Preparing for your course

We are delighted that you want to study in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield. Before you start university, we thought we'd provide you with some information that will help you prepare and to get a feel for what it's like being a student in our Department.

On

Welcome

Congratulations on your offer to study in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield. We can't wait to welcome you to our Department, where we pride ourselves on combining excellence in teaching and research within a friendly and supportive environment.

On this page, we want to help you prepare for starting your course with us, and give you a taste of what to expect when you arrive.

Preparations for study

We don’t expect you to spend your summer learning so we don’t provide any required reading for you to look at before starting your degree. However, there is some background material that would be useful to review if you are able to and doing so will help you to get the most out of your studies.

Maths background

Mathematics is a key component of Computer Science and our first year includes an introduction to many of the core topics. You may find it useful to review the following pages to refresh your knowledge of some key areas:

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mash/mathematics/refresher

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mash/mathematics/bteceng

Study Skills

The University of Sheffield’s Academic Skills Centre (known as ‘301’ as its address is ‘301 Glossop Road’) is a fantastic place for students to develop new and existing study skills. This year, 301 has created a series of open websites for student training and we recommend the ‘Academic Skills for New Undergraduate Students’ advice pages.

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/301/study-skills/undergrad-new

What laptop will I need for my course?

A laptop isn’t a requirement although many students feel it’s a useful thing to have. There are lots of computers for you to use on campus and some of the libraries are open 24/7.

Having a Mac or a Windows machine is a personal preference so pick what you would prefer. Some of our staff and students choose to use Linux and some of the computers you will use are dual booted with Windows and Linux.

As a student studying in the Department of Computer Science being familiar with terminal and version control will be very helpful. In these two videos Damian gives a quick introduction to both.

Introduction to using terminal	Introduction to git

Student interviews

Four of our recent graduates give some top tips to get the most out of your time at university.

Harley "Get your CV prepared as soon as possible and start applying for placements early on in your second year."	Richard "Make sure you put yourself out there, enjoy your work, get really into your work, but make sure you look after yourself and enjoy yourself."

Megan "Do as many past papers and practice questions as possible."	Bhavesh "Make sure you make the most of your four years and see as much as there is to see in Sheffield."

Student blog: What I wish I knew before starting university

Part one: University vs School.

Part two: Maths in Computer Science.

Part three: The importance of typing (and how to learn!).

Part four: Which Laptop should I buy?

Welcome from our student societies

Students at a stall at the activities fair during intro week at the University of Sheffield

There are lots of societies you can choose to join as a student at the University of Sheffield. Societies are a great way to meet new people, discover new hobbies and explore new places.

They arrange activities including bar socials, quizzes, hackathons, sports events, guest lectures from industry plus much more.

CompSoc: Hey, we're CompSoc. A fully student led society with Computer Science at its heart. We host tons of exciting events throughout the year from bar crawls and game nights to sports events and GameJams (where groups of students compete to make the best game they can). Also for all you suit lovers out there, we host a bi-annual Christmas Party or Ball just for you. We also have various sponsors and partners that help host events and provide employment opportunities for members. That all sounds very professional but we are students just like you, honest! And you can be part of this great group just by becoming a member! Join Here: shefcompsoc.uk/sign-up/
Sheffield Women in Computer Science: Welcome to the University of Sheffield! We are the Sheffield Women in Computer Science Society (SWICS). We were founded in 2018, focussing on promoting equality and providing a place for like-minded people interested in Computer Science to make friends and have a good time. We run educational events such as last year doing the Sumo C++ game development workshop, our own C with mathematics workshop and a BCS Abstract Writing workshop in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science. We also run social events, such as nights out, movie nights and a Christmas social. We hope that you'll consider joining us this year! Why not visit our facebook page: www.facebook.com/sheffieldwics/
Hack Sheffield: We're hackSheffield, the university's hackathon society. If you haven't heard of a hackathon before, it's a 24-hour programming contest where you work in teams to develop an idea and bring it to life. There are great prizes, lots of free stuff from sponsors, and all your food is provided too! Don't worry if you don't have anyone for your team, or if you don't know much about coding yet, hackathons are a great place to make friends and learn from other hackers, workshops and our mentors. Each year we organise a big hackathon at our uni at the end of October (last year's was online, but we're hoping to be in person this year), smaller events like MLH Local Hack Day, and visits to hackathons at other unis around the UK and Europe. You can learn more, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on social media from our website: hacksheffield.com.

Sheffield: Our city

A major city with a strong sense of community. A cultural centre on the edge of the Peak District national park. Sheffield is a special place, a city that leaves its mark. Its landscape, people and culture will influence you more than you can ever imagine.

Accommodation

Ranmoor/Endcliffe

City

Getting around

Explore the campus using our interactive map.

The University campus contains many distinctive buildings. You can use the Campus Landmarks to help you find out where you are.

What to do in Sheffield

Sport

Ponds Forge:

Ponds Forge International Sports Centre is a leisure complex located in the city centre.

English Institute of Sport Sheffield:

The English Institute of Sport is a multi-sport facility located just outside of the Sheffield cite centre.

Ice Sheffield

Sheffield's Ice Arena and home to the Sheffield Steelers!

Football

Sheffield is the home of football with Sheffield F.C. being the worlds first Football Club, and where you can visit the world's oldest football ground, where Hallam FC play. Sheffield also has two high profile Football Clubs, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United!

Snooker

World Snooker Championships are held annually at the Crucible Theatre

Cinemas and Theatres

Odeon Cinemas - City Centre

Light Cinema - City Centre

Cineworld - Valley Centertainment, Don Valley, Sheffield

VUE - Meadowhall Shopping centre, Sheffield.

Lyceum and Crucible Theatres - City Centre

City Hall - City Centre

FAQs

Changing degree programme

Can I change between a three and four year degree programme?

You can do this at any point during your degree*. However, it is worth noting that if you want to change from a three (BSc/BEng) to a four (MComp/MEng) year degree programme you will need to achieve a certain grade at the end of your second year.

*all changes to your degree programme should be made before March in your third year of study.

Can I change degree programme?

You can do this at any point in your first year of study. It may be possible to switch later on but you would need to be aware of any modules which are core in the final years of our degree programmes.

Can I add a Year in Industry?

You can do this at any point in your first and second year of study. There are a few requirements you need to meet before the change can be approved but the Year in Industry team and the Departmental Student Support team will help you.

Will changing my degree affect my visa?

If you change your degree this could affect your visa. Please visit the student services webpages to find out more.

Contact us

Meet the team

Rebecca Brough - Department Admin Manager
Zoe Fletcher - Learning and Teaching Manager
Helen Herold - Senior Student Support Officer
Cassie Charles - Student Support and Progression Officer
Jennie Hepplestone - Course Support Assistant
Amanda Hutchinson - Admissions and Undergraduate Student Support Officer
Rebecca Johnson - Student Support Officer

Contact details

For any admissions related queries please contact ug-compsci@sheffield.ac.uk

When you register as a student please send your queries to dcs@sheffield.ac.uk

School of Computer Science