Bachelor of Computer Science
Overview
Shape the digital future by gaining the knowledge and practical skills to design, develop and analyse computer-based systems.
The pace of change in digital technologies is extraordinary. Artificial intelligence, unprecedented computer power, the Internet of Things, big data and automation will continue to transform the way we work and the jobs we do in the future.
The Bachelor of Computer Science is a 3-year program designed to provide a deeper understanding of all aspects of computer technology.
As part of the program, you'll combine theory with hands-on experience to learn how to create and analyse computer-based systems. You'll develop the strong analytical, logical and development skills necessary to advance computing and its applications.
With more 50 years' experience in teaching computer science, you'll be joining a university where you’ll gain the solid technological foundations and skills to play a critical role in creating, developing, implementing and evaluating new systems and technology for use in our society.
As part of the program, you can specialise in cyber security, data science, machine learning, programming languages or scientific computing. You'll graduate ready to launch into an exciting career with skills that are in high demand from some of the world’s biggest technology corporations.
Join a growing industry
- All of Australia's top 5 emerging jobs feature automation or Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report Australia).
- Demand for technology workers will grow by 100,000 between 2018 and 2024 (ACS Australia's Digital Pulse 2019).
- Australia’s technology workforce has seen average growth trend of 2.5% per annum between 2011 and 2018 (Australia's Digital Pulse 2019).
- 82.5% of graduates are in full-time employment (Computer and Information Systems Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching, 2019).
Program highlights
- Graduate with skills that are in high demand by some of the world's largest corporations, such as Apple, Google, Oracle, Telstra and Microsoft.
- Join a uni with over 50 years of experience teaching computer science, consistently ranked in the top 100 worldwide.
- Benefit from a program developed in close consultation with industry leaders.
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
- Cyber Security
- Data Science
- Machine Learning
- Programming Languages
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Seminars
- Workshops
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Introduction to Software Engineering
- Introduction to Information Systems
- Discrete Mathematics
- Introduction to Computer Systems
Dual programs
Double your skills and your opportunities with a dual degree. You can study the Bachelor of Computer Science as a part of these dual programs:
- Bachelors of Computer Science / Business Management
- Bachelors of Mathematics / Computer Science
- Bachelors of Computer Science / Economics
- Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security
- Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Data Science
- Bachelors of Computer Science / Arts
- Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) / Computer Science
- Bachelors of Computer Science / Laws (Honours)
- Bachelors of Computer Science / Science
Career possibilities
Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Cyber security analyst
- Data scientist
- Machine learning engineer
- Software engineer
- Technical business analyst
- Data engineer
- Statistical analyst
- Security architect
Graduate salary
Computing and information systems (undergraduate)
compared.edu.au
Professional memberships
When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.
- Australian Computer Society
Program accreditation
The Bachelor of Computer Science is accredited by:
- Australian Computer Society
Events
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7 April
International Baccalaureate Research Skills Program
30 June
Queensland Biology Winter School, Year 11
Stories
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Stories
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Entry requirements
Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Entry score threshold
| ATAR / Rank | IB |
|---|---|
| 84 | 30.5 |
These are the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Semester 1, 2024. Entry scores are based on the most recent Semester 1 intake and are updated in April each year. Meeting the entry score threshold doesn't guarantee admission.
Guarantee your place at UQ: If you meet our guaranteed minimum ATAR you could secure an offer for your preferred program.
English language requirements
IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.
PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.
BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.
CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.
OET is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelor of Computer Science are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Entry score range
This table shows the range of entry scores for recent secondary students offered a place in the B Computer Science for Semester 1, 2024
| Without adjustments | With adjustments | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest | 99.75 | 99.95 |
| Median | 91.85 | 93.95 |
| Lowest | 79.85 | 84 |
Who you'll study with
Here's a snapshot of our student intake for this program in Semester 1, 2024:
| Applicant background | Number of students | Percentage of all students |
|---|---|---|
(A) Higher education study | 32 | 14.2% |
(B) Vocational Education and Training (VET) study | <5 | <5 |
(C) Work and life experience | <5 | <5 |
| (D) Recent secondary education | ||
| 80 | 35.6% |
| 0 | 0% |
| 0 | 0% |
International students | 108 | 48% |
Total | 225 | 100% |
"<5" — The number of students is less than 5.
N/A — Students not accepted in this category.
N/P — Not published. The number is hidden to protect the privacy of students in other cells.
Need help meeting the entry requirements?
Majors
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
By studying cyber security, you'll learn the fundamental processes and practices to protect computing systems from attack, damage or unauthorised access.
You'll study secure programming techniques and ethical hacking to safeguard individuals, businesses and governments against cybercrime, and you'll graduate with highly valued and employable skills.
Career paths can lead to roles such as cyber security analyst, cyber systems engineer or information security officer.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Cyber security specialist was the #2 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- By 2026, Australia will need 18,000 more cyber security workers
- Australia’s external spending on cyber security products and services grew by 8 per cent in 2018 to $3.9 billion (Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).
You'll learn comprehensive and fundamental techniques for end-to-end processing that transforms data into information, and prepare to become one of the new breed of data science professionals.
This major will prepare you for a career in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
You'll join a growing industry:
- The rise of big data means data scientists are now some of the most in-demand professionals in the world.
- Data scientist was the #7 top emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
These algorithms allow computers to do things like automatically identify and harness useful data to help decision making, find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look, and predict outcomes to help authorities design effective policies.
You'll graduate with skills at the forefront of this massive growth area, as society looks for automated solutions to enhance business and our lives through the use of computing systems and data.
These skills can be applied in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Artificial intelligence specialist was the #1 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
- AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030 (PwC research).
- New AI technologies will require highly-skilled workers who can develop and maintain complex systems and applications.
Covering the different paradigms of programming, this major focuses on the design of computer languages that can be easily used to create programs.
You will study the craft and science of programming, and graduate with the skills to enable the construction of effective programming languages and reliable software.
Career paths often lead to roles in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Programming opens doors beyond tech:
- Programmers write software that can be used to create websites, build computer networks, help doctors treat patients, or even drive a car
- Half of all programming roles are in finance, manufacturing, health care, and other sectors outside of the technology industry
- Coding skills can take you places: data analytics, scientists, engineers and designers all use coding.
But computers are also digital systems, which require discrete inputs and outputs, while mathematical analysis often relies on continuous functions. Therefore, careful approximations are needed to allow computers to analyse complex mathematical functions.
You will study algorithms for mathematical analysis and graduate with skills used in various scientific endeavours, including in hospitals and university medical research, and big pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies across the public and private sectors.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Help solve the complex scientific problems of the future using mathematical analysis.
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy.
- Data engineer was the #8 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
By studying cyber security, you'll learn the fundamental processes and practices to protect computing systems from attack, damage or unauthorised access.
You'll study secure programming techniques and ethical hacking to safeguard individuals, businesses and governments against cybercrime, and you'll graduate with highly valued and employable skills.
Career paths can lead to roles such as cyber security analyst, cyber systems engineer or information security officer.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Cyber security specialist was the #2 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- By 2026, Australia will need 18,000 more cyber security workers
- Australia’s external spending on cyber security products and services grew by 8 per cent in 2018 to $3.9 billion (Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).
You'll learn comprehensive and fundamental techniques for end-to-end processing that transforms data into information, and prepare to become one of the new breed of data science professionals.
This major will prepare you for a career in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
You'll join a growing industry:
- The rise of big data means data scientists are now some of the most in-demand professionals in the world.
- Data scientist was the #7 top emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
These algorithms allow computers to do things like automatically identify and harness useful data to help decision making, find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look, and predict outcomes to help authorities design effective policies.
You'll graduate with skills at the forefront of this massive growth area, as society looks for automated solutions to enhance business and our lives through the use of computing systems and data.
These skills can be applied in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Artificial intelligence specialist was the #1 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
- AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030 (PwC research).
- New AI technologies will require highly-skilled workers who can develop and maintain complex systems and applications.
Covering the different paradigms of programming, this major focuses on the design of computer languages that can be easily used to create programs.
You will study the craft and science of programming, and graduate with the skills to enable the construction of effective programming languages and reliable software.
Career paths often lead to roles in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Programming opens doors beyond tech:
- Programmers write software that can be used to create websites, build computer networks, help doctors treat patients, or even drive a car
- Half of all programming roles are in finance, manufacturing, health care, and other sectors outside of the technology industry
- Coding skills can take you places: data analytics, scientists, engineers and designers all use coding.
But computers are also digital systems, which require discrete inputs and outputs, while mathematical analysis often relies on continuous functions. Therefore, careful approximations are needed to allow computers to analyse complex mathematical functions.
You will study algorithms for mathematical analysis and graduate with skills used in various scientific endeavours, including in hospitals and university medical research, and big pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies across the public and private sectors.
You'll join a growing industry:
- Help solve the complex scientific problems of the future using mathematical analysis.
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy.
- Data engineer was the #8 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$8,312
2025
$8,312
2025
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $53,760
2025
AUD $53,760
2025
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Bachelor of Computer Science are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
If your senior schooling is from outside Australia, you can submit your application to UQ. Or, if you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Bachelor of Computer Science is 2451.
Find out more about applying for undergraduate study
If your senior schooling is from Australia
Submit your application to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre if you're an international student who is currently studying:
- Australian Year 12 (in Australia or another country), or
- the International Baccalaureate in Australia.
The QTAC code for the Bachelor of Computer Science is 733401.
Applying through QTAC
All domestic applications should be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
The QTAC code for the Bachelor of Computer Science is 733401.
Important dates
If you’re studying Year 12 in Australia, go to the QTAC website to check the closing date for this program.
If you’re applying to UQ, the closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
- To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
To check the closing date for this program, go to the QTAC website.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Admissions schemes
Applying to university can be both exciting and daunting, which is why we’ve tried to make the process as simple as we can.
We have several schemes in place to improve your chances of getting a place at UQ.
Pathway options
A rank or score doesn’t determine your potential.
If you're not offered a place in your first-choice program – or if you don't meet the entry requirements – you still have a number of options.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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