Course overview
This PG Cert Computer Science* is intended for individuals interested in the field of computing who don’t have the required academic background or work experience to break into this in-demand industry. The course will introduce you to the fundamentals of computing.
You will explore current trends and best practices and gain technical skills, as well as developing your ability to collaborate with others and problem solve. By the end of your studies, you will have gained computing knowledge and skills that will prepare you for a number of career paths in this rapidly growing industry. You will also be able to continue your studies and advance onto our full Master’s programme.
This short conversion course is delivered 100% online and part-time. You will learn and be assessed wholly online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – no need to travel to assessment centres! This means you can easily and flexibly fit your professional development ambitions around your personal life, and you won’t need to take a career break. Though you will study exclusively online, on successful completion of your PG Cert Computer Science, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex’s Colchester campus.
* The start date and details of this course are still subject to the institution’s approval. In the event that approval is not granted by your course start date, an alternative date will be offered or a full refund given. If we need to make changes to this programme as part of the University of Essex validation process, we will communicate these to you at the earliest possible date.
Job outcomes
- Entry Level Software Developer or Programmer
- Web Developer or Programmer
- Information System Administrator
Study method
- Online
- Black Friday
- Blended
- In-class
Awards
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Duration study load
8 months – Part-time
Entry requirements
We offer two flexible entry routes onto our PG Cert Computer Science, which consider your academic and work-based experience:
- Academic entry route
In order to satisfy the academic entry route requirement, you must have either of the following qualifications as a minimum:
- an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree; or
- a relevant professional qualification
- Work experience entry route
To apply for the work experience entry route, you must meet the following criteria:
- at least three years’ relevant work experience
English language requirement
If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 or equivalent. If you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, you will be required to pass a free online English test to assess your proficiency.
Course features
You are supported throughout your course by a dedicated Student Adviser and have opportunities to regularly interact with fellow students and your tutor. To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.
Assessment
All assessments are delivered through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). There is no requirement to go to external test centres. Instead, you will submit written assignments through the VLE; and for the few courses where exams are required, we use a virtual system which allows you to take academically rigorous exams from the comfort of your own home.
You are always aware of your current provisional grade which allows you to continually evaluate the success of your current study methods and identify areas to improve. We believe that this information helps you to make the most of your course. We achieve this by:
- assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for end of year exams
- showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the VLE
- rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
- ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser
We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.
Career prospects
There is a huge level of demand for computer science professionals and this course is designed to enable you to make a career change to this technical field. After completing your studies, you will be prepared to succeed in roles such as: Entry Level Software Developer or Programmer, Web Developer or Programmer, and Information System Administrator.
Delivery
We’re a 100% online education provider, so we use a state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and listen to and view live lectures and seminars. All courses are delivered in English only.
For our PG Cert Computer Science, there’s no need to download different software packages – all programming languages are included within the tuition fee and all work is carried out on an online development environment.
About University of Essex Online
Online learning is a cost-effective, convenient and flexible way to enhance your career. Our quality-assured distance learning courses allow you to work towards your qualification in a unique virtual learning environment and still have access to all the support and facilities you would expect to receive on campus.
University of Essex Online courses are delivered by Kaplan Open Learning, an experienced online learning provider, part of Kaplan International Pathways. The University and Kaplan have developed their partnership since 2007 in order to offer high-quality online courses.
