In today's world, computers are absolutely indispensable and being skilled in Computer Science is a key enabler in fully participating in the IT world of tomorrow. Computer Science is a vital and wide-ranging discipline bursting with opportunity for innovation and creativity. Studying a graduate course in computer science gives you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and challenge yourself in this invaluable field of study. Whether you want a career in the computer science industry or you want to give yourself a solid underpinning for beginning a research career, then there will be a graduate program in computer science to suit you.

Today Computers are a fact of life, from multi-billion pound government sponsored IT projects, embedded systems in everything from the car to the humble toaster, and, of course, not neglecting the mobile phone or iPod in your pocket. We're experiencing a revolution - computers are not just bulky items sitting in air conditioned rooms or on our desktops, but the stuff that enables new forms of interpersonal communication and interaction, pioneers distribution of digital music and video content, fosters new types of games, art installations and interactive entertainment - not to mention the machinery that makes many modern businesses and social communities function. There is no longer a choice for companies of whether to 'be online' and have a web presence - this is an essential prerequisite for business in the 21st century. To many people, social life is not just face to face interaction, but the sharing of thoughts, music and video through online communities.

Some Specialist Areas:

• Formal Aspects of Correctness
• Algorithms and Languages
• Embedded Systems
• Computer Vision
• Artificial Intelligence
• Databases
• Data Mining and Information Retrieval
• Operating Systems
• Communications and Networking
• Software and Requirements Engineering
• Human Computer Interaction

Internationally, there are a vast variety of computer science graduate courses to choose from. Whether you already have a first degree in computer science or if you are coming from a different academic background, there will be a course that suits you. Providers of programs in computer science at graduate level that assume a background in computer science are typically classed as an 'Advanced MSc'. Those courses for whom studying computer science is to deepen knowledge in order to pursue a certain career, are normally 'Conversion MSc's'. The conversion course usually has a broad syllabus and is limited as to the depth it is realistic to achieve, but should provide a solid foundation of the most important concepts in the discipline.

Advanced graduate computer science programs will normally move quickly from undergraduate level toward a deeper understanding and the state-of-the-art. The exact syllabus offered varies considerably between universities as the courses reflect the specialist research interests of the faculty at that university or college. Some graduate courses will require you to have covered certain aspects or modules already and will state these as a prerequisite for entering the program. However, in most cases, universities and colleges offer a 'generic' course title such as MSc in Advanced Computer Science. These schemes may allow for flexibility to change the focus of the graduate course as you gain more experience, irrespective of your initial course registration.

It is also worth noting that most graduate programs in computer science include a dissertation component that may be research or industry led. The balance between taught and dissertation work will vary from institution to institution and in some cases this balance affects the final qualification awarded. The most research-oriented courses are the 'masters by research', or MRes degrees, so you should broaden your search to include other degree designations if this path interests you.

When choosing which graduate course in computer science you wish to study and your study destination, it is important to think about your career development goals and how far your graduate program will meet them. Also check to see if the department has a history of good relationships with industry (e.g. have past students been placed successfully with companies, do they receive industrial funding, or is the 'first destination' after graduation with the companies you'd like to be working for?) If you are interested in a career in research, check to see if the staff teaching the course are still actively publishing. The ranking of the course in the area of computer science that interests you should be a factor to consider when deciding where to study.

With Thanks to:
Dr. Adrian Friday
MSc Admissions Tutor
Department of Computing
Lancaster University