Computer Science MSci/BSc (Hons) with foundation year

Equip yourself with an introductory understanding of web development and the principles of human-centred design. Explore the foundational technologies of the Web, including HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and learn how to create responsive and accessible web applications. An emphasis is placed on user experience (UX) design, teaching you how to conduct user research, develop personas and create wireframes and prototypes that prioritise usability and accessibility.

Through a combination of teaching methods, you should gain practical experience in front-end and back-end development and human-computer interaction (HCI) and learn how to evaluate web and interactive systems using usability testing methods.

Compulsory

This module introduces the core concepts of computer systems, covering both hardware and software. Investigate what constitutes a computer by exploring ideas like the Von Neumann architecture and Turing Completeness, and understand how data is represented, including memory, storage, number systems, binary logic, logic gates and transistors. This module explains instruction sets and assemblers along with CPU structure and memory management, including caches and system/virtual memory.

Study optimisation techniques like parallel processing and speculative execution, how devices communicate and the role of operating systems, network structures and system security measures.

Compulsory

This module introduces you to programming and artificial intelligence. Learn the fundamentals of programming, how to write clear and effective code, and develop your problem-solving and algorithmic thinking skills, with a focus on AI applications.

The module focuses on simple AI programming challenges, including games, chatbots and maze solvers, along with introductory material on machine learning, neural networks and generative artificial intelligence. Content includes necessary mathematics, as well as basic data manipulation. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on labs, and collaborative projects, you should gain practical experience in applying AI techniques to solve real-world problems.

Compulsory

Learn basic programming concepts and simple algorithms within the application space of software development. The focus will be on new concepts for the exploration of different programming paradigms, particularly (but not limited to) procedural and object-oriented programming (OOP).

Investigate the differences between major programming languages and be exposed to best practice design and development techniques for software. This includes learning professional practice in terms of code repositories and management, software documentation, codes of conduct and social, ethical, legal and professional issues in programming and software development.

Compulsory

Get an insight into algorithms, data structures, advanced programming techniques and hard problems, covering complexity and computability as well as key aspects of the theory of computer science. Operations on complex data structures, such as trees and graphs, will be introduced and developed within a practical context.

This module will introduce you to various algorithmic and heuristic techniques used to tackle hard problems. You will also be introduced to the theory behind multi-threaded programming, enabling you to design and implement concurrent applications. Explore the limitations of computation, the formal specification of languages and the major models of computation, gaining an understanding of what these tell us about issues of computability and complexity.

Compulsory

This module brings together data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Data science uses a range of methods to extract insights from data. Artificial intelligence (AI) is dedicated to how computer systems can conduct work otherwise requiring human intelligence to learn, reason and make decisions.

Explore the essentials in each area, including machine learning (ML), as well as the relationships between data science, ML and AI. Uncover the processes and techniques that underlie modern real-world systems such as the prediction of customer behaviour, medical diagnosis and smart vehicles.

Compulsory

This module aims to provide you with an in-depth understanding of software engineering principles, methodologies and practices, with a focus on the successful delivery of real-world software. Teaching will cover the entire software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering through to implementation, testing, quality assurance and maintenance, with a focus on modern techniques and tools.

Explore modern programming languages, including the evaluation of features, benefits and choices. Study programming frameworks, their purpose and features and the rapid development of desktop apps.

Compulsory

Through hands-on labs and real-world projects, you will study modern operating systems, networks and associated security. Explore the structure and components of operating systems, including advanced OS services, and functions, such as process control, file management, threading, memory management and device access. You will evaluate emerging trends and technologies alongside the fundamentals of protection and security and learn how to design and implement secure architectures and operating systems.

Compulsory

This module provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement² undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

This module provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement² undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

Learn advanced programming paradigms, techniques and approaches to improve efficiency and address challenging real-world computational problems. This module covers advanced programming paradigms, parallel and distributed programming, and GPU programming.

This module focuses on functional programming, solving problems exclusively in this paradigm using a relevant language such as Haskell. Module content considers logic programming and the emerging technology of SAT/SMT-solvers with their sophisticated search heuristics and portfolio of specialist solvers.

Explore GPU programming fundamentals, including GPU architecture, CUDA and OpenCL. By the end of this module, you should learn how to write and optimise GPU kernels, manage memory and compare GPU and CPU performance. Real-world parallelised tasks such as scientific simulations, image and signal processing and machine learning will be discussed.

Compulsory

This final year project module gives you an extended opportunity across two blocks to design and complete a major project that brings together everything you have learned during your course. It’s your chance to showcase your knowledge and skills through a piece of work you can be proud of and share with both academic audiences and potential employers. The module includes a comprehensive teaching programme that supports you in developing a wide range of essential research and professional skills.

Learning covers how to propose and plan your research effectively, considering scope, ethics and value. Explore how to innovate through research, position your work within current knowledge by understanding what experts in the field have done, and demonstrate your contribution to that knowledge.

You should gain a solid foundation in key research and innovation methods and learn how to present and defend your work with confidence, both in writing and in discussion. You should develop strong project management skills such as managing risk, setting goals, meeting deadlines and making the most of supervision. This module also supports your growth as an independent researcher and helps to strengthen the professional skills you will need for your future career.

Compulsory

Mobile Application Development - 30 credits

Use development kits to build applications for mobile platforms, where the practical issues of programming for such devices will be taught alongside software design for portable devices. With the investigation of interface components and user interaction possibilities of smartphones, you should learn industry-standard software architectural patterns and software design patterns. Module content also includes an introduction to Analytics and Crashlytics in mobile app development using continuous integration as the foundation.

Learning material:

• Mobile app development.
• The tools and frameworks required, such as xamarin/.net MAUI MVVM software architectural pattern.
• Software design patterns in mobile app development.
• Database integration in mobile app development.
• Restful APIs in mobile app development.
• Continuous integration and analytics in mobile app development.

Web API Development - 30 credits

Web application interfaces (APIs) allow websites to access the data and services of others and are an essential part of the modern web. They provide key functionality to both developers and end-users and are the driving force behind the explosion in online social media.

This module aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills to create your own API for use in web applications using the latest technologies and featuring an interactive web client.

To achieve this, you should use some of the latest technologies driven by industry trends. This module has a strong hands-on element and aims to provide you with a solid grounding in the knowledge, tools and techniques required to build robust solutions, including versioning and testing, security and authentication.

Availability of optional modules may vary depending on student demand.

Optional

Develop advanced programming skills essential for modern industrial and real-world computing applications. This module critically examines key applications and approaches. You will explore different programming paradigms and approaches, including their applications, and learn to critically evaluate the best choice for a given application space. The module will cover languages such as Python, C++, Haskell, Prolog, Z3, or similar.

Compulsory

Learn and apply advanced software development techniques informed by leading industrial practices. This module provides a comprehensive overview of advanced techniques, methodologies, and tools used in modern software development. Through a group project, gain practical experience in applying these techniques to develop complex, high-performance, and scalable software systems, adhering to professional standards.

Compulsory

In our dedicated labs, build your cyber security skills by focusing on network security, cryptography, and threat intelligence for both networks and the cloud. Learn to spot vulnerabilities, apply strong security measures and handle threats in different environments. By the end of the module, you should be able to identify and manage security threats, implement protective strategies and investigate incidents using advanced tools. You should also gain a critical understanding of legal, ethical and professional issues while evaluating new and emerging advancements in network security.

Compulsory

Explores how machine learning is used in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, bioinformatics, image recognition and natural language processing. Develop skills to address real-world challenges involving big data. Learn about various machine learning models, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning and neural networks.

Compulsory