We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
This course is available in Clearing. Register your interest today and we’ll let you know when Clearing reopens on Thursday 14 August.
Develop valuable computing knowledge and skills, and put them into practice with a year in industry, with our four-year BSc Computer Science with Industrial Year degree.
Computer science – with the application of data science – has a colossal impact on modern society and is the cornerstone of every digital technology used in our daily lives. You'll join the University of Reading’s Department of Computer Science, where 100% of our research impact has been classed outstanding or very considerable (REF 2021, combining 4* and 3* submissions – Computer Science and Informatics).
Reading has the fourth highest number of digital tech organisations in the UK ("UK’s Top Digital Tech Cities", March 2020, The Data City) and in 2023 ranked 2nd in The Data City’s list of UK AI hotspots.
Our BSc Computer Science degree is accredited by the British Computer Society – the Chartered Institute for IT (subject to reaccreditation in August 2025).
This degree includes the opportunity to apply for a one-year, paid work placement in industry, taken between your second and final year. It offers a valuable opportunity to deepen your knowledge and skills, explore career options and build your professional network.
Over the years, we have built up relationships with major companies across the industry, many of which have their UK or European headquarters in the local area. Computer Science students have previously undertaken placements with a range of multinational, national and local companies, including:
They have occupied a number of roles, including:
Find out more about how an industrial placement can enhance your employability.
You’ll study on our parkland campus at Whiteknights, which has been voted among the best and most popular green spaces in the UK for 15 consecutive years in the Green Flag awards. Reading is located in the heart of the 'UK's Silicon Valley', a hub for the computer science industry. From start-ups and SMEs to multinational companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, Sony, and IBM, future employers are right on your doorstep. Many of our students take up work experience or a professional placement year with these companies, gaining a competitive edge in the job market and forming professional connections with future employers.
During this degree, you will explore a wide range of topics that include:
Get to grips with several programming/scripting languages including:
You’ll be taught by lecturers with expertise across a broad range of areas, with extensive experience in both academic and industrial applications, who will help you to develop and apply your technical skills.
This degree has a strong focus on career management. A series of skills development opportunities allow you to develop valuable, transferable skills – such as teamwork and communication – aiming to enhance your employability and set you apart from other graduates.
You also have the option to further your knowledge and skills with hands-on experience in industry with our four-year BSc Computer Science with Industrial Year. This pathway gives you the opportunity to apply for a year-long paid placement as part of your degree.
We use a wide range of software packages to support your learning. These include:
Our well-equipped and regularly updated facilities pair with extensive specialist software to support your core studies and enable exploration of your own projects and interests. You’ll also benefit from access to dedicated technical support throughout your studies.
For teaching and research project work, we provide purpose-built computer labs with workstations running both Windows and Linux, alongside access to web hosting, virtual reality headsets, mobile phones, and Raspberry pi devices. Access to advanced GPU and CPU servers is supported by the University’s central HPC infrastructure, which is freely available to students.
91% of our students said it has been easy to access subject-specific resources (eg, equipment, facilities, software, collection) when they needed to (National Student Survey 2025, 90.5% of responders from the Department of Computer Science).
