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Computer Science and Geology - BSc (Hons)

Year of entry: 2021
Course type: Combined Honours
Duration of study: 3 years / 4 years with international or placement year

Location: Keele University campus
Subject area / School: School of Computing and Mathematics; School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
UCAS code: FG64

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Course overview

At Keele, studying a combined honours degree will include some modules from both of the single honours degrees. In this case, your programme will be made up of a combination of modules from both Computer Science and Geology.

Keele Undergraduate Enquiries Form

Please submit your question in the form below and a member our enquiries team will be in touch with you shortly.

Your Name

Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy)

Please provide a contact telephone number *

Country of Residence

Year of Entry

Please Select a Course

Are you interested in a Foundation Year

YesNo

Please enter your question below:

Your Preferences

Please keep me informed using email

YesNo

Please keep me informed using phone

YesNo

Please keep me informed using messages/texts

YesNo

What we’re going to do with your data and why?

We will securely store your data and send you essential information (examples include updates on an application or booking confirmations for events such as Open Days).

How long are we keeping it?

We will keep your data for the year that you first enquire with us plus 6 subsequent years. This is to ensure that you are legally protected should you have any issues with the use of your data.

Unsubscribe

What to do if I change my mind?

Gold

In the Teaching Excellence Framework Also Top 5 in the UK (THE ranking, broad-based universities)

Top 3

in England for overall Student Satisfaction NSS 2019 (broad-based universities)

97%

of research world leading, or of international importance Research Excellence Framework, 2014

Student testimonials

Tom Rye-Weller, Communications Director at PepsiCo, New York

"Keele prepared me for my future as it is unlike many other universities; its dual honors curriculum doesn’t take you down one path and you’re encouraged to learn different subject areas" - read more about Tom Rye-Weller, Communications Director at PepsiCo, New York

Course content

For the Computer Science element of the course, you will learn the underpinning theories of software, hardware and computing techniques – and how to apply them in the real world. You’ll learn to use technology to create new opportunities and to solve a wide range of problems, benefiting every aspect of society from the home to business, government and beyond. This means your skills are likely to be in high demand when you graduate. Our teaching is informed by our cutting-edge research, and we also reflect what’s happening now in industry.

Combined honours students can follow a set of modules providing a specialism in information systems, evolutionary systems, or creative computing, whilst single honours students cover all these strands. There’s a strong emphasis on programming – but don’t worry if you don’t have Maths A Level, because the course covers what you need to know.

You’ll have 24/7 access to our own computing labs, based on Microsoft Windows and Linux, plus a wide range of software. This degree builds the essential skills which are in demand from employers looking for systems analysts, software engineers and consultants. You’ll graduate with a wide range of computing skills plus a highly developed approach to problem solving.

For the Geology element of the course, you will look at rocks, minerals and fossils, how they were formed, how they might have been deformed or altered over geological time and what they can tell us about the history of the Earth and its past environments. It also covers geological processes such as earthquakes, volcanoes and plate tectonics, and how these processes produce different geological materials.

Geology is a practical subject with applied problem-solving laboratory classes and field courses where you will learn how to interpret and map geological features, and explore for future geological resources. Furthermore, you will complete a comprehensive and integrated UK and overseas fieldwork programme with no cost options.

Computer Science can also be studied in the following combinations:

Geology can also be studied as a Combined Honours degree in the following combinations:

You may also be interested in:

Variations to 2020/21 courses

Foundation year

Foundation Year Overview

If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into our BSc (Hons) Computer Science and Geology course, our Foundation Year can provide an alternative route into your degree.

Foundation Year indicative modules for the September intake
Foundation Year entry requirements
How to apply
UCAS code for this course

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years’ experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you’ll study on campus, joining our community from the outset, and you will have access to a range of support.

Read on to find out about:

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

The Keele Foundation Year is a two semester programme which provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Computer Science and Geology degree. For example, Foundations of Computational Theory and Programming will introduce you to the key principles of Computer Science and programming, while Advancing Programming will allow you to hone these skills in an individual project, all of which will be useful in your degree and professional career. Meanwhile, the Foundations of Geography, Geology and the Environment module will provide knowledge of the basic underlying principles and concepts associated with the origins, evolution and structure of the Earth as a system. All of the modules you take will prove useful in your degree and professional career. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.

Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage.

Course Structure

The module details given below are indicative and will give you a good idea of the range of subjects that we teach. We regularly review our teaching to ensure that the modules we offer are up-to-date; therefore, the modules available to study are liable to change.

Semester One Modules

FYO-00221	Foundations of Computational Theory and Programming	30 credits
FYO-00211	Foundations of Numerical and Quantitative Methods for Scientists	15 credits
FYO-00193	Foundations of Geography, Geology and the Environment	15 credits

Semester Two Modules

FYO-00225	Advancing Programming	15 credits
FYO-00227	Advancing Computing: Client-Led Collaborative Design	15 credits
FYO-00195	Advancing Geography, Geology and the Environment	30 credits

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate’s application. Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom, European Union and International students.

Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
Relevant work experience

AND

GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

AND

GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above

How to Apply

Applicants will need to apply for BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Foundation Year (UCAS code: G401) through UCAS at www.ucas.com. You will then be contacted to confirm your second subject by a member of our team.

Direct Entry Students

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office to enquire about direct entry onto this course.

International Entry

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course may have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year stand-alone programme.

Please visit the International Foundation Year pages for information on how to apply, entry requirements and course details.

Career prospects

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (DLHE, 2017)

Recent computing graduates from Keele have gone to work for companies as diverse as Apple, BAE Systems, Barclays, Capgemini, EA Games, Experian, Microsoft and the Ministry of Defence. You’ll also have the solid grounding you’ll need to apply for postgraduate study.

Career opportunities in geology are excellent because industry and modern society depends on geologists to find natural resources such as oil, gas, coal, minerals, metals, aggregates and water. Geologists are also needed for designing foundations, tunnels and other engineering projects. You could go on to work in mining, the oil and gas industry, hydrogeology or geotechnical engineering. Geologists are also required for environmental projects such as radioactive waste disposal or carbon dioxide capture and storage. Degrees studying Geology combined with another science subject are accredited by the Geological Society of London.

Recent employers

Base Energy Services Ltd
Cyient
GB Geotechnics Limited
RSK
Thomas Broadbent
BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
Bitjam
Capqemini
FIDESSA
Hong Kong Esports
Playtech
Capita
Rolls-Royce
Vodafone
British Airways

Jobs that a graduate of this course could go on to do:

IT Consultant
Database Administrator
Systems Analyst
Multimedia Programmer
Games Developer
IT Technical Support Officer
Network Engineer
Information Systems Manager
Geophysicist
Wellsite Geologist
Hydrogeologist
Seismic Interpreter
Mudlogger
Geochemist
Engineering Geologist
Geoscientist

Regardless of which career you pursue after Keele, employers will want evidence of the range of skills and personal qualities you possess and which are required for the job. Your degree is clearly important in this respect but don’t forget the extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility, jobs and voluntary work you may have been engaged in while studying at Keele. These activities allow you to demonstrate the skills and personal qualities required by employers and will be vital in your attempts to secure graduate employment.
It is estimated that 60% of jobs are open to graduates of any discipline. This demonstrates the flexibility of many graduate employers when setting out their academic requirements and that students are not necessarily restricted to careers related to their degree.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.