Hello! My name is Tamerlan and I’ve just finished my first year studying BSc (Hons) Computer Science (with a year in industry) at the University of York. I’m going to talk about what to look forward to if you want to study computer science at York and my experience throughout the year.
Why choose computer science at York?
I personally chose to study computer science due to the problem solving and creativity it provides. Whether that’s the problem solving of maths questions, applications of various algorithms, working in low level and with hardware, or the creativity and freedom of niches such as front-end web development or game development. It is for these reasons that I love computer science, and the University of York only helped with that passion. Also, plenty of career opportunities in the field and the high-quality department were some great motivators.
What to look forward to in your first year
I found that the great thing about York was that there is just about anything for just about anyone. Both academically and socially. You learn so many different and new things throughout the year. Which I found had me finding my own niche (that being Systems). It was a really engaging learning how computers work from the ground up. I’d learned about binary and logic gates before, but applying that knowledge to understand how different parts of a computer work (and eventually a full computer made up of simple logic gates), along with programming with a completely different mindset in assembly and its limitations, was a lot of fun.
There’s also a wide range of computer-based societies, such as HackSoc (a general computer science society) and CyberSoc (for fans of cybersecurity and ethical hacking). Personally, I mainly enjoyed Game Development Society this year, which hosts events throughout the year, such as Game Jams. Even when I didn’t manage to make a game in time, the sense of community was great and it was very cool seeing what everyone made.
Finally, there’s a ton to enjoy about social life in York itself. It’s a beautiful city with an amazing campus with so much to see and do. Especially with the new friends you’ll be making on both the course, in societies and outside of university.
What to expect from the course
If, like me, you enjoy the creativity and problem solving of computer science, York is an amazing option. With each module involving a ton of either aspects (or both!). Using what you learn, together with a great department, made my first year at York both fun and applicable.
In my first year, there were three modules per semester. Two of which are Theory (maths) and Software (programming), as well as Human-Computer-Interaction (sort of a design module in which you design an app as a group project in semester 1) and Systems and Devices (which looks at how computers work from the ground up in semester 2). As tough as I personally found the modules at times, there’s so much to enjoy.
Within the modules we have lectures, workshops (which usually involve problem solving within a group, such as in Theory), practicals (which usually involve doing questions individually) and seminars (which involve going through problem done independently).
I’m a big fan of workshops. I find it very fun and rewarding to solve hard problems as a group. They were also great in applying knowledge from lectures and properly understanding the material we learnt. Working together to solve tough questions and really getting those eureka moments following a bunch of scribbles on everyone’s pages was a new experience for me coming from A level Maths. And something that I’m definitely looking forward to more of in my second year.
When it comes to independent work, such as revision or seminar work, there are plenty of places to be productive. Though it’s not always the case for me! Some of my personal favourite places include the University Library with its brilliant atmosphere (especially when exams are coming up) and my accommodation common room (if you want to chill out a bit more).
I’ve had great fun in my first year of study at York (and hope you will too). I’m looking forward to everything that the second year will have to offer!
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