Computer Science

All lectures and practicals are organised centrally by the Computer Science Dept. At St Anne’s, Prof. Peter Jeavons and Prof. Alex Rogers provide tutorials to all students, with support from the Mathematics tutors at St Anne’s and Computer Science tutors in other colleges.

In the first year, all students have two or three tutorials each week, in addition to lectures and practicals, covering topics such as functional programming, imperative programming, design and analysis of algorithms, logic and proof, digital systems, continuous and discrete mathematics and linear algebra. These tutorials are in small groups of 2 or 3, with other computer science students at St Anne’s.

In the second year, tutorials are organized in the core topics, and optional courses are generally taught in centrally organized classes with up to 12 students. 

All the course texts are available to students in the College Library, with enough copies for each student. Good access to the University computer network is also provided in all College rooms.

There are 21 colleges in Oxford that regularly admit students in Computer Science, but only around 16 of them have full-time Tutorial Fellows in Computer Science. St Anne’s is one of the very few that have two full-time Professors of Computer Science as tutors, and we admit students for all three degree programmes: Computer Science, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Computer Science and Philosophy.

St Anne’s is one of the closest colleges to the Computer Science Department in Parks Road, making it easy to get to lectures and practicals. We are also very close to the Mathematics Institute.

Students reading Computer Science at St Anne’s are part of the larger community of students and staff in the various mathematical sciences (see Mathematics). St Anne’s has one of the largest groups in the various mathematical sciences in any of the colleges. This group has regular social events ranging from informal student presentations to formal dinners with invited speakers. 

Some of our Computer Science students have got involved in developing the computer network within the College, developing new software and helping students from other subjects. Others have got very involved in College sports and drama, or running their own websites. In the past few years St Anne’s Computer Science graduates have taken advantage of a College scheme which allows them to spend a year in Japan after graduating, to experience a different culture with a strong commitment to technological development. Some have also taken part in college entrepreneurship development schemes, and founded their own companies.

Many of our graduates go on to successful careers in the computing industry, or to higher degrees in this rapidly changing field. Others have used their computing and analytical skills in other careers such as accountancy, teaching and marketing.