Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Digital Media and Games) (with Placement year)

at Brunel University London United Kingdom

International relations is an area of politics that largely focuses on how two or more nations interact with each other. As an introduction to the course you will study the evolution of international relations theory – for example how international relations relates to problems of anarchy, sovereignty, order, justice and solutions.  

Early on in the course, you will have a choice between two topics: International Security which will look at the main concepts and models within the subject as well as its issues and policies, or International Political Economy which considers topics like globalisation, financial liberation and economic growth.

Once your knowledge, understanding and analytical skills have grown in international relations, you will choose a further two additional optional modules which cover democracy, migrant law, post-war world affairs, security in the middle east, and geopolitics. Finally, a research project of your choice under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor completes the course.

In keeping with the importance Brunel places on getting you ready for work, this degree includes the rare option of a work placement – 6-12 weeks of professional practice that takes place between May and September in an organisation with an international dimension to its mission.

Other opportunities to network and build knowledge include the option to take up membership with Chatham House, the leading British think tank on international affairs. Benefits include access to library and archive materials as well as regular events.

In fact, Brunel’s proximity to central London’s world-class research facilities, Westminster and Whitehall means you couldn’t be better placed to immerse yourself in an established political area.

Graduates of the International Relations MA, go to pursue careers in a wide range of organisations, including government, international institutions, non-governmental organisations, business, research institutes and security, or further study at doctoral level.

This course has a professional practice option. Find out more about work placements available.

The Brunel Economics and Business Finance BSc gives students interested in pursuing careers in finance the theoretical and practical skills needed to understand and analyse economic and corporate financing and investment decisions in the business world.

You’ll get a solid grounding in the analytical techniques of micro and macroeconomics and develop your ability to critically evaluate economic events and their impact on financial markets.

You’ll study econometrics and develop highly valued skills in data modelling, and will get training in analytical packages widely used by business and financial institutions such as SAS, EViews, Bloomberg, Reuters and STATA.

We offer two study options. You can choose three years full-time or four years full-time with a one-year professional placement between years two and three that will give you the chance to apply the theoretical principles you’ve learned to a working environment.

You can tailor the final year of your course to specialise in an area of particular interest.

The degree is accredited the ACCA and CIMA, which means you’ll gain exemptions from certain professional qualifying exams.

In a financial marketplace that is becoming more complex and sophisticated, the skills and knowledge that you’ll gain from your Brunel BSc will stand you in good stead for a successful career.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

Design at Brunel is all about realising fantastic ideas in the real world. Our Product Design Engineering BSc degree is for creative thinkers who are also comfortable with mathematics and who enjoy deeper analysis of functional and technical design challenges, principally focused on industrially-manufactured products. The course spans design and engineering, meaning you can develop products that both look good and work well.

There is a lot of project-based learning to test your skills and you’ll see the outcome of your design from concept to making the actual product. This means you’ll be able to build a great portfolio of your best-quality projects, academic and industry briefs, and case studies, during your studies.

You’ll have workshop training and will use industry-standard equipment and software to develop quality hands-on skills to become a maker. Independent access is available to modern facilities that include dedicated design studios, digital sketching, extensive prototyping workshops, and electronics and digital fabrication labs. The practical knowledge you gain is transferable to industry and provides a head start for your future career as a designer and design making in the modern world.

Our product design engineering course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) and can be studied full-time over three years, or four years with a placement year.

The placement year helps you to prepare for the world of work and you’ll have a year’s worth of invaluable professional experience when you graduate. Our students have worked in both small innovation start-ups and multinational organisations such as Dyson, Jaguar Land Rover, Philips, Procter & Gamble, and Reckitt Benckiser. 

Our students have the opportunity to add another dimension to their university experience by spending a term or a year in one of our partner universities via our exchange programme: Politecnico di Milano in Italy; Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, San Francisco State University in USA and Institut Superieur de Design, ISD Bubika in France.

Digital service design is the art of building customer experiences with a strong digital element. The Digital Service Design MSc is a new multidisciplinary course which has been specifically created to help graduates develop exceptional user experience design for digital products and services.

The course has been designed in collaboration with Wilson Fletcher, a leading digital design studio, to closely mirror current professional practices. In so doing, the course will help you develop a deep knowledge of both design theory and practice as well as equip you for employment in the digital sector.

You’ll work on a number of individual and group projects based on real-world briefs, which will help you develop the technical, interpersonal, creative and strategic skills needed to succeed in the digital service design industry.

You’ll be able to explore areas of design and rapid prototyping, innovation methodologies, interview and workshop facilitation, journey mapping, customer research methodologies, project management, how to develop and present actionable recommendations, and much more.

By the end of the course you’ll be able to: 

• Generate ideas and turn them into viable concepts and working prototypes
• Work in multidisciplinary teams in a studio setting and take responsibility for your work
• Problem-solve and design for both user and business needs
• Understand the skills, tools and methodologies necessary to develop compelling strategies, products and services
• Design and develop experiences, products and services of high quality with digital media at their core
• Demonstrate a critical and practical understanding of the issues relevant to digital service design and their use in the context of modern industry and commercial environments
• Have a thorough and clear understanding of the methodologies and professional skills necessary for effective digital service design in a business environment
• Reflect – critically and in-depth – on relevant aspects of the state-of the art of both the practice and theory of digital service design

Selected students may have the opportunity for a company-sponsored dissertation project.

Graduates will be equipped to work in leading digital design agencies and consultancies as well as innovative blue-chip companies that have design departments. Fields you might go into after this course include app development, copywriting and content design, digital design, digital product design, digital project management, front-end development, information architecture, interaction design, product management, research, service design, strategy, user experience design, UX architecture. 

Brunel’s Women in Engineering and Computing mentoring scheme provides our female students with invaluable help and support from their industry mentors.

Using mathematics to solve industrial and commercial problems has led to vital breakthroughs for human advancement. Mathematical models underpin engineering, the applied sciences, computing and many aspects of business and management today. If you have a skill for mathematics and statistics and a flare for management then this could be the course for you. The combination of skills developed on this course will open doors to a wide range of careers.

This course focuses on how mathematics can solve industrial and commercial problems. You’ll develop a broad knowledge of general management alongside applicable skills and knowledge in mathematics and statistics.

Follow the four-year Professional Placement degree programme and you‘ll benefit from our extensive experience in helping students to find well-paid work placements with blue-chip companies. Our sandwich students find that their mathematical and transferable skills are in demand in many sectors, both in the UK and abroad.

Areas recently offering placements include: accountancy, aviation, banking, defence, finance, insurance, IT (software development, network management and design), management (public and private sector), marketing and telecommunications.

This programme will meet the educational requirements of the Chartered Mathematician designation, awarded by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, when it is followed by subsequent training and experience in employment to obtain equivalent competences to those specified by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for taught master's degrees.

Managing teams of people while recognising the needs of individuals in the workplace is a growing area of interest for corporations who want to ensure employee wellbeing and good productivity levels. With the introduction of concepts such as flexi-hours and remote working, and rights around parental leave, human resource management is taking centre stage. This comprehensive course will give you a thorough grasp of current theory and practice, both nationally and internationally.

The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which students and graduates are encouraged to join. The CIPD is the world’s largest Chartered HR and development professional body and by becoming a member, you become part of a global network of HR professionals. Find out more on our accreditations and exemptions page.

Whilst the UK is the primary focus for the study of employment relations issues, we will also consider the HR management challenges of organisations that operate across national boundaries. There is an entire module dedicated to the importance of the relationship between employers, employees, and their representatives in effective organisational working.

Key issues of employee communication and the impact of EU directives on work arrangement will be considered. A number of optional modules are also available on the programme allowing you to specialise, including Global Diversity Management, International Business Ethics and Corporate Governance.

As a prospective human resource manager, you will be able to address business and professional situations knowledgeably, making a contribution to improved organisational performance and delivering sound HR support.

Our Creative Writing BA course has been designed to encourage high levels of creativity,initiative and originality in the design,production, interpretation and analysis of creative writing.

You will be taught every genre of creative writing by some of the most talented and original writers working today. Between them, they’ve published over 100 books,produced countless scripts for TV, radio and film, and won umpteen awards. The teaching team includes renowned authors like Bernardine Evaristo, Hannah Lowe and Max Kinnings.

From week one you’ll write and interact with your peer group of creative writers. You will also share ideas and give constructive feedback to others on their creative writing work.

In your first year you’ll gain a solid grounding in fiction,drama and poetry writing, and you’ll study world literature.You can choose a variety of subjects in your second year such as journalism and screenwriting. In your final year, the creative industries module helps you consider your career options and shape your future. You’ll start to specialise in your chosen field and choose from a wealth of specialist options.

There are guest lectures covering different aspects of creative writing. Industry expert speakers include book publishers, screenwriters, poets and broadcasters.   

You have the advantage of Brunel’s close location to London, the literary capital of the UK. You’ll benefit from trips to the British Library, Shakespeare’s Globe and West End theatres.

Our BA in creative writing can be studied full-time over three years, four years with a placement year, or part-time over six years.

We encourage the placement year option. This time in industry helps you to further prepare for the world of work and you’ll have a year’s worth of invaluable professional experience when you graduate. If you decide to go on a creative writing placement year, you could find yourself working at magazine publishers, film production companies, or even the London Screenwriters’ Festival. Some placements lead to jobs on graduation.

You’ll have the opportunity to get your work published before you graduate. An anthology of creative work is produced each year, curated and edited by our creative writing students. Your writing talent can also be showcased at a variety of performances hosted by Brunel including poetry, plays, comedy and film screenings, literary debates,and the popular Brunel

The Theatre and Creative Writing BA is ideal if you want learn more about the richness of theatre past and present while incorporating your passion for creative writing.

Within the theatre side of your degree, you’ll develop creative skills in a number of practical ways: acting, directing, applied drama, physical theatre, digital performance, musical theatre and playwriting.

On the creative writing side of the course, you’ll get to explore a number of writing styles including journalism,screenwriting, comedy writing, short stories and the contemporary novel.

You’ll also grow your knowledge through an understanding of the concepts and models used in the practice and study of theatre, together with the themes and techniques used by historic and contemporary authors.

Study at Brunel and you’ll become part a rich community of creative students, artists and academics with a variety of opportunities to collaborate through acting, directing, playwriting and production.

You’ll learn in Brunel’s purpose-built Antonin Artaud Performance Centre (AA), which is rather like being in drama school with its main theatre, two studio spaces, rehearsal rooms and recording studios.

AA facilities regularly host Arts@Artaud nights showcasing new music, film, creative writing and drama presented by Brunel students.

Established links with the creative industries offer plenty of opportunities to hear from guest speakers and alumni on campus. Off campus, Brunel’s easy access to central London helps to facilitate regular class trips to see West End productions and other events.

For your professional development, the option of a work placement year is an unmissable opportunity to find out where your interests lie and to increase your attractiveness to future employers.

Students from the course have completed placements in a variety of organisations including the London’s Park Theatre, Rose Wisksteed Casting, The Vaults, Unicorn Theatre, Icarus Theatre Company, and the Grieg City Academy.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation BSc has been specifically created to help you put learning into action while you study by creating your own start-up business. 

Through a series of specialist modules in your second and third year (including your final year project), you will develop entrepreneurial skills and a nimble approach to business and innovation. You’ll gain confidence in your acumen and become quick to recognise and evaluate new business opportunities while calculating risk. The hands-on, practice-based learning of the course is key to this. You’ll create, run and grow a real-life enterprise as part of a group consisting of up to five students. By learning through doing, you’ll be able to apply theory very early on in the degree course to solve social and economic problems.

Along the way, you’ll learn from academics and receive support from professional business mentors who will help you to get the most out of your degree while developing your start-up. There are lots of resources available to you that can help you shape your degree into what you want it to be:

• The Brunel Innovation Hub offers expert advice and funding on student start-ups
• Through the Co-Innovate programme, you can opt to collaborate with an SME and help them solve a real business problem as part of your final year project
• You can choose to take a work placement in your third year (find out more on our work placement year page) or focus on developing your start-up
• We make sure that you have access to a variety of activities and events to challenge your self-starter mentality including the Mayor's Entrepreneur Competition

Before you get there though, your first year will be an introduction to general business and management through six compulsory modules that will provide you with a good understanding of theory and practice. The emphasis will be on developing your commercial awareness and preparation for new business creation, as well as for a work placement if you have opted to take one (you can opt to use your placement year to develop your enterprise too).

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

All our business degrees include the option of a work placement year between your second and third year.

• In addition to providing the opportunity to put what you’ve learnt in your degree into practice, and to earn some much appreciated money, our students find their work placement experience significantly enhances their career prospects when they come to graduate. In fact many students are offered employment with their work placement company upon graduation. You'll be working in the same capacity as you would when you graduate so it will give you a taste of what's to come, hopefully, including all the challenges and rewards.
• Placements are available at different sized organisations across the public and private sector, so you can choose the type of experience most suited to you. You’ll need to apply for these positions in much the same way as you would a job, so it’ll be useful experience in that respect too.
• The good news is that through our Business Life programme and the University’s Professional Development Centre, you should be well prepared to make the best applications you can.
• Placements tend to last 44 weeks. During your placement, an academic member of staff from Brunel Business School will keep in touch, and your employer will be invited to attend a tutorial day at Brunel with you.

Our Aerospace Engineering MSc degree is a specialist, accredited course that has been developed to equip you with advanced technical knowledge and management skills to meet the needs and current challenges facing the ever-growing aerospace engineering industry.

Through theoretical study and hands-on practice, you will gain an in-depth understanding of key aerospace disciplines covering aerodynamics, propulsion systems, and space mechanics. You’ll deepen your knowledge of aerospace structures, and the design and analysis of aerospace vehicles, and also acquire specialist knowledge on current aerospace engineering topics concerning flight safety, environmental impact, and fuel efficiency.

You’ll have access to a range of technical facilities including our aerospace/aviation laboratory, full-motion engineering flight simulator, supersonic and subsonic wind tunnels, materials and structure testing laboratory, anechoic chamber for aero-acoustic experiments, and 3D printing in the digital fabrication workshop. Industry standard specialist software for aircraft design is available for you to use 24 hours a day in high-performance computing clusters.

During your time at Brunel, you will benefit from guest lectures delivered by industry professionals who present a valuable insight into current, challenging topics in the field of aerospace. There are also planned visits to engineering and manufacturing companies where you’ll see first-hand the latest breakthroughs in development and technology for future aerospace systems. In addition, you have the advantage of Brunel’s close location to London’s Heathrow Airport for site visits as well as project and employment opportunities.

Our MSc aerospace engineering course is accredited by both the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). These professional bodies ensure that your engineering degree meets the academic requirement to qualify as a professional engineer. This accredited MSc degree in aerospace engineering fully meets the educational requirement for progression to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. It is studied full-time over one year.

Brunel Engineers is an annual exhibition that showcases our engineering talent at its finest. It’s a great way for you to network with leading aerospace engineering experts and show them the innovative, creative and enterprising work you have produced during your time at Brunel.

As an extracurricular activity, there is also the opportunity to be part of a student-led initiative involving the design and build of an unmanned aircraft vehicle and participating in the IMechE industry-sponsored UAS Challenge (Unmanned Aircraft Systems Challenge).