4-year full-time; 5-year thick-sandwich We live in the age of ‘any device, any time, anywhere’ computing. Technology, communications and consumer electronics are rapidly evolving, and computer systems are central to our everyday interaction, from large scale distributed systems based on the internet to an embedded system in a consumer electronic device such as a mobile phone. This hands-on course is designed for students who want to understand state-of-the-art developments in hardware and software, and develop the skills and ability to design computer systems in every aspect of commerce and industry. Brunel’s course works around four themes: programming and software engineering; computer architecture and applications; data communications; digital electronic systems. The range of options available in later years of the programme will allow you to maintain breadth or to specialise, with a focus on computer hardware design, data communication networks or distributed computing.

Computers have had a tremendous impact on every facet of our lives at home and work, in leisure and in communication. Now, and for the foreseeable future, the most significant growth will be in the development of reliable and efficient computer systems. The growth in demand for engineers who are able to design computer systems is therefore expected to continue. This, combined with the growth in embedded electronic systems across all aspects of our lives, has resulted in many new and exciting employment prospects across all areas of industry and business. Graduates with appropriate training in this discipline are likely to have excellent employment opportunities in such diverse fields as finance, leisure, media and marketing, as well as in all forms of engineering and computer industries.