Computer Science 2023 - having a 'mare!

[Isawsomethinginthewoodshed]

Very, very briefly, DS has received offers for York ans Sheffield and is waiting for Bristol. BUT, just realised he has applied for the 4 year MComp degree at Sheffield rather than the 3 year 🙄 He is being rather too laid back about it and I guess I am wondering what anybody thinks/knows about this course or options that we have to change - many thanks in advance!!!

Furthermore, as I am posting rather than lurking, is Sheffield a good choice for this course with a good reputation? Thanks in advance!

No worries. It is routine to transfer between BSc and MSc versions of virtually all STEM courses. (I am a Russell Group STEM academic and former admissions tutor). He can do this once he is on the course

Sheffield is indeed a fine choice. And IMO an MSc is a significantly better degree, though a good BSc is suitable for many purposes

Thank you! In your opinion, which of these unis offers more employability options in the future?

Actually, scrap that question ... uni applications are a different world to when I applied and told my parents afterwards! Thanks!

If there is anybody reading this who also has dc applying for CS, what would be your ranking choices for Bristol, York and Sheffield? I am wondering if we might be better forgetting about Bristol because they seem to offer so late!

A good CS degree from any of them will give your DS great options. He needs to visit them and see where he thinks he will be happiest. My personal ranking would be Bristol, Sheffield, York but others might reverse the last two. (I am not at Sheffield but I always think it punches above its weight in various categories and students seem happy and engaged.) Really, I cannot overemphasise the importance of a good fit

I have a 4 year undergraduate masters, there are pros and cons but for me it was better than a BSc and then an MSc. You can also just roll your student loans over for another year so don’t have to faff with postgraduate loans. Mine isn’t in computer science so can’t comment on anything else, just that people in my course could swap onto or off the M degree until pry way through the third year.

This is really helpful, so many thanks 😊

When I said MSc, I meant the four year degree, the MComp. I apologise

Posted too soon. BSc + MSc is also great, of course, but the MComp gives the widest array of options and the financial ease discussed by @tealandteal

Well, just spent my time googling, and Sheffield is looking good. He's predicted AAA and is achieving AA*A more or less consistently; so, I'm crossing fingers he will dowelled wherever he goes - maybe crossing toes and any other appendages I can locate as well 😉

That should read Astar AA and Astar Astar A - ironically, I am pretty shattered with technology 😅

And shattered should read shit...

Integrated master is a lot less faff as you just keep going, and so do the finances.

But I'm sure you can change if you want to do your masters year somewhere else

I don't think there's much to choose between those three universities, so would go with the place he wants to live (or, like one of my DC the one with the better reputation for good nightlife!)

I've had one who did an integrated CompSci masters (not at a university you mention) and it's gone very well. Another is doing a different STEM subject and we did push for integrated masters for them too, but they preferred to leave options open and went for the three year course. Both of them tell me I'm getting wound up about nothing if I ever dare to express an opinion on a preference for one or t'other.

I would also rank Bristol, Sheffield, York in this order.

The reason I would rank York below Sheffield is because Comp Sci in Sheffield is part of a very strong Engineering faculty. All three are good options.

Sounds good. All options fine!

I think I've got caught up with the Oxbridge frenzy and feel worried that choosing the 'wrong' uni will mean that he will always be second best! He seems keen on Bristol but I think that is mainly based on the fact that it is quite a distance from home...

@Isawsomethinginthewoodshed
Its only January! Wait until he has offers in. Bristol is great. So is Sheffield. I tend to think these are better Stem universities than York. No doubt others will disagree. Certainly it would be foolish for him to reject Bristol because you are impatient. Integrated Masters is best. With his predicted grades why wouldn’t he go for the 4 year course. Any grad doing this subject should be employable if they get their cv up to scratch!

My DS is at York. It's a very hard course, lots of Maths so far. Definitely an advantage to have further maths as well as maths A-level. He put York as firm, Sheffield as insurance. Ultimately these three unis are fairly equal so he should go with the place he feels happiest living for 3-4 years.

Are all the offers the same, or is the MComp one higher? I know people who have done CS at both Bristol and York and I'd rank those unis Bristol/York/Sheffield to be honest.
At York the CS department is one of the uni's flagship depts and is very high profile and gets a lot of investment. It has a great 'CS' atmosphere, unlike some unis where it is just an 'add-on' to another department.

I also think CS at York is strong but I stand by my close call of Sheffield then York. Your DS really can’t go wrong with these choices. The place he prefers is the right one for him.

York has a very well supported year in industry. This is great for jobs after uni