Comp Sci in uni with no prior knowledge?

Going into 2nd year of college, doing bio/chem/psych was planning to biomed uni. But I highkey feel like doing comp sci for uni but i have absolutely no prior knowledge about comp sci. Is it possible for me to do it? If so which unis accept/what should i do? I’m taking a gap year aswell so i am willing to learn. Well the main reason is that comp sci is a high paying degree even though i know it’s hard and yeah I just dk want to do.. 😭

Most CS degrees don't require any prior background in CS or programming. The majority do require a good background in maths to A-level though, which you don't have. So you would realistically need to be looking at courses with a foundation year. Worth bearing in mind the maths requirement is also not arbitrary and is because CS is a necessarily mathematical subject; CS degrees are not degrees in programming, they are degrees in the science of computers and computation, which is inherently very mathematical. So something to consider, if there was a reason you didn't choose A-level Maths in the first place.

Also CS does not have especially "high paying" career outcomes - in fact employment prospects were so poor for CS in the UK that the government commissioned two inquiries into the matter; see one here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518575/ind-16-5-shadbolt-review-computer-science-graduate-employability.pdf

Furthermore, research has shown that employment outcomes are equivalent between STEM and non-STEM graduates in the long run: https://figshare.le.ac.uk/articles/report/The_employment_trajectories_of_Science_Technology_Engineering_and_Mathematics_graduates/10234421

If you're just considering CS because you think you'll get a high paying job at the end, I would suggest looking at other degrees.

Hey,

The University of Kent does not require a Computer Science A-level to do the Computer Science course! You can find out further info here if you're interested

I didn't personally do CS but had a friend who did so hopefully can offer some insight. If it's really what you want to do, it is possible to do it without a background in CS. As with most uni courses, the first year generally starts with trying to get everyone up to the same level, as they know that not everyone has the same academic background, A-levels .etc! So, I definitely wouldn't worry too much if you do decide to go down that route, as they will do their best to ensure everyone is at the same level. They've also gone on to do a high-paying job which they secured from doing a placement year, so it is possible!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!!

Natalie
University of Kent Student Rep

Ohh, thank you for the insight!! I didn’t choose maths originally because I was thinking of going down the medical related route. I guess people tend to glorify CS too much that I didn’t think of much of it being low employment from CS. Would CS internships be worthwhile?

Ohh! Thank you! I will definitely look into this. Do they offer foundation year and how do placements typically work?