Computer Science and Software Engineering

Our modern world works because of computer scientists. They develop the systems that are the foundation and glue of our society, and transform our experiences in communications, business, entertainment, gaming and healthcare.

University of Stirling Computing Science and Software Engineering degrees will teach you how to design, build and analyse computer systems alongside creativity, logical analysis, problem-solving and how teamwork builds complex systems. You’ll study practice and techniques for real-world software design and associated programming technologies.

Our degrees are highly practical to address skill shortages and help you step into your career. Our undergraduate courses offer three-month and one-year placements with local small and medium enterprise businesses as well as large corporates.

We are top 5 in Scotland and top 20 in the UK for Computer Science and Information Systems (The Guardian University Guide 2025).

Computer Science and Software Engineering courses

Courses labelled  are available for online study only.

Undergraduate courses
Course	Start date
BSc (Hons) Business Computing	September 2025
BSc (Hons) Computing Science	January 2025, September 2025, January 2026
BSc (Hons) Data Science and Artificial Intelligence	September 2025, January 2026
BSc (Hons) Software Development with Cyber Security	September 2025
BSc (Hons) Software Engineering	January 2025, September 2025, January 2026

Postgraduate courses
Course	Start date
MSc Advanced Computing with Artificial Intelligence	September 2025
MSc Artificial Intelligence	January 2025, September 2025, January 2026

CPD and short courses
Course	Start date
Python for Representing and Manipulating Data

Scholarships

We offer a variety of scholarship and funding options to help you finance your studies at the University of Stirling.

Undergraduate scholarships

See more undergraduate scholarships

Postgraduate scholarships

See more postgraduate scholarships

Graduate careers in Computer Science and Software Engineering

Our Computer Science and Software Engineering graduates are in high-demand in the many fields in which computer systems are extensively used and developed. Jobs directly related to a Computer Science or Software Engineering degree include:

information systems manager
data analyst
IT consultant
multimedia programmer
systems analyst
systems developer
UX analyst
web designer
web developer
application analyst
business analyst
database administrator
games developer

Our graduates emerge from our courses with a wide range of IT skills and knowledge.

Recent destinations for our graduates include KANA, Logica, Microsoft, Agilent, DERA, Marconi Systems, Adobe Systems Inc., Xerox, Google, HSBC, and Scottish Power.

Partnerships and industry

We have strong links with Scottish industry through its Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) – with members from both Scottish and international companies such as IBM, HSBC and Adobe.

We are a member of The Data Lab, which is an innovation centre with the aim of developing data science talent and skills required by the industry in Scotland.

Our Computing Science and Software Engineering undergraduate courses are accredited by the British Computer Society.

Our BSc (Hons) Software Development with Cyber Security course was developed with our business partners in the IT sector to help solve their skills shortages.

Computer Science and Software Engineering research

We provide a stimulating and lively environment for students, research fellows and visitors. Our Computing Science division is part of the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA) - a Scotland-wide pooling initiative to exchange research and knowledge.

We develop and deploy new computational and mathematical approaches to tackle complex real-world problems. Our research explores the interfaces between computer science, mathematics, life and health sciences, as well as management, finance and social sciences.

Postgraduate research opportunities

As a PhD student researching Computing Science at Stirling, you’ll benefit from the support and expertise of leading academics who encourage you to think outside the box and tackle real problems affecting industry and society.

See our PhD and MPhil opportunities in Computing Science and Mathematics.