Welcome to your Computer Science course

Welcome to University of Staffordshire London! With 60 years of experience in delivering computing courses, our highly qualified and enthusiastic staff, who possess both academic and professional qualifications, are here to provide you with an excellent education. Located in the digital growth area of the capital, we offer a rewarding learning experience that will set you on the path to a successful and fulfilling career. Get ready for an incredible adventure - throughout your time with us you’ll have opportunities to engage in guest lectures, hackathons, and employer networking events to help you grow professionally and personally.

Course delivery

The most effective and enriching student learning experience occurs when we come together in pursuit of both individual and shared goals. Accordingly, for the 2025/26 academic year, we are planning to provide an enhanced educational environment in which all students will be expected to attend campus for two teaching days per week. This time on campus will support not only scheduled teaching sessions, but also co-curricular and extracurricular engagement. Naturally, all activities will be conducted in strict adherence to current health and safety regulations to ensure the wellbeing of our entire community.

Take a look at your timetable and important course dates.

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
Written English (including punctuation, grammar and overall language proficiency)
Academic writing (effective academic writing skills, including proper referencing techniques)
Research skills (Equipping students with the necessary tools and techniques to conduct successful research)
Critical thinking
Industry experience (Worldwide recognised related certificates, placement opportunity)
Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Timetables and room allocations will be confirmed via your eVision and MS Teams channels, so make sure to check those regularly. You’ll also be using Blackboard for accessing your learning materials, and your student email for all university communications.

Semester one activities

During your first semester you will study three modules as below:

Computer Architecture and Operating Systems Design
This module explores the different areas of technology within computing and identifies core elements within the field to make an informed choice for purchasing, designing, and developing systems. In addition to these core skills you will consolidate your understanding of an operating system and will be able to commission and program typically Windows and Unix derivative OS as used within your chosen field. Considering Operating Systems outside of traditional x86 computing is also a key skill for fundamental computing decision making.

Algorithms and Programming Concepts
In this module, you will begin an exciting journey of discovery that will lay the programming foundation for both your academic and professional career. You will focus on designing and developing programs in Python. On the way, you will also learn about algorithms, data structures, analysing problems, modelling solutions, and testing programs.

Networks and Communications
In studying this module, you will learn about the fundamental concepts e.g. OSI/TCP suit, TCP and UDP communications, IP addressing, Ethernet, wireless networks, switching, routing, network design, documentation, management and troubleshooting. Upon successful completion of the module, you should become a skilled user who is able to design a network efficiently, can configure network devices e.g. switches, routers etc., can manage and troubleshoot network issues.

Equipment or course specific software needed

As a student, you’re entitled to free access to Microsoft 365, GitHub Pro, JetBrains IDEs, and more. Visit the software portal regularly for updates. Software link is available here: https://staffsuniversity.sharepoint.com/sites/software/SitePages/Home.aspx

And we provide the software that you need.

A suitable laptop preferably Windows OS, ideally Intel i5 or equivalent with a minimum of 16GB memory is needed. Alternatively, a MAC or Linux based machine, warning the new MACs (M1 based) are not recommended at present due to virtualisation issues.

Download software

Before you start

Before you begin, we recommend exploring the following resources to build a solid foundation in key areas:

Network concepts, Windows and Linux OS

Getting Started with AWS Cloud

AWS Cloud Introduction

Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Generative AI

AI and Machine Learning Overview

Data Science and Automation

Data Science Basics

Python Programming

Python Programming for Beginners

Cloud Computing Basics

Project Management

Introduction to Project Management

Computer Graphics

Introduction to Computer Graphics

Please feel free to watch other CCNA videos, Ted Talks and YouTube are a good starting place. Please do not worry if you don’t understand everything, that is what we are going to help you with. We suggest:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIhvC56v63IJVXv0GJcl9vO5Z6znCVb1P

Also, try completing a few small projects, like building a website or creating a simple Python game, to get into the mindset before the term begins.

Our library services offer some excellent guides to help you with your studies and workshops sessions can be booked for individual support. Please look at these additional resources that may be of use during your studies.

For more study skills resources and guidance on how to prepare before starting your course, you can also explore the University’s Get Ready library guide.

Library Academic Skills guides

Social groups for Students

Have a look at our student union’s website and see if there are any clubs and/or societies that will interest you for welcome week.

Clubs and societies are a great way to meet new people and make lasting friendships.

We also host societies for Women in Tech, Gaming, and Entrepreneurs — you can even start your own!

Trips and activities

We are really excited to invite you to join in on a fun activity during Welcome Week. We want you to get to know other students from different courses as well as your cohort.

As part of your welcome experience, we’re excited to invite you on a trip to Bletchley Park, the historic centre of British codebreaking and birthplace of modern computing. You’ll explore the story of pioneers like Alan Turing, see real Enigma machines, and discover how wartime innovations shaped today’s fields like cyber security, networking, and AI. It’s a fun and inspiring day out, and a great way to connect with fellow students and staff. Full details will be shared during Welcome Week.

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What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.

Please make sure you have a professional LinkedIn page before joining us and start following updates from us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslcomputing/

We also recommend you connect with staff and classmates on LinkedIn and start building your professional presence early.