Overview
The Business Computing BSc degree is a challenging course that provides highly relevant, hands-on experience. Through a mixture of theory and real-world practice, you’ll learn how to determine a dynamic mix of processes, which allow information delivery systems and users to carry out business effectively and efficiently. You’ll come to intuitively understand how an organisation’s information systems need to adapt to the changes and developments natural to growth and progress.
The modules on this degree course cover a range of topics, including the basic properties of software artefacts like information, algorithms, programs, common commercial system, and network architectures. System development approaches are also covered, including requirements capture, design methods, models, tools and techniques, implementing and testing systems, and software maintenance. Appreciation of project management issues arising from team-based software development is a key feature of the degree.
We’ll ensure that you have a strong approach to problem-solving both individually and in groups involving model-building and analysis, applying both theoretical and empirical knowledge to make choices and find solutions. You will also master commonly used notations and methods to reason and communicate clearly about requirements, specifications, designs and solutions. All factors which contribute to whether a business sinks or swims.
Our course is designed for flexibility, so if you’re not sure which route you want to go down, you can select modules and specialise gradually during your time with us. You can transfer between Computer Science and Business Computing up to the start of Level 2, then should you wish, you can choose a specialism up to the start of Level 3.
We know that when you graduate, you’ll be working on large projects. That’s why one third of each year of our programmes is project-based. On Levels 1 and 2, you’ll build a software solution in a team, and in your final year you’ll carry out an individual project. You’ll also have the opportunity to showcase your projects at the annual Made in Brunel (Software Innovation) event, with awards presented by the likes of Cisco, Sky and Xerox.
As part of your degree course, you’ll have the chance to take a year-long work placement between your second year and third year. We’ll support you in finding that all-important paid professional experience, in the UK or abroad. The feedback we’ve received is that those who have taken a placement are much more likely to find a job for which their degree was a formal requirement as it gives you a competitive advantage. Recent graduates have gone on to work for well-known names such as Accenture, Toshiba, Microsoft, British Airways, O2, and Barclays.
Our programmes are accredited by the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for IT, for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) The accreditation also allows you to apply for professional membership of the BCS after you have successfully completed your degree.
Brunel’s Computer Science department has been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze, recognising our dedication to the advancement of gender equality in STEM subjects. We now have an ongoing three-year action plan to further implement strategies and improve our practices. As part of this endeavour, Brunel’s Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from the industry.
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
This course will give you a comprehensive introduction to computing within an organisation. You’ll feel fully equipped and able to assess and solve computing issues that face businesses today.
Compulsory
- Group Project
The group project aims to integrate skills covered by the Year 1/Level 4 modules into a non-trivial, practical group task including a significant degree of programming and technical engagement. It is also intended to develop confidence in technical abilities.
- Information Systems and Organisations
This module aims to develop understanding of the complex, dynamic, and emergent behaviour of information systems (IS) with particular emphasis on the way these characteristics are modelled in the modern working environment.
- Logic and Computation
This module aims to provide knowledge and skills needed to model problems using mathematics and logic, to transform such models into versions which are amenable to computational solutions, and to give a basis for how to select the appropriate modelling methods and computational paradigms in order to achieve practical computational solutions.
- Introductory Programming
This module aims to provide a basic level of programming competence.
- Data and Information
This module aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to different kinds of data and how it can be collected, stored, retrieved, analysed and then communicated to satisfy user information needs.
- Programming Applications
This module aims to provide opportunities for students to apply fundamental programming concepts as a solution to non-trivial problems.
Compulsory
- Software Development and Management
The module aims to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the design and implementation of software systems using recognised methodology, tools and technologies. The module provides an introduction to software engineering and follows a development process from requirements and design through to implementation, creating a number of software artefacts.
- Business Analysis and Static Modelling
This module aims to develop the knowledge and skills needed to analyse business processes, propose improvements, and communicate findings effectively. This includes the ability to evaluate requirements, design models, and present recommendations clearly to stakeholders.
- Business Analysis and Process Modelling
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of how business processes evolve over time, identify factors influencing process behaviour, and assess the impact of changes or interventions on process performance in the context of information systems development and evolution.
- Digital Societies
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of the diverse ways in which individuals and communities use information and communication technologies (ICTs), the benefits they aim to achieve, and the issues arising. The module focuses on the use of ICTs in settings other than the corporation and complements the approach taken in other modules in the programme which focus on the use of ICTs in large business enterprises.
- Level 5 Group Project
The group project aims to integrate skills covered by the Year 2 modules in a practical group task including analysis, programming and technical engagement and requires the gathering and analysis of information, production of detailed requirements statements and designs, the development and integration of data and non-trivial code, and the communication of the outcomes in clear and concise fashion.
- Usability Engineering
This module aims to develop a critical understanding of usability engineering guidance and principles and how they might be applied within the design and development cycle when creating computing-related products, services and applications
Compulsory
- Advanced Topics in Business Computing
This compulsory module provides an opportunity for students to research advanced and debatable issues in Business Computing. An advanced topic is one that is related to the area of Business Computing, will typically be a current area or issue of concern, but is not explicitly covered in this level of detail elsewhere in the course.
- Business Computing Final Year Project
The final-year project enables a demonstration of an integrated approach to topics covered in the programme: analytical and problem-solving skills; defining a problem to be explored and the work to complete it; independent research and development; describing and solving a problem so it can be evaluated; adapting and applying knowledge and skills in the investigation and solution of a problem.
Optional
- Cybersecurity
This optional module aims to develop the competencies and skills sets required for delivering cybersecurity solutions in practice.
- Human-Computer Interaction
This optional module aims to develop an understanding of the importance in emerging technology domains and the role of advanced research approaches to solving problems and evaluating solutions arising within HCI.
- Software Project Management
This optional module aims to provide explicit coverage of project management tools and processes in order to consolidate the project management experience experienced during the rest of the programmes. It deals with planning, monitoring and control of a project, and the important people issues of which a project manager must be aware.
- Social MediaThis module concerns the study, use, design and evaluation of social media. It will encourage candidates to practically explore the issues raised in the module, building on their existing and developing knowledge and understanding of social, organisational, economic and technical issues in interaction and systems design from across their degree course.
- eBusiness
This optional module aims to develop an understanding of contemporary businesses and the way that they use of information systems and internet-related technologies to coordinate their interactions with customers and business partners and to gain competitive and strategic advantage.
This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 4 years full-time with placement, starting in September.
This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of undergraduate degrees at Brunel.
Careers and your future
Our Business Computing graduates enjoy excellent employment prospects. With the ability to handle the increasing demands of scientific, technological and commercial development in the 21st century, you'll be in high demand with the wide-ranging companies and organisations increasingly dependent on computer technology.
You could go on to a career such as software developer, business analyst, web developer, technical architect or helpdesk engineer.
Recent graduates have taken up roles with companies such as Accenture, BP, FDM, the BBC and Wipro.
UK entry requirements
2024/25 entry
- GCE A-level AAB-BBB.
- BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DDM in Information Technology, Computer Science or Computing.
- BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in Information Technology, Computer Science or Computing with an A-level at grade B.
- BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D with A-levels grade BC.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points. GCSE English equivalent SL 5 or HL 4 and Mathematics SL 4 or HL 4.
- Obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma in Computing, Computer Science, Information Technology, ICT or Engineering with 45 credits at Level 3.
- T levels : Merit overall in Digital Business Services or Digital Support Services
For Brunel Foundation of Mathematics and Computing with Integrated Foundation Year progression requirements, see the course page.
Five GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 and above are also required, to include Maths and English Language.
Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.
If you are unable to meet the direct entry criteria above, you are invited to apply for a foundation course in Computer Science at Brunel Pathway College. When you successfully pass the foundation year, you can progress on to the Business Computing BSc.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/25 entry
UK
£9,250 full-time
£1,385 placement year
International
£21,260 full-time
£1,385 placement year
Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.
More information on any additional course-related costs.
See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Please refer to the scholarships pages to view discounts available to eligible EU undergraduate applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
Our teaching sessions, including lectures, labs, seminars, and tutorials, will primarily be delivered in-person, on campus. There may be instances where other forms of delivery (e.g. online) are adopted, where necessary and/or if appropriate, to enhance the teaching experience. However, you'll be expected to attend all teaching sessions, examinations and other relevant assessments in-person, on campus.
You'll benefit academically from the highly practical teaching and socially from the group led sessions by attending them on campus.
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.
We take an innovative, dynamic and highly participative approach to teaching. Our lecturers often have experience of working as consultants for major blue chip companies at home and overseas. Around 40 academic staff teach in the department.
The research that the academic staff undertake is largely applied and spans areas that include Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Human-Computer Interaction, Software Engineering and Simulation. The Department of Computer Science is a member of the Microsoft Alliance, the Apple iOS Academic Developer Programme and is an nVidia CUDA Teaching Centre.
Brunel has a strong heritage of technology and we have excellent infrastructure which includes more than 250 computers and servers for exclusive student use, all running state-of-the-art software.
Study
You will have about 12 hours a week of directed study. Your tutors and lecturers are also happy to answer queries outside of class. In addition, you’ll be putting in about 25 to 35 hours of private study weekly.
Lectures/Seminars
Teaching is carried out via lectures, lab work, small group-work, and one-to-one sessions. Lectures offer a broad overview of key concepts and ideas allowing you to then pursue more in-depth study independently. Lab work helps you develop your technical skills to build software. You’ll do some individual work, but a tutor will be assigned to you to lead discussion on common issues, when they arise.
In the first and second years, you’ll work in small groups on computing-related problems with regular guidance from a member of staff. These sessions enable you to develop key professional skills such as report-writing, evaluation, and communication skills. They also ensure continuity and help you get to know your tutor, which we think is important to help you feel supported, particularly in your first year.
In your final year you’ll normally have small group or one-to-one supervision for your major project. The department has a team of personal tutors, so there’s always someone available to discuss personal or academic problems. If you go on placement, your personal tutor will help you set objectives and monitor your progress – and provide further support if you need it.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment and feedback varies from one module to another and may be based entirely on coursework, entirely on examination or on a combination of both. As you progress, you’ll learn how to reliably assess the quality and value of your own before you submit it.
Level 1 does not count towards your final degree classification; Level 2 is worth a third; and Level 3 accounts for two thirds. Your final year project is worth a third of the Level 3 marks.
Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.