FdSc Computing and Information Systems

Students will study the following modules:

Year One (Credit Level 4)

• Personal and Problem Solving Skills in Computing
• Fundamentals of Software Development
• Computer Systems Fundamentals
• Introduction to Internet Technology
• Analysing Information Systems
• Information and Numerical Analysis.

Year Two (Credit Level 5)

• Negotiated Work and Project Based Learning in Computing
• Professional IT Level 5
• User Requirements Specification
• Object Oriented Modelling
• Database Design and Management
• Network Management
• Internet Technologies.

Year One (Credit Level 4)

Personal and Problem Solving Skills in Computing (Problem Solving) 
This module aims to provide the underpinning skills to support you I your academic and professional career by examining the personal and academic issues that underpin undergraduate courses in computing and information systems at UWL. You will concentrate on team working, problem solving, report writing, investigation skills and personal self-awareness, with particular emphasis on choosing the correct tool for the job, whether it is a word processing tool, spreadsheet, database or programming solution. These skills will be used throughout your educational career as support to other learning.

Fundamentals of  Software Development 
This module introduces basic techniques and principles of good software design.  The software will be developed using a visual, integrated development environment that enables professional looking software applications to be developed very rapidly with a minimum of coding.  After studying the module you will be able to design impressive screens with typical components and controls such as buttons, menus and list-boxes;  associated with each of these components are 'event-handlers' which will introduce you to Object Oriented Programming techniques.

Computer Systems Fundamentals
This module will enable you to gain a good understanding of computing fundamentals. It introduces the basic concepts underlying modern PC hardware, software and operating systems.  Through this module you will become a confident and resourceful user of computers, and in particular you will achieve competence in the use of spreadsheet, file and database management software. These skills will be used throughout your educational career as support to other learning.

Introduction to Internet Technology
This module provides the essential Internet knowledge and skills to develop and publish small web sites.  It introduces the concepts and requirements for web based applications. The most popular programming languages and a wide range of Internet technologies are used to explore various aspects of the Internet and hence create web pages useful for e-business. This module provides a sound background knowledge and information for e-commerce and e-business web based developments.

Analysing Information Systems
This module aims to introduce the student to the concepts of systems and the way that computerised information systems support business. It will describe different ways that systems are categorised. The module will describe and compare the types of information system for managing business information.

Information and Numerical Analysis
This module provides the student with the mathematical and statistical concepts and techniques to be able to effectively analyse, critically question and present qualitative and quantitative information. It provides mathematical skills to support other modules and introduces the student to the importance of information in business analysis including for instance calculation of errors, reliability, discounting and Net Present Values. The module also includes an appreciation of the associated issues of Data Protection and the proper use of information together with some fundamental principles of business accounts.

Year Two (Credit Level 5)

Negotiated Work and Project Based Learning in Computing
The ability to take responsibility for the management of one's own learning is increasingly sought after within organisations. This module will allow students to agree and plan their own learning within their work environment to meet needs that have been identified. These will be achieved by way of an agreed guided learning activity or set of tasks and personal reflection of the processes and outcomes in order to identify and demonstrate learning. Skills relating to the application of methods to well-defined problems will be developed.

Professional IT Level 5
Information technology (IT) systems courses open up a wide variety of potential career paths often with very different skills paths. Building on material covered at level 4, this module gives students an expanded opportunity to understand the range of professional opportunities and to begin to chart their potential careers. With an emphasis on team working, investigation and personal reflection the module open us the chance to look at the personal and academic issues that underpins research and scholarly activity in computing and information systems.

User Requirements Specification
This module aims to provide the student with a good understanding of user requirements principles and specification. This is accomplished by introducing the student to various requirement elicitation techniques including the current practice of adopting a socio-technical approach for scenario based design. All phases of the process will be described, critically analysed and exemplified. The student is introduced to key elements of requirement specification techniques and their practical exposition will be executed through the use of low fidelity prototyping scenarios.  On completion of this module the students will have understood the way in which user requirements gathering and early prototyping techniques are used within the general practice of software engineering. 

Object Oriented Modelling
This module introduces students to the concepts and techniques used in the analysis and specification of object-oriented systems and provides them with a basic understanding of software engineering principles and development lifecycles applied to the use of UML based Object Oriented methods. To illustrate the techniques used, and the way they are integrated, students are taken through a case study approach showing the results of each analysis and design stage. Practical skills will be developed through the use of market leading modelling and design software products such as Rational Rose.

Database Design and Management
This module aims to introduce students to the main principles and techniques involved in designing, implementing and managing relational databases. The module will examine database environments, database analysis and design techniques and methodologies. It will also give an introduction to database security and transaction management and will look at some of the current issues in the area of database management systems. Oracle will be used to explore the capabilities of SQL and to construct a small relational database.

Network Management
The role of networking within organisations, large and small, private or public, is an ever-evolving communications media that has become engrained within senior management strategies and commercial success. 

The module focuses on the management aspects of computer-based networks. The content looks at network architecture, OSI model and associated protocols, network assembly, security, administration and management network roles and functions.