Computer Science and Information Systems

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two, and if it seems likely that your thesis will contain significant original work. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck.

Students who successfully complete this MPhil or PhD degree will have gained expert knowledge in their chosen research area and the ability to perform research-led activities in a broader context. In addition, students who successfully complete the PhD degree will have gained the ability to identify and solve complex problems arising in their chosen research area, and will have made a substantial original contribution to this area.

Our research focuses on data science, theoretical computer science, algorithms, internet of things, data mining and machine learning, knowledge representation and reasoning, logic and artificial intelligence, semantic web technologies, search engines, mobile and ubiquitous computing, computer vision, bio-inspired computing and social networks.

• Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Computer Science and Informatics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. Overall, Birkbeck's research excellence was confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
• The Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at Birkbeck is one of the longest-established computing departments in the UK. We celebrate our 65th anniversary in 2022.
• Our research dates back to the late 1940s when one of the first electronic computers was developed in the then Computing Laboratory at Birkbeck by Dr Andrew Booth. The department was formally established in 1957 as the Department of Numerical Automation, one of the first computer science departments in the world.
• The department provides a stimulating teaching and research environment for both part-time and full-time students.

To be considered for entry onto a Master’s degree at Birkbeck, a student from Jordan must have completed a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university. Please note that all applications are considered on an individual basis and students may be admitted to Master's programmes with a lower-level degree if they have work experience relevant to the degree applied for.

If you do not meet these criteria, you can apply for OnCampus' Master's Foundation programme, which is available for 2- or 3-term progression onto a wide range of Master’s degrees at Birkbeck.

Jordanian degree classification:

• Letter: A; CGPA: 3.25-4.00 (alternative name: Excellent; English translation or equivalent: 1st)
• Letter: B+/B; CGPA: 2.50-3.24 (alternative name: Very good; English translation or equivalent: 2:1)
• Letter: B/C+; CGPA: 2.10-2.49 (alternative name: Good; English translation or equivalent: 2:2)
• CGPA: 2.00-2.09 (English translation or equivalent: Third class).

• You will be asked to provide your personal details, home address and to confirm your residency status. As part of confirming your identity, you must provide an accepted form of photographic identification - usually a valid passport. If you are not a UK, EU/EEA national you must also provide visa documentation to confirm you have valid leave to remain in the UK.
• We ask you to upload a scan of your photographic identification. If you would prefer, you can instead bring hard copies to the Student Advice Centre. 
• Please note: Section 14 of the Terms and Conditions of Study at Birkbeck, University of London requires your registered name(s) (as listed on your identity documentation), to be used on your student record. This includes middle names, and will be the name that appears on your final award certificate. If your name has changed since you were awarded previous qualifications needed for entry, you will be asked to provide evidence of their name change. e.g. a marriage certificate, deed poll documentation or statutory declaration.

• You will be asked about your current studies, if any, and your previous qualifications. You will also be asked to upload certificates or transcripts of your previous qualifications, where relevant.
• If English is not your first language, you will be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency. If you have not yet taken an English test, please continue with your application and you will be asked to upload the English test results prior to being invited to enrol.

• Please have your employment history to hand, with a brief overview of your responsibilities in each job or role. You may take these from your CV. Birkbeck values all your skills and experiences, not only your academic qualifications, so this information is important for your application. We also ask you to list relevant professional qualifications or training courses.

• You will be asked to write a personal statement that describes your academic abilities and your commitment to succeeding on the course you are applying for. You should aim to write an engaging, concise and well-structured statement:
  • The purpose of the personal statement is to demonstrate that you have the intellectual ability and the commitment to be a successful student on the course that you're applying for. You should give examples of where you can demonstrate success, whether that's academic or in the workplace. Keep the examples factual, and try to relate them to the course and the skills required to be a successful student.
  • Some students are afraid of coming across as boasting when they talk about their achievements. Others have concerns that their achievements are not impressive enough. Don’t let either worry to put you off applying. Show your achievements in the best possible light. We want to see your potential in your application, we don’t expect you to be a complete student at this stage. 
  • If you have an active interest in the subject you are applying for then mention them here. For example, perhaps you have attended free lectures and events; you regularly make visits to places or read certain publications. Maybe you have had a long-standing interest in the subject and you want to take it to the next level. This is your opportunity to show how you have been engaging in the subject you wish to study. 
  • If you are applying for a 4-year part-time undergraduate degree, your application will be direct to Birkbeck. As our classes take place in the evening, Birkbeck is different to other universities. Our Admission Tutors will be looking for indications that you have considered how you will be able to study successfully. You could, therefore, state why you are choosing to study in the evening. For example, you may be working or have other commitments during the day and the evening model allows you to continue with your work. 
  • If you wish to study a postgraduate course in a different subject area to that you studied as an undergraduate, first look at the entry requirements for the course that you're interested in, as some courses have more specific requirements than others. Our admission tutors will be looking at your whole application, and your professional experience will be considered alongside your previous studies. Use your personal statement to highlight how your professional experience or your personal interests may relate to the new subject area that you wish to study.