BSc (Hons) in Computer Science

After completing the first year, students in Science Faculty may select BSc (Hons) in Computer Science as their major subjected to the Selection Criteria.

General Information

The general aim of BSc (Hons) in Computer Science, with accreditation by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers^{^}, is to prepare students for a career in computer science or information technology related areas. Students will be equipped to work in the Information and Communication Technology industry or pursue postgraduate study in Hong Kong or abroad. Graduates of this programme will have learnt how to learn and, have the skills and confidence to meet the challenges in the rapidly changing information technology world.

This programme offers four concentrations of study^# (21 units for each): (1) Computing and Software Technologies (CST), (2) Information Systems and Analytics (ISA), (3) Artificial Intelligence (AI), and (4) Data and Media Communication (DMC). The CST concentration equips students with concepts, principles and practices of computing and software technologies to contribute to technological innovations. The ISA concentration equips students with knowledge and practices of information systems design, development and integration, as well as information analytics skills for creative applications in real-world organizations. The AI concentration is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) to participate in AI-related projects using computational methods. DMC is an interdisciplinary concentration co-offered with the Department of Journalism, School of Communication. It emphasizes both data analytics and journalistic principles and skills for media organizations as well as related industries. The students will determine their concentrations of study in Year 2 Semester 2.

^ Full accreditation has been granted for CST concentration, ISA concentration, AI concentration and double concentrations (CST+ DMC, ISA+DMC and AI+DMC).
^# Double Concentration Options: CST / ISA / AI students are eligible to take DMC as the second concentration. Additional double concentrations are available (for Year 3 students from the 2024-2025 Academic Year onwards).


In addition to the university-wide whole person education, the specific objectives of the programme are to equip students with:

• solid and broad foundation in computer science;
• in-depth knowledge in selected computing technology areas and their creative applications;
• good problem solving skills; and
• good communication and interpersonal skills.

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• practise as a fully equipped computer science professional and ready for the ICT industry;
• specialise in a selected area(s) that they want to build their career upon if they wish;
• show an ability to engage in continuing professional and academic development;
• apply their computer science knowledge and skills to solve complex real-world problems and to analyse the impact of computing, independently and collaboratively; and
• work in teams and communicate effectively with a range of audiences.

The following are the different types of courses offered by CS programme:

• Major Core Courses - The major core courses are the required computer science courses containing (1) key topics in computer science, and (2) mathematics. These computer science courses can be further divided into four categories: programming and algorithms, computer and communication systems, software development and professional development.
• Concentration Core Courses - This Programme consists of four concentrations of study, namely Computing and Software Technologies (CST), Information Systems and Analytics (ISA), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data and Media Communication (DMC). The concentration core courses for CST, ISA and AI are the required computer science courses containing the key topics under the respective concentration. The concentration core courses for DMC include data analytics and journalistic principles.
• Major Elective Courses - Major electives are courses selected and offered to reflect the advanced and/or contemporary topics under the two concentrations for the student’s benefit. It also takes into account the special expertise of individual members of staff currently available.
• Projects - While there are class projects or mini-projects associated to individual courses for students to apply what they have learnt from their courses to solve real life problems as well as to experience the importance of teamwork during software and system development, each student from both concentrations of this programme is also required to engage in a Final Year Project which is a highly independent problem solving activity during the final year of his/her study.
• University Core and General Education Programme (Level 1) - They include the English and Chinese languages as well as the Art of Persuasion to help students to improve the communication skills. Furthermore, the University emphasizes the importance of the whole-person education. Students are required to complement the major studies with electives in the category of Quantitative Reasoning, Values and the Meaning of Life, History and Civilization, and Healthy Lifestyle, and to participate in activities planned under the programme of University Life.
• General Education Programme (Level 2 & Level 3) - All the courses at Level 2 Interdisciplinary Thematic Courses will be interdisciplinary and theme-based. The themes are: (i) Science, Technology and Society; (ii) Sustainable Communities; and (iii) Culture, Creativity and Innovation. For Level 3 GE Capstone, students will have an opportunity to engage in the following learning activities that will further enhance their skills in a variety of ways. Students will have to complete one project or course in any of the following:
  
  • participate in a Service or Experiential Learning Project; or
  • attend a Service Leadership Education Course associated with project elements; or
  • take part in an Interdisciplinary Thematic Group Project under one of the themes completed in Level 2; or
  • conduct an Independent Study which can be an individual interdisciplinary project of his/her own under the supervision of a faculty member.
• Free Elective Courses - Students are allowed to choose any other courses in which they are interested and qualified to further broaden their knowledge and experience. On the other hand, students may use these electives units to further deepen the understanding of their major and /or to pursue a minor.
• Sandwich Mode Option - Students who are interested in gaining extended work experience in the information technology or related fields prior to their graduation may apply to take a one-year leave of absence after completion of Year 3 of study for the reason of gaining work experience. As a general guideline, students whose cumulative GPA after completing Year 3 Semester 1 is 2.5 or above are eligible and no more than 30 percent of the group of students in the Department completing Year 3 each year will be approved for such an option. Students shall return to full-time study to complete the final year of their programme after the one-year leave of absence.

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