CS50IP: Information for Prospective Students General Until recently, only a selective group of Aberdeen Computing Science students have gone on industrial placements, but the department now encourages this form of learning more widely, because it offers all students valuable experience and facilitates entry ino the job market. If you wonder whether a placement is a good idea for you, or if you have any other questions, please contact the placement organiser, Dr. Kees van Deemter. An industrial placement is normally for 9-12 months, starting either in the summer after the third year, or in the summer after the fourth year. Placements must involve serious computing work - programming, testing, and system administration are fine, but marketing and help desk work are generally not recommended; in most cases it should be possible to identify a substantial part of your work as a distinct project, whose outcomes you will describe in your final report. Financial issues Most placements (except in the voluntary sector) will offer you a competitive salary. If you do a "full year" placement under CS50IP, you will remain a student, but because you will receive less supervision/teaching than normal, you will pay reduced fees (usually 50%). For details about fees and student loans, you should ask the Registry office . Eligibility Placement students must be 3rd or 4th-year students in Computing Science at Aberdeen. Non-graduating (including ERASMUS and SOCRATES) students and students pursuing a designated degree cannot go on placements. Currently, joint honours students also cannot go on placements. Previous records show that successful placement students usually have an average mark of CAS 15 or higher in CS courses. Indeed, CAS 15 or higher is usually required by big companies such as IBM, although students with an average of CAS 12 or higher may also be accepted by some companies. Placement decisions are subject to approval of the placement organiser and the Head of Teaching. Placement students should obtain an offer for a placement from a company or comparable institution (see below). The CS department does not guarantee placements. Placement students must be enrolled for a degree with industrial placement. Students should discuss this with their advisor of studies if they are unsure of their degree or wish to change it. Procedure The placement organiser organises an information session each autumn and will forward email about placement opportunities to level-3 and level-4 students as they arise. Students who are at all interested in placements should make an appointment to talk to the placement organiser individually, ideally within a few weeks of the information session.