About the Programme

This programme aims at training researchers, engineers, and developers who are highly skilled in theoretical and applied computer science. It incorporates the best practices of the leading computer science faculties at such institutions as EPFL, Stanford University, and Yandex School of Data Analysis, which offers one of the best computer science programmes in Russia.

Curriculum

More than half of the curriculum is made up of elective courses, which makes it possible to create an individual training programme that focuses on the interests and needs of a student.

• Students can choose a minor (additional track) from an array of fields of study;
• Starting the first module students can opt to attend advanced- or basic-level courses in mathematics and programming from their curriculum according to their level of knowledge and motivation; 
• Beginning in the second year, students can take elective courses according to their interests and can obtain in-depth knowledge in specific subjects. 

Curriculum structure

1. Humanitarian Disciplines

This part represents compulsory humanitarian courses such as Introduction to Law and Economics.

2. Major

Courses that teach core skills in mathematics and programming -- the few offering a choice from several options. Beginning in the third year, students can choose from a range of electives according to their academic and professional interests.

3. Minor

Minor allows students to gain knowledge in other areas than their major. Minor consists of four interrelated disciplines taught during the second and third years of study.

4. Internships, Projects, and Research Activity  

Students gain experience through the preparation of term papers, research thesis, internship, projects, and research seminars. Emphasis is placed on project activities. In the second year, students create a project under the guidance of a mentor who is a faculty member or an industry expert.

5. State Final Certification

During the last term, all students are required to write and then defense their thesis. Depending on academic or professional striving of a student, he/she may choose to work on a research or a programming project.

6. English

HSE’s English course is not included in the core part of undergraduate programmes. It is offered as an optional course in the first and second years of study on top of the 240-credit threshold, which must be accumulated by every Bachelor’s student for all years of their study. During final year of study, a student may add the optional course English Academic Writing to his/her Individual curriculum. Students who choose this course will be better prepared for writing a project proposal for their thesis.

Advantages of the Programme

• Highly qualified teaching staff, including both HSE University’s full-time professors and experts from industry; 

• Acquisition of important key qualifications: by combining scientific teaching with professional practical experience, a student can acquire a high degree of professional and social competence;

• Beginning in the second year, the training is in two languages (Russian and English). There are also various opportunities to participate in student mobility where a student spends an entire semester at an abroad partner university.

Core competences

• Solid foundation in concepts and methodology of mathematics, the capability to apply it in IT;

• Development of high-tech software products;

• Experience in solving research problems in computer science.

Career Opportunities

Our graduates found placements at:

• Leading Russian and International IT-companies (Yandex,  Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Abbyy, SAP, SAS, etc.);
• IT and big data analysis departments in corporations (Sberbank, MTS, WorldQuant);
• business consulting (PWC, McKinsey&Co, Accenture, BCG);
• research centres and universities (Samsung AI Center; Skoltech);
• IT startups (Prisma Labs, Zerion, BostonGene).

Our Alumni Enter

• Faculty of Computer Science’s master programmes;
• Master's and PhD programmes in leading universities abroad (such as Columbia University, Cornell University, University of Amsterdam, Boston College, UCLA).