The Student Room Group

Advice on Computer Science courses at these Universities

Interested in CS and related courses at:
Imperial (Electronic and Information Engineering)
Manchester (Computer Science)
Essex (Computer Systems Engineering)
Herts (Computer Science [Software Engineering])
Warwick (Computer Systems Engineering)
and King's (Computer Science),

and then Creative Computing at Goldie and/or Leicester. I'm looking for a practical and less theoretical teaching approach. Not concerned about student life or location. What advice do you have on these Unis?
Reply 1
I think that if you're more interested in practical teaching approaches you should look more at the computer system engineering and software engineering degrees rather than general CS degrees. If you are interested in general CS degrees, then the BEng/MEng courses tend to be more practical than the BSc/MSc ones which could be considered more Theo.
In terms of the more specific CS courses, I'd also recommend looking course pages on the university websites as they often give a lot of detail about what the course entails. I looked at some and, from what I've seen, computer system engineering seems to be a joint honours with EE and CS (which is VERY different to creative computing or software engineering). When applying to competitive universities like imperial (19 applicants per place) and king's, you want your PS to be specific to the course your applying to (though PSs aren't the be-all and end-all) so it's better to choose similar courses to apply to so that you can tailor your PS (and supercurriculars to an extent) to that.
CONCLUSION
General CS (BEng/MEng) - less theoretical than BSc/MSc but still reasonably theoretical, gives you more freedom to explore different aspects of CS
Computer Systems Engineering/Electronic and Information Engineering - EE and CS together, practical work with both software and hardware, probs will require greater physics ability than other CS courses (bc of EE)
Software Engineering/Creating Computing - practical coding work
Reply 2
Original post by olivia_n
I think that if you're more interested in practical teaching approaches you should look more at the computer system engineering and software engineering degrees rather than general CS degrees. If you are interested in general CS degrees, then the BEng/MEng courses tend to be more practical than the BSc/MSc ones which could be considered more Theo.
In terms of the more specific CS courses, I'd also recommend looking course pages on the university websites as they often give a lot of detail about what the course entails. I looked at some and, from what I've seen, computer system engineering seems to be a joint honours with EE and CS (which is VERY different to creative computing or software engineering). When applying to competitive universities like imperial (19 applicants per place) and king's, you want your PS to be specific to the course your applying to (though PSs aren't the be-all and end-all) so it's better to choose similar courses to apply to so that you can tailor your PS (and supercurriculars to an extent) to that.
CONCLUSION
General CS (BEng/MEng) - less theoretical than BSc/MSc but still reasonably theoretical, gives you more freedom to explore different aspects of CS
Computer Systems Engineering/Electronic and Information Engineering - EE and CS together, practical work with both software and hardware, probs will require greater physics ability than other CS courses (bc of EE)
Software Engineering/Creating Computing - practical coding work

Thanks. So if I want to do EE I can't use a general coding PS? I mean, I was thinking of making my PS talk about my experience coding and doing robotics. But if I choose an EE course, must I talk more about robotics and leave the SE and CC?
Reply 3
Original post by Queen4Jesus
Thanks. So if I want to do EE I can't use a general coding PS? I mean, I was thinking of making my PS talk about my experience coding and doing robotics. But if I choose an EE course, must I talk more about robotics and leave the SE and CC?

No worries. I don’t mean to make you worry at all as there are other important things for top unis like predicted and admission tests. If you supercurriculars are based on both robotics and coding then you should actually be fine for all as they demonstrate skills needed for EE and SE. You’d only really have a problem if your supercurriculars were only robotics focused which would mean that you’d be better off not going for SE courses. If you commit to creating unique interesting robotics and coding projects, you should be well equipped do computer systems engineering, SE and CC courses.
Reply 4
Original post by olivia_n
No worries. I don’t mean to make you worry at all as there are other important things for top unis like predicted and admission tests. If you supercurriculars are based on both robotics and coding then you should actually be fine for all as they demonstrate skills needed for EE and SE. You’d only really have a problem if your supercurriculars were only robotics focused which would mean that you’d be better off not going for SE courses. If you commit to creating unique interesting robotics and coding projects, you should be well equipped do computer systems engineering, SE and CC courses.

Thank you!
Original post by Queen4Jesus
Interested in CS and related courses at:
Imperial (Electronic and Information Engineering)
Manchester (Computer Science)
Essex (Computer Systems Engineering)
Herts (Computer Science [Software Engineering])
Warwick (Computer Systems Engineering)
and King's (Computer Science),
and then Creative Computing at Goldie and/or Leicester. I'm looking for a practical and less theoretical teaching approach. Not concerned about student life or location. What advice do you have on these Unis?

Hey @Queen4Jesus!🌟

It’s amazing that you’re thinking about studying Computer Science, and I love that the University of Essex is already on your list! If you’re looking for a degree that’s not just about theory but focuses on practical, real-world applications, then our BEng Computer Systems Engineering could be just what you need! 💻🚀

At Essex, this course goes beyond traditional Computer Science—blending software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and embedded systems. You’ll gain hands-on experience, working on projects that involve robotics, IoT, and advanced programming, so you won’t just be learning about technology—you’ll be creating it! 🛠️🤖

The School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at Essex is highly regarded, and we’ve been ranked Top 25 in the UK for Computer Science! 🏆 You’ll be taught by leading researchers in AI, cybersecurity, and networking, with access to state-of-the-art labs and industry-standard tools. Plus, our strong industry links and optional placement year mean you’ll graduate with the skills employers are looking for! 📈🎓

If you’re still deciding, I’d definitely recommend checking out Essex—it’s a vibrant and supportive university with a beautiful campus, full of opportunities to grow both academically and personally. If you have any questions, feel free to ask—I’d be happy to help! 😊

Best wishes,
Essex Student Rep - Renaldas✌️

Quick Reply