The Department of Computer Science is the
computer science
Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...
department of the
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
, England, which is part of the university's
Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division. It was founded in 1957 as the Computing Laboratory. By 2014 the staff count was 52 members of academic staff and over 80 research staff. The 2019, 2020 and 2021 Times World University Subject Rankings places Oxford University 1st in the world for Computer Science. Oxford University is also the top university for computer science in the UK and Europe according to
Business Insider
''Business Insider'' (stylized in all caps: BUSINESS INSIDER; known from 2021 to 2023 as INSIDER) is a New York City–based multinational financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Inside ...
. The 2020 QS University Subject Rankings places The University of Oxford 5th in the world (with the
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
placing 6th) for Computer Science.
Teaching
From its foundation the department taught undergraduates reading for mathematics and engineering degrees, but in 1985 the department's first undergraduate course was established, in 'Mathematics and Computation', followed in 1994 by the 'Computation' course.
Initially these two courses had a common first year. 'Computer Science' replaced 'Computation' in the title of both courses for students starting their studies in 2000. Between 1987 and 2006 students started studies on a four-year (undergraduate) MEng in Engineering and Computing Science (now discontinued).
In October 2012 the first students of the 'Computer Science and Philosophy' started. Today students on all three undergraduate courses - 'Computer Science', 'Maths & Computer Science' and 'Computer Science & Philosophy' - have the choice between a 3-year BA or a 4-year 'undergraduate masters'. Sixty students began one of the three undergraduate courses in October 2013.
There are two full-time taught postgraduate courses: the MSc in Computer Science (approx 50 students total) and the MSc in Mathematics and the Foundations of Computer Science (MFoCS) (approx 15 students total).
The department also offers the part-time
Software Engineering Programme
Software Engineering Programme is a centre for advanced education and applied research at the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford , Department of Computer Science of the University of Oxford. It teaches the principles of modern so ...
, a modular course for industry professionals, leading to either the MSc in Software Engineering (approx 240 students at present) or the M.Sc. in Software and Systems Security (approx 45 students at present).
Research
The department is home to around 145 academic and research staff.
The department's doctoral programme has over 140 research students (studying for a D.Phil. – the Oxford term for a
PhD
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
) working across a wide range of subjects in computer science and software engineering.
After fifty years within the department, the Numerical Analysis group moved in 2009 to be part of
the university's Mathematical Institute.
[
The department's research is classified into ten broad themes:]
* Algorithms and Complexity Theory
* Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
* Automated Verification
* Computational Biology and Health Informatics
* Data, Knowledge and Action
* Human Centred Computing
* Programming Languages
* Quantum
* Security
* Systems
Notable faculty
the department employed 36 Professors, including:
* Nigel Shadbolt
Sir Nigel Richard Shadbolt (born 9 April 1956) is Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and Professorial Research Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford. He is chairman of the Open Data Institute which he co-founde ...
, Professor of Computing
* Samson Abramsky, Christopher Strachey Professor of Computing (, Emeritus)
* Tim Berners-Lee
Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee (born 8 June 1955), also known as TimBL, is an English computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web, the HTML markup language, the URL system, and HTTP. He is a professorial research fellow a ...
, Professor of Computer Science
* Richard Bird, Emeritus Professor
* Luca Cardelli
Luca Andrea Cardelli is an Italian computer scientist who is a research professor at the University of Oxford, UK. Cardelli is well known for his research in type theory and operational semantics. Among other contributions, in programming lang ...
, Royal Society
The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
Research Professor
* Bob Coecke, Professor of Quantum Foundations, Logics and Structures
* Nando de Freitas
Nando de Freitas is a researcher in the field of machine learning, and in particular in the subfields of neural networks, Bayesian inference and Bayesian optimization, and deep learning.
Biography
De Freitas was born in Zimbabwe. He did his und ...
, Professor of Computer Science
* David Gavaghan, Professor of Computational Biology
* Jeremy Gibbons, Professor of Computing
* Leslie Ann Goldberg, Professor of Computer Science
* Georg Gottlob, Professor of Informatics
* Tony Hoare
Sir Charles Antony Richard Hoare (; born 11 January 1934), also known as C. A. R. Hoare, is a British computer scientist who has made foundational contributions to programming languages, algorithms, operating systems, formal verification, and ...
, Emeritus Professor
* Ian Horrocks, Professor of Computer Science
* Daniel Kroening, Professor of Computer Science
* Marta Kwiatkowska, Professor of Computing Systems
* Gavin Lowe, Professor of Computer Science
* Bill Roscoe
Andrew William Roscoe is a Scottish computer scientist. He was Head of the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford from 2003 to 2014, and was a Professor of Computer Science. He was also Fellow of University College, Oxford until 2 ...
, Professor of Computing Science
* Michael Wooldridge, Professor of Computer Science
* Marina Jirotka, Professor of Human Centred Computing
History
Starting in 1952, mathematician Charles Coulson
Charles Alfred Coulson (13 December 1910 – 7 January 1974) was a British applied mathematician and theoretical chemist.
Coulson's major scientific work was as a pioneer of the application of the quantum theory of valency to problems of ...
sought funding for Oxford to own its own computer. At this time university members had to hire computer time from elsewhere. In 1956 the University Grants Committee decided to fund the purchase of a Ferranti Mercury and the Oxford University Computing Laboratory was born (shortened as OUCL or Comlab). As well as facilitating research elsewhere in the university, the new department had its own academic function, performing research in numerical analysis, and lecturing for mathematics and engineering students. The first director, Leslie Fox, was appointed in 1957 and the following year the department moved into its first home, 9 South Parks Road. In 1963 the department moved to 19 Parks Road
Parks Road is a road in Oxford, England, with several Oxford University colleges along its route. It runs north–south from the Banbury Road and Norham Gardens at the northern end, where it continues into Bradmore Road, to the junction with Bro ...
. The Computing Services (From 2012 part of ''IT Services'') was administratively split from the academic department in 1969, although complete independence was only gained in 1978.
Complementing the Numerical Analysis Group (NAG), the Programming Research Group (PRG) was set up in 1966 at 45 Banbury Road under the leadership of Christopher Strachey
Christopher S. Strachey (; 16 November 1916 – 18 May 1975) was a British computer scientist. He was one of the founders of denotational semantics, and a pioneer in programming language design and computer time-sharing.F. J. Corbató, et al., T ...
with the aim "to bring some coherence into the present ad hoc nature of programming and software". After Strachey's untimely death in 1975, Tony Hoare
Sir Charles Antony Richard Hoare (; born 11 January 1934), also known as C. A. R. Hoare, is a British computer scientist who has made foundational contributions to programming languages, algorithms, operating systems, formal verification, and ...
took over leadership of the PRG in 1977 until his retirement in 1999 and introduced a computer science undergraduate degree programme at Oxford. The NAG and PRG groups operated mostly separately until 1984, when both of the laboratory's research groups moved into 8–11 Keble Road, opposite Keble College. However the laboratory soon outgrew this space, and occupied space in 2 South Parks Road, until in 1993 the Wolfson Building opened behind the Victorian 8–11 Keble Road houses.[ The neighbouring houses at 5–7 Keble Road and a new "e-Science building" behind these provided additional space upon opening in 2007. However this space is not sufficient, and the department has additional space within the Thom Building and the Robert Hooke building. As of 2014, the department is hoping to obtain funding for a new building large enough to bring together all its activities.]
From 2003 to 2014, the department was led by Bill Roscoe
Andrew William Roscoe is a Scottish computer scientist. He was Head of the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford from 2003 to 2014, and was a Professor of Computer Science. He was also Fellow of University College, Oxford until 2 ...
, who oversaw the 2011 renaming from the ''Oxford University Computing Laboratory'' to the ''Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford''.[ The current head is Leslie Ann Goldberg.][
]
See also
* Past and present members of the Department
* Oxford University Computing Services
* Programming Research Group
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1957 establishments in England
Universities and colleges established in 1957
Computer Science
Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...
Oxford University, Department of Computer Science
Oxford University
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...