Course description
COURSE INFORMATION
This programme has been specifically designed to allow students to update, extend and deepen their knowledge in a flexible programme to enhance their career opportunities in industry, or as a preparation for further academic research. The programme complements the existing postgraduate programmes in the School of Informatics. Students may choose from the many different taught modules available across the existing MSc programmes and combine them with a project to create their own tailored programme. This would be especially attractive to people who find more rigidly defined postgraduate programme inappropriate for their needs.
The programme consists of a balance of taught modules and a project making 180 credit points in total. Students will normally take two-thirds of the programme as taught modules, together with a project equivalent to 60 credit points. Students with proven abilities and aptitude for research may opt to take a smaller number of taught modules and a project equivalent to one half of the modules (90 credit points). Every project involves both research and practical work and culminates in a dissertation.
Students enrolling in the programme choose their modules in consultation with the appropriate academic staff. The particular choice of modules for a student will take into account the student's interests, aspirations and previous experience.
Modules
The available taught modules are provided by the Divisions in the School of Informatics. For example it is possible to select modules from the following subject areas:
Computing
Applied Computing Technologies
Embedded Systems
e-Business Technology
Business Information Technology
Information Systems
Mathematics
Statistics
Operational Research.
The choice of modules is, however, subject to coherence, time-tabling, viability of student numbers and the condition that a minimum of 120 credit points, including the project, are from one particular subject discipline. This requirement ensures an academic coherence for each student's programme, with the title of the final award being determined by the subject discipline encompassed by the project.
When appropriate the student can choose taught modules from existing MSc programmes in other Schools at the University, such as the School of Engineering and Technology, the Built Environment, Applied Sciences, etc.
These modules can represent up to one-sixth of the programme. In the special case of an approved pathway or named combination of modules, students can take up to one half of their taught modules from a different school.
Some modules will be taught conventionally, others may be taught using independent or distance learning materials, with the support of an appropriate tutor.
Titles
Possible titles of awards (subject to approval), may include MSc qualifications in:
e-Business Computing
Information Systems Development
Information Technology
Image Data Analysis and Visualisation
Computer Science
Software Engineering
Software Development
Embedded Computer Systems
Engineering
IT Management.
Qualifications
Students completing one-third of the programme (60 credits) are eligible for a Postgraduate Certificate, after two-thirds (120 credits) a Postgraduate Diploma, and on successful completion students are awarded an MSc.
MODULE INFORMATION
Year 1 Modules
CG0102 Human Computer Interaction (OPTION, 15 Credits)
CG0163 IT Consultancy Practice (OPTION, 15 Credits)
CM0718 Programme Design & Implementation (OPTION, 20 Credits)
CM0720 Systems Analysis & Design with UML (OPTION, 20 Credits)
CM0721 Implementation of Object Oriented Designs (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0705 Computer Networks & Operating Systems (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0706 Systems Development Workshop (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0707 Internet Applications & Management (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0708 Database Administration, Theory & Practice (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0710 Computer Networking (OPTION, 20 Credits)
IS0430 Research Methods (CORE, 10 Credits)
IS0707 Foundations of Knowledge Management (OPTION, 20 Credits)
IS0737 Project Management Studies (CORE, 10 Credits)
LI0800 Hypermedia for the Information Professional (OPTION, 20 Credits)
Year 2 Modules
CG0102 Human Computer Interaction (OPTION, 15 Credits)
CG0163 IT Consultancy Practice (OPTION, 15 Credits)
CM0718 Programme Design & Implementation (OPTION, 20 Credits)
CM0720 Systems Analysis & Design with UML (OPTION, 20 Credits)
CM0721 Implementation of Object Oriented Designs (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0705 Computer Networks & Operating Systems (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0706 Systems Development Workshop (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0707 Internet Applications & Management (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0708 Database Administration, Theory & Practice (OPTION, 20 Credits)
EN0710 Computer Networking (OPTION, 20 Credits)
IS0430 Research Methods (OPTION, 10 Credits)
IS0707 Foundations of Knowledge Management (OPTION, 20 Credits)
LI0800 Hypermedia for the Information Professional (OPTION, 20 Credits)
Year 3 Modules
CG0174 MSc Individual Computing Project (CORE, 60 Credits)
IS0438 Masters Dissertation in Business Information Technology (OPTION, 60 Credits)
CG0174 MSc Individual Computing Project (CORE, 60 Credits)
