Placements and Internships

There are three types of placement available in Computing Science. Undergraduates can take a year out in industury, normally between Stages 2 and 3, and subject to the approval of the Degree Programme Director. MSc SDIA students must undertake a placement as part of their course and Undergraduate and MSc in Computing Science students may take the opportunity of the SOCRATES scheme to arrange study at another European University.

Further information about the types of placement available, and the form these placement take is available in the Placements Handbook (79K MS Word). Students intending to undertake a placement must also complete a Placement Form (63K MS Word).

Internships are an alternative way of getting employment experience without taking a year out. An internship will usually take place over the summer vacation.

• Codeworks Connect runs a paid summer internship scheme (which they call a placement scheme) for students and recent graduates, with local companies in the digital sector.
• STEP (Shell Technology Enterprise Programme) (www.step.org.uk) is a popular scheme open to 2nd year undergraduates to spend 8-12 weeks in the summer on a paid internship.

Presentations on placements given in November 2005 provide more information on undergradute placements and internships:

• Finding a Placement (Introduction) (Barbara Phillips-Kerr, Careers Service)
• Current Student Placement Experience (Daniel Halliday, Waterstons)
• Internship Experience (Martyn Taylor, Jamal Msami, STEP programme)
• Employer Perspective (Andrew Cairns, P&G)
• School Procedures (Steve Riddle, Computing Science)
• Finding a Placement (Part 2) (Barbara Phillips-Kerr, Careers Service)