Computer Science can be taken either as a 3-year or a 4-year course; and it can also be taken as part of the joint course in Mathematics & Computer Science.
In the first two years, teaching consists of Departmentally-based lectures and practicals; and of college-based tutorials and classes that are designed to meet the needs of individual students. Later, a wide range of options covers nearly every part of Computer Science, and specialist classes are run by experts in each area.
In the second year you will undertake a group design exercise in which you will collaborate, with a few students from other colleges, to design and implement a novel and useful application. In the third year you will undertake a large project, often to build a software system of your own design. In the fourth year an even more ambitious project may be undertaken.
Computer Science staff have extensive teaching and research experience; and aim to help their students get to grips with the challenges of working creatively in a demanding subject that requires a mathematician’s eye for detail and an engineer’s determination to build useful things.
Magdalen has offered Computer Science and its related topics for around twenty years, and its Computer Science staff and students (together with students of Mathematics & Computer Science) form a real community of interest with a strong ésprit-de-corps. Magdalen alumni frequently return to the College to discuss career opportunities with current students, and can be helpful in finding placements (“internships”) in the summer vacations.
Normally a total of four undergraduates are accepted to study Computer Science/Mathematics & Computer Science at Magdalen each year.
Entry requirements
Test
All candidates must take the Mathematics Aptitude Test (MAT).
Written work
None required.
Specific subjects
Mathematics is essential and Further Mathematics or a science is highly recommended.
Deferred entry
Applications for deferred entry may be considered, although not for the Mathematics and Computer Science joint degree.
