Diploma in Computer Science, originally known as the Diploma in Numerical Analysis and Automatic Computing, was a conversion course in
computer science
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
offered by the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. It is equivalent to a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in present-day nomenclature but the title ''diploma'' was retained for historic reasons, "diploma" being the archaic term for a master's degree.
The diploma was the world's first full-year taught course in computer science, starting in 1953. It attracted students of mathematics, science and engineering. At its peak, there were 50 students on the course. UK government (
EPSRC
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences, mainly to univers ...
) funding was withdrawn in 2001 and student numbers dropped dramatically. In 2007, the university took the decision to withdraw the diploma at the end of the 2007-08 academical year, after 55 years of service.
History
The introduction of this one-year graduate course was motivated by a
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
Mathematics Faculty Board Report on the "demand for postgraduate instruction in numerical analysis and automatic computing …
hich
Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
/nowiki> if not met, there is a danger that the application to scientific research of the machines now being built will be hampered". The University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory
The Department of Computer Science and Technology, formerly the Computer Laboratory, is the computer science department of the University of Cambridge. it employed 35 academic staff, 25 support staff, 35 affiliated research staff, and about 15 ...
"was one of the pioneers in the development and use of electronic computing-machines (sic)". It had introduced a Summer School in 1950, but the Report noted that "The Summer School deals nly/nowiki> with 'programming', rather than the general theory of the numerical methods which are programmed." The Diploma "would include theoretical and practical work … nd also/nowiki> instruction about the various types of computing-machine … and the principles of design on which they are based." With only a few students initially, no extra staff would be needed.Informal history of the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory
/ref>
University-supported teaching and research staff in the Laboratory
A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physicia ...
at the time were Maurice Wilkes
Sir Maurice Vincent Wilkes (26 June 1913 – 29 November 2010) was a British computer scientist who designed and helped build the Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC), one of the earliest stored program computers, and who inv ...
(head of the laboratory), J. C. P. Miller, W. Renwick, E. N. Mutch, and S. Gill, joined slightly later by C. B. Haselgrove.
In its final incarnation, the Diploma was a 10-month course, evaluated two-thirds on examination and one-third on a project dissertation. Most of the examined courses were shared by the second year ("Part IB") of the undergraduate Computer Science Tripos course, with some additional lectures specifically for the Diploma students and four of the third year undergraduate ("Part II") lecture courses also included.
There were three grades of result from the Diploma: distinction (roughly equivalent to first class honours), pass (equivalent to second or third class honours), and fail.
Notable alumni
* Ann Copestake
Ann Alicia Copestake is professor of computational linguistics and head of the Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge.
...
* Samson Abramsky
Samson Abramsky (born 12 March 1953) is Professor of Computer Science at University College London. He was previously the Christopher Strachey Professor of Computing at the University of Oxford, from 2000 to 2021.
He has made contributions to t ...
* Ian Bell
Ian Ronald Bell (born 11 April 1982) is an English former cricketer who played international cricket in all formats for the England cricket team and county cricket for Warwickshire County Cricket Club. A right-handed higher/middle order batsm ...
* Steve Bourne
* Simon Peyton Jones
Simon Peyton Jones (born 18 January 1958) is a British computer scientist who researches the implementation and applications of functional programming languages, particularly lazy functional programming.
Education
Peyton Jones graduated fr ...
* Stan Kelly-Bootle
* Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
* Martin Richards Martin Richards may refer to:
* Martin Richards (computer scientist) (born 1940), British computer scientist
* Martin Richards (police officer)
Martin Richards QPM (born 1959) is a British retired police officer, whose last post was as the Ch ...
* Simon Tatham
Simon Tatham (born 3 May 1977) is a British computer programmer. He created and maintains PuTTY, a free software implementation of Secure Shell (SSH) and Telnet for Microsoft Windows and Unix, along with an xterm terminal emulator. He is also ...
* Bill Thompson
* Eben Upton
Eben Christopher Upton (born 5 April 1978) is the Welsh CEO of Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd., which runs the engineering and trading activities of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. He is responsible for the overall software and hardware architectur ...
References
{{reflist
External links
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory
Diploma in Computer Science
1953 in computing
1953 establishments in England
2008 disestablishments in England
Computer science education in the United Kingdom
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
History of computing in the United Kingdom
Diploma in Computer Science