computer science at university

Hi, I am a year 11 student and I would love to pursue a career in computer science in the future ( but I'm unsure what department in computer science yet, i am still working on it) for A level i have chosen maths, economics and BTEC IT and i'm wondering if anyone can help me, if a choose a BTEC will it be equivalent to an A level? ( let's say i got a distinction in BTEC am i allowed to put A in my qualification ) Also with regards to choosing a computer science course, do high ranking Russel group universities accept BTEC IT or will they over look it and will i get reject because of the BTEC qualification. It's a shame that my sixth form doesn't do computer science but i have chosen BTEC IT as i thought it could lead to doing computer science in the future. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Reply 1

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by pandaplayz8

Hi, I am a year 11 student and I would love to pursue a career in computer science in the future ( but I'm unsure what department in computer science yet, i am still working on it) for A level i have chosen maths, economics and BTEC IT and i'm wondering if anyone can help me, if a choose a BTEC will it be equivalent to an A level? ( let's say i got a distinction in BTEC am i allowed to put A in my qualification ) Also with regards to choosing a computer science course, do high ranking Russel group universities accept BTEC IT or will they over look it and will i get reject because of the BTEC qualification. It's a shame that my sixth form doesn't do computer science but i have chosen BTEC IT as i thought it could lead to doing computer science in the future. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

If you study for a BTEC in IT, and are predicted a Distinction in it, then that's what you'd complete on your UCAS form. You would not "morph" it into an A level and claim that's the qualification you're taking, with a predicted A.

I don't ever remember seeing a Computer Science degree course which mandates Computing, Computer Science or IT at A level (or BTEC). However, many will request three A levels including Mathematics.

Some may accept a BTEC in IT in lieu of an A level, but not all will. Your best bet it to pick some target universities and check their entry requirements for Computer Science.

Reply 2

siocrystal

12

Original post by pandaplayz8

Hi, I am a year 11 student and I would love to pursue a career in computer science in the future ( but I'm unsure what department in computer science yet, i am still working on it) for A level i have chosen maths, economics and BTEC IT and i'm wondering if anyone can help me, if a choose a BTEC will it be equivalent to an A level? ( let's say i got a distinction in BTEC am i allowed to put A in my qualification ) Also with regards to choosing a computer science course, do high ranking Russel group universities accept BTEC IT or will they over look it and will i get reject because of the BTEC qualification. It's a shame that my sixth form doesn't do computer science but i have chosen BTEC IT as i thought it could lead to doing computer science in the future. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

im also hoping to go in the iT field. the college that im going to go to has a course equivalent to 3 a levels just what i need to go in to further studies . im hoping to become a software engineer although there are lots of paths u can take. Different uni's require different stuff. ie the one i want to go to requires 80 ucas points. (an a* in one a-level is =56 ucas points) so look at the requirement of the uni course u want to do and just score really well in maths and economics. if u want to do some course, related to IT in uni the BETC might be acceptable. (ask abt it) hope this helps. best of luck!

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by siocrystal

im also hoping to go in the iT field. the collage that im going to go to has a course equivalent to 3 a levels just what i need to go in to further studies . im hoping to become a software engineer although there are lots of paths u can take. Different uni's require different stuff. ie the one i want to go to requires 80 ucas points. (an a* in one a-level is =56 ucas points) so look at the requirement of the uni course u want to do and just score really well in maths and economics. if u want to do some course, related to IT in uni the BETC might be acceptable. (ask abt it) hope this helps. best of luck!

I think you and @pandaplayz8 might be targeting different types of university. They refer to "high ranking Russel group universities". No such university it going to accept candidates on the basis of "80 ucas points".

However, your advice to "look at the requirement of the uni course u want to do" is sound.

Reply 4

totallyfine

9

The Universities with the very highest entrance requirements won't but there are many more that do.

Here is a page that can help you look: https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/search/course?c%5Bacademic_years%5D=2023&c%5Bq%5D=computer

Reply 5

pandaplayz8

OP

3

Thank you so much for the response I really appreciate your time and effort, would taking further maths at A level be better than BTEC IT? Or is there another option which is best suited for computer science at university?

Original post by DataVenia

If you study for a BTEC in IT, and are predicted a Distinction in it, then that's what you'd complete on your UCAS form. You would not "morph" it into an A level and claim that's the qualification you're taking, with a predicted A.

I don't ever remember seeing a Computer Science degree course which mandates Computing, Computer Science or IT at A level (or BTEC). However, many will request three A levels including Mathematics.

Some may accept a BTEC in IT in lieu of an A level, but not all will. Your best bet it to pick some target universities and check their entry requirements for Computer Science.

Reply 6

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by pandaplayz8

Thank you so much for the response I really appreciate your time and effort, would taking further maths at A level be better than BTEC IT? Or is there another option which is best suited for computer science at university?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer below...

Your original post referred to "high ranking Russel group universities". Assuming we're talking "high ranking" for Computer Science, then I guess you're talking about places like these:

University of Cambridge (A level Mathematics is required. A level Further Mathematics is very strongly encouraged.)

University of Oxford (A level Mathematics required. A level Further Mathematics A-level is highly recommended.)

Imperial College London (A level Mathematics required. Recommended subjects: Computer Science, Physics, Further Mathematics)

University of Warwick (A level Mathematics required.)

Durham University (A level Mathematics required.)

University of Manchester (A level Mathematics required, plus a minimum of one Science subject. Science subjects include Computer Science, Further Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry or Physics. )

University College London (A level Mathematics required.)

University of Bristol (A level Mathematics required.)

I've excluded University of St. Andrews and University of Bath from the list because although they're very highly ranked for Computer Science (above some of those I have listed), you seem to be targeting Russell group universities only for some reason.

Also note that the above have very high grade expectations, typically A*AA, A*A*A, or even A*A*A*. :eek:

computer science at university

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