Data Science and Computing
BSc (Hons)
Application options include:
Course Overview
Our BSc Data Science and Computing will give you a strong foundation in mathematics, statistics and computer science and the skills and knowledge to tackle real-world problems. You will learn cutting-edge techniques for collecting, storing, analysing and visualising data, and how to extract information to inform decision-making across various organisations, essential for a career as a data scientist or data-driven software developer.
Why choose this course?
- This course offers a balance between learning current skills, which are essential in today's marketplace, and a deep understanding of the fundamentals, which provide a solid basis for long-lasting professional success.
- Whilst studying our BSc Data Science and Computing you will uncover valuable insights from data, a skill highly sought after by employers across all sectors of the economy including business, finance, manufacturing and the public sector.
- You will also consider social, professional and organisational issues that play a key role in understanding how data science and computing contribute to and shape the future of businesses and organisations.
- This course is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), the professional body for computing in the UK, which supports IT professionals and promotes the ethical and responsible use of technology.
What you will learn
Data science combines data analytics, applied statistics, computer science and software engineering. You will gain a broad knowledge of computing and mathematics and acquire strong programming and data analysis skills using Python, R and Java - the most popular programming languages used by data scientists today.
How you will learn
Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes, while the Foundation Year is composed of group work, individual tutorial work and practical lab work. Many computing modules include laboratory-based exercises. All lectures are recorded and materials are made available online.
For the majority of the programming modules we adopt a 'flipped classroom' approach, where you watch short videos and perform appropriate reading before the class, making this an active rather than passive learning experience.
Foundation Year
If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.
Discover the career opportunities available by taking Data Science and Computing (BSc (Hons)).
Key information and modules
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Data Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2025
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Data Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025
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Data Science and Computing with Foundation Year BSc (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2025
Find another course:
Highlights
- Our world-class research activity informs our teaching and we provide a stimulating teaching and research environment for both part-time and full-time students.
- Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Computer Science and Informatics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
- Birkbeck established one of the first computing departments in the UK in 1957 and was a pioneer in database technologies, eCommerce, and data science, studies.
- Our high-quality teaching and research foster our interactions with business, public and third sector organisations, offering our students unique opportunities in their studies.
- We have modern computing laboratories, with a total of 133 workstations. The labs have projection facilities and are air-conditioned. Our wide range of software runs on a number of platforms including Unix, Windows and Linux. The local area network is a switched gigabit/10gigabit ethernet. Our computers are connected to the SuperJANET academic network.
Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.
Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.
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Entry Requirements
We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.
3 years full-time and 4 years part-time: If you have no previous formal qualifications you will need to complete an admission test including English comprehension and mathematical knowledge.
For part-time courses, standard requirements are a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.
UCAS tariff points
- 3 years full-time: 112 points (e.g. A-levels BBC)
- 4 years full-time with Foundation Year: 48 points
The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a tariff calculator for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff.
GCSEs
Applicants are expected to have GCSE grade C or grade 4, or equivalent, in English and mathematics.
Foundation year degrees
Our 'with Foundation Year' route is full-time only and provides you with an additional year of supported study. This is an ideal route if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree.
Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main full-time degree.
Alternative entry routes
3 years full-time and 4 years part-time: Access to Higher Education Diploma with a minimum of 15 credits achieved at Merit or Distinction in information technology or computing units.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.
If you don’t meet the minimum English language requirements, please contact us or see our international study skills page for more details of how we can help.
Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country.
Visa and funding requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
- Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
- Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).
For full information, read our visa information for international students page.
Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country.
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)
If you have studied at university (or have an HND or Foundation Degree), you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.
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Fees
Data Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26
Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025
Part-time home students: £6,935 per year
Part-time international students: £13,545 per yearData Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26
Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025
Full-time home students: £9,250 per year
Full-time international students: £18,060 per yearData Science and Computing with Foundation Year BSc (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2025-26
Academic year 2025–26, starting October 2025
Full-time home students: £9,250 per year
Full-time international students: £18,060 per yearStudents are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy.
If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.
Tuition fee and maintenance loans
Eligible full-time and part-time students from the UK don’t have to pay any tuition fees upfront, as government loans are available to cover them.
Maintenance loans are also available for eligible full-time and part-time UK students, to assist with covering living costs, such as accommodation, food, travel, books and study materials. The amount you receive is means-tested and depends on where you live and study and your household income.
Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.
International scholarships
We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship.
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Teaching
At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.
Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.
In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.
Methods of teaching on this course
Lectures, group tutorials and exercises, and laboratory-based computing exercises.
Teaching hours
Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.
On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).
Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.
Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.
On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.
Timetables
Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).
Indicative class size
Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.
Independent learning
On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.
Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.
Study skills and additional support
Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:
- academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
- written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
- numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).
Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.
Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.
Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.
Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.
Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.
Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.
Methods of assessment on this course
A combination of coursework, in-class tests, examinations and a final-year project.
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Careers and employability
On successfully graduating from this BSc Data Science and Computing, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
- problem-solving
- analytical thinking
- communication
- teamwork
- project management.
Graduates gain a combination of skills valuable to employers. They can pursue career paths as programmers, data scientists or software engineers. Job opportunities exist in software companies, healthcare, banking, insurance, policing and tech companies as, for example:
- machine learning engineers for artificial intelligence software
- analytics associates/data scientists
- quantitative analysts
- graduate software developers.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
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How to apply
You apply via UCAS for our full-time undergraduate courses or directly to Birkbeck for our part-time undergraduate courses.
Full-time (UCAS entry)
If you are applying for a full-time undergraduate course at Birkbeck, you have to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). To apply, go to the UCAS website and click on ‘Sign in’. You will have to register, giving UCAS a few personal details, including your name, address and date of birth, and then you can start working on your application.
The first UCAS deadline is in January, and the majority of university applications through UCAS are made by then. Find the exact deadline date on the UCAS website. We welcome applications outside of the UCAS deadlines, so you can still apply through UCAS after the January deadline, depending on the availability of places. We also take late applications via the UCAS Clearing system in August.
Part-time
If you are applying for a part-time undergraduate course (4 or 6 year), you apply directly to Birkbeck by using the Apply now button. You will need to prove your identity when you apply - read more about suitable forms of identification.
You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link. Please note that online application will open in September.
When to apply
You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.
You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.
You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.
Help and advice with your application
Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.
Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.
Apply for your course
Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section.
Related courses
Course structure
Course structure listing
Course structure and modules for Data Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 4 years part-time, on campus, starting October 2025
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Years 1 and 2: six compulsory modules in each year
- Year 3: five compulsory modules and one option module - either E-business or Micro-placement
- Year 4: two compulsory modules, two option modules and a project
Year 1 compulsory modules
- Foundations of Data Science I
- Introduction to Database Technology
- Introduction to Programming
- Mathematics for Computing
- Software and Programming I
- Systems Analysis and Design I
Year 2 compulsory modules
- Foundations of Data Science II
- Introduction to Computer Systems
- Introduction to Web Authoring
- Software and Programming II
- Software Engineering I
- Systems Analysis and Design II
Year 3 compulsory modules
- Computer Networking
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Information Security
- Professional Issues in Computing
- Software Engineering II
Year 3 option modules
Year 4 compulsory modules
Indicative option modules
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Cloud Computing Concepts
- Introduction to Data Analytics using R
- Mobile Computing
- Software and Programming III
BSc Data Science project
Course structure and modules for Data Science and Computing BSc (Hons): 3 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2025
You must complete modules worth a total of 360 credits.
- Year 1: eight compulsory modules
- Year 2: seven compulsory modules and one option module - either E-business or Micro-placement
- Year 3: four compulsory modules, two option modules and a project
Year 1 compulsory modules
- Foundations of Data Science I
- Introduction to Computer Systems
- Introduction to Database Technology
- Introduction to Programming
- Introduction to Web Authoring
- Mathematics for Computing
- Software and Programming I
- Systems Analysis and Design I
Year 2 compulsory modules
- Computer Networking
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Foundations of Data Science II
- Professional Issues in Computing
- Software and Programming II
- Software Engineering I
- Systems Analysis and Design II
Year 2 option modules
Year 3 compulsory modules
- Data Science Applications and Techniques
- Database Management
- Information Security
- Software Engineering II
Indicative option modules
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Cloud Computing Concepts
- Introduction to Data Analytics using R
- Mobile Computing
- Software and Programming III
BSc Data Science project
Course structure and modules for Data Science and Computing with Foundation Year BSc (Hons): 4 years full-time, on campus, starting October 2025
For the Foundation Year, you take six compulsory modules at Level 3, to a total of 120 credits.
If you successfully complete these modules, you will automatically advance on to the three-year, full-time, evening study BSc Data Science and Computing.