Computer Science with a Year of Study Abroad (MSci)

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has a strong and active research culture which informs and directs our teaching. We are committed to providing teaching of the highest standard and received an excellent report in the most recent Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) review.

Key skills such as programming are taught through a combination of lectures and lab-based practical sessions. Further support mechanisms are used to help digest material. These include example classes, tutorials and help sessions, amounting to a total of between 15-20 formal contact hours a week in year one. Teaching delivery in years two and four mirrors that of year one, but there are fewer formal contact hours as you will have acquired the skills needed to take control of your own learning by these latter stages of the course. Modules in year five are delivered through a series of either full- or half-day contact sessions, which include lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and laboratory classes.

Most of your taught modules will have further information for you to study and you will be expected to work through this in your own time according to the guidance provided by the lecturer for that module.

Project

You will undertake project work throughout the course, with the opportunity to exercise increasing independence at each level.

In year one, you will participate in team project work. The tasks are well defined and enable you to put into practice knowledge and skills acquired earlier in the academic year.

In year two, you will undertake a group project fostering systems design, interpersonal and presentation skills. Each group is monitored by a supervisor with whom the group must keep in regular contact.

Year four individual projects give you the chance to demonstrate your ability to build upon and exploit knowledge and skills gained in earlier years.

In year five, you will carry out a comprehensive team project, aiming at exploring all the knowledge you have learnt and developing new research, technology, and team project skills.

How will I be supported?

The School prides itself on offering a comprehensive support structure to ensure positive student/staff relationships.

We believe that providing suitable feedback mechanisms is crucial to ensure that the best programmes of study are available to our students. We have a student/staff panel consisting of elected student representatives and members of teaching staff who meet to discuss academic issues. In conjunction with the work of the panel, all students are provided with an opportunity to complete feedback questionnaires at the end of the Autumn and Spring semesters. These mechanisms allow the School to regularly review courses and ensure our students receive the best provision, delivered in a consistent manner, across all of our degrees.

The course makes use of Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Learning Central to provide course materials, and additional information is provided online.

You will be assigned a member of staff to act as your personal tutor, who will serve as a point of contact to advise on both academic and personal matters in an informal and confidential manner. You will see your personal tutor on average once a month during your first year of study. During years two, three and four there is a reduced schedule of contact sessions, which takes into account the increasing academic and time demands as you progress. Outside of scheduled tutor sessions, our Senior Personal Tutor runs an open-door policy, being on hand to advise and respond to any personal matters as they arise. Your Personal Tutor will monitor your academic progress and supply references in support of any job applications that you make.

Academic support and planning advice for the year of study abroad will be provided to you during your second year in which two group sessions and one individual session will be coordinated by the Director of International for the School of Computer Science and Informatics and staff at the Global Opportunity Centre.

The Global Opportunity Centre will support you to apply to the host university, provide advice on finances, visas and all the practical arrangements involved in studying abroad. They will also organise a pre-departure session and provide you with a pre-departure pack which will include an informative guide. Members of staff from the Global Opportunity Centre will happily answer any questions you may have.

During the year abroad, our Director of International will maintain contact with the host university as well as with the student. It is expected that academic staff from the School will visit host universities on a regular basis, which will give you an opportunity to maintain links with the School, and raise any concerns that you might have. During your year of study abroad you will also be able to remotely access all the above support mechanisms at Cardiff University, and will maintain contact with your Personal Tutor via email and/or Skype. All partner universities are of similar standing to the Cardiff School of Computer Science and Informatics, and have mechanisms for academic and pastoral support, so you will also be supported through the academic and pastoral care arrangements of your host university

How will I be assessed?

Progress in each module will be assessed during or at the end of the semester in which it is taught. All modules include assessments, including written examinations or assessed coursework, or a combination of both. The format of the assessments depends on the learning outcomes of each specific module.

Most modules include coursework elements for assessment. The importance of good referencing, use of libraries and web-based information retrieval as a prelude to critical, independent study is developed. Assessed essays and reports are used to encourage knowledge and understanding, critical analysis, development of reasoned argument and synthesis of conclusions.

Practical assignments assess programming and design skills. These typically address small, well-defined problems at the start of the course, and become progressively open-ended. Tests are also used to assess knowledge, skills and techniques, which a professional may be expected to use in a time-constrained situation. You can also be assessed by poster presentation. 

Grades and marks for modules taken at the host institution will be converted to marks in the Cardiff University system according to the University’s grade conversion policy, which is described in the Grade Conversion Handbook, and will be explained to you in pre-application and pre-departure briefings.

Feedback:

Feedback on assessed work will normally be made available no later than four working weeks after the assessment deadline. We recognise the importance not only of assessing the quality of the work submitted, but also of giving useful feedback which will help you in your understanding of the subject being assessed.

Feedback is used to identify what has been done well, why a particular mark was given, and what can be done to improve in the future. Feedback is given in a variety of ways including oral feedback given by staff on an informal, ongoing basis, written feedback on individual submissions, and written or oral feedback given to students as a group in tutorials, discussion classes and problems classes.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• an understanding of the broad range of concepts, principles and theories underpinning advanced computer science
• an understanding of the methods, techniques, and tools available to specify, design, implement and manage computer based systems
• an understanding of the representation of data in structured forms and its interplay with the implementation of algorithms
• a critical awareness of current trends in selected research areas of computer science, and an ability to discuss their contribution to developing computer based systems

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:  

• a mastery of the practical methodologies in key areas of computing; their application to well-established areas of software development relating to the storing, processing and communication of information; and their use in selected specialised application areas
• an ability to objectively analyse computational problems and develop appropriate, creative solutions
• an ability to model complex scenarios to design computer systems that meet stated requirements
• an ability to select, derive and analyse appropriate algorithms to solve computing problems
• an ability to assess systems (which may include software, devices, people, and so on), to recognise the individual components and to understand their interaction, to improve systems, to replace them and to create them
• an ability to compare and contrast known paradigms with those encountered during study abroad

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• an awareness of professional, legal, social, cultural and ethical issues that arise in the implementation of existing and future computer systems and an awareness of societal and environmental impact
• an ability to pursue opportunities for career development and lifelong learning and appreciate the importance of commercial awareness
• Understanding of key terms related to your core degree, expressed in the style of the host country

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• an ability to critically review the literature, and to effectively communicate ideas, principles and theories by oral, written and electronic means.
• an ability to work effectively as team member or leader in a team and as an individual
• an ability to make effective use of a range of IT systems