BEng in Computer Engineering
Queen's University Belfast
Key Information
Campus location
Belfast, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 23,100 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
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* international fee
Introduction
Computer Engineering is a dynamic and collaborative degree programme; combining academic thought with practical application. Computer Engineers make the impossible possible. They challenge conventional processes and look beyond what exists towards what comes next.
From everyday systems, like games consoles and mobile phones to advanced systems for surveillance and medical devices, the modern world is made possible by the devices you will be taught to understand and develop during the Computer Engineering undergraduate programme. Additionally, Computer Engineering is one of the few research-led degrees in Queen’s which includes the design of both electronic hardware and software.
As a Computer Engineering graduate you can not only design the physical hardware but also write the software to run it. Through our diverse network of industry links you begin learning from prospective employers from day one. Industry placements, company-sponsored hackathons and project challenges are a core part of the curriculum and vastly improve our graduate employability rates.
Computer Engineering Degree Highlights
Industry Links
- We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, Asidua and Schrader Electronics, who provide sponsorship for our students as well as Kainos and Liberty IT who are members of the employer liaison panel for the course.
Career Development
- Graduates in Computer Engineering are highly sought-after locally, nationally and internationally. Graduates of this degree may apply for jobs in software, electronics or those combining both. There are excellent, well-paid career prospects across a wide spectrum of positions: design; research; development; production; marketing and sales in industries such as avionics and space; telecommunications and broadcasting; connected health and medical electronics; consumer electronics and gaming; computing and software; embedded systems and electronic security.
World Class Facilities
- The School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science has a world-class reputation for research and provides excellent facilities, including access to major new research centres in Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) and Sonic Arts (SARC).
Student Experience
- Scholarships: students may be eligible for scholarships, eg the Schrader Electronics Scholarship and the Civica Scholarship which support at least one student each per year from across a range of the School’s subject areas. Both scholarships are worth up to £25k each (see the School website for further information).
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fees and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those England, Scotland, and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students.
International Scholarships
Curriculum
Course Structure
Introduction
This degree requires three years of full-time study plus an optional year in industry, which is usually taken after Stage 2. Transfer from the BEng degree to the MEng is possible subject to satisfactory performance.
The programme contains the following themes which may change due to technology and industry needs:
Stage 1
May include topics such as:-
- Embedded Systems
- Mathematics
- Analogue & Digital Electronics
- Computer Architecture
- Procedural & Object-Oriented Programming
Stage 2
May include topics such as:-
- Embedded Systems
- Professional Engineering Practice
- Data Structures & Algorithms
- Mathematics
- Electric Circuits
- Digital Electronics
- Signals & Systems
- Control
- Communications Systems
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cyber-security
Stage 3
May include topics such as:-
- Individual Technical Project
- Engineering Entrepreneurship
- Advanced Electronics
- Networks & Communication Protocols
- Control Systems Engineering
- Signal Processing
- Communications Systems Engineering
- Connected Health
- Concurrent Programming
- Machine Learning
- Data Analysis
- Cyber-Security
Learning and Teaching
The School has a world-class reputation for research and provides excellent facilities, including access to major new research centers in Secure Information Technologies, Electronics, Communications and Information Technology, and Sonic Arts. A number of modules on the course are closely linked to the research expertise of these centers and evolve and change rapidly to reflect some of the current, emerging, and exciting developments in the field.
At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high-quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation, and best practices in learning, teaching, and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the BEng Computer Engineering, we do this by providing a range of learning experiences that enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world-class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning in this course are:
- E-Learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; IT and statistics modules; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programs associated with design in practicals and project-based work, etc. - Lectures
Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, and gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers). - Personal Tutor
Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development. - Practicals
Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts. - Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date, and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. - Seminars/tutorials
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them, and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. - Supervised projects
In the final year, you will be expected to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic or practical methodology that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on at least 2 occasions during the write-up stage. - Work placements
Students taking Software and Electronic Systems Engineering undertake a work placement after Stage 2. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity.
Assessment
Details of the assessment associated with this course are outlined below:
The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end-of-semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.
Feedback
As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module coordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study, and peers. University students are expected to engage in reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
- Feedback is provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
- Face-to-face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
- Placement employer comments or references.
- Online or emailed comment.
- General comments or question-and-answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar, or tutorial.
- Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
- Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
- Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as Careers, Employability, and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
- Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Highly skilled graduates with experience of Computer Engineering are highly sought-after locally, nationally and internationally. There are excellent, well-paid career prospects across a wide spectrum: design, research, development, production, marketing and sales in employment areas such as avionics and space, telecommunications and broadcasting, connected health and medical electronics, consumer electronics and gaming, computing and software, embedded systems and electronic security.
Employment Links
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, Asidua and Schrader Electronics, who provide sponsorship for our students as well as Kainos and Liberty IT who are members of the employer liaison panel for the course.
English Language Requirements
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