This course is a collaboration between Forth Valley College and the University of Stirling. You will spend the first two years of this four-year course at Forth Valley College before transferring to the University for Years 3 and 4. During Year 2 at the College students will also take a module at the University to support the transition from the college to the University environment. The course contains a three-month industrial summer placement after Year 3. Year 3 contains a professional development course which is designed to equip you with the necessary skills to secure a placement and ultimately a job.

Course structure
During the first two years at Forth Valley College you will develop your practical skills in software development and cyber security. At university during your third and fourth year you will develop skills in advanced topics including concurrent and distributed systems cyber security machine learning and web services. You’ll carry out an independent project in your final year under the guidance of a project supervisor that will give you the opportunity to develop a major piece of work from initial requirements to final delivery.

Within Forth Valley College and the University of Stirling many staff are involved in research projects in their subject area that allow them to link directly with business and freshen their knowledge. Computing Science at Stirling is part of the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA) Scotland-wide pooling initiative in research and knowledge exchange.

Employers increasingly look for practical experience and extracurricular activities in addition to a good degree. At Forth Valley College and at the University of Stirling you’re encouraged to take part in activities that extend and utilise your knowledge. There are opportunities for taking part in vendor certification of your practical skills at Forth Valley College. As a STEM-assured (science technology engineering and mathematics) college you can participate in STEM events such as STEM club and STEM Ambassador opportunities. At Stirling you are encouraged to participate in the student-led Stirling Computing Club.

Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the current academic year (September 2022). Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.

Year 3 Semester 1
Compulsory module

Module Credits
Professional Development for Computer Scientists (CSCU9CP) 0 credits
CSCU9CP Professional Development for Computer Scientists is optional and may be taken either in year 2 or in year 3 and should be selected by students wishing to undertake the work experience placement. Prior to 2021 2 CSCU9PD was taken instead.

Option module

Select 60 credits from year 3 options Software Development with Cyber Security list

Module Credits
Code Analysis and Performance (CSCU9A5) 20 credits
Scripting for Data Science (CSCU9M3) 20 credits
Introduction to Machine Learning (CSCU9M5) 20 credits
UX Design (CSCU9X5) 20 credits