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Industry expertise

Experience close integration with industry including mentoring opportunities, collaborate with clients on development projects, and engage with key sector organisations including the British Computer Society and the Chartered Institute for IT.

Leading department

Bristol is in the UK top 10 for Computer Science (Times Higher Education Subject Rankings 2025).

AI University of the Year

(NAIA 2024) Delivering the UK’s National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource, Isambard-AI, one of the most powerful and sustainable supercomputers for AI research anywhere in the world.

Computer Science at Bristol

Over the course of your degree, you will explore in-depth topics such as high-performance computing, machine learning, cryptography, artificial intelligence, algorithms, and human factors - all taught by leading experts passionate about shaping the future of technology.

Designed with industry input, our courses will prepare you with the knowledge and skills to launch a successful career. You will also get the chance to work with industrial mentors and potentially enhance your portfolio with internships throughout your degree.

You will contribute to cutting-edge research, working closely with academics on projects and internships; the best of which may influence international research as peer-reviewed academic publications.

You’ll learn in an environment that supports both collaborative and independent study, with access to dedicated Windows, Linux, and GPU labs equipped with state-of-the-art technology. You will also benefit from our makerspace — a creative hub for hands-on projects in digital fabrication, electronics, and product design.

On my course there are a few special moments where something really clicks and suddenly I feel like I'm completely in my element. I love being in this city. Different parts have very different vibes but all within walking distance - it makes it feel like home.

Catt, BSc Mathematics and Computer Science

Career prospects

Four people are sat around a laptop having a discussion in a teaching room.

Our courses blend theoretical topics and hands-on technical training and key transferable skills including teamwork and communication to enhance the employability of our graduates. This means that our students are highly regarded by employers such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Arm and Cisco, have high earning potential and have wide-ranging career opportunities.

  • Typical career routes include:
  • AI and Machine Learning
  • Software and Systems Engineering
  • Digital Media and Games Industry
  • Digital Commerce and Finance
  • Environmental and Sustainability sectors
  • Postgraduate research and academia

Course structure

A student wears a virtual reality headset

In your initial study years, you will learn the key principles of algorithms and a variety of diverse programming paradigms. You will study mathematics and statistics that underpin modern computer science; how a modern computer architecture is organised; concurrent and networked computing; the foundations of human-computer interaction; tools for software development; and theoretical and data-driven computer science.

A core part of your second year is a software development project, where you will work in a team to satisfy a real-life business or organisational need – an experience that mirrors life in industry and greatly enhances your employability.

In your final year, you will choose from a wide variety of optional units to customise your degree and develop expertise in a range of advanced topics. You will also undertake an individual project, co-created with a supervising member of staff, shaping you as an expert in a specific area of Computer Science.

The curriculum for the Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence course features specialised AI content. To view the course structure, please refer to the course page.

Bristol, tech city

Red lights in the evening at We the Curious in Millennium Square, Bristol.

A concentration of high-technology industries in and around Bristol offers unparalleled opportunities both before and after graduation, such as scholarships, summer placements, industrial seminars and exclusive employment opportunities. The most recent addition to this technology hub is Isambard-AI - a £225m investment to build the UK's fastest supercomputer for AI at the University of Bristol.

We continuously revise our curriculum to keep pace with emerging trends and technologies, and our courses remain highly relevant thanks to strong industrial links spanning software development, animation, microelectronics, games, communications, and financial services technology.

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