Computer Science

Key Facts
Research Assessment Exercise 2008

The results of the last Research Assessment Exercise placed Liverpool within the top 10 computer science departments in the UK. All of the department's research activity was recognised as being of international standing, with 75% classified as internationally excellent and 30% as world leading.

This puts the department in the top 7 departments in the UK in terms of the proportion of research classified as world leading. Computer Science currently holds research grants of some £4.5million and has recently benefited from a £5million investment in estates and facilities. Such investment has resulted in a vastly improved physical research environment, giving research groups dedicated meeting and seminar rooms, enabling students and supervisors to be closely located, and making it possible to organise many high profile conferences and workshops.

Why this subject?
State of the art teaching and research
Pursue your postgraduate programme at the University of Liverpool and you'll be part of a Computer Science school that's internationally renowned for its advanced research and teaching.

We came seventh nationally in the 2008 research assessment exercise and have four main research groups:-

* Agents
* Algorithmics
* Logic and Computation
* Economics and Computation

Together these groups provide a critical mass of expertise equal to the most complex challenges in Computer Science, within a setting that offers world class research facilities and support.

Pursue your MSc/MRes research project and PhD/MPhil studies here and you'll be able to contribute to, and shape, cutting edge research and innovative technologies of the future.

Teaching
You'll be taught by lecturers who are internationally known for their research. This programme is offered full-time to study on-campus.

The taught components of our on campus MScs offer a choice of contemporary computing topics, a strong theoretical basis and the opportunity to gain sound practical and critical analysis skills."

Environment
The department's based on the main University of Liverpool campus, close to the city centre and in a spectacular Grade II listed building.

Following a recent £5 million refurbishment, we can offer you a comfortable working environment with excellent research, study and computing facilities.

You'll also enjoy the full support of our friendly tutors and technical teams so you can get the best from your time here.

Facilities
Computer Science is located in the grade II listed Ashton and Holt buildings, with state-of-the-art equipment.

Our computing resources include an extensive integrated network of workstations running the Linux operating system and the X-Windows graphical interface, together with a large number of PCs running Microsoft Windows.

Staff and students have easy access to high quality laser printing facilities and a range of specialist software.

The programme is divided into three, equally weighted semesters. The first two, which are run concurrently with the normal undergraduate semesters, comprise taught modules, weighted at 15 credit points each, to a total of 60 credits per semester. An extended research based project, culminating in a dissertation, is undertaken full time over the summer period. This counts for a further 60 credits, making a total of 180.

Module details

Compulsory modules

* Research Methods In Computer Science (COMP516)
* Object Oriented Software Development (COMP517)
* Database and Information Systems (COMP518)
* Web Programming (COMP519)
* Safety and Dependability (COMP524)
* Reasoning About Action and Change (COMP525)
* Applied Algorithmics (COMP526)
* Data Mining (COMP527)
* Multi-core Programming (COMP528)
* Computational Intelligence (ELEC675)
* Multi-agent Systems (COMP310)
* Technologies for E-commerce (COMP315)
* Semantics of Programming Languages (COMP317)
* Advanced Web Technologies (COMP318)
* Complex Information and Social Networks (COMP324)
* Msc Project (COMP702)

ELEC675 taught by Electrical Engineering and Electronics.

Note: Up to 30 credits of the recommended advanced modules may be replaced with selected level 3 modules with the proviso that a graduate of the University cannot elect to take a level three module if they have already passed that module as part of their undergraduate study.

Lecturers

You'll be taught by lecturers who are internationally known for their research. This programme is offered to study on-campus.

The MSc in Computer Science programme is intended for graduates without a Computer Science first degree, but with a 2:2 honours degree in a subject with some appropriate mathematical or scientific content. Relevant work experience will also be taken into consideration. With respect to applicants who have computing related BSc honours degrees, but where those degrees provide only partial coverage of the content and/or do not achieve the standard of a UK computer science BSc degree such applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis and an appropriate selection of modules identified.International qualificationsInternational Qualifications Applications from international students are welcome. International qualifications will be evaluated in line with the National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) guidelines. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 580 TOEFL iBT® test: 88 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

The primary source of funding for research is from the EPSRC.

Postgraduate taught student awards
A range of awards, scholarships and bursaries are available for those undertaking postgraduate study at the University.

International students
The University of Liverpool administers and participates in many scholarship schemes for international students with the majority of the scholarships being awarded on the basis of academic merit rather than hardship. Students must normally hold an offer of a place on a course before they can apply.

For more information, please visit the university website.