Computing — Software Engineering

The Computing courses are held wholly within the Department of Computing. The MEng courses are of four year duration and lead to the MEng Honours degree of Imperial College and the Associateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI). The BEng course is of three year duration and leads to the BEng Honours degree of Imperial College and the Associateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI).

The scheme has been designed to give each student an overview of computing, an understanding of the basic concepts and principles, skills in their application and extension, the ability to appreciate and to adapt to changes in the state of the art, and practical experience in applied computing. Special emphasis is placed on the fundamental principles underlying computing and on an understanding of the engineering considerations involved in computing system design, implementation and usage. A solid background is given in discrete mathematics (logic, sets, relations and grammars) which is the basic mathematics of computing, as well as in the classical mathematics and statistics relevant to applications engineering and management. Students are introduced to computing architecture and hardware alongside the software which can exploit them. Advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence are presented throughout the scheme.

The degree structure for all of our Computing degrees is very flexible providing many option courses. There is also a central spine of engineering project and design work running through all years.

The programme aims/objectives are to:

Engineering (E), Computer Science (C)
•Impart a breadth and depth of understanding of the key concepts in Computing, including their
application and extension. (C)
•Enhance the ability of each student to appreciate, and to adapt to, changes in the state of the art in
Computing. (C)
•Develop skills in critical independent scholarship. (E), (C)
•Place special emphasis on the fundamental principles underlying Computing and on the
understanding of the engineering considerations involved in computing system design, 
implementation, application and use. (E), (C)
•Give a solid background in discrete mathematics (logic and computing theory). This provides a 
formal foundation for computing. (C)
•Give a solid background in the continuous mathematics and statistics relevant to applications in
science, engineering and management. (E)
•Provide training in the professional aspects of computing as an engineering discipline. (E), (C)
•Provide an appreciation of current and emerging technologies in an industrial or commercial context.
(E), (C)
•Give students practical experience, through a series of supporting laboratory and problem solving
classes and through group and individual project work. (E), (C)
•Develop interpersonal skills to ensure students are effective in future roles they undertake. (E), (C)
•Exercise the ability of each student to work as an individual and as part of a team. (E), (C)

Year One

Compulsory

Autumn

• 112 Hardware

• 120.1 Programming I

• 140 Logic

• 145 Mathematical Methods

Autumn and Spring

• 142 Discrete Mathematics

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 120.2 Programming II

• 161 Laboratory 1

Spring

• 113 Architecture

• 130 Databases I

• 141 Reasoning about Programs

• 163 Computing Topics

• 164 Ethics in Computing 1

• 165 Presentation Skills

Summer

• 120.3 Programming III

Extracurricular

Autumn and Spring

• 191 Advanced Programming

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 701 Programming Competition Training

Spring

• 192 Tools for Program Reasoning

Year Two

Compulsory

Autumn

• 220 Software Engineering Design

• 221 Compilers

• 223 Concurrency

• 240 Models of Computation

• 245 Statistics

• 275 C++ Introduction

Autumn and Spring

• 261 Laboratory 2

• 276 Introduction to Prolog

Spring

• 202 Software Engineering - Algorithms

• 211 Operating Systems

• 212 Networks and Communications

• 272 Team Skills Development

• 277 Introduction to Perl

Summer

• 203 Human-Centred Design

• 271 2nd Year Computing Group Project

Selective: - Choose the equivalent of two full courses from the list below. Courses whose number ends in H are half courses.

Spring

• 210 Computer Architecture

• 231 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

• 233 Computational Techniques

Extracurricular

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 701 Programming Competition Training

Year Three

Compulsory

Autumn

• 302 Software Engineering Practice

• 312 Advanced Databases

• 362 3rd Year Group Projects

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 356 Project Presentation Skills

Spring

• 350 Management and Business for Computing Engineers

Selective: Choose the equivalent of between four and five full courses from the list below. Courses whose number ends in H are half courses.

Autumn

• 316 Computer Vision

• 320 Complex Systems

• 337 Simulation and Modelling

• 338 Pervasive Computing

• 343 Operations Research

• 382 Type Systems for Programming Languages

• 395 Machine Learning

Spring

• 303 Systems Verification

• 304 Logic-Based Learning

• 317 Graphics

• 318 Custom Computing

• 322 Communicating Computer Science in Schools

• 331 Network and Web Security

• 332 Advanced Computer Architecture

• 333 Robotics

• 341 Introduction to Bioinformatics

• 347 Distributed Algorithms

Optional: Choose the equivalent of between zero and one full courses from the list below. Courses whose number ends in H are half courses.

Autumn and Spring

• 351 External Course

Extracurricular

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 701 Programming Competition Training

Year Four

Compulsory

Autumn

• 464 Industrial Placement - Presentation and Report

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 401 Individual Project MEng

Spring

• 475 Software Engineering for Industry

Selective: Choose the equivalent of between four and six full courses from the list below. Courses whose number ends in H are half courses.

Autumn

• 404H Separation Logic: Local Reasoning about Programs (Half Course)

• 405H Computing in Space with OpenSPL (Half Course)

• 406H Concurrent Processes (Half Course)

• 407H Medical Image Computing (Half Course)

• 408H Privacy Enhancing Techniques (Half Course)

• 421 Computational Neurodynamics

• 424 Machine Learning and Neural Computation

• 438 Complexity

• 440 Software Reliability

• 471 Advanced Issues in Object Oriented Programming

• 477 Computing for Optimal Decisions

• 491 Knowledge Representation

• 499H Modal Logic (Half Course)

Spring

• 322 Communicating Computer Science in Schools

• 409 Cryptography Engineering

• 410H Scalable Distributed Systems Design (Half Course)

• 417 Advanced Computer Graphics

• 422 Computational Finance

• 429 Parallel Algorithms

• 436H Performance Analysis (Half Course)

• 470 Program Analysis

• 474 Argumentation and Multi-agent Systems

• 493 Intelligent Data and Probabilistic Inference

• 495 Advanced Statistical Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition

Optional: Choose the equivalent of between zero and two full courses from the list below. Courses whose number ends in H are half courses.

Autumn and Spring

• 451 External Course 4I

• 452 External Course 4II

Extracurricular

Autumn, Spring and Summer

• 701 Programming Competition Training

Candidates who achieve the typical entry requirements are offered an interview based on the strength
of their UCAS applications.
Candidates passing their interview will usually be made an offer within 3 weeks of the interview day.
The interview day consists of:
 a welcome presentation by the Admissions tutor and Director of Studies
 a tour of the College and Department facilities
 demonstrations of undergraduate projects
 a one-to-one academic interview with one of our lecturers

Standard UK Qualifications

A-levels

Our standard A-level offer is A* AA - A*AAA with an A* in Maths. For further recommendations on A-levels.

We strongly encourage applicants to take Further Maths at A2 or AS level, see Qualification Advice for Computing. 

We also accept the  Edexcel International A levels.

International Baccalaureate

Our standard IB offer is 39-41 points with a 7 in Maths at higher level and a 6 or 7 in one further relevant subject at higher level. 

Cambridge Pre-U Diploma and Pre-U Subjects

Our standard Pre-U Diploma offer is 80 points out of 96 with Distinction grades in Maths (principal subject) and one other relevant principal subject. For those not taking the full Diploma, we will look forDistinctions in three principal subjects, including D2 in Maths.

Scottish Advanced Highers

Our standard Scottish Advanced Higher offer is: AAA with an A in Advanced Higher Maths.

Foundation Courses

We only  accept students from the two high-quality UK foundation courses described below. These are specialised courses for overseas students whose home qualifications are not usually accepted for study at UK universities.

UCL UPCSE

The University Preparatory Certificate for Science and Engineering is a high quality foundation programme. Our standard offer is 80% or above, including Advanced Maths.

Warwick HEFP

The Higher Education Foundation Programme has a Science & Engineering specialisation that we accept. Our standard offer is 80% or above, with 80% in two relevant subjects including Maths.

 Qualification Requirements

European Baccalaureate. 8.5 overall, including 8.5 in Maths and 8.5 in one other relevant subject.

Accepted qualifications:

Australia Capital Territory Year 12 Certificate, New South Wales High School Certificate (HSC), Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE), South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Western Australia Certificate of Education. Australia Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 98.5%. Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Overall Position (OP) of 2 or less. 

Austria
Maturazeugnis. 1 in the majority of subjects, including 1 in Maths.

Belgium
CESS (Certificat Enseignement Secondaire Supérieure), GHSO (Getuigschrift van Hoger Secundaire Onderwijs), or Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts. Overall 8 out of 10, with 9 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Bulgaria
Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie. Average grade of 5.9, including a grade 6 in Maths and in one additional relevant subject.

Canada 
Alberta High School Diploma, British Columbia Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma, Manitoba High School Graduation Diploma, New Brunswick High School Graduation Diploma, Newfoundland High School Graduation Diploma, North West Territories General High School Diploma, Nova Scotia High School Completion Certificate, Nunavut High School Graduation Diploma, Ontario Secondary School Diploma, Prince Edward Island High School Graduation Diploma, Quebec Diplôme d'Etudes Collègiales (DEC), Saskatchewan Completion Grade 12 Standing, Yukon Territory Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma. 85%, including Maths and one other relevant subject.

Caribbean Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Six units, with at least two double-unit courses with Grade 1 (AAA) in both units. Grade 1 in Maths.

Croatia Svjedodžba o Maturi/Matura. Scores of 5 (odlican) in relevant subjects

Cyprus Apolytirion. 19 overall, with a 19 in Maths and one other relevant subject, as well a s A in two A-levels, including Maths.

Czech Republic
Maturita. Vyborny grade 1 in the majority of subjects, including 1 in Maths .

Denmark
Student er e ksamen. 11 in Maths an d 11 in rele vant subjects .

EstoniaGümnaasiumi Lõputunnistus with Riigieksamitunnistus. Overall scores 5, with 5 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Finland
Ylioppil astu t k into/ Student e x amen (Mat riculati on examination). 4 subjects at grade 6 or 7, an d at least two relevant subjects a t grade 7, including Maths.

France Baccalauréat. 15 or higher overall, including 15 in Maths and 15 in one other relevant subject. International French Baccalaureate (OIB). 14 or higher overall, including 15 in Maths and one other relevant subject.

Germany Abitur. 1.3 or less overall, with a 13 or 14 in Maths and 13 in one other relevant subject.

Greece Apolytirion. 19 overall, with a 19 in Maths and one other relevant subject.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). 5* in Maths and 5 in two or three other relevant subjects.

Hungary Matura/Erettsegi. 5 overall, including a 5 in Maths (HL) and one more relevant subject (HL).

Iceland Studentspróf from a Gymnasium, with an overall score of 8 or better, and scores of 8 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

India ISC-CISCE/CBSE-AISSE, with 90 average over the five class XII subjects with at least 95% in Maths and at least 90% in two additional core relevant subjects.

Iran Re-University Certificate (Peeshdaneshgahe)/National Entrance Exam (Kunkur). 18+ overall, including a 19 in Maths.

Ireland Irish Leaving Certificate (ILC). A1AAAAA, with A1 in Maths.

Israel High School qualification Bagrut. 90% overall, including 9/10 in Maths and in at least two other relevant subjects taken at 5 unit level.

Italy Esame di Stato (Maturita). 98/100 in a relevant specialism.

Liechtenstein Matura. 6 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Luxembourg Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires. 55/60 overall, including 55 or higher in Maths and two other relevant subjects.

Malaysia Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (Malaysian Higher School Certificate). AAA or AAAA, including Maths and other relevant subjects.

Malta Matriculation Certificate Examination. AA at advanced level, including Maths and one other relevant subject and AAAA at intermediate level in relevant subjects.

Monaco Baccalaureat. Grades of 16/20 or better overall, with high scores in other relevant subjects, including 16 in Maths.

Montenegro Matura/Secondary School Leaving Certificate. Overall score of 4.5/5, including 4.5  or higher in Maths.

Morocco Baccalauréat de l'Enseignment Secondaire. 18/20 overall, with scores of 18 in Maths and relevant subjects.

New Zealand National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3. Excellent in the majority of subjects, including Maths. 

Netherlands VWO (Voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs). 9 overall in a relevant stream, with scores of 9 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Norway Vitnemal fra den Videregende Skole. Grade 5 overall and 5 in all relevant subjects, including Maths.

Poland Matura. 91% in the majority of subjects, with at least 91% in Maths and one other relevant subject taken at extended level.

Portugal Certificado de fim de Estudos Secundários. 19/20.

Romania Baccalaureate. 9.6 average, with 9.6 in Maths and one other relevant subject.

Serbia Matura/Secondary School Leaving Certificate. Overall score of 4.5/5, including 4.5 or higher in Maths.

Singapore Cambridge GCE A level: AAA in H2 subjects, including Maths. SIPCAL, Singapore Integrated Programme: Overall 3.8, with substantial Maths and Computing course content.

Slovakia Vysvedcenie o Maturitńa Skúška/Maturita. Výborný in the majority of subjects, including Maths.

Spain Titulo de Bachillerato. Overall 9, with at least 9.5 in Maths.

Sri Lanka Advanced Level AAA-AAAA, including Maths.

Sweden Swedish Avgångsbetyg/Fullständigt Slutbetyg från Gymnasieskolan. A majority of MVG results in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Switzerland Maturitätszeugnis/Eidgenössisch Anerkanntes Kantonales Maturitätszeugnis/Baccalauréat/Certificat De Maturité/Certificat De Maturité Cantonal Reconnu Par La Confédération/Attestato Di Maturità/Attestato Di Maturità Cantonale Riconosciuto Dalla Confederazione. 5 overall with 5 in relevant subjects, including Maths.

Turkey Anadolu Lisesi Diplomasi (Anatolian High School Diploma). GPA of 5 overall and 5 in the majority of subjects, including Maths.

United States of AmericaAdvanced Placement. Three subjects at grade 5, including Calculus BC. 

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Computing Entrance Scholarships

Each year there are 10 scholarships of £500 awarded to the 10 best Computing and JMC applications received through UCAS by 15th January (the UCAS deadline), as judged by the Computing department. The award is conditional on being made an offer which you attain, accepting that offer as your Firm choice and your taking up the place in October. All UCAS applications received by the deadline will be considered for this scholarship.

Diamond Jubilee Scholarships

Students who meet the minimum criteria will be entitled to an IET scholarship of £1,000 per year for the duration of their degree course.  Entrants will need to have achieved 3 ‘A’ grades at A-level; must be embarking upon an IET accredited programme from Autumn 2013; a UK resident; and not in receipt of another IET scholarship or grant.

• Achieved 3 ‘A’ grades at A-level
• Be on an IET accredited BEng or MEng programme
• Starting in Autumn 2013
• Be a UK resident
• Not be in receipt of another IET scholarship or grant.

 Key dates

• Entry opens in January 2013 via online submission
• Applications by 27 June 2013
• Supporting documentation by 21 August 2013 (A level results transcripts & UCAS confirmation)
• Decision: September 2013
• First payments: October 2013. 

Subsequent annual payments will depend on progressing to the next stage of the programme with an average mark of 60% or above.  Successful students will also be required to provide updates on their career to the IET after graduation.

See IET website for further details.

Grocers' Company Queen's Golden Jubilee Scholarship

This annual scholarship provides in the region of £2,000 per annum for a period of four years and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. All UK nationals holding a conditional firm or unconditional offer of admission to an undergraduate course in the Faculty of Engineering will be sent information on how to apply for this award.

President's Undergraduate Scholarships

The College awards a number of President's Undergraduate Scholarships each year to those applicants who demonstrate the highest academic excellence and potential. These awards are the most prestigious awards the College has on offer and recipients are invited to serve as ambassadors for the College.  The value of this prestigious award is £3,000 in your first year of study.

Ash Music Scholarships

The College offers five music scholarships entitling holders to lessons on their chosen instrument (or voice) at the Royal College of Music. Those with a distinction in grade eight or equivalent should send a letter of application, a copy of their grade eight marksheet and supporting references to: Richard Dickins, Director of Music, Blyth Music Centre at the College's main address, to arrive no later than 28 February 2008. Shortlisted students will be selected for audition during the Easter vacation.

Insufficient UK Qualifications

We do not accept the Welsh Baccalaureate and BTEC.

Qualification Advice for Computing http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/computing/admissions/ug/comp/advice

Students following one of the specialised MEng courses will select some of their options from a group of advanced courses set down for that specialisation. All MEng courses include an approved period of professional formation - this will be either industrial placement, extended project work or placement in a European industry or university. 

Students following the MEng Computing (International Programme of Study) spend either the first two terms of their third year abroad or their entire fourth year abroad in a recognised institution of higher education (with which Imperial College has an exchange arrangement). Currently this involves institutions in the European Union and worldwide.