Unit information: Individual Project with Innovation Case in 2020/21

Unit name	Individual Project with Innovation Case
Unit code	COMSM0052
Credit points	40
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Hannuna
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Successful completion of Years 1, 2 and 3 of the Computer Science Undergraduate degree.
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Computer Science
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

The final year project acts as a focus for the accumulated skills resulting from all other units: the overarching goal is application of those skills to a specific, significant challenge or problem. The unit offers a high degree of freedom with respect to project topic, and allows students to spend a significant amount of time and effort on something they are specifically interested in. Ideally this might act as a bridge to a career in such a topic, but will also satisfy more general, transferable learning outcomes.

As part of the Project, students will complete an Innovation Case, that contextualises their project for a relevant external audience, e.g., an academic research proposal based on the project, a business plan related to their project, a social enterprise strategy associated with their project, a “white paper” on the ethical implications of their project, a slide deck pitching the work to a venture capitalist, a briefing paper contextualising the work for a relevant government department or institute (e.g., Heilbronn Institute, Alan Turing Institute, etc.), a set of teaching materials or set of lesson plans derived from their work, etc.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of research-level material.
• Identify a well-motivated, scientifically interesting challenge.
• Engage in a suitable approach to solving said challenge (e.g., developed a proof, analysed an algorithm, implemented a system).
• Critically evaluate their solution in a suitable manner.
• Present their results in written and verbal form.
• Manage their own time, and decide their 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 Innovation Case will be supported by synchronous and asynchronous workshops.

Assessment Information

Written thesis (87.5%) and coursework (12.5%).

Reading and References

As recommended by the project supervisor to suit selected project topic.