BEng (Hons) January start available

Computer Science

Understand, design and build future-ready computer systems and specialise in AI, cybersecurity and cloud services in Cambridge’s tech hub.

Start date: January 2026; September 2026
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 3 years
UCAS course code: G400

Start date: January 2026; September 2026
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with foundation
UCAS course code: G400

Start date: January 2026; September 2026
Location: Cambridge
Duration: 4 years with placement
UCAS course code: G401

1st

in the East of England for undergraduates employed as managers, directors or senior officials.

Source: GOS 2025

Launch your tech career in Cambridge’s Silicon Fen, Europe’s largest innovation hub. Our BEng (Hons) Computer Science combines core programming and systems and software engineering with the flexibility to specialise in AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing.

You’ll learn in industry-standard labs, tackle Live Briefs with employers like Redgate and Citisoft, and gain hands-on experience that will give you an edge in the tech industry.

With AWS Academy access, CCNA opportunities and accreditation from BCS and IET, this degree connects you to global tech leaders and real-world innovation.

Accreditation

Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.

Accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for a Chartered Engineer.

Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

Discover why studying BSc (Hons) Computer Science at ARU Cambridge could be the perfect fit for you—watch now.

Why ARU?

Study in Cambridge’s Silicon Fen, a global tech home to Apple, Microsoft, Samsung AI and many more.
Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed and developed with regional employers, such as Redgate and Citisoft to give you exposure to ‘real world’ experiences.
Accredited by both BCS and IET, plus we're a Cisco Networking Academy.
Engage with a curated selection of training materials, providing you with cutting-edge knowledge and skills that align with industry standards.
Take an engineering focus through final-year options on embedded computing, networks and security.
Access specialist facilities including an AI lab, Cisco lab and 24/7 virtual Netlab.

Study at an award-winning university

We've received a Gold award for the quality of our education in a UK-wide review of teaching standards. We were also proud to be named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023.

Careers

Our assignments were compelling. They allowed us to improve our skills and create projects that could be used when it came to looking for a job.

Simone Campo, BEng (Hons) Computer Science graduate

Our BEng Computer Science degree at ARU Cambridge combines technical depth with engineering principles, preparing you to design and implement robust, scalable systems.

You’ll have gained advanced programming skills, understood hardware-software integration and explored AI-driven solutions.

With the UK tech sector booming with over 121,000 UK tech vacancies and employers facing a critical skills shortage, you’ll graduate ready for high-demand careers across telecommunications, security, aerospace, finance and many more, with options to continue to Masters study at ARU.

What can you do with a BEng (Hons) Computer Science degree?

Where have other BEng (Hons) Computer Science graduates worked?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

Explore the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of tech—building software, experimenting with AI, and strengthening cyber defences in every project.

Razvan-Ioan Dinita, Senior Lecturer

You’ll learn in teams and as an independent problem-solver in our computing labs. Assessment is mostly practical, with about a third by exams and in-class tests.

In your final year, you can focus on areas that interest you, including artificial intelligence, network security and cloud computing. You'll also gain access to AWS Academy to build industry-aligned cloud skills.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

Computer Systems (30 credits)
Software Principles (15 credits)
Introduction to Programming (30 credits)
Core Mathematics for Computing (15 credits)
Operating Systems (30 credits)
Into ARU

Year 2

Computing Research Methodologies (15 credits)
Database Design and Implementation (15 credits)
Digital Security (15 credits)
Algorithm Analysis and Data Structures (15 credits)
Network Routing (15 credits)
Software Engineering (30 credits)
Ruskin Module (15 credits)

Year 3

Final Project (30 credits)
Image Processing (15 credits)
Professional Issues: Computing and Society (15 credits)
Cloud Computing (15 credits)
Artificial Intelligence (15 credits) *
Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (15 credits) *
Digital and Network Security Forensics (15 credits) *
Advanced Network Solutions (15 credits) *
Embedded Computing (15 credits) *
Computer Graphics Programming (15 credits) *

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Foundation in Engineering, Computing and Technology

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year

Work placement

Module details

What happens on a foundation year?

What happens on a placement year?

How is Computer Science assessed?

What equipment will I need?

Who teaches Computer Science at ARU?

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Dr Razvan-Ioan Dinita
Senior Lecturer
Dr Mahdi Maktabdar Oghaz
Senior Lecturer
Dr Vanessa Sin-Chun Ng
Senior Lecturer
Dr Arooj Fatima
Senior Lecturer
Dr Stiphen Chowdhury
Lecturer
Dr Cristina Luca
Associate Professor

Student experience

Hear from ARU Senior Lecturer Dr Razvan-Ion Dinita in this Springpod subject spotlight: Decoding social media: an exploration of programming and platforms. Watch the full lecture on Springpod
Computer Science BEng (Hons) student Simone shares his experience of studying at ARU and why he chose to study here. "Since the first day here I felt heard, I felt valuable, not just a number."
Gain hands-on networking experience in our Cisco lab with live routing and switching equipment.
Get to grips with the inner workings of computers with hands on, interactive sessions. Take a virtual tour of our Computer Science degree.

Facilities

Based in our £45m Science Centre in the heart of Cambridge, you'll work with specialist facilities across computing and networks, including:

a Cisco Networking Academy lab with routing and switching equipment
an AI lab and software packages used in industry
24/7 virtual Netlab for cybersecurity and networking software
Microsoft professional developer and designer tools, plus access to Azure and VMware IT Academy
access to AWS Academy resources in your final year

Please enable JavaScript for "Fees Information" section to function.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Main

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.

If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.

Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

Please enable JavaScript for "Fees Information" section to function.

Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,790 UK students starting 2026/27 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,790 UK students starting 2026/27 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,790 UK students starting 2026/27 (full-time, per year)

Paying your tuition fees
If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

International students

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)