Information Technology (Direct Entry to the Final Year) BSc (Hons)

About the course

Distinguishing Features

Our Direct Entry to the Final Year course takes one year and is studied full-time.

In the first half-year (semester) you study a core single (15 credit) module, and three options shown with an "A" in the list from the Course Structure tab. In the second semester you continue with two of these (shown with a "B") plus a core double (30 credit) module project.

The core Professional Issues module examines the issues affecting IT Professionals, enhancing your value to employers. For the options, you initially choose three from the list of those offered, to fit in with your interests and career direction. If you wish, one of them can be taken from the list for our Computer Science degree.

The modules cover a wide range of topics, so you can choose whether to specialise in a particular area or maintain a breadth of studies. When you start the course you will be given guidance on selecting which are the most suitable modules for you.

Assuming you are successful you will be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours inInformation Technology by the University of Hertfordshire.

The Project

The project is a substantial piece of practical work. You will be allocated a project tutor who will work with you individually, helping and guiding you through the entire project.

Your project enables you to extend and deepen your knowledge of Information Technology and to apply it in a particular context. You plan and manage the work yourself, with guidance from your project tutor and with the support of lecture and tutorial work on key project issues. You will need to report regularly on your progress and to produce a final report at the end.

Other Opportunities

For more Information about the following, please contact us:

• Direct Entry to the final year of the BSc (hons) Computer Science
• Direct Entry to the final year of the specialist degree titles (suitably qualified candidates only)
• Direct Entry to the Second Year

In additional to your formal studies, we offer a number of optional activities, currently including certification classes for Cisco (CCNA1-4), research seminars, and participation in national student competitions, such as the Microsoft Imagine Cup and Robocup Soccer.

Why choose this course?

• Top-up your two year degree or diploma in Computer Science or closely related subject to an honours degree in one year
• Gain an internationally-recognised degree qualification by studying at one of the UK's leading computer science departments with excellent facilities, strong links to business and research, and a track record of preparing thousands of graduates for successful careers
• Chose from a wide range of options, many with a technology and software development focus that provide you with broad technical skills and knowledge
• Equip yourself for a life-long career in the computing industry of the future through a mix of academic, professional and practical work

Study routes

• Full Time, 1 Years

Locations

• University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Careers

Several thousands of UH computer science graduates have moved into a wide range of careers; many are now in senior positions in the UK and throughout the world. Initial job roles have included programmer, software developer, business analyst, software engineer, webmaster, database administrator, network designer, and technical consultant.

This particular degree title retains flexibility and hence is preparation for a wide variety of careers in many areas of information technology.

Teaching methods

You join the final year of the BSc Honours programme at the University with existing students who have completed two years of classes. You attend lectures, small group tutorials/seminars, and laboratory practicals for the taught modules; you see your individual tutor for the project. Assessment is by a mixture of exam and coursework, depending on the module.

The practical work takes place in our well-equipped laboratories. We use modern, industry-standard software wherever possible. There are specialist facilities for networking and multimedia.

In addition to scheduled classes, about 12-16 hours per week, you will be expected to spend a significant amount of time in self-study taking advantage of the extensive and up-to-date facilities. These include the Learning Resources Centres, open 24x7, with 1,500 computer workstations and wifi access, StudyNet our versatile online study environment accessible on and off campus, and open access to our labs.

Professional Accreditations

British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation applied for

Structure

Year 3

Core Modules

• Professional Issues in Computing A

  Typically the module content will include: * Data Protection Act; * Computer Misuse Act; * copyright; * ethical issues in the use of computers and data; * good practice in systems design; * interrelationship between computers, their use in society. The basis of the legal elements of this module will be English Law, but no prior knowledge of this legal system is expected of students.

Optional

• Advanced Databases A

  The focus of the content of this module is on advanced issues related to localized databases, and will include relational algebra, database security and data warehousing.

• Advanced Databases B

  The focus of this module is on advanced issues related to distributed databases, and will include: * XML, distributed database theory and practice, transaction management and mobile databases.

• Artificial Intelligence 1 A (Constructive Artificial Intelligence)

  This module covers essential principles and techniques in Artificial Intelligence (AI) , classical and modern, as well core topics in Computational Intelligence. These have been selected as they are central to the skill-set expected of the modern AI practitioner. On completing this module students will be able to select appropriate AI methods and algorithms for given scenarios and to develop intelligent algorithms for the solution of problems.

• Artificial Intelligence 1 B (Neural Computation and Intelligent Systems)

  This module examines neural and cognitive modelling from the level of single neurons and neural networks up to more comprehensive models of perception and cognition. The emphasis is on the understanding and application of current computational intelligence models and techniques. Lectures on these topics will be complemented by practicals in which students explore, program, apply and analyse the application of modern Artificial Intelligence approaches. Examples will be drawn from neural modelling, machine learning and cognitive modelling in order to understand the principles underlying intelligence, and how this can be applied to real-world problems such as intelligent search, robot controllers and non-player characters in computer games.

• Artificial Intelligence 2 A (Artificial Life & Embodied Cognition)

  Artificial Life (AL) is the study of the modeling and synthesis of living and life-like systems, especially with regard to the "computation" they implicitly perform in interaction with their environment. It comprises one of the major directions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) of the last few decades, and its techniques are widely applied in areas as divergent as animation in movies and computer games, economics, machine learning, physics and engineering (robotics, space sciences) and systems biology. The importance of embodiment in the understanding of natural intelligence has led researchers in robotics, AL, and AI to focus on Embodied Cognition, in which the role of the external environment and the way agents are built are at least as important as any algorithm. This course provides a valuable and solid foundation in the increasingly important and applicable paradigms and techniques of Artificial Life and Embodied Cognition, supported by essential lectures and hands-on laboratory work.

• Artificial Intelligence 2 B (Socially Intelligent Agents & Robots)

  As Artificial Intelligence and robotics becomes more widespread, the requirement for it to be able to interact with, and socially respond to, users and other agents in its environment increases. The process of recognition and interaction involves several stages and complications, from identification of other agents, to recognising their behaviours, to displaying the social cues which are essential to maintain interaction. This module introduces and examines various frameworks and applications of social robotics and Artificial Intelligence, and examines aspects such as behaviour-based control, conventional paradigms in both Artificial Intelligence and social engineering, and why these aspects are necessary. This is reinforced by applications and demonstrations of the principles applied.

• Business Systems Project

  The Business Systems project gives students a chance to extend and deepen their knowledge of Information Technology and to apply it to the development, deployment or management of a Business System. The project should be chosen to fit in with the student's chosen award title, prior experience and personal objectives. Students are required to undertake a substantial piece of practical work, which they plan and manage themselves under the guidance of a project tutor and with the support of lecture and tutorial work on key issues for a project, such as the appropriate use of information sources. Students are expected to report on their progress at a number of points during the project and are required to deliver the results of their work, and a final report, at the end.

• Computer Network Protocols and Architecture A

  This module gives students an opportunity to reappraise the fundamental principles of computer networks, and to explore their internal architectures, and the ways in which they can be used. The module is intended to provide a framework for understanding the details of different systems, so that whether as a purchaser, a developer, or a researcher you will be able to rapidly assimilate the details relevant to a particular situation and apply the knowledge, experience, and understanding gained on this course to whatever environment you may be faced with in the future.

• Computer Network Protocols and Architecture B

  This module gives students further opportunities to develop their understanding of the fundamental principles of computer networks, their internal architectures and the ways in which they can be used.

• Data Mining & Visualisation A (warehousing)

  This module will introduce students to the subject of knowledge discovery, or as it is more traditionally described: data warehouses and data mining. The key components of such systems will be explored, and the various methods that can be used to analyze the data, and interpret the results. The module will also consider how to "clean up" poor data, or handle more complex data such as spatial databases, multimedia databases, time-series or sequential data and data from the World Wide Web.

• Data Mining and Visualisation B (Data Visualisation)

  Effective visualisation of data is often key to the ability to make sense of the data, analyse the data, organise data, select from the data and so forth. However, the key to effective visualisation of information requires understanding of the principal issues of representing, presenting and designing effective interactions with data. This module starts with those principles and moves on to explore the how these principles can be applied in the design of information spaces and the information architecture of websites or other systems that support information seeking activities.

• Digital Entertainment Systems A (Digital Media Production)

  This module relates to the design, development and modification of advanced digital media for use in the production of a range of digital entertainment systems (DES). The aim of the module is to provide learners with an experience of the necessary technologies and skills in the area of digital media and interactive system design. This module will provide students with skills and understanding in aspects of digital media for entertainment systems and the developing and management of large scale multimedia software development projects. This includes: * digital audio production; * digital video production; * media quality and bandwidth issues; * animation; * image production and editing; * interactive television; * intelligent multimedia; * multiplayer gaming; * 2D and 3D environments; * virtual reality systems; * the development of media for platforms such as: a) mobile and hand held devices; b) internet and networks; c) stand alone computer systems; d) games consoles; e) television; * interactive system design; * usability issues; * Human Computer Interaction; * cultural issues in DES. Learners will develop the theoretical and practical professional skills necessary in the production of a range of digital media for the development DES on a variety of platforms. These will include software development methods, programming and scripting skills, digital media production, editing and use. Issues such as the factors related to the quality of digital media and the limitations imposed by bandwidth will be covered in depth. Learners will also develop an informed critical awareness of some of the cultural, technical, creative, economic, professional, legal and ethical contexts in relevant areas.

• Digital Entertainment Systems B (Production)

  This module is related to the production of a range of digital entertainment systems (DES). The aim of the module is to provide learners with an experience of a range of technologies and skills in the area of DES design. This module will provide students with understanding and experiences in aspects of digital entertainment, such as: * digital audio in DES design; * digital video production in DES design; * animation in DES design; * image and animation in DES design * television; * personalisation and intelligence in DES design; * 2D and 3D environments in DES design; * virtual reality systems in DES design; * entertainment on platforms such as: a) mobile and hand held devices; b) internet and networks; c) stand alone computer systems; d) games consoles; e) television. * usability issues in in DES design; * Human Computer Interaction in in DES design; * cultural issues in DES design. Learners will develop theoretical and practical professional skills in development DES. These will include advanced software development and project management methods, programming and scripting skills. Learners will also develop an informed critical awareness of some of the cultural, technical, creative, economic, professional, legal and ethical contexts of areas in which their future career aspirations may be realised.

• Empirical Evaluation in Software Engineering A (Principles)

  This module will examine why software practitioners should and shouldn't undertake and appraise empirical evaluations, what methodologies and methods are available to guide those evaluations and appraisals, and how to choose between the different methodologies and methods. A range of industrial examples of tool adoption (e.g. the adoption of requirements management tools) will be used to demonstrate the concepts presented in this module.

• Empirical Evaluation in Software Engineering B (Applications)

  The module will explore how software practitioners can use models of software systems and software processes to describe and improve those systems and processes. A range of models will be considered and will be supported with examples from industry.

• Entertainment Systems Project

  The Entertainment Systems project gives students a chance to extend and deepen their knowledge of Information Technology and to apply it to the development, deployment or management of an Entertainment System. The project should be chosen to fit in with the student's chosen award title, prior experience and personal objectives. Students are required to undertake a substantial piece of practical work, which they plan and manage themselves under the guidance of a project tutor and with the support of lecture and tutorial work on key issues for a project, such as the appropriate use of information sources. Students are expected to report on their progress at a number of points during the project and are required to deliver the results of their work, and a final report, at the end.

• Further Object Oriented Development B (Implementation)

  This module furthers the student's understanding of object-oriented technology in the implementation of software systems, particularly concurrent and distributed systems. It explores the characteristics of these systems, standard architectures used in their design and the patterns of communication between their components. Architectures that support the distribution of object-oriented systems across multiple hosts will be investigated, as will component-based development and its role in such systems. Students will gain practical experience of a range of techniques, and have the opportunity to use a variety of industry-standard tools for system implementation and deployment.

• Further Object-Oriented Development A (Analysis and Design)

  This module develops the student's understanding of object-oriented technology in the analysis and design of software systems. It encourages the student to think about and model real-world problems in an object-oriented way, and to gain experience in translating such models into executable systems. It explores the contribution that concepts such as abstraction, encapsulation and inheritance can make to the improvement of software quality, and how typical uses of these concepts can be captured and reused. The suitability of different models of the development process itself will also be examined. Students will gain practical experience of a range of modelling techniques, and have the opportunity to use a variety of industry-standard tools for system development.

• Information Technology Project

  The Information Technology project gives students a chance to extend and deepen their knowledge of Information Technology and to apply it in an unfamiliar context. The project should be chosen to fit in with the student's chosen award title, prior experience and personal objectives. Students are required to undertake a substantial piece of practical work, which they plan and manage themselves under the guidance of a project tutor and with the support of lecture and tutorial work on key issues for a project, such as the appropriate use of information sources. Students are expected to report on their progress at a number of points during the project and are required to deliver the results of their work, and a final report, at the end.

• Principles and Applications of Web Services A (technology)

  The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) defines a web service as a "software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network". As such, this module is primarily concerned with programmatic access to on-line information sources, rather than the design and development of human facing websites. The motivation for application integration includes the role of web services in the development of the semantic web, and "mash-ups" based on the Internet as a platform, powered by open access to data. This will be supported by an exploration of XML and related standards used in "big" web services (such as SOAP and WSDL) and more client-side technologies (such as AJAX). The standards and technologies explored in this module will focus on three key issues: XML messaging; XML data manipulation; and XML data presentation. The latter is important in so far as web services facilitate the development of new, user-centric application.

• Principles and Applications of Web Services B (architecture)

  The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) identifies web services as a way of delivering "service oriented architectures" (SOA). In turn, SOA is a form of distributed systems architecture that views services as "an abstracted, logical view of actual programs, databases, business processes, etc." The module objectives are achieved in part by contrasting "Big" web services architectures (as characterized by the use of SOAP, WSDL and Enterprise Service Buses) with smaller-scale designs, for example those built using RESTful principles. In both cases, the creation of abstract data representations (in which structure is separated from content and presentation) is considered through the use of XML. XML also provides the platform for understanding the more advanced standards that have been created to support the development of web service applications and architectures. Examples include the modeling of business processes (e.g. using BPEL) and the development of the semantic web (e.g. using RDF and OWL).

• Professional Issues in Computing B

  This module will open up current issues relating to what it means to be a professional in the computer industry, with the intention of enabling the student to participate effectively in the ongoing debates concerning computing and the uses to which is it or should be put, including: * consideration and critique of the legal, professional and ethical framework with which the developers, operators and users of these systems have to operate; and * issues relating to computers and society, such as the effect of computers on society in terms of power relationships between members of that society. It will build on the learning outcomes specified for Professional Issues in Computing, which is therefore a prerequisite for this module.

• Programming Language Design & Implementation A

  One of the most basic and fundamental tasks of a computer scientist is to make a computer understand and carry out the instructions of its user. Computers are programmed by entering instructions in a language, and a professional computer scientist will meet and use a range of languages in their career. The evolution of new languages is continuously driven by advances and changes in technology, such as the internet or mobile computers. What kinds of features change? Are "new" languages necessarily improvements on existing ones? How can the best language be picked for a particular project? This module will give students the basis from which such questions may be answered. Students will study how propular languages have evolved, the key features of language design, and also how language features are implemented.

• Programming Language Design and Implementation B

  This module will build on the material studied in PLDI-A by introducing students to algorithms relating to the implementation of compilers for languages, such as parsing, type-checking or optimisation. Students will be introduced to the algorithms underlying the interpretation and compilation of computer languages, developing a more detailed appreciation of the relationship between languages and their likely development.

• Quantum Computing A

  Quantum information processing continues to be an extremely active research area exploiting fundamental quantum phenomena in new applications from computation, secure data communication and information processing. A major paradigm shift, the area is of significant interest and potential benefit to computer scientists, mathematicians and physicists. This module will be theoretical in nature, exploring concepts and applications from the area of Quantum Information Processing with an emphasis on Quantum Computing. Content will vary according to current research directions.

• Quantum Computing B

  The content for this module builds upon that presented in Quantum Computing A tackling for example more advanced topics such as Shor's algorithm and Grover's algorithm. The content is theoretical in nature, exploring concepts and applications from the area of Quantum Information Processing with an emphasis on Quantum Computing. Content will vary according to current research directions.

• Real Time Systems A (Small Embedded Systems)

  This module covers the Computer Science principles involved in the specification, design and implementation of small embedded systems. The module introduces the key concepts relating to small embedded systems and their characteristics. The topics covered will typically include interfacing techniques, analogue and digital input, interrupt handling, multiplexing and polling. There is a significant practical element in the module, which will use a small embedded system with relevant software tools.

• Real Time Systems B (Design and Development)

  This module covers the Computer Science principles involved in the specification, design and implementation of a real time system with dedicated operating system. The module introduces the key concepts relating to real time systems and their characteristics and provides an overview of real time control and its application to large embedded systems. The topics covered will include the extension of specification and design techniques to encompass real time considerations as well as the specific requirements needed in a real-time operating (or run time) system. There is a significant practical element in the module, which will use an embedded system with relevant software tools.

• Strategic Information Systems Planning & Management A

  This module enables students to investigate current thinking and issues regarding the effective development, implementation and management of information, systems and technology within the strategic framework of organisations.

• Strategic Information Systems Planning & Management B

  This module enables students to investigate current thinking and issues regarding the effect of development & implementation of management of information, systems and technology, have on framework of organisations. It provides ideas on how to manage the change.

• Web Application Development A (Design)

  This module aims to give students the opportunity to think about how they would go about developing a simple web application, what they need to take into account when developing it, and some of the available technology to support the process. It will emphasize effective web site design, and the importance of separating content from style, and keeping sites accessible.

• Web Application Development B (enhancement)

  This module aims to give students the opportunity to utilize a variety of technology and knowledge of best practice to enhance their web applications. In particular, it looks at utilizing graphics or time based media into the application, modelling the interface behaviour more effectively and realising designs using the document object model.

• Web-based Systems Project

  The Web Based Systems project gives students a chance to extend and deepen their knowledge of Information Technology and to apply it to the development, deployment or management of a Web Based System. The project should be chosen to fit in with the student's chosen award title, prior experience and personal objectives. Students are required to undertake a substantial piece of practical work, which they plan and manage themselves under the guidance of a project tutor and with the support of lecture and tutorial work on key issues for a project, such as the appropriate use of information sources. Students are expected to report on their progress at a number of points during the project and are required to deliver the results of their work, and a final report, at the end.

Fees & funding

Discounts are available for International students if payment is made in full at registration

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Scholarships

• National Scholarship Programme

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Other financial support

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Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

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