Computer Science BSc (Dubai)

Start date
September
Duration
3 years
Campus
Dubai
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees

Tuition fee for 2024 entry is AED 132,778 per year of study and can be paid in instalments.
Scholarships are available.

 

Would you like to work for a global company and have opportunities that could take you anywhere across the world? You could choose from a diverse range of exciting roles. With a degree in Computer Science from the University of Birmingham Dubai, the possibilities are limitless.

Accredited degree

British Computer Society logo

This programme is fully accredited by the:

In our fast changing digital world, computer science is everywhere. It touches every aspect of our lives from the phone in your hand to the planes in the sky.

On our comprehensive BSc Computer Science degree, you will study in state-of-the-art facilities on our brand new technology enhanced 'smart' campus, to combine analytical knowledge and technical skills as you research and develop software solutions to real-world problems. Teaching is joint between academics on our Dubai campus, and our Edgbaston Campus. You will also have the opportunity to interact and work alongside students in our Edgbaston campus in the UK whilst you study at our Dubai campus.

To enrich your learning experience on our programmes, our teaching is delivered jointly by staff from both our campuses (Dubai and the UK), by utilising modern digital technology. Typically, for each module, the teaching team consists of colleagues across the campuses with at least one member based in the Dubai campus. You will receive the same high-quality teaching materials (lecture slides and notes, for example) and rigorous assessments (assignments and exams, for example) as our UK campus. You will also have the opportunity to interact with staff & students across both campuses to support and enhance your learning experience. Furthermore, there is also the opportunity to conduct projects under the supervision of staff from either of our campuses which significantly boosts the pool of project topics accessible to our students.

Birmingham graduates are highly sought after by leading industry players, and the range of job opportunities available to you are endless. You could become anything from a Software Engineer, Artificial Intelligence Developer, Robotics Engineer, Financial Computing Analyst, Applications Developer, or inspire the next generation of computer scientists academically. Graduate salaries are highly competitive. 

Industry representatives come to us to actively seek out and recruit the best graduates for their roles and we have strong links with global companies such as Goldman Sachs, BAE Systems, PwC, IMB, Google, Expedia, Rolls-Royce, Morgan Stanley and Vodafone.

Computer scientists work over a wide range of disciplines - they design and create search engines, social networking applications, software applications used in the financial world to map customer profiles and expose credit card fraud, and applications used in the medical sector to identify cancers through the analysis of medical images.

We'll teach you about all kinds of computational systems, their theory, design, development and application. This includes programming languages, software engineering, artificial intelligence, operating systems, cyber security, statistical and mathematical models of computation, machine learning and the theories of computation.

Why study Computer Science at Birmingham Dubai?

  • Global reputation for educational excellence – The School of Computer Science is a truly international place, and our world-leading academics specialise in areas relevant to modern-day issues. We offer the same first-class education as in our UK campus, by delivering the same high-quality curriculum and you will graduate with a degree from a global top 100 university. 
  • Research-led teaching - Our research feeds directly into your teaching ensuring your programme includes the latest developments in Computer Science, such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Cyber Security.
  • Three year programme - We are the only British institution in Dubai offering a three year UAE Ministry of Education accredited Computer Science programme. 
  • Flexibility - In your third year, you will be able to tailor your studies to the topics that you are most interested in, by choosing from a range of optional modules.
  • State-of-the-art facilities - You will study in purpose-built facilities in our modern campus, fitted out with a range of advanced equipment and computer science software on our brand new, technology enhanced 'smart campus'.
  • Exceptional learning environment - We have a real sense of community, with staff that are approachable and nurturing, which provides a collaborative and supportive learning environment for students. There is an excellent student to teacher ratio and multiple channels of support are available to students, via both physical and digital means.
  • Careers service and industry connections -   You will have access to our expert careers support and a wide range of services to help you on your path towards employment. We also have strong industrial links with corporations such as Goldman Sachs, BAE Systems and PwC, which provide beneficial opportunities for our students, such as careers fairs, industrial guest lectures and potential placements or work experience options.
  • Exchange opportunities - You can choose to spend your second year studying at our picturesque campus in Birmingham, UK (subject to academic attainment).
  • Scholarship opportunities - As a University of Birmingham student, a range of scholarship awards will be open to you.

Student Profile - Avinisha Tiwari

"I chose to study Computer Science at UoB Dubai because of the interesting topics covered in the modules, the ranking of the University and the environment of the University and how great the communication is between the staff and students. The help we get from teachers was also a factor"

Read Avinisha's profile >> 

Meet our academics

Our Computer Science academics are highly qualified and based in Dubai.

See their profiles

We are proud to offer the same high-quality curriculum and teaching of our Computer Science programmes on our Dubai campus. We will equip you with the fundamentals of computer science, whilst also providing plenty of optional modules to allow you to specialise in the area that interests you.

Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, Undergraduate Programme Director, Computer Science

Modules

Year one

We want to give you a really strong education in the fundamentals of computer science, so in first year you'll be given an overview of the subject and gain a firm foundation in the principles of algorithms, artificial intelligence and relevant maths. You will also learn computer programming in Java - an invaluable language widely used in business and industry.

We want you to have a chance to follow your own passions whilst studying, so in your first year you are also given a chance to pursue your own interests, via work within robot programming in the Artificial Intelligence module. We encourage group work as part of our commitment to preparing you for the world of employment and you will learn valuable skills.

Like all UAE Ministry of Education Higher Education Institutions we also run the below listed compulsory module. This module is designed to support talented graduates in the region, with the skills to aid and further employability. Please note this module must be completed and passed in addition to your core programme modules.

Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Sustainability (EIS)

Year two

In the second year you move on to study enabling technologies and their application. You will learn about a wide range of subjects from the mathematics for modelling and decision making which underpins much of modern machine learning, to systems-level programming, networks, and cyber security. Your programming repertoire will be broadened by exposure to the C programme language plus further functional programming. You will also be taught professional software engineering techniques and apply them to develop a large team project in Java such as a multiplayer networked game.

You can also apply to spend the second year of your BSc Computer Science course at our campus in the UK.

Year three

In the final year of your BSc computer science course you will obtain a huge amount of training and experience so you can maximise on your degree to achieve your ambitions and interests. 

You’ll spend one third of your time on a project, either developed from your own idea or from a wide selection offered by staff members. This usually involves writing a large piece of software and gives you the freedom to extend and demonstrate your skills in your own way. We will also introduce you to Machine Learning and Advanced Networking.

Compulsory

Optional modules

Choose 80 credits, examples of optional modules listed below, each module is 20 credits:

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to core modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Why Study Intensive Programming (for the connected world)?

Programming plays an important role in this modern age. Imagine you walk into your house and your lighting automatically changed according to your mood, your sofa was set to your favourable seating position, your favourite TV channel switched on, and the coffee machine had already prepared your favourite coffee. How could all of this happen? Programming can give life to any computing device. A programming language powers computing devices to collect, control, store and process data accordingly.

There is a continuously increasing number of businesses and industries relying on computer programming. Programming languages, such as Java, JavaScript, C#, C++. PHP, Python, SQL, Perl etc, evidently are the driving force behind the advances in Robots, Voice Recognition, Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain, Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, and Big Data, to name a few.

Programming has become a necessity in our digital world, not only in the IT industry, but also in business, engineering, medicine, healthcare, fashion, marketing, gaming, mobiles, websites, multimedia to name only a few.

In our degree programme, we focus on intensive programming in order to develop strong programming skills in our students.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee which is set at AED 132,778 per year of study for 2024 entry which can be paid in instalments.

Scholarships

We have a number of scholarships available.

How To Apply

To find out more information about our application process please visit our 'How to apply page' before starting your application.


UK

3 A Levels. Typical offer A*AA-ABB A Level Mathematics grade A. 
If you are taking any reformed A levels, which include Biology, Chemistry and Physics taught from 2015, you must pass the practical element. General Studies or Critical Thinking not accepted.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

6,6,6 at Higher Level to include 6 in Mathematics with a minimum of 32 points overall. 

GULF

Please view the Middle East section on the international country page for further information on entry requirements. 

India

AAA – ABB =

  • AAA - 85% ISC, CBSE, Maharashtra or 80% West Bengal or 90% Other State boards.
  • ABB - 75% ISC, CBSE, Maharashtra and West Bengal or 80% Other State boards

Mathematics must be taken with 85% ISC, CBSE, Maharashtra or 80% West Bengal or 90% Other State boards

Please view our international country page for further information on entry requirements.

Pakistan

  • The University will consider students who have taken A Level examinations and/or the International Baccalaureate (IB). Requirements for each of these qualifications is listed above.

Please view our international country page for further information on entry requirements.

American System

Either a total of 3 distinct subject tests from APs and/or SAT subject tests or one year at a Community College or USA University.

English Language Requirements 

Please refer to the Undergraduate English language requirements page for information on English proficiency. 

Other entry requirements can be found on our international country page.

Overall, the teaching in the Computer Science department is fantastic. All of the lecturers are very helpful and will go out of their way to support you. The course content is very well structured and contains very applicable knowledge and skills for industry.

Aaquib Naved, Computer Science student

Our highly regarded teaching on the BSc Computer Science course employs a mixture of lectures, tutorials, exercise classes, lab and study work, projects, online assignments, presentations and independent study. 

We want to prepare you for your graduate career by helping you gain skills and experience in many different ways, as roles in computer science often ask for individuals who have strong communication and team working skills. By keeping your learning varied, you will have the chance to learn and grow to allow you to communicate in different ways, and with different types of people.

Assessment

All work will be assessed via exams, coursework, presentations and a dissertation.

A degree gained through completing our BSc Computer Science course provides the skills required for a wide range of careers.  It will give you a disciplined approach to analysing problems, with the ability to design creative solutions and critically evaluate the results. Employers are impressed by the combination of technical and transferable skills offered by computing graduates, and as such, you might find yourself in a variety of environments in academia, industry, research and commercial organisations.

These qualities, plus the prestige of a degree from a leading World Class University, make our graduates attractive  to companies in the engineering sector worldwide as well as those in finance, consultancy and commerce.

Examples of companies where our graduates have gone on to work include:

  • Microsoft
  • Google
  • Apple
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Sony
  • IBM
  • Siemens
  • Honda
  • JP Morgan
  • Morgan Stanley
  • The Bank of England

With the fast changing connected world, computer science is a key area for future careers across the world. Dubai, for example, is a truly exciting global city with a rapidly developing economy and extremely fast digitisation of Government services and actively embracing the artificial intelligence lead automation of various sectors. There is a vibrant start-up scene evident by the massive success of Careem and Amazon.ae formally souq.com. This is no doubt creating new jobs for computer science professionals.

The skills that I am gaining; the course does not just teach knowledge, it trains us in certain skills which can be applied outside of the course, for example many students develop software that has been published, gained them an internship or enhanced their CVs

Hung Hoang

Your Birmingham Degree

Your Birmingham degree is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends. 

Professional Accreditation

Accredited degree

British Computer Society logo

This programme is fully accredited by the: