Unit information: Individual Project in 2018/19

Unit name	Individual Project
Unit code	COMSM0130
Credit points	40
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Clifford
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Computer Science
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

This unit is for the 4th year of the joint Maths/Computer Science degree programme. The unit aims to develop skills for conducting a thorough investigation into a computer science problem, and to provide an understanding of the issues involved in documenting and presenting the results. The project consists of planning and conducting a major investigation, and involves literature search, programming (normally), report writing and verbal presentation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will have had to:

• read and understood research-level material,
• identify a well motivated, scientifically interesting challenge,
• engaged in a suitable approach to solving said challenge; developed a proof, analysed an algorithm, implemented a system,
• critically evaluated your solution in a suitable manner,
• presented your results in written and verbal form,
• managed your own time, and decided your own objectives.

Teaching Information

The project is intended to promote self-directed learning, under guidance of an academic supervisor (plus any relevant external third-parties); the nominal workload is 400 hours.

Assessment Information

Criteria for assessment include (but are not limited to):

• Challenge how difficult the project was?
• Contribution what was done beyond what existed already?
• Depth and rigour were there any unanswered challenges'?'
• Novelty and innovation how new the approach or results were
• Analysis and evaluation were robust, interesting and relevant conclusions drawn?
• Clarity and quality of presentation

The assessed deliverable is a written thesis. A viva-style presentation, and submitted resource such as source code, will act to clarify the understanding of markers but are not formally marked themselves. Passing this unit is a requirement for obtaining an MEng degree.

Reading and References

As recommended by the project supervisor.