Recommended Kit List
New students to UAL Creative Computing Institute often ask us what equipment we recommend before they start with us:
Your own computer
Having your own computer is not a requirement for any of our courses because we operate laptop lockers at all CCI locations that can be used anywhere on that site, as well as desktop PCs in open access and technical areas.
That being said, it is more advantageous to have your own computer, as it gives you flexibility about when and where you can study. All our courses are part of a computing curriculum, so computing is our primary medium.
If accessing your laptop is financially difficult for you, you may be able to access limited funding through the hardship fund, which kicks off after the start of each year.
We have advice where you can read more about buying a new computer.
UAL Diploma in Apple Development
Students studying the UAL Diploma in Apple Development, should choose a Mac as the Apple software development tools only work on macOS.
Software
There are no specific software requirements for studying at CCI. We use free and open-source software for teaching wherever possible.
All students are provided with access to Microsoft Office 365 free of charge.
Students might occasionally use some other paid/licensed software, but this is not a requirement in most cases. Where necessary, we always provide free software on-site on our loan laptops and desktop workstations.
We occasionally use paid software: Max MSP, Ableton Live, and MadMapper. We also sometimes use Touch Designer, which has a paid upgrade for certain features, but generally, the free version is suitable.