Computer Science Conversion Courses in the UK

A conversion course is a master’s designed for people who studied something other than computing and now want to move into it. You do not need a computer science first degree, or any real coding background. The course takes you from the basics to a working knowledge of programming, algorithms, systems and software design in about a year, which is why it appeals so strongly to career changers.

What a conversion course is

Most conversion programmes carry the title MSc Computer Science, sometimes with the word “conversion” in brackets. The point is the entry rule, not the name. Rather than assuming prior study, they start from the ground and cover the core of the subject at postgraduate pace. Many are accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, which matters if you want your qualification recognised by employers.

Note the reverse gatekeeping. Because these courses exist to convert non-specialists, some universities will not accept you if you already hold a computing degree. That keeps the cohort at a similar starting point.

Which universities run them

The choice is wide, and the framing varies. The University of Bristol runs an MSc Computer Science (Conversion) for people with little or no previous academic computing experience, and applicants who already have a computing degree are turned away. Queen Mary University of London takes graduates from any discipline onto its conversion MSc, provided the first degree was not in computer science or a close relative, and the course is BCS accredited. Newcastle University offers a conversion MSc aimed squarely at non-computing graduates.

Birkbeck, University of London is worth singling out for anyone converting while employed. Its MSc Computer Science teaches largely in the evening, and admits graduates with a 2:2 in any subject other than single-honours computer science. Some universities, such as Bath, accept any-subject graduates but ask you to show quantitative skill in areas like algebra and calculus, so read the entry notes rather than assuming maths is optional. Our guide to computer science master’s degrees covers how conversion routes sit alongside the specialist MSc.

Cost and funding

Published fees among the examples above put UK full-time tuition roughly in the twelve to nineteen thousand pound range for a year, with international fees higher, and part-time study spreading a lower annual cost over two years. Treat those as a guide only, since universities revise fees each year and the exact figure depends on the course.

Funding usually starts with the postgraduate master’s loan from Student Finance England, which is meant to cover a contribution to fees and living costs rather than the full amount. There is also a government-backed strand worth knowing about: the Office for Students has funded conversion courses in artificial intelligence and data science, with scholarships aimed at groups underrepresented in the field. Check whether that scheme is currently open before you count on it, as it has run in defined phases.

Is it the right route for you?

A conversion MSc suits a specific person: a capable graduate in another subject who wants a recognised way into software, data or a related field without starting an undergraduate degree again. It is intensive, and a year is not long to absorb a discipline, so some quantitative comfort helps even where it is not formally required. If you are weighing it against the undergraduate path, our computer science degree guide and the entry requirements page set out the alternative. For most career changers, the conversion route is the quicker one.