It is a mature programme which has been running successfully since 1987. It is accredited by the British Computer Society. The Programme consists of University modules, selected from a broad range of Computer Science topics, integrated with complementary modules from IBM's in-house training scheme amounting to about one third of the study credits. In support of these integrated modules, an extensive programme of work experience and professional development, which runs in parallel with academic study. This achieves the main objective of producing graduates of high academic ability with the relevant, practical skills required for a modern Information Technology environment.
Students normally attend the university on two days each week.
All work experience is carried out within IBM departments. With its commitment to achieving total integration of academic and business environments, the Programme enables the students to take advantage of the concurrent experiences afforded by a rigorous academic Programme of study and by the business, commercial and computing practice of a large international company. Students are selected by interview according to their academic achievements and personal characteristics, and are taken onto the Programme both as sponsored employees of IBM and as full members of the University community. Upon joining the scheme, each student is offered a sponsorship position with IBM, in the form of a fixed-term contract normally of three years' duration Beginning in the September preceding the first semester of the University Programme. There is no commitment to employment with the company after the period of sponsorship on either IBM's part or on the part of the student.