Principles Of Programming

Basic knowledge of programming is a fundamental skill for IT practitioners. In this unit we will transmit the programming-related skills required for a professional career in IT. In particular, the aims of this unit are:

1. To develop programming skills using a high level programming language.
2. To explore the process of analysis, design, documentation, implementation and testing of systems.
3. To apply knowledge in respect of modelling to real world problems and implement them using a programming language.
4. To demonstrate good practice in the production of software.
5. To evaluate, critique and synthesise existing approaches to software development.

To formulate novel approaches to tackling software development issues.

Computer Systems Structure

Computer systems are being an integral part of our daily life. This unit introduces some of the basic concepts and applications of computer systems. These include an overview of a single computer’s architecture, the structure of networked computers and the organisation of data leading to a fundamental grounding in Computing is developed.

Introduction To Software Development

This unit introduces key concepts in Software Development relevant to software development. This unit will provide the fundamentals of how to model problems and develop software using a high level language.
The unit will focus on the following areas:

Software development processes and effective team work
Analysis of problems and identification of key features
Modelling using problems abstract modelling techniques
Program Development using a High Level Language
Program testing using appropriate techniques
Understanding distinctions between different forms of programming and modelling

Fundamentals Of Computer Science

This unit has two elements, the first is aimed at your professional development and the second introduces you to the practices of the computer science industries and related emerging technologies.

Firstly, this unit will equip you with the skills needed to cope with the demands of your course (which are also important to employers) and to help you to become more ‘self-aware’ learners. It will also teach you to develop an awareness of the expectations and professional requirements of your chosen industry within Computer Science.

The second element of the unit will lead you to develop your fundamental skills of computer science, and the ability to use them in practise. Furthermore, by exposing students to state-of-the-art applicable emerging technologies, this section will equip every student with a solid and forward vision of Computer Science.

Systems Development And Modern Database Practices

The unit appreciates the need for an integrated analysis and design approach specifically for the deployment of real world information systems that comprise data centric (database) systems. The unit has been designed to support inclusion and engagement throughout the whole design and development process, from requirements specification, analysis and design to initial working prototype, including user acceptance aspects. Students are guided in their selecting a path through the vast array of different solution spaces (approaches, methods and tools like SSM, RAD, Agile, Extreme, UML, etc.) On this basis, the unit will give a student an understanding of the design and implementation demands for various types of database / data centric systems through continuous engagement via exercises covering the entire software development life cycle. The unit covers the practical creation and interrogation of RDBMS databases using Structured Query Language (SQL). Additionally, it encompasses areas including the development of databases using the Web technologies. The aim is to offer students an in-depth understanding of RDBMS centric information architectures, to inform them of current trends / platforms and to develop techniques to encourage them to apply their skills using industry standard tools/ platforms. Overall the unit provides both a theoretical and practical preparation for the final year individual project, enabling students to study the implications of using IT to develop a realistic solution to a given problem for a selected functional area of a given organization.

Web Technologies And Platforms

You will learn how to use client side and server side technologies to implement web applications.
Issues of design and usability will be explored and you will produce and validate your own product designs prior to implementing them using current development tools.

The primary aims of the unit are:

1. To equip students with the technical understanding needed for the design and development of web applications
2. To develop practical skills in the design, implementation and evaluation of web based applications.

Information Technology Employability Project

This unit gives students the opportunity to improve their employability by developing an individual portfolio of work based on initial research and analysis of career paths and practices in their focused area of the information technology industries. This unit aims to help the students to develop their career goal in IT, which will also help the student to identify the gaps between their current knowledge base and skill set to achieve the goal. The student will be required to develop a portfolio to demonstrate what they have achieved and how they will develop themselves to meet the requirements of their career goal. The student may be required to do desktop research and interview industry employers and employees and develop CVs and digital portfolios to collect their achievements.

The first assignment will be focused on preparing a professional application and Curriculum Vitae (CV) related to a specialist IT position through researching and understanding the requirements.

The second assessment will be focused on developing a portfolio of work over the course of the unit. This portfolio, which would also include artefacts developed in the past and in other units, will provide a set of assets of the student’s development before entering the final year.

The unit will not only help the student to set their career goal, but also help them to stay focused during the university education. 

User Experience Design

1. To foster an understanding of the users’ needs, abilities, and limitations, and of the techniques and technologies that can enable an effective interaction between the users and technologies.
2. To develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enable students to model, design and evaluate display and interaction to strive good user experiences.
3. To enhance the students’ desire, skills, and confidence to research user experience design topics for themselves.

Research Methodologies And Emerging Technologies

This unit is designed for you to prepare for your honours project utilizing your subject experience from the first two years of your study. You will also asked to contextualize your project idea within current or emerging technologies, typically underpinned by academic publications and to do systematic market research that will equip you with a sound strategy on how to implement your honours project.

Agile Project Management

The material in this unit is carefully designed to meet students’ needs and requirements for their programme of study along with essential project management skills for their future employment. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of tools, techniques, methodologies and processes in the field of project management which encapsulate both modern and traditional approaches as an essential preparation for the dissertation stage. The unit also draws on expertise from other departments within the university including library services, the careers and employability service and the English language centre to support students in the best possible way.

Undergraduate Project

Whether you go on to further study or into employment one of the most important skills expected in an Honours Graduate is the ability to work autonomously.  This unit is an ideal vehicle for the development of that skill.

You will typically implement the project proposal developed during the unit CIS013-3 Research Methods and Emerging Technologies (an alternative approach will be agreed with the unit coordinator and your project supervisor if you haven’t successfully completed CIS013-3 yet). 

Although you will be working independently, you are expected to arrange regular meetings with your supervisor to guide and support you.  You will apply coherently your technical, analytical, practical and managerial skills during your project development.

The project is an important opportunity to expand your experience in an area which is of close relevance to the course that you are studying (e.g. Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, and Computer Games Development).  Your project may be of relevance to a future employer, and will demonstrate your interest and ability in the chosen area.  As such your project topic should be aligned with your career aspirations.

The following aims are addressed in particular:

• To provide you with an opportunity to work autonomously on a sustained piece of work.
• To develop your ability to manage a project from start to finish.
• To develop your ability to identify problems, analyse the requirements and produce and evaluate solutions.
• To develop your ability to work to the relevant academic and professional standards.

Advanced Information Technology

Professional IT systems are usually developed within a number of organisational constraints. To meet organisational challenges coming from areas such as (but not exclusive to) virtual organisations, change management, enterprise search, disaster recovery, today’s IT solutions must support and apply latest technologies. This unit introduces typical constraints and their challenges. Based on experiences made in Level 5, the unit further discusses important advanced IT concepts and methods (for instance, HCI, Web Development, Information Retrieval, etc) that can potentially provide effective and efficient solutions to various problem domains current organisational settings face. The unit prompts students to analyse typical IT problems, appreciate cutting edge technological mediators, appreciate risk management of same, and to provide a critical framework within which innovative business strategies can be furthered by utilizing advanced IT.

The primary aim of the unit is to advance your skills with a range of both theoretical and practical issues related to the challenges emerged from the advanced IT concepts within various organisational settings.

English Language Foundation

This unit focuses on your ability to understand and use the English language accurately when you read, speak, listen and write. We will concentrate on the English you need for undergraduate level study in your chosen subject area, covering grammar, subject area vocabulary and the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

A key element of the unit is the grammar of the language, and particularly the verb tense system in English, because your ability to use the verb tense system accurately will be extremely important when you come to write essays and reports. This unit will focus in particular on the grammar of the language.

We will also focus on reading, listening and speaking skills in the context of your chosen subject area. Beginning with short texts, we will practise each skill and practise it again, so that gradually you will see, hear and feel that your command of the language is improving. 

A recurring focus of the unit will be your acquisition of 'learner autonomy'. This means your ability to acquire the language yourself, without needing a teacher's help. This is important because from next year you will not have an English teacher to help you. So we will consider and practise strategies to help you gain confidence in your own ability to increase your knowledge of and ability to use the language, including for instance guessing meaning of difficult words, deciding which words are important in a text, recognising differences between formal and informal language, and other strategies, so that as the first semester continues, you begin to feel more confident in your use and experience with the English Language.

Academic Skills Foundation

When you begin your undergraduate level studies, you will be expected to have knowledge of and ability to use a large range of 'study skills'. You will also be expected to have some knowledge of the subject area you will  be studying. This unit deals with both of these aspects of your preparation for undergraduate level study. 

All of the academic skills are practised in English, so you will use your developing acquisition of the language from the partner unit 'English Language Foundation' to practise and gain mastery of these skills. You will also use your language and study skills as you learn the foundation of your subject area, putting the skills into practice as you learn.

Academic Study Skills 2

This unit is designed to help you develop important academic study skills that you will use throughout your university study, as well as preparing you for when you enter into or return to employment.  This is part two of two linked units, which enable you to plan, build and practice your knowledge and skills acquisition gradually, it introduces and develops presentation skills, and professional development planning.

Principles Of Technology 2

The aim of this unit is to enable students to develop an understanding of the theory, practices and underlying technologies associated with the working principles, design and performance analysis of various technologies, in particular those relating to ICT systems. The is the second unit of two related parts and you will cover robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), UX Design, Cyber Security, Software Development and the associated data security and ethical dimensions of application design.