Honour School of Computer Science
A
In the following, ‘the Course Handbook’ refers to the Computer Science Undergraduate Course Handbook and any supplements to this published by the Computer Science Undergraduate Supervisory Committee and also posted on the website at http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/currentstudents/.
-
1. The subject of the Honour School of Computer Science shall be the theory and practice of Computer Science.
-
2. No candidate shall be admitted to examination in this School unless they have either passed or been exempted from the First Public Examination.
-
3. The Examination in Computer Science shall be under the supervision of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Board. The Board shall have the power from time to time to frame and vary regulations for the different parts and subjects of the examination.
-
4.
-
(a) The examination in Computer Science shall consist of three parts (A, B, C) for the four-year course, and of two parts (A, B) for the three-year course.
-
(b) Parts A, B, and C shall be taken at times not less than three, six, and nine terms, respectively, after passing or being exempted from the First Public Examination.
-
-
5. The Examiners shall classify the combined results for parts A and B, and publish the degree classification after the candidates have taken the examinations in Part B, and in respect of candidates taking the four-year course shall separately classify and publish results in Part C.
-
6.
-
(a) Part A shall be taken on one occasion only. No candidate shall enter for Part B until they have completed Part A of the examination.
-
(b) In order to proceed to Part C, a candidate must achieve upper second class Honours or higher in Parts A & B together.
-
(c) A candidate who obtains only a pass or fails to satisfy the Examiners in Parts A and B may retake Part B on at most one subsequent occasion; a candidate who fails to satisfy the Examiners in Part C may retake Part C on at most one subsequent occasion. Part B shall be taken on one occasion only by candidates continuing to Part C.
-
-
7. A candidate adjudged worthy of Honours on both Parts A and B together, and on Part C may supplicate for the degree of Master of Computer Science provided that the candidate has fulfilled all the conditions for admission to a degree of the University.
-
8. A candidate in the final year of the four-year course, adjudged worthy of Honours in both Parts A and B together, but who does not enter Part C, or who fails to obtain Honours in Part C, is permitted to supplicate for the Honours degree of Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science with the classification obtained in Parts A and B together; provided that no such candidate may later enter or re-enter the Part C year or supplicate for the degree of Master of Computer Science; and provided in each case that the candidate has fulfilled all the conditions for admission to a degree of the University.
-
9. All candidates will be assessed as to their practical ability under the following provisions:
-
(a) The Head of the Department of Computer Science, or a deputy, shall make available to the examiners evidence showing the extent to which each candidate has pursued an adequate course of practical work. Only that work completed and marked by noon on Friday of the fifth week of the Trinity Term in which the candidate takes the examination shall be included in these records.
-
(b) Candidates shall submit their reports of practical exercises completed during their course of study, as described in their Course Handbook, by the date given in the Course Handbook.
-
(c) The examiners shall take the evidence (a) and the report (b) into account in assessing a candidate's performance.
-
(d) Candidates whose overall performance on practical work is not satisfactory may be deemed to have failed the examination or may have their overall classification reduced.
-
B
The syllabus for each of Parts A, B, and C will be published by the Department of Computer Science on the website of the Department of Computer Science by the beginning of Michaelmas Full Term in the academic year of the examination concerned. The duration of each paper will be specified in the Course Handbook.
The use of calculators is generally not permitted but certain kinds may be allowed for certain papers. Specifications of which papers and which types of calculators are permitted for those exceptional papers will be announced by the examiners in the Hilary Term preceding the examination.
The examiners shall have the power to combine two papers on related option subjects into a single paper for those candidates who offer both the option subjects concerned.
Part A
In Part A of the examination, candidates shall be required to offer four core subjects and four option subjects from Schedules A1 and A2, as specified in the Course Handbook.
Each subject shall be examined by means of a written examination, a mini-project, or both, as set out in the Course Handbook.
Schedules A1 and A2 may contain further sub-schedules which will be specified in the Course Handbook and restrictions may be placed on the maximum number of subjects from each sub-schedule which a candidate may offer; any such restrictions will be specified in the Course Handbook.
Part B
In Part B of the examination, each candidate shall be required to offer six option subjects from Schedules B1, B2 (with no more than two from Schedule B2), to be published on the website of the Department of Computer Science, by the beginning of the Michaelmas Full Term in the academic year preceding that of the examination. No candidate shall offer an option subject in Part B that they have already offered in Part A of the examination.
Schedule B1 may contain further sub-schedules which will be specified in the Course Handbook and restrictions may be placed on the maximum number of subjects from each sub-schedule which a candidate may offer; any such restrictions will be specified in the Course Handbook.
Each optional subject shall be examined by a written paper, a mini-project, or both, as set out in the Course Handbook. In addition, each candidate in Part B of the examination shall also submit a project report.
Each candidate shall either carry out a project on a topic in Computer Science approved by the Teaching Committee of the Department of Computer Science or offer two additional option subjects, eight in total (with no more than two from Schedule B2). Each project will be supervised by a member of the Faculty of Computer Science, the Faculty of Mathematics or the Faculty of Engineering Science, or by some other person of equivalent seniority approved by the Teaching Committee. The report of the project shall be submitted as specified in the Course Handbook by noon on Monday of the fourth week of the Trinity Term in which Part B of the examination is held. The report must not exceed 5,000 words plus forty pages of additional material (e.g. diagrams, program text). In retaking Part B of the examination, a project previously submitted for Part B may be resubmitted. No project may be resubmitted if it has already been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another honour school or degree of the University, or of any other institution, or for any other Part of the examination.
Part C
In Part C of the examination, each candidate shall be required to offer five option subjects from Schedule C1 on the website of the Department of Computer Science, subject to the condition that no candidate shall offer any subject that they have already offered in Part A or Part B of the examination. Each option subject shall be examined as stated in the Course Handbook.
The exact method of submission for each mini-project will be specified in the Course Handbook.
In addition, each candidate in Part C of the examination shall submit a project report.
Each candidate shall carry out a project on a topic in Computer Science approved by the Teaching Committee of the Department of Computer Science. Each project will be supervised by a member of the Faculty of Computer Science, the Faculty of Mathematics or the Faculty of Engineering Science, or by some other person of equivalent seniority approved by the Teaching Committee. The report of the project shall be submitted as specified in the Course Handbook by noon on Monday of the fourth week of the Trinity Term in which Part C of the examination is held. The report must not exceed 10,000 words plus forty pages of additional material (e.g. diagrams, program text). In retaking Part C of the examination, a project previously submitted for Part C may be resubmitted. No project may be resubmitted if it has already been submitted, wholly or substantially, for another honour school or degree of the University, or of any other institution, or for any other Part of the examination.
