Bachelor Programme in Computer Science
180 ECTS credits
Study programme
Are you interested in IT in general and programming in particular? With a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science you can be part of developing and shaping our future digital society. The study programme covers among other things software design, Internet technology, and cybersecurity. The third study year provides good opportunities for you to specialize or broaden your studies within the area that you are the most interested in.
Education level:
Basic level
Prerequisites
General admission requirements plus upper-secondary school level Mathematics 3c (field-specific eligibility A8 with the exception of Physics 2 and Chemistry 1), or general admission requirements plus upper-secondary school level Mathematics D (field-specific eligibility 8 with the exception of Physics B and Chemistry A).
While studying
Education
The first study year mainly contains fundamental courses on programming and mathematics to get the necessary prerequisites required for the second year. The second study year gives a broad foundation in Computer Science, building on the fundamentals from the first year. Courses are taken together with fellow students from the engineering study programmes in Computer Science at the university.The third year of the study programme consists of two mandatory courses in software engineering and cybersecurity, one mandatory degree project, and 30 ECTS of optional courses for specialization or broadening based on your interests. As a proposal for optional courses there are four tracks with ties to research conducted at the university on software engineering, cybersecurity, computer networking, and usability. These tracks can in part be combined, depending on which tracks are selected. Students are free to choose other courses within Computer Science or another subject to create their own profile. It?s also possible to read courses at other universities in Sweden or abroad.
Form of Instruction
Teaching consists of lectures, hand-in-assignments, seminars, and project work. On average you?ll have scheduled activities three-to-five days a week. The study programme in addition demands that you study beyond the scheduled study activities. You can expect a 40-hour work week that you largely plan on your own. The study programme becomes progressively more independent as you progress. Teaching primarily takes place in place at Karlstad University. The majority of the courses use a web-based learning management platform as a complement to lectures.Examination
How examination is performed varies from course to course. Typical examination for a course includes written hand-in-assignments (labs) during the course and a final written exam at the end of the course.Professional Contact
The study programme is well anchored with industry and you?ll have ample of opportunity to work with and meet industry during your studies. Meetings over breakfast and lunch, the mentoring program, and thesis projects are examples of how you?ll get in contact with industry. You?ll also get to work with both real and fictive industry-related cases, practical assignments, and projects as well as meet guest lecturers and attend study visits at local industry.Course of Study
The programme represents full-time work, with an average of 20 hours of scheduled classes a week. The rest of the time you at times work with others in for example projects. You should attend and engage actively in courses as well as study on your own. Study visits and hand-is-assignments are common as well as often mandatory.Course of study
| Semester 1 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Computer Science (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Mathematics for Computer Scientists (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Programming Techniques (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| General Project Management Methodology (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
| Semester 2 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Software Development Methodology (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| HTML and CSS for Webdevelopment (Obligatory) | 5 |
| JavaScript for Webdevelopment (Obligatory) | 5 |
| Serverside programming in JavaScript (Obligatory) | 5 |
| Graphical User Interfaces (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
| Semester 3 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Computer Engineering (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Data Structures and Algorithms (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Data Ethics (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
| Semester 4 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Computer Networking I (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Mathematical Statistics (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Database Techniques (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Programming Languages (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30
| Semester 5 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Software Engineering (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| User tests, prototyping and evaluation (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Sustainable Computing (Optional) | 3 |
| Embedded Systems (Optional) | 4.5 |
| Computer Security I (Obligatory) | 7.5 |
| Interaction Design (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Project Work in Computer Science (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Applied Machine Learning (Optional) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30*
| Semester 6 | ECTS credits |
|---|---|
| Computer Science - Degree project / Bachelor´s project (Obligatory) | 15 |
| Computer Security II (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Mobile and Wireless Systems (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Software Testing Foundations (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Topics in Computer Security (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Topics in Computer Networking (Optional) | 7.5 |
| Topics in Software Engineering (Optional) | 7.5 |
Total ECTS credits:
30*
*Full-time study always equals 30 ECTS credits per semester (20 weeks).
Elective course: Students are free to choose among certain alternative courses, often depending on their choice of specialisation.
Optional course: Students are free to choose any course offered at Karlstad University or at other universities. Courses listed are examples of recommended or frequently chosen courses for a specific programme.