BSc Multimedia Computing

3 years full-time / 4 years full-time with integrated placement year

UCAS Code: G450

Typical offer level
A Level: BBB-ABB
BTEC National Diploma: DDD in relevant National Diploma
IB: 32 points

Specific subject requirements
A Level: Maths or Computing preferred but not essential
General Studies accepted
GCSE: Maths Grade B and English Grade C
A suitable combination of two A Level and two AS Level subjects may be accepted

Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2013).  More on fees

Contact

EAS Undergraduate Admissions Office
+44 (0)121 204 3400
engineering@aston.ac.uk

Media and multimedia technologies have become essential to so many aspects of modern life. Technologies become more sophisticated and the boundaries overlap, blur and disappear. New and exciting ways will be used for communication.

The techniques of a fast growing and highly competitive multimedia industry include; Website development, Still and moving images, audio production, 2-D and 3-D computer animation. Our Multimedia Computing programme is designed to give you insight into the secrets of multimedia technology and the skills that will enable you to develop new and creative ways of using multimedia.

Aston University's Computing Science degrees are accredited for Chartered IT Professional (CITP), the British Computer Society's Chartered qualification.  This gives students the right to join the BCS, the principal organisation for IT professionals in the UK, when they graduate.  Accreditation shows that the BCS consider the courses are up to date, are based on benchmarks, and assessed appropriately.

Multimedia is about conveying information as effectively as possible through the integrated use of different media.  Multimedia Computing at Aston combines the principles of computing with the tools and skills necessary for working with multimedia. The link between multimedia and computing science is emphasised and illustrated throughout the programme.

• You will learn new and interesting ways to combine text, still and moving images, sound and computer animation into software applications and make them accessible through the Internet, CD, DVD and broadcast media.
• You will also acquire knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles that underpin the presentation, representation and communication of information in its various forms for multimedia systems.
• You will learn new approaches to integrating computing into the environment, enabling people to interact with computers more naturally than ever before, for example when on the move.
• The Multimedia Computing programme incorporates a significant amount of practical and project work. This provides great opportunities for putting the taught ideas into practice and leads to a deeper understanding of the subject.
• As a graduate in Multimedia Computing, you will be ready for a rewarding career as a technical professional. You will be adaptable to a wide range of opportunities in the design and application of information communication systems based on multimedia, Internet and computer software technologies.

Year 1

• CS1020 - Java Programming Foundations (CB)
• CS1040 - Multimedia Software and Applications
• CS1050 - Information Systems and Databases
• CS1150 - Communication and Information Skills for Computing Professionals
• CS1170 - Introduction to Computer Systems
• CS1320 - Problem Solving
• CS1240 - Internet Computing
• CS1260 - Mathematics for Computing Professionals
• CS1420 - Computer Systems Organisation

Year 2

• CS2030 - User-centred Group Project (MC)
• CS2090 - Software Lifecycle and Design
• CS2140 - Multimedia Science
• CS2150 - Computer Graphics
• CS2160 - Professional and Social Aspects of Computing
• CS2300 - Java Program Construction
• CS2260 - Human-Computer Interaction
• CS2410 - Internet Applications and Techniques
• CS2420 - Computer Animation

Year 3 - Optional placement year

• Professional Placement

See placement year section below or find out more about the Aston placement year.

Final Year

• CS3010 - Individual Project
• CS3330 - Image and Video Processing
• CS3410 - Interaction Design
• CS3320 - Multimedia Information Retrieval
• CS3450 - Game Development

Optional modules:

• CS3040 - Mobile Design and Development
  
• CS3160 - Enterprise Application Technology
• CS3190 - Information Security
  
• CS3360 - Software Project Management
  
• CS3460 - Enterprise Computing Strategies
• CS2230 - Operating Systems
  
• CS3210 - Geographic Information Systems
  
• CS3270 - Testing and Reliable Software Engineering
• CS3340 - Multi Agent Systems
• CS3440 - Data Mining

You will benefit from our range of teaching methods and learning styles including: lectures, seminars and small group discussions, lab exercises and practical classes, computer-aided learning, individual and group projects.

Assessment is by a combination of written exams, projects and coursework. The proportion of each varies according to the modules chosen but examinations typically comprise around 75% and continuous assessment around 25%.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Teaching staff

Dr Anthony Beaumont
My research interests are Computer communications, Networks, andParallel and distributed systems. I am currently involved in research projects on Research on languages on the Internet (in response to one of UNESCO's objectives regarding Multilingualism for Cultural Diversity and Participation of All in Cyberspace) and Electronic Coursework Assessment and Feedback (e-CAF).

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society:  BCS: The Chartered Institute for IT for the purposes of Chartered IT Professional (CITP) qualification.

The multimedia industry needs students and Graduates who can rise to the technological challenges it faces. Our 4-year sandwich programme incorporates twelve months of paid professional experience. Your placement will give you practical experience in a real work environment and is an excellent way to improve your CV.

Well-paid placements for sandwich students are available each year with companies large and small, local and nationwide. Computer Science at Aston has maintained strong links with industry for many years and our students have a good reputation with placement employers. Our experienced staff will help you find a suitable placement and support you during your placement year.

Further information can be found here.

Find out more about placement years at Aston.

Multimedia computing has numerous application areas, including entertainment, education, commerce, engineering, medicine and scientific research. Multimedia is a fast growing field and experts in it are in high demand. There is a need for people with the right technical and software development skills to work hand in hand with creative designers to deliver high quality multimedia productions. Career opportunities exist in areas such as website design and development, multimedia information editing and management, the Internet and e-commerce. Potential employers include broadcast organisations, media production companies, website designers and indeed any company that maintains a significant web presence.

Amongst the most advanced in British Higher Education, Aston University recently invested £4m in a major upgrade of its campus IT network. The facilities specifically provided for our computing students include a 100-seat PC teaching lab with AV projection facilities and three other labs containing Pentium PCs and multimedia capable iMacs. Additional labs provide high performance workstations reserved for project work and specialist teaching.

Our Programming Support Office is available to help you with computer programming modules.

All our computers are connected by means of an ethernet network, which in turn interconnects with the rest of the University and provides direct connections to the internet. Some of our dedicated computing laboratories are open to our students 24 hours a day.