Hi!
Before you mention there's another thread that was posted a while ago I know, and have read it thoroughly. The thread is also a year out of date, so I was looking for some fresh opinions.
Currently I'm looking, and have been looking for a long while, for a university, in the UK, to attend next year (2012-2013). For my AS grades I achieved ABB in Maths, Physics and Computing. I'm certainly interested more in programming and games development rather than computer architecture or desktop application programming; however I do realise both of these factors are probably going to be in any Computer Science course.
The five universities I've found so far are: Warwick, Bath, Bristol, Stafford and York. For Stafford I plan on applying for Computer Games Programming, but for the others I'd apply to Computer Science. I've been looking at the Warwick course however and have found it doesn't really seem like the best Computer Science course. It's also risky, with my AS grades, to have three AAA entry requirement universities on my list. As well as this Bath teach Java and C where as Bristol teach C, Haskell, Java and Verilog. The thing I'm worried about with Bath and Bristol is that those languages aren't really going to help when looking for a Game Programming job in a lot of cases.
I've been looking at Nottingham Trent University and the Computer Science (Games Technology) course looks interesting, and it has the same modules as the Computer Science course in the first year.
So what's everyone's thoughts on universities in general (perhaps I've missed a good uni for a similar course?), the universities above, and the difference between Computer Science, Computer Science with Games (or other similar name) and Games Programming (or similar, without CS)? I live in the west midlands, if that helps, but don't really mind how far away the university is.
Hull have a great Computer Science course, lots of focus on practical experience and industry placements/situations-workflows. If you're looking for somewhere to study bare metal computer science Edinborough and Nottingham (University NOT Trent, Trent is a poly college and a shithole) Try and avoid courses that start with the words Computer Games as employees will potentially look down on these as softer courses, Hull offer a games focused computer science degree which you can check out[url][URL="http://www2.hull.ac.uk/ug/11/computer_science/computer_science_with_games_de.aspx"]here[/URL] :) hope this helps.
Hull teach c# and c++ ;) oh and prolog but we don't talk about that
My housemate does computer science here at Sheffield, but I have no idea what it entails really. I'll get more info if you want.
However, remember when picking a university to look at what the surrounding area will be like and how happy you think you'll actually be in that location. For example, Warwick is a pretty nice university but the city it is in, Coventry, is a dump.
Thanks for your feedback! I'll definitely look more at Hull, but I still think that a full on Computer Science course isn't really for me. I enjoy programming, and although that does entail design and planning I'm not too interested in computer architecture or anything like that which you find on a CS course. I think that'd really put me off and lower my chances of success at such a degree.
If you could get more details, Matriax, that'd be great. Also thanks for the advice, I'll definitely make sure to check the surrounding area etc, that's what's put me off Teesside.
To be honest, dont worry too much about the languages they use to teach. You will get most of your knowledge throght teaching yourself new stuff not from lessons.
I was the guy that started the thread last year, One thing i will say that I learnt from the thread is to seriously research the courses as they might not be what they seem. As for games development courses go, Staffordshire uni (dobby goes there and chriss220 is going this year) and Derby university are probably some of the only unis that do courses worth anything.
Also completely avoid any design course (or course that mixes all disciplines).
At the end of the end of the UCAS process last year I was between Hull and Essex(both computer science) I choose essex because it suited me more (close to family and stuff).
untill I went to the open days I thought Hull's course was much better (more computer games oriented as well as more stuff in general) but once I saw essex's course it turns out there very similar (for example they both have BCS accreditation and MSDN) even tho hull is the only one that anounces it.
Anyway my point is that research your choices and dont worry too much about it, courses are fairly similar and you will have a great time no matter where you go.
I guess that would be the case yes, and I've already self-taught myself C++ so learning that at university probably would be worse. Also thanks for the heads up on Derby, I haven't come across that yet but it looks great; and it's requirements are going to be about ABB next year which is pretty much perfect.
Thanks for the advice and support, it's greatly appreciated!
[QUOTE=Elffie;32360538]I guess that would be the case yes, and I've already self-taught myself C++ so learning that at university probably would be worse. Also thanks for the heads up on Derby, I haven't come across that yet but it looks great; and it's requirements are going to be about ABB next year which is pretty much perfect.
Thanks for the advice and support, it's greatly appreciated![/QUOTE]
Yea derby is probably the Games Dev course I would recommend, however make sure game progeamming is what you want to get into. because if your also thinking of other things computer science would be better
I'm definitely focused on Game Programming, but I think I'll also see what my A levels turn out to be/what offers I get as well. Thanks again for your help!
I'm in the same boat as you, York is one of my options as well, the course looked really good on the open day and all the computer science facilities are brand new so it's definitely an option for me.
I've booked the next open day, which I think is two weeks yesterday. York's course did look good though. Bath's facilities are also brand new, I think they were either built this year or last, and they have some great technology there.
I never thought about Bath for some reason, but I'm definitely going to check it out now.
From what I saw of York's CS course, it's more hardware-based than software.
I'm at Lancaster, just finished my first year of CS and it's pretty great. Hit me up if you want more info on it.
I'm about to start Comp Sci at york.
Go to ALL the open days, i wasn't going to chose york, but on seeing them the facilities are AMAZING and the staff seemed really enthusiastic about their work.
I'm on a Computer Games dev course in Uni of Bedfordshire, 3rd year now, and it's pretty good. :)
Looks like the thread is heating up :)
Just beware of doing a games programming course, you will still need to know about computer architecture, networking, object design and team project skills if you are to be a games developer! It's not all vectors and meshes to be a really successful games dev you need to know about systems their bottlenecks what's actually happening under the hood etc. (Hull representing ;))
I would agree with the folks saying Hull, it is a great choice for anything computing related.
Staffordshire's games dev course (the one I'm doing) is a lot better than the majority of the others I saw; it's not JUST games programming stuff, they teach you all the other bits you need to know as well, as KevinThePirate says you'll learn stuff like OO design, data structures, architecture etc etc etc.
You have to be careful though, a lot of the ones I saw would teach you just stuff that relates to games and not much else, so how to use a graphics API and so on. As richy said, make sure you really research the course in depth before making your decision.
Choose Warwick, his Q heals 400+
Dude with ABB you can get into University of Nottingham, not Nottingham Trent. I was offered BBC for the 4 year MSc in Computer science at University of Nottingham for 2011, and this was the most competitive year to date. Next year, with the increased fees and overall lower attendance, you can probably walk into much higher ranked uni's for your grades.
I can agree with the guys saying Hull University. I'm from Hull myself and everyone I know who's studied computer science at the uni has been very pleased.
Also if you need more encouragement to go to Hull uni, I'd suggest talking to bean_xp. He's currently studying there, and some of his works he's showed me are simply brilliant.
what year's bean_xp in :O
I'm about to go into 4th year of the MEng course
I was looking through the thread and just wondering is anyone at hull or going this year? im going down tomorrow and im doing computer science with game design, cant wait :D
[QUOTE=sweeneypaul;32439609]I was looking through the thread and just wondering is anyone at hull or going this year? im going down tomorrow and im doing computer science with game design, cant wait :D[/QUOTE]
A friend of mine is going down this weekend, he is doing the plain computer science but should be in the same class the first year
Hey, I live in Nottingham during summer and go to York Uni during term.
If you can get into Nottingham University there is NO reason to go to Nottingham Trent, its a much lesser place and you may as well get a better education. York is good for computer science, it has a new building and the professors are good. Nights out are great as well
[QUOTE=mole3700;32361390]From what I saw of York's CS course, it's more hardware-based than software.
I'm at Lancaster, just finished my first year of CS and it's pretty great. Hit me up if you want more info on it.[/QUOTE]
Regarding York: The first year is split hardware/software pretty evenly and the second year you choose between hardware/software. Most people have chosen software.
PS Lancaster was my other choice, I would have been in your year
[QUOTE=Occlusion;32363257]I'm about to start Comp Sci at york.
Go to ALL the open days, i wasn't going to chose york, but on seeing them the facilities are AMAZING and the staff seemed really enthusiastic about their work.[/QUOTE]
I'm just starting my second year of CompSci at York :) feel free to pm me any questions
Edit: What college you in?
Why for the Comp. Sci. course at University of Hull does it say, typical offer 200-280 UCAS points, I'm predicted D*D*D in my BTEC ND for IT practitioners and that's like 360 points...
[QUOTE=joyenusi;32487749]Why for the Comp. Sci. course at University of Hull does it say, typical offer 200-280 UCAS points, I'm predicted D*D*D in my BTEC ND for IT practitioners and that's like 360 points...[/QUOTE]
I finishd my btec this year so we couldnt get D*'s would have got them if it wasnt for that.
[QUOTE=Richy19;32488124]I finishd my btec this year so we couldnt get D*'s would have got them if it wasnt for that.[/QUOTE]
Are you at Uni now ? If so, what studying ?
[QUOTE=joyenusi;32488227]Are you at Uni now ? If so, what studying ?[/QUOTE]
Well, not right this minute. I start next week, Computer Science.
Hopefully I can figureout how these so called cOmputors work
[QUOTE=Richy19;32488255]Well, not right this minute. I start next week, Computer Science.
Hopefully I can figureout how these so called cOmputors work[/QUOTE]
And where are you studying ? A lot of the top universities require a high grade in A-level Mathematics which I failed during my first year at college, although I got a B in GCSE, I'm hoping I can take extra tutoring in maths when the time comes...
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