Hardware requirements & University software
Free software
The University has arranged access to Microsoft Office software free of charge for all students. You do not need to pay for a separate subscription to Microsoft Office.
We have also arranged free access to lots of other software that you may need during your studies.
Microsoft Office 365
- Office 365 email – available and configured for every student
- Office 365 OneDrive (1TB of storage) - available and configured for every student
- Office 365 ProPlus – downloadable from Office 365 email onto a variety of devices
Office365 ProPlus is a suite of Microsoft Office applications which can be downloaded completely free of charge, during the time that you are a student or member of staff with us. It is a full version of Office and has the same features and functionality as other versions. You can install it on up to 5 Windows computers or Macs, five tablets, and five smartphones.
Other software
Other discipline-specific software is available to download onto your device. Most are free to download.
We have listed some of our most popular software here, but you can find a full list on our software page.
Please check our software pages first before buying any software.
|
Software name |
Use |
|---|---|
|
Amos |
Structural equation modelling |
|
Ansys |
Finite element modelling |
|
ArcGIS |
GIS mapping and analysis |
|
Autocad / AuoDesk |
CAD design |
|
Chembiodraw |
Chemical structure drawing |
|
Crossover |
Linux Office Apps |
|
Endnote |
Bibliographic referencing software |
|
Gaussview |
Electronic structure modelling |
|
Labview |
Signal acquisition software |
|
LastPass / Password Safe |
Password manager |
|
Maple |
Algebraic and numerical mathematics |
|
Mathcad |
Applied mathematics |
|
Matlab |
Algorithm development (computing) |
|
Mindgenuis |
Mind mapping |
|
Minitab |
Statistics/data analysis |
|
Nvivo |
Qualitative data analysis |
|
Origin Pro |
Data analysis / graphing workspace |
|
Qualtrics |
Online survey tool |
|
SPSS |
Statistics/data analysis |
|
Turnitin |
Online plagiarism tool |
Hardware specification
Please see the table below for information regarding the hardware and software specification that we are advising for new and continuing students to enable you to access our systems and services.
Please note that these are guidelines and should be suitable to get you through your degree, if you look after the equipment. If you have a device with a slightly lower specification, it’s possible that it will be sufficient for a couple of years.
We would also advise that you get in touch with your course department representatives regarding suitable hardware that will support your course material. Where possible, if you can find out in advance what course software you will be using, this will help determine the hardware required. Some applications do not install on certain hardware. For example, some software packages are not available for Mac.
|
Software specification |
Minimum |
Recommended |
High-end |
Mac Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Processor* |
Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 |
Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 |
Intel Core i7 / i9 or AMD Ryzen 7 |
M1 |
|
Operating system |
Windows 10/11 64 bit |
Windows 10/11 64 bit |
Windows 10/11 64 bit |
OSX / MacOS |
|
Memory |
8GB |
8GB or 16GB |
16GB |
8GB |
|
Storage (SSD) |
256GB |
512GB |
1TB |
256GB |
|
Screen resolution |
1366 x 768 |
1920 x 1080 |
1920 x 1080 |
2560 x 1600 |
|
Webcam |
Integrated HD 720p |
Integrated HD 720p |
Integrated HD 1080p |
Integrated HD 720p |
|
Discipline |
Business / HaSS |
Business / Engineering / HaSS / Science |
Engineering / Science |
Business / HaSS / Science |
*It’s very difficult to narrow down processors definitively, as there are so many different options. The examples above for Intel and AMD processors are from the most popular processor families that have been available over the past few years and available in devices at the main online and high street retailers.
This table was last updated in August 2023.
Please contact Information Services if you need any further advice.