BSc (Hons) Computing Bachelor's degree at the University of Portsmouth

Ever wondered how computers work and communicate this module introduces the essentials of computer architecture and networking. You'll explore how processors, memory, and hardware run applications, and how networks link devices using protocols and layered models. Through interactive sessions and hands-on labs, you'll gain practical skills building knowledge for learning advanced topics like cybersecurity and cloud computing. This is the perfect starting point to build your knowledge in designing, building, or securing the tech of the future.

You'll be introduced to the core principles of cyber security, learning how computer systems are protected, how security incidents are managed, and why security controls can sometimes fail. Alongside this, you'll develop essential computing, mathematical, and analytical skills, strengthening your ability to research, reason with data, and write in an academic style. You'll also build confidence in professional communication and problem-solving, developing the transferable skills needed to succeed in further study and a wide range of computing-related careers.

You'll design and implement relational database systems, learning how data is structured, stored, queried, and maintained to support effective analysis. Building on this foundation, you'll apply data analysis, visualisation, and introductory artificial intelligence techniques, including supervised machine learning, to extract insight and support intelligent decision-making. You'll develop practical technical skills, analytical thinking, and confidence working with data, preparing you for further study and roles in data, software, and ai-focused careers.

You'll learn how to break problems into logical steps and write programs using practical coding skills and industry-standard programming languages, building confidence through regular hands-on activities. You'll create, test, and refine programs, developing an understanding of how components work together in larger applications and how to improve program design. Through supported lab sessions, you'll also design and build interactive application software, developing a strong foundation in programming whatever your starting point.

In this module, you'll study the problems of scale in software systems, and the industry's solutions to those issues. You'll then work in a team to develop a medium-sized software application, review each other's work, and engage in the thoughtful and reflective discussions that inform the professional software engineering process.

In this module, you'll combine user experience (UX) principles and programming skills to create accessible, intuitive software. First, you'll advance your programming expertise, studying object-oriented polymorphism, exception handling, event-driven programming and user interface development. You'll then embrace user experience (UX) principles, learning to design and improve applications in response to user research.

You'll master specialized skills like data modelling, normalization, transaction analysis, and relational algebra. In practical sessions, you'll optimize SQL queries, extract insights, and handle complex information requests. A key focus is learning to analyse client requirements in order to develop databases that meet real business needs. You'll apply best practices around security, performance tuning, backup/recovery, and more. The module culminates in a multifaceted coursework project where you can apply your new database talents. Upon completion, you'll have the practical abilities and theoretical knowledge to build effective databases that organizations can rely on.

You'll study concurrency and communication in current processors, analyse advanced computer architectures and explore modern routing protocols in this module. As you dig into the foundational mechanisms of digital technologies, you'll learn to identify their principles and limitations, and to work with them directly through a system level programming language.

In this module you'll analyse security aspects including cryptography, access controls, and human factors. You'll also examine the legal, ethical, and professional issues in secure systems, and learn the skills to protect critical business information assets.

You'll apply modeling, texturing and lighting skills as you learn the algorithms rendering each scene, and optimise your projects for real-time interactivity and visual fidelity. On completion, you'll be ready to apply your skills to areas such as medical imaging, autonomous transport UIs and smart city simulations.

You'll approach problems using classical and modern technology, using contemporary platforms, and evaluate current and emerging issues in the field.

In this module, you'll learn to design, write and test in a functional programming language, and grasp the concepts that underpin it. You'll apply proof techniques and logic to verify solutions, use graph algorithms, and understand the use of mathematical notation for modern computer science.

You'll learn to cut through complexity in your data, using software like R and Anaconda, to present useful metrics in the dashboards and reports that influence management decisions.

Master an ethical hacker's mindset and toolkits to spotlight vulnerabilities before threats do. Evaluate insider threats, footprinting networks, exploiting, pivoting - and recommend defences to make systems watertight. Multiply your career options with high-demand penetration testing skills spanning web apps, networks, embedded devices and humans themselves.

In this module, you'll first synthesise a safety-critical system, then explore cryptographic techniques and attack vectors it could be vulnerable to. You'll use your vulnerability analysis to close weaknesses, and get ready to work in hostile digital environments.

In this module, you'll study industry theory and best practice, before using your knowledge to create a dynamic web application to meet client specifications. As you build your app, you'll gain experience with client-side and server-side programming, and API integrations.

With guidance from an expert supervisor, you'll identify a challenge that excites you and develop an approach to investigating it. As you apply your analytical and creative skills to the project, you'll build self-confidence and resourcefulness alongside your new engineering capabilities. You'll also learn to showcase your work professionally through reports and presentations that demonstrate your readiness for an engineering career after university.

Through group projects, you'll research and critique topics including wireless/mobile networks, network security, error control, and performance optimizations. You'll evaluate technologies like the Internet of Things, configure networks, analyse performance, and simulate solutions for real-world scenarios.

You'll look at the major influences on the interface between human users and computer systems - such as human psychology, engineering and sociological aspects of technology - as you appraise and use various tools and techniques designed to evaluate the usability of software applications.

You'll examine the philosophy of AI, its methods of representing knowledge, and what this implies about the nature of learning. You'll also apply and evaluate different AI approaches in different situations, covering neural networks, fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms.

Using case studies, you'll examine new and emerging designs in distributed systems, and consider access control techniques for security. You'll also analyse the impact of attacks on systems and data, and look at current research issues in digital ecosystems.

You'll gain fluency developing 3D graphics for emerging web frameworks, alongside use of computer vision tools and techniques for facial recognition and object tracking. When you complete the module, you'll be able to bring vision and graphics together to solve real world challenges.

In this module, you'll design, model and implement cloud data warehouses to empower decision-making. As you gain experience with predictive mining tools like regression, neural networks and clustering, you'll also learn to communicate clearly with data owners, learning how to present visualisations of your results or to describe the information that different mining techniques could deliver.

In this industry-focused module, you'll evaluate multiple project management methods, their application to IT projects, and associated soft skills - from communication and risk planning to team leadership. You'll cover concepts, tools and techniques employed across the project management lifecycle.

You'll identify risks from emerging technologies, assess impacts of data breaches, and evaluate technical and human safeguards. You'll develop expertise in cloud security, mobile devices, access controls and more. You'll craft incident response plans that mitigate insider threats, hacking, malware and physical attacks. And you'll get real-world skills to protect infrastructure through layered security deployments.

You'll study distributed databases, complex query formulation, transaction control, data visualization, and emerging technologies like NoSQL. You'll also prepare for business applications, scalability and architectures such as web, mobile, and distributed databases.

You'll model and query cloud data warehouses, identify statistical outliers and patterns, and develop visually engaging reports that provide management recommendations.

In this future-focused module, you'll look at the effects of innovative technology in enterprise, the contexts in which advances are created, and frameworks for understanding future developments. You'll also prepare for your early career development as you appraise the current IT employment landscape.

Examine embedded systems and sensors powering smart watches, homes, cities and more. Evaluate networking protocols and data analytics techniques to realize value from machine information. Develop IoT applications while considering security, interfaces and human needs. With the ability to blend hardware, software and cloud services, you’ll be at the forefront as IoT transforms business and society.

You'll examine security devices and systems, and high-profile breaches, to understand the constantly evolving threat landscape and its far-reaching impacts. Upon completion, you'll be set to evaluate and recommend security systems to future-proof organizations against emerging cyber-attacks.