The fact that Britain is at the leading edge
of IT development has been underlined by the decision in June 1997
by Microsoft to open a 50 million pound research laboratory at Cambridge
University and launch a £10 million package to start-up companies
in what promises to be Britain’s own ‘Silicon Valley’.
The new Microsoft campus is intended to foster links between industry
and the university, which academic research suggests could be key
to promoting technological innovation and long-term growth.
As far as the study of IT is concerned at British educational institutions,
there is a huge variety of courses both to home and international
students.
Bristol University is one of Britain’s most prestigious universities
and is located in one of Britain’s most attractive and historic
cities. The university has recognised that Computer Science is developing
at an extraordinary speed with its scope and influence being felt
in all areas of life. Therefore a strong commitment has been made
by Bristol to develop its own programmes and facilities in order
to take account of the changes and to play a role in shaping future
developments in partnership with industry. The Computer Science
curriculum at Bristol has recently undergone a complete revision
to match the needs of both the students and their future employers.
As an indication of this awareness of the need to move ahead with
developments in the IT field, a new course for 1999 is Mathematics
for Intelligent Systems which will use mathematics for problem-solving
in industrial applications and exploiting computer power for tackling
real world problems. The course focuses on information-based technologies
and specialises in computing, artificial intelligence and knowledge
engineering.
Bristol encourages applications from foreign students; non-British
based entry qualifications are listed against each course in the
university’s prospectus, for instance, the current Computer
Science degree requires an International Baccalaureate of 32 points
(including 6 points in Mathematics). Further information may be
obtained from: The International Centre, University of Bristol,
University Union, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1LN; e-mail: os_as@bristol.ac.uk.
Another highly regarded and popular university is the University
of Manchester. Manchester is a big city with a compact and friendly
city centre, modern and hi-tech with a proud history and fascinating
architectural heritage. It prides itself on being a trendsetting
music and style capital which still has a place for traditional
street markets and local pubs.
The university has an international reputation for Information
Systems. As provider of the University’s computing facilities,
Manchester Computing is at the forefront of computing technology
and, via an extensive campus-wide Ethernet network, provides access
to a wide range of information services within departments, on the
University Campus, and on a national and international level.
Manchester’s Department of Computer Science also has an international
reputation for both teaching and research. The Higher Education
Funding Council for England graded the experience of students on
the degree programmes as excellent, and annually the computing department
receives more applicants than any other computer science department
in the UK. The department welcomes applications from foreign students,
although candidates must be proficient in the use of the English
language. The minimum acceptable level of proficiency for admission
to most programmes in Cambridge Certificate at grade C or above
or an IELTS of average score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in any
one component.
Many academic qualifications are acceptable for entry, the range
of offers for individual degree programmes for students holding
the International and European Baccalaureate is between 26 and 33
points in six subjects. The offer for the EB is in the range of
60% to 80%, depending on the programme. City College Manchester
runs special Foundation courses for international students without
the requisite entry qualifications, specifically geared for entry
to degree programmes at the University of Manchester. Further details
are available from the Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions
Office (161-275-2077). Visit the University’s Web Site
http://www.man.ac.uk.
London of course is always the popular choice for study with both
British and international students, and one of the most highly regarded
seats of learning is University College, London (UCL). A quarter
of UCL’s students come from overseas - more than 130 countries
are represented - and they are welcomed for the different perspective
they can bring to discussion and learning. International students
must demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English before
being accepted by the College. Students can also improve their English
at The Language Centre at UCL.
UCL offers a wide variety of courses in the Information Technology
field, and Computer Science students at UCL come from all walks
of life and from all over the world. Some have little or no computing
experience, while others have a great deal. The department also
welcomes mature applicants. The Web Site address is http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uf/index.htmlll
Not to be ignored when considering excellent courses in Information
Technology in Britain are those at the ‘new’ universities
such as Bournemouth, Bristol (University of the West of England),
Greenwich and Portsmouth. These universities have developed out
of the highly regarded Polytechnics and offer a wide range of applied
courses. In many instances the entry requirements are lower than
at the older, more well known universities. For instance, Bournemouth
offers both an HND and degree course in Business Information Technology
as well as more unusual courses such as a degree in Computer Visualisation
and Animation, and also a degree in Multimedia Communications. This
latter degree focuses upon the integration of high speed, world-wide
communication systems and fast processing techniques coupled with
advances in human-computer interface technology and software.
Portsmouth University offers an interesting departure from the
usual Computing degree courses in the Degree in Information Technology
and Society. This is a social science degree and its roots are in
the academic and intellectual traditions of the humanities and social
sciences, providing a framework for the study of social change in
the late twentieth century. It differs from other degrees in the
social sciences in the way it identifies information technology
as a major force for promoting the re-structuring of socio-economic
and political structures and relationships.
Useful references for further information are:
the UCAS Handbook (UCAS, Fulton House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham,
Glos. GL50 3SH) - no charge.
Degree Course Offers, by Brian Heap. Published by Trotman &
Company Ltd. Tel: 181-332-2132.
How to choose Your Degree Course, by Brian Heap. Published by
Trotman.
The NatWest Student Book, also published by Trotman.
Author: Ruth Brydon, Farnborough College of Technology
This article first appeared in TransWorld Education
