Computer Science at Cambridge create the future
Our key aims To give an understanding of fundamental principles that will outlast today’s technology To produce graduates who will create the future not merely cope with it
The Course Part I A Part I B Part II Programming Foundations Mathematics An option (maths, science, psychology) Theory Systems Hardware & Languages Mathematics & Applications Free choice from a wide range of advanced courses Personal project
The Course Part I A Part I B Part II Programming Foundations Mathematics An option (maths, science, psychology) Theory Systems Hardware & Languages Mathematics & Applications Free choice from a wide range of advanced courses Personal project Part III Free choice from a wide range of research courses Research project
First Year: CS with NST/PPS Computer Science Maths from Natural Sciences Choice from NST or PPS Any one of: Physics Social Psychology Evolution & Behaviour Geology Chemistry Physiology of Organisms It is possible to switch out of CST to any of these subjects in the second year Any one of: Physics Social Psychology Evolution & Behaviour Geology Chemistry Physiology of Organisms It is possible to switch out of CST to any of these subjects in the second year
First Year: CS with Maths Computer Science Half the Maths that a full maths undergraduate would do BUT you can’t then do maths in your second year Half the Maths that a full maths undergraduate would do BUT you can’t then do maths in your second year Maths from Maths Tripos
First Year: NST CS Option Computer Science Maths from Natural Sciences Choice from NST Half the CS a CS undergraduate would do It is possible to catch up the other half and switch to CST in the second year, but this is not the recommended route Half the CS a CS undergraduate would do It is possible to catch up the other half and switch to CST in the second year, but this is not the recommended route Choice from NST
Course Content Maths Theory Systems Applications Programming Hardware
Course components 12 one-hour lectures per (6-day) week plus similar time in review and private study 6 hours of practical work More detail shortly... 2 or 3 supervisions of one hour each plus 4 hours of preparation each
Practical skills Hands-on Practicals in electronics and programming (ML, Java) First Year Practicals in hardware design and Java Group Project (team work) Second Year Individual Project Third Year
Employability The course is designed to give you vital skills whatever you choose to do Good computer scientists can go on to a multitude of careers: IT, business, politics, finance, science, engineering, education, arts
Graduate employment types
Sought-after graduates What job shortage? Our annual Recruitment fair attracts 50+ companies Each looking to recruit 3 or 4 graduates We only have 80 graduates in total!! Some of the 2009 companies Google, ARM, Barclays, BT, MathWorks, RBS, Disney, Citrix, Frontier
Mathematical Laborato The Working Environment
The Cambridge phenomenon Cambridge has developed rapidly over past 25 years New technology and start-up companies Many spin-offs from University research groups IT companies around Cambridge – Silicon Fen 1600 companies in 2000, ~150 directly linked to Computer Lab
Prerequisites A*AA grades at A-level further A-level or AS-levels valuable Mathematics to A-level is absolutely essential Further Mathematics to AS-level is essential if your school offers it to A-level is desirable AEA or STEP is useful
Computing/CS/IT A-levels Computer Science is similar in character to university-level CS but very few schools offer it so the degree has to cover the same ground to get everyone up to speed Computer Studies, Information Technology,… are quite different in character to university-level Computer Science emphasise vocational aspects and are not particularly relevant to us
Other A-levels Physical Sciences Physics, Chemistry, etc. Very useful and desirable Also... Electronics can be useful but isn’t a pre- requisite
Programming Experience You DON’T need programming experience You will be taught programming from the ground up If you have experience, it might give you a small advantage initially Any advantage is gone by the second year A recent survey of our undergraduates...
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