Studying Computing at Goldsmiths
Find out what it is like to be a computing student at Goldsmiths, from career enhancing opportunities, teaching expertise and how you can get ahead in the field.
As a computing student at Goldsmiths you will:
- Gain industry-led knowledge and skills, to develop your own creative computing projects
- Be taught by experienced and innovative academics
- Have the opportunity to build your own networks in the field of Computing
Teaching and learning
The Department of Computing offers a place where you can participate in, teach, communicate and exemplify a creative and socially aware form of Computing.
Integrating theory and practice is core to our discipline, and students apply their knowledge throughout, both within taught modules and in the project modules present in each year.
The project modules, in particular, play a strong part in relating the work to the world of employment. They increasingly include industry standard working practices and “soft” skills as suggested by our industry partners and feature guest lectures and industry guests giving feedback on pitches and projects.
All students will benefit from:
Learning by doing - You will be working on projects from day one. Helping you to build a relevant skillset for your future career.
Industry relevance - Our curriculum is developed by practitioners to ensure that the skills you develop are relevant for the current job market and industry. For our new programmes we have industry advisory boards, made up of professionals who make sure that the curriculum will prepare you for the working world.
Space for creativity – this is built into all of our modules, even if you are not studying for a creative degree, you will develop these skills by studying with us.
Computing students in our digital studio
Computing student working on a project
Developing your skills
The computing department encourages students to build on their own skills and knowledge by undertaking practical and hands-on computing projects. You will develop a set of transferable skills to enable you to explore creative careers across a variety of industries.
Our teaching experts
Our staff come from a wide range of backgrounds, exposing students to real-world technology and the arts experience.
We remain one of the UK’s leading institutions for creative code, attracting the finest academics in the field whilst producing world-renowned research in interaction, creativity and machine learning.
We care about our students’ wellbeing and have dedicated support available within the department via Personal and Senior Tutors with Goldsmiths via Wellbeing Services.
Goldsmiths' Department of Computing is a unique place that lets students develop their creative potential while learning solid technical computing expertise.
Our focus on learning by doing allows students to develop their skills and their portfolio right from the beginning of their studies with us.
Jennifer George is the head of the department. She is passionate about inclusion and accessibility and has a keen interest in pedagogy and technology-enhanced learning. Jennifer’s research areas include human-computer interaction, theology and the digital world.
Read more about the expert staff in computing.
The leadership of this programme was amazing – probably the best supervision and mentorship throughout my higher education period. It is indeed a valuable programme, with so much mentorship alongside many project opportunities.
Gabriel, MSc Data Science
Opportunities for computing students
Computing students benefit from dedicated support in the department to ensure you get the help you need to access employers and to identify opportunities to improve prospects. Include weekly term time email to students including events, external opportunities and job and placement opportunities.
We continuously work to grow partnerships and collaborations with employers and other external organisations, providing students with a growing number of opportunities to learn more about the application of their learning in a non-academic setting and to develop their transferable or soft-skills and behaviours.
Hacksmiths is a student run society focused on tech at Goldsmiths. Each year they run an extremely diverse and fun range of events including:
- Global Game Jam
- Anvil Hack (Creative Tech and Performance)
- Sex Tech Hack
- LoveLace events for female and non-binary students
- Advanced Javascript Fireside Chats - develop your skills
- Alumni Evening – where final year students meet and network with our Alumni
Visit @goldcomputing on Twitter to keep up to date with activities in the department.
Careers and support
We organise events throughout the year, including extra-curricular sessions to focus on particular topics:
- Careers in Tech – planning your future - These are timetabled sessions delivered by Career and Synapse staff at Goldsmiths within project modules, helping students think about potential future careers. Many industry partners join modules to deliver guest lectures throughout the year including regular employer talks and showcase events for the MSc in VR/AR
- Current integration of employability skills predominantly in project-based modules (each year in UG programmes and in all PG programmes). This includes showcases to industry and the local area, soft skills sessions to prepare for pitching their work and prototyping. Employers often attend our exhibitions and degree shows
- Career Week - A focused week of events every June supporting students to learn from alumni panels and a range of industry talks about sectors and careers relevant to their discipline. Employers taking part in talks/panels have included Digital Catapult; Splash; BBC; Nexus; Meta; Asos; Sony; recruiters Hackajob and Gradcracker and Creative Tech studios
- CV and Portfolio clinics/reviews - 1:1 sessions for students from employers and recruiters
After graduation, I worked on a 4-month project as a research and development associate focusing on games and playable experiences event research, and planning. I am excited about the journey the course has started me on and the passion that the lecturers have is truly contagious and I really look forward to applying what I have learned.
Shani, MA Games and Playful Design
Facilities and resources
Computing students will benefit from a range of specialist rooms and equipment to support their studies, and using industry standard facilities including computer suites, a games lab, virtual reality lab and more.
Students JT and Beth take you around the computing department
Explore what a potential day in the life of a computing student could be with our virtual tour.
