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Computing

BSc (Hons) & Foundation Year

Home Courses Undergraduate Computing & IT degree

Summary

Study level

Undergraduate

Award

Foundation Year Entry Degrees

Full time

4 years

Part time

4 years+

Location

London, Birmingham, Manchester, Berlin or Online

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School of Computing

Course Overview

Are you interested in a career in computing, but want some additional support before starting a full university degree? The BSc (Hons) Computing with Foundation Year here at Arden has been designed for people just like you.

During your studies you’ll be introduced to topics including data analysis, cloud-based technologies, programming, and website coding and authoring. The course offers you two career pathways to choose from. Students who want to focus on technical employment opportunities have the chance focus on data mining/analysis and programming skills. Or, if you decide to opt for a management career in IT, you can study subjects that will give you combined skills in technical know-how and management strategy.

Arden’s degree courses with foundation year give you the extra support and guidance you need to get started in higher education, helping you take on your full undergraduate degree with confidence. Our foundation courses are a great way to enter higher education if you don’t currently meet our bachelor’s degree entry requirements, or if it’s been a while since you were in formal education and want to revisit some essential study skills, such as essay writing and research. Once your foundation year is completed, you’ll be ready to take on rest of your computing degree.

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Added industry skills

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Course details and modules

Our undergraduate degree course in computing with foundation year has been designed to give you the skills you need to start your career in computing. Your course modules have been freshly updated by our computing faculty members – ensuring that you gain the specialised knowledge employers need right now.

I have learned a lot from the course program and it has given me a good foundation for me to expand my knowledge. The module structure is designed according to my knowledge requirements of my personal IT goals.

Janka Krsteva

BSc Computing Online

Modules

During your foundation year you’ll study 6 modules that will prepare you with the skills you need to move on to your full degree course. Then, over 3 years you’ll study a total of 360 credit hours over seventeen modules. In years 2 and 3, you’ll study the required ‘core’ modules and choose 2 ‘elective’ modules from a choice of 4 options. This allows you to select specialised modules which cover topics that you want to learn about the most.

Foundation Year

Using Numeracy, IT and Data
Research Skills & Using Information
Values, Ethics & Working Collaboratively
Developing Academic Skills
Structure of Business
Technology in Organisations

Year 2

Introduction to Academic Skills and Professional Development (Core)
Introduction to Computer Systems and Security (Core)
Introduction to Databases (Core)
Introduction to Programming (Core)
Introduction to Web Authoring (Core)
Productivity and Collaboration Tools for Learning and Work (Core)

Year 3

Human Computer Interaction (Core)
Data Analytics and Visualisation (Core)
IT Project Management (Core)
Systems Analysis and Design (Core)
Then choose 2 from:
- Advanced Databases (Elective)
- Digital Business (Elective)
- Object Oriented Programming (Elective)
- Ethics, Quality and Sustainability in Technological Environments (Elective)

Year 4

Data Mining (Core)
Managing Innovation and Change (Core)
Computing Project (Core)
Choose 2 from:
- Information Security Management (Elective)
- Technology Entrepreneurship (Elective)
- Distributed and Cloud Computing (Elective)
- Web Application Development (Elective)

How do we assess you?

Our assessment methods have been designed to allow you to demonstrate your strengths in a number of ways. Throughout your studies, we’ll keep track of your progress through the following:

Portfolios
Design tasks
Exams
Case studies
Assessments
Business plans

Study options

This course is available to study through Arden’s blended learning study mode at our study centres in London Ealing, London Tower Hill, London Holborn, Manchester, Birmingham, and Berlin, Germany.

The course is also available to students as a fully online programme, which gives you the convenience of being able to study from anywhere in the UK or worldwide.

Blended learning

How does it work?

When you choose our blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at the Arden study centre of your choice. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, our university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. You’ll also have access to our online library, Perlego, which contains almost half a million books, journals, and industry literature which you can make use of throughout your studies, removing the need to buy expensive course books in order to study successfully.

Blended learning is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face to face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who live within commuting or driving distance of one of our UK study centres.

If you're a student from the UK who is enrolling on a blended learning course with Arden (based in one of our UK study centres) then you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help pay for your living expenses. You can find more information on our fees and funding page. If you're a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.

This course is also available to study full-time at our campus in Berlin, Germany, where you’ll have the opportunity to experience life as an international student in the heart of one of Europe’s most dynamic and historic cities.

Please note: study centre classes are temporarily being conducted online in our virtual classroom due to Covid-19 restrictions. Face-to-face classes will resume once the current restrictions are lifted.

Learn more about blended learning

Online learning

How does it work?

Studying this course online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

Our online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and online library (which when used along with our supplementary library, Perlego, gives you access to almost half a million books and journals – yours for free while you study with us).

ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.

Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.

Online learning students resident in the UK can apply for a Tuition Fee loan to pay for their course. If you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability, you may also be entitled to a Maintenance Loan to cover living expenses. Please find more information on our fees and funding page. If you're a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information about obtaining a student loan to cover your costs from your student finance body.

Learn more about online learning

Entry requirements

At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.

Find out more

Eligibility

To be able to study this course, we need to see that you have:

Passes at grade C (grade 4) or above in three subjects at GCSE level OR 45 credits at Level 2 or equivalent – if your qualifications are older than 3 years we would also ask to see a professional CV.
Applicants may be considered based on a minimum of 12 months of professional work experience evidenced with a CV and Reference.
We also offer this course as a standard bachelor’s degree without foundation year. To view the course details, please click here.

Candidates for our computing with foundation year undergraduate degree are required to submit a personal statement (of between 350-550 words) which tells us about your motivation for studying this course. You may also be invited to attend an interview to demonstrate your ability to study the course successfully.

This statement should include:

Your motivation for undertaking the programme
Why you’ve chosen your particular course
Any long-term goals or career aspirations

English Proficiency

IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 80; or equivalent

We also offer an internal English test for applicants. More information on this can be found here.

Before you start studying

Whilst you can read your study materials on your smart phone or tablet, to make the most of your learning experience, you will need access to a laptop or computer (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good stable internet connection.

Course fees and funding

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I am a student from

Use the dropdown above to find course fees and funding information for your country. If you can’t find information for your country in the dropdown, visit our International support page.

Meet the faculty

Arden University’s industry aligned computing programmes are focused on your needs as a student and the skills required by employers. We provide you with one-to-one support and contextualised learning so that you fully understand the latest developments and concepts being put into practice in data analytics, cloud-based technologies, software development and databases. I look forward to welcoming you to the Arden University family.

Mohammed Rehman

Head of School Computing

Career prospects

IT, data mining, cloud computing, and programming skills are in high demand all over the world. That’s why developing the skills that employers want is at the forefront of this course. Arden’s academics have close ties to the computing industry, which means our course content is regularly reviewed to ensure that your learning experience is up-to-date and reflects the latest developments in the real world.

Related courses

What will I gain from this degree?

On our BSc (Hons) Computing with Foundation Year degree you’ll develop your computing knowledge alongside a wider range of important workplace skills, such as effective communication and problem-solving. After graduation, you’ll have the confidence you need to enter the field of computing with confidence. Whilst studying this course, you will:

Demonstrate you can apply your knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems
Develop confident communication skills and be ready to use these in a business setting
Gain deep knowledge in your chosen specialist area – whether that’s data mining or cloud computing
Collaborate with others nationally and even globally to work on projects and share ideas
Understand the latest developments in computing and how these can benefit businesses
Develop the study habits and practices to become a lifelong learner

What can I do after Arden University?

Your computing degree with foundation year sets you up for any number of possible career paths after graduation. Here are some of the professions that previous Arden graduates have gone on to explore:

Software development
Software engineering
Programming/coding
IT security management
Teaching and lecturing

Industry skills

Study an industry-certified course alongside your degree

If you're looking to gain some additional skills as you study, you can take an industry-certified online course while you’re studying your Arden degree, at no extra cost.

You can choose to become certified on Salesforce Trailhead, gain certification through Cisco’s Networking Academy, or take courses on Amazon’s cloud-based learning platform, AWS Educate. All of these courses complement our degree modules and are highly valued by employers worldwide.