In your final year, you can undertake a more advanced project, whether individually or as a group, focusing on advanced software development or research.
You will also have the freedom to develop your expertise from a range of modules on topics including fuzzy logic, data modelling and analysis, game design, design ethnography, autonomous robotic systems, and advanced computer networks.
Advanced Algorithms and Data Structures
You'll study the theory used in the design and analysis of advanced algorithms and data structures. Topics covered include string algorithms (such as for string matching, longest common subsequence), graph algorithms (such as for minimum cuts and maximum flows, and Google's pagerank algorithm), advanced data structures (such as Fibonacci heaps and Bloom filters), and randomised search heuristics (evolutionary algorithms). You'll learn all the necessary probability theory will be introduced, including random variables and concentration inequalities.
The theory is practiced in weekly labs where we learn how to implement the algorithms and data structures as functional and imperative programs (using the languages Haskell and C), and apply these to solve large instances of real-world problems.
Advanced Computer Communications
This module will provide you with an advanced knowledge of computer communications networks, using examples from all-IP core telecommunications networks to illustrate aspects of transmission coding, error control, media access, internet protocol, routing, presentation coding, services and security. You’ll spend around three hours per week in lectures and computer classes.
Autonomous Robotic Systems
This module introduces the main concepts of autonomous mobile robotics, providing an understanding of the hardware and software principles appropriate for control, spatial localisation and navigation. The module consists of theoretical concepts around robotic sensing and control in the lectures, together with a strong practical element for robot programming in the laboratory sessions
Development Experience
Students taking part in activities relating to programming experience such as developing apps in their spare time, contributing to open source projects, or building things in hackathons may receive academic credit for showing they have experience and excellent development skills. The emphasis of this module is that you provide evidence of your significant extra-curricular software development experience. Students will only be able to register for this module with the approval of the convenor/school, once the material for assessment has been checked.
Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic Systems
You’ll review classical Boolean logic and set theory, including the common operations of union, intersection and complement.
Fuzzy Logic Systems (FLSs) will be introduced and illustrated in conjunction with examples of real-world applications in industrial control and other areas.
You’ll spend around four hours each week in lectures and workshops, and will be given the opportunity to design, programme and deploy a fuzzy logic system, providing a tangible real-world example of some underlying concepts of FLSs.
Group Programming Project
Students undertake a programming project for an external client in self-formed groups of two to four students under the supervision of an academic member of staff. The client, which can be a company, charity, research group etc., but not the supervisor, provides a problem that requires a sufficiently challenging piece of software to be developed. The client and project idea could be provided by the students or the supervisor. However, projects must have aspects that are relevant to each student's programme of study; eg, there needs to be an artificial intelligence (AI) aspect if any AI students are involved.
The main assessed outputs are the developed software, including any end-user documentation, along with a 5,000-word document that outlines the development, design and implementation of the software, highlighting the most interesting aspects. The software must be developed in a professional and systematic manner appropriate for the problem domain. The assessment is informed by a statement from the external client on how well the developed software addresses the problem. Additionally, each student submits an individual 5,000-word report explaining his or her own contributions and giving a critical appraisal of how the project went, including group dynamics and the contributions of others.
Individual Programming Project
You will undertake a programming project relevant for AI for an External Client under the supervision of an academic member of staff.
The client, which can be a company, charity, research group etc., provides a problem that requires a sufficiently challenging piece of software to be developed. The client and project idea could be provided by the students or the supervisor. Each project must ultimately be agreed with the concerned Supervisor.
The main assessed outputs are the developed software, including any end-user documentation, along with a 15,000-word document that outlines the development, design and implementation of the software, highlighting the most interesting aspects.
The software must be developed in a professional and systematic manner appropriate for the problem domain.
The assessment is informed by a statement from the External Client on how well the developed software addresses the problem.
Individual Research Project
Students undertake a research project in computer science supervised by an academic member of staff. The topic should fall within the supervisor's research interests and must further be relevant to the student's programme of study; in particular, projects undertaken by artificial intelligence (AI) students must have a strong AI focus. The project may be proposed by either the supervisor or the student, and may be theoretical, empirical, or even of survey type depending on what is appropriate and feasible for the area and topic. Projects, however, must ultimately be agreed with the supervisor concerned.
The results from the project are to be distilled into a conference-format research paper, authored by the student and constituting the main assessed output. There may, however, be further deliverables as dictated by the nature of the project. Any such deliverables are to be submitted (electronically) as supplementary material. A revised version of the paper, possibly co-authored with the supervisor, may subsequently be submitted for publication to an external venue, such as a conference or journal, if the work is judged to be of sufficiently high standard.
Schools Experience
Students taking part in approved activities, such as running code clubs in schools, organising school computing activity days, or becoming active STEM ambassadors, may receive academic credit for demonstrating they have actively contributed to the development of younger students. Students will have undertaken an agreed number of hours on the activities, identified personal goals and targets in relation to these activities and maintained a reflective portfolio as a record of evidence of their competence and achievements. Students will only be able to register for this module with the approval of the convenor/school, once the material for assessment has been discussed.
Simulation for Decision Support
This module introduces you to three broad simulation paradigms commonly used in operations research and management science: system dynamics, discrete event, and agent-based. Covering topics such as the introduction to the principles of modelling and simulation, conceptual modelling, model implementation, and output analysis, you will become competent in choosing and implementing the correct method for your particular problem. You will spend around four hours per week in lectures and computer classes.