have one seminar a week on writing skills, and you'll have to write an assessed fact sheet, critique, persuasive piece, and final essay at the end of term. In term 3, you'll have a class test on term 2's lecture material, and you'll have to give a group poster presentation and individual oral presentation. All of this is assessed, but there's no exam for this module (other than the informal class test).