MSc Computing

Key features of PC-based systems: Motherboards, hub chips, processors, RAM and cache.Basic processor operation: the fetch execute cycle and interrupts.Principles of operating systems: virtual memory and multitasking.Case study: the Windows operating system.Main features of local area networks and the Internet: Ethernet, wireless networks, the Internet Protocol. Introduction to some of the main network devices, such as switches and routers.

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Database architecture and functionality
Data analysis and entity-relationship modelling
Normalisation (to third normal form)
SQL – theory and practical skills
The role of a Database Administrator (DBA)
Practical exposure to current software tools
Current trends in database technology

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Digital business models and revenue models.Digital business strategy process models and their use.Online marketplace analysis.The role of ‘Search? and ‘Social? ecosystems in the online environment.Assessment of e-Procurement and digital supply chains.Mobile platforms and location-based services.Design approaches for online channels and touchpoints.Privacy and trust issues.Legal and regulatory frameworks for digital business.

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The main purpose of this module is to develop your teamworking skills by applying your technical knowledge in a group situation. Your team of four or five students will work together to deliver a working prototype of a software system relevant to your programme of study.

The module is also designed to develop your skills in critical analysis and reflection. In the first few weeks, your team will review existing work related to your chosen project which will inform the production of a formal system specification. The review and specification will form the first piece of coursework along with a reflective statement from each team member that discusses personal issues and insights arising from the project up to that point.

The second submission is a second group report and presentation (via teleconferencing or equivalent for distance learning (DL) students) on the implementation of the design and the evaluation of the final prototype. This is accompanied by a second personal statement that reflects on the processes and potential conflicts of teamwork.

Each group will be allocated a supervisor with whom you will have weekly meetings (online for DL students). However the management and progress of the project will remain the responsibility of the team; the supervisor’s role is to provide advice and feedback where appropriate, and to monitor the contribution of team members. Management and direction of the project must come from the team and not the supervisor.

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Managing project start-up through project requirements evaluation and project planning techniques.Comparing and contrasting big up front and appropriate design approachesComparative analysis of software project management approaches and Bodies of Knowledge (BoK) applied to software development projectsThe assessment of project risk management approaches and metrics for project monitoring and control within an agile project management approach.Analysis of software development process improvement approaches through Agile software standards and maturity modelsEvaluation of software development teams and group dynamics as key factors in the successful delivery of projectsUtilisation of a tailored project management methodology such as Scrum or XP to manage the delivery of an assessment instrument

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The work for this module comprises the completion of an individual research project. Each student is assigned a personal Supervisor, and an Internal Examiner who monitors progress and feedback, inputs advice, examines the dissertation and takes the lead at the viva. There are two preliminary deliverables prior to the submission of the final dissertation: (1) Project proposal (2) Initial Report including time plan and dissertation outline

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In this module you will learn how do design and implement dynamic web sites, from the basics to modern frameworks and current professional practice.Covered topics are:* General client-side technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript * Client-side frameworks: Bootstrap, jQuery, jQuery-Mobile* A general overview of server-side development frameworks (such as PHP and ASP.NET) as well as how HTTP connects everything together* Data handling/persistence mechanisms: Databases, Entity Framework, Sessions, JSON* In-depth knowledge of ASP.NET MVC and related technologies (e.g. Razor, Linq). We will be using the framework with C#In doing so you will gain a good understanding of and ability to critically evaluate and select an appropriate framework for various kinds of web applications.

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Program Environment: Use of an interactive development environment.

Basic Programming Skills: Variable declarations, printing to the
screen, reading from the keyboard, simple arithmetic operations,
sequence, selection and iteration, functional decomposition, arrays,
simple GUI's.

Introduction to object-oriented programming.

Program testing and documentation.

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Object-oriented design: identifying architectural relationships of associations and aggregations, recording results of a design, system building, reasoning about a design, development lifecycles.
Documentation: Produce detailed user and technical documentation for programs.
Design, implement, test and document a non-trivial software application
Save and retrieve data from sources external to Java
Develop interfaces to Java programs

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Current ideas on web page design; Document Object Model (DOM); Document Type Definitions (DTD); web page construction using appropriate IDE tools such as Eclipse; HTML coding; client and server side scripting; database connectivity using PHP & MySQL; Cascading Style Sheets

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