- By Shiona McCallum
- technology reporter
image source, Getty Images
A record number of school graduates are opting for computing courses, according to the University Admissions Service (UCAS).
UCAS CEO Claire Merchant said this year’s filing data showed that 18-year-olds were more motivated to study computing “thanks to the rise of digital and AI.” .
Applications to study computing have increased by almost 10% compared to 2022.
But it was only the seventh most popular area of higher education research.
Nearly 95,000 students applied for computer- and AI-related courses, while almost twice as many applied for business and management studies. More than 125,000 people applied for courses in design, creative and performing arts.
Subjects related to medicine, social sciences, biology and sports sciences, engineering and technology were all more popular than computing.
But according to UCAS, the number of applications for computer-related courses has increased every year since 2019.
Software Engineering saw the fastest application growth this year, with a 16% increase compared to last year. Computer science attracted 11% more applicants. There was a 2% increase in students applying to study computer games and animation, and a 4% increase in students applying to study artificial intelligence (AI).
The growing interest in computing courses may be due in part to the growing public conversation around technology and artificial intelligence, Merchant said.
“We know that changes in the world around us will lead to increased demand for certain courses, as we have seen in economics since 2008 and in medicine and nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic.” she said.
Chris Derrick, Deputy Principal of Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow, said that all students currently applying for computing courses are “digital natives” and that “from an early age they use powerful technology every day to hone their skills and We have evolved,” he said.
“Programming knowledge is also easily available through YouTube and ChatGPT,” he said.
“Students can explore their passions and learn at their own pace. If they can’t find the answers, Google and YouTube have them,” he said.
Much of the recent public debate has been about which jobs AI will replace, but job opportunities related to AI, data science, software design, and computing technology are also on the rise.
The number of applications among the most disadvantaged 18-year-olds in the UK has also increased, according to UCAS.
However, computing remains a male-dominated subject, with only 18% of applications for computer-related studies coming from female students, up slightly from 17% in 2022 and 16% in 2021.
The total number of 18-year-old applicants in the UK topped 319,500, the second highest on record but down slightly from last year.
Rashik Palmer, CEO of the British Computer Society (BCS), said: “British teens know AI will change the world forever. It is not surprising that there has been a sharp increase in
Vanessa Wilson of the University Alliance, an association of British universities, agreed that the increased public interest in AI in recent months may have contributed to the increased interest among applicants.
“Computing’s growing popularity is likely a response to growing awareness of the role of technologies such as AI and a strong desire among students to develop skills that they believe will be relevant in the future,” she said. To tell.
