Entry requirementsEntry Requirements Good honours degree (2:2) or equivalent in a computing/ IT-related subject. Applicants with other qualifications and appropriate experience may be accepted for the postgraduate diploma and if successful may continue for the MSc. The University welcomes applications from employers for accreditation of work-based learning, enabling flexibility over the duration of the study. We will accept exceptionally substantial relevant experience for entry onto the diploma. Applicants are normally expected to attend the University for interview and to tour facilities
Academic titleAdvanced Computer Science MSc
Course descriptionIntroduction
This is a modular postgraduate course that can give credit exemption for prior education, training and work experience at an appropriate level in relevant areas. It allows you to build up your qualification by credit accumulation with interim exit points of postgraduate certificate and diploma on the way to an MSc. It offers maximum choice, requiring successful studies from a range of advanced modules in software engineering and development, web services, network management and Internet-based application development. It operates within a flexible scheme that makes it possible to incorporate work-based training into the programme. This is especially useful if your employer sponsors your studies and requires you to gain specific knowledge and skills.
Course Structure
The course is modular. You will need to complete all modules to progress onto the project. You may opt to accept a postgraduate diploma after successfully completing the required taught modules.
The course includes the following topics:
Modelling methods for software engineering and development:
Best Practice in Advanced Programming and Design
Professional Issues and Research Methods
Applications Development in Emerging Areas (e g mobile, Internet)
Project and Change Management
Issues Around Web and Network Service Management
An in-company project in a relevant area to computer science
Teaching and Assessment
Assessment methods vary for taught modules. We use a mixture of coursework and other testing methods. The project requires the submission of a dissertation and a presentation/demonstration.
Career Opportunities
Graduates from this course have usually found employment and promotion in the IT industry as: application developers, software engineers, network administrators, analysts/programmers and IT team leaders/project managers across a diverse range of industry sectors, large and small (eg financial, petrochemical, IT consulting, manufacturing, IT hardware/software development and services management).
Other Information
Professional Body Accreditation
This new course will seek accreditation to meet the requirements for exemption from Part 1 of the examinations of the British Computer Society, as with all our main computing and information systems courses.
Associate Student Scheme
It is possible to study single modules as an associate student without seeking a qualification.
Full-time Study
You will normally undertake all modules over three terms, followed by a summer project normally undertaken within a company over a period not exceeding three months. Attendance at the University is required only for the block weeks (similar to attending a short course). Tutor/student contact, plus reading materials, are supported and provided before, during and after block weeks via the University’s extensive e-learning environment (accessible to students from anywhere via the Internet)