Information Technology MSc

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2018–2019 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2019 entry.

Modules

Students choose up to seven of the following optional modules. See the module cataloguefor their descriptions.

Not all combinations of modules will be available for all programmes, and some modules are subject to pre-requisites being satisfied. Please consult the relevant programme requirements for available options.

• Advanced Topics in Computer Communication Systems
• Artificial Intelligence Practice
• Artificial Intelligence Principles
• Critical Systems Engineering
• Database Management Systems
• Data-Intensive Systems
• Green Information Technology
• Human Computer Interaction Principles and Methods
• Information Security Management
• Information Technology Projects
• Information Visualisation
• Interactive Software and Hardware
• Knowledge Discovery and Datamining
• Language and Computation
• Masters Programming Projects
• Practice in Computer Communication Systems
• Principles of Computer Communication Systems
• Software Architecture
• Software Engineering Practice
• Software Engineering Principles
• User-Centred Interaction Design
• Web Technologies

Additional optional modules

• Computer Architecture
• Computer Graphics
• Computer Security
• Concurrency and Multi-Core Architectures
• Constraint Programming
• Distributed Systems
• Programming Language Design and Implementation
• Signal Processing and Perception for Digital Media
• Video Games

During the second semester, students work with staff to define and agree upon a topic for the extended project, which they will work on during the final three months of the course, and which culminates in a 15,000-word dissertation. Dissertation projects may be group-based or completed individually (students are assessed individually in either case).

The dissertation typically comprises:

• a review of related work
• the extension of existing or the development of new ideas
• the development of a software system or skilled use of one or more applications
• a critical analysis and evaluation of the project outputs.

Students are required to give a presentation of their work in addition to the written dissertation.

Each project is supervised by one or two members of staff, typically through regular meetings and reviews of software and dissertation drafts.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MSc, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma instead, finishing the course at the end of the second semester of study.