The past three years at the University of Hull have flown incredibly fast; A good sign, that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time there studying for my BSc in Computer Science with Games Development. In fact, it was probably one of the best decisions I ever made, despite how hard it was to take up the challenge as a 27 year old with commitments and nearly 10 years since prior academic study.
My plan will now be to continue on at Hull University to study a post-graduate MSc degree in Computer Science. Relocation and seeking employment will be on the cards aferwards, but I can rest assured having ‘put my all’ into the past several years, I am proud of the results I have acheived and I certainly never expected to do as well as I did, acheiving a First Class honours degree. Below is a summary of my results from the past three years:
Year 1
| Module | Mark | Credit |
| Computer Systems | 73 | 20 |
| IT and Professional Skills | 80 | 20 |
| Programming 1 | 92 | 20 |
| Programming 2 | 96 | 20 |
| Quantitative Methods for Computing | 87 | 20 |
| Software Engineering and HCI | 77 | 20 |
Year 1 average
Year 2
| Module | Mark | Credit |
| 2D Graphics and User Interface Design | 89 | 20 |
| Advanced Programming | 83 | 20 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 78 | 20 |
| Networking and Games Architecture | 88 | 20 |
| Simulation and 3D Graphics | 94 | 20 |
| Systems Analysis, Design and Process | 83 | 20 |
Year 2 average
Year 3
| Module | Mark | Credit |
| Commercial Games Development | 81 | 20 |
| Games Programming & Advanced Graphics | 94 | 20 |
| Mobile Devices and Applications | 83 | 20 |
| Visualization | 86 | 20 |
| Development Project | 88 | 40 |
Year 3 average
A ‘Mature’ Reflection:
To any people out there reading this who may fall into the mature student catagory of being a little older and thinking of studying a degree, I would say this; If you are passionate about the subject that you want to study, have proven your interest in it through personal projects, and can cope with the lower standard of living while you study, then go for it and don’t look back. It’s not just about career development, but also a time of personal acheivement and self discovery, where you can find much about your own abilities that perhaps you never knew you had. I think many people can muddle on in life not knowing if they would be any good at ‘this’ or ‘that’. A formal degree can help answer this, giving you confidence in that discipline, which can be it’s own reward. When you realise that generally speaking, unless your lucky enough to be the next Einstein, people achieve great things not through raw intellect or genius, but ‘hard work’ and effort. In this regards, mature students probably have a motivational advantage, since they have more to lose, less time to dawdle and life experience to help them focus.