Candidates for admission are normally required to have a good honours
degree in a scientific subject; it would be usual for that subject to
be Mathematics, Engineering or Natural Sciences although applicants
from other disciplines will be considered. Knowledge of mathematics to
at least A-level standard is assumed. Candidates for admission will be
asked to produce a short statement explaining why they are interested
in the course and what they hope to achieve by doing it.
In the last two weeks of July the Computer Laboratory runs a 10-day
programming course. Diploma candidates ordinarily attend a repeat of
this course in October but those candidates who are able to
attend the July course are urged to consider doing so.
For those without previous practical experience in programming,
attendance at this course is almost essential but even those with
considerable experience have found it most helpful to learn a new
programming language and become familiar with a new environment
without the pressures of attending numerous other courses at the same
time. In some cases the July course may be used in a probationary
manner to assess the aptitude of an intending candidate, before
completing the admission arrangements for the Diploma course itself.
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, which formerly
made a number of studentships available for this course, no longer
does so. Cambridge home students currently in their third year of
undergraduate studies who wish to continue to be eligible for support
from public funds (in the form of student loans and means-tested fee
support) and who are interested in the Diploma course may like to
consider Computer Science Part II (General) which is essentially the
written papers of the Diploma but not the dissertation. This course,
like the Diploma, is intended for those who have not taken Part IB of
the Computer Science Tripos. Information about the Part II (General)
syllabus is given elsewhere.
Applications for admission, together with the short personal statement
referred to above, must be received by 31 March. Application forms and
copies of the University of Cambridge Graduate Studies
Prospectus may be obtained from The Secretary of the Board of
Graduate Studies, 4 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RZ (telephone:
01223 332200). The prospectus can be seen at
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/gsprospectus/