Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Business Systems Development
Business intelligence combines the business world and the technical world using technologies, applications and practices for the study of business information, influencing business decision making.
You will combine the analysis of given data sets from business case studies and the subsequent visualisation of narratives identified within the data. You must present business information on a variety of platforms and devices so you will learn how to develop responsive websites using HTML5 and CSS for presentation.
Information Security and Cybercrime
You cover a range of issues relating to information and computer security, including systematic approaches to managing security risks, elementary cryptography, how computers are used in the execution of crime, and how such crimes are investigated.
Python Programming
You are introduced to the fundamental concepts of software development through the Python programming language.
You look at key aspects of the software development process including designing solutions, writing application code, developing documentation and formal approaches to testing.
Rapid Application Development
You study the concept of rapid development applications. You gain experience of analysing, designing and building web-database applications using a tools-driven approach. A range of rapid development tools will be explored, such as Mendix, Microsoft LightSwitch, Zoho Creator, and one of these is taught in depth.
As part of your studies, you develop an application using the taught rapid development tool.
Secure Data Acquisition
The module will explore issues of data representation and data quality, information architectures and scale. The principles and techniques of information security and governance will be introduced.
Systems Design and Databases
Successful, robust and user-friendly systems or applications begin with a requirements analysis and detailed design. You are introduced to the concepts and techniques of systems analysis and design, enabling you to break down and simplify complex systems and represent them visually using industry-standard approaches such as Unified Modelling Language (UML). In industry, the resulting models are used to communicate designs to developers and stakeholders prior to implementation.
You learn to design and implement fully normalised relational databases as part of an information system. Using data modelling techniques you define how the system stores data and interacts with it. You implement your design using Structured Query Language (SQL): Data Definition Language for creating tables, and Data Manipulation Language for accessing the data.
You develop professional practice and transferrable skills essential for industry, including project management."
Year 2 core modules
IS Developer
A practical module where you undertake the development of an IT based project usually in the form of an approved Web/Database System, taking into consideration appropriate legal issues and professional ethics. You will be placed in an active learning environment to enable development of group working, project process skills, and an identified product by a given deadline.
Working in small teams, you will take responsibility for determining project aims, objectives, roles, tasks, deliverables, schedules and documentation. The work will culminate with the teams providing a group report and a group presentation of the product or application to a panel of academics and/or industry experts. You will also be required to submit an individual report to reflect on the project process as a whole, review the ethical and legal issues considered, evaluate group members’ performance, your own strengths and weaknesses and relate those to their future career aspirations.
Networks and Systems Administration
Key aspects of network and systems administration as applied to the IT scenario are introduced in this module, which includes a study of current network filing systems, user account issues including account setting up (bulk and individual), generating IDs and passwords, password policies account administration, suspending accounts, changing quotas and passwords and issues associated with wireless networks etc.
The importance of secure storage and backup of user data will be addressed, along with other maintenance issues, network management issues and network performance monitoring.
The significance of licences and legality (or otherwise) of user software will be investigated, as will policies on network and account security, viruses, and attack by hackers (DOS) and spammers. Finally, some of the ethical and moral concerns surrounding account privacy will be investigated.
Open Source Business Solutions
you gain a theoretical and practical perspective of developing online business solutions using an open source system/platform such as Wordpress, OSCommerce, SuiteCRM and OsTicket. You are also introduced to using cloud-based solutions and self-hosting and manipulation of the back-end structure.
You gain an understanding of the wide range of uses of open source systems, benefit from engaging with the open source community and learn how to develop custom applications based on open source systems.
Rapid Development Systems
This module takes a tools-driven approach to advanced application development; creating rich user interfaces for secure information systems.
Application development tools to generate the code will be used, and you will be taught how to manipulate, enhance and customise the output from these tools to create a unique, bespoke and user-friendly interface with minimal coding. You will build one application throughout this module which will take the form of a fully scaffolded database with a web front-end. The utilisation of web services and plug-in application components to further enhance functionality and usability will be considered.
Relational and NoSQL Databases
You develop your ability to design and implement database applications to meet business needs. A case study is used to follow the system development life cycle, and you develop a server database application from inception to implementation for a real world scenario.
The module investigates the issues and technologies associated with implementing and supporting databases and the services that are needed to maintain and access a repository of data. Investigations are undertaken in a number of areas including data modelling, data management and approaches that support the modelling and visualisation of data for a range of use views.
Optional work placement year
Work placement
You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.
You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.
Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:
· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.
If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.
Final-year core modules
Client-focused Business Solutions
Technical consultancy is widely used within industry. Close collaboration between the client and the consultants allows the design and implementation of information technology projects to be made based on informed decisions.
You work in close collaboration with your client(s) by taking on the role of the IT consultant as part of a team. You have the opportunity to go through the full consultancy cycle and manage your client’s project from the start to completion using industry standard methodologies such as PRINCE2®.
Utilising and developing previously acquired technical skills and knowledge, you research industry-standard tools such as open source content management systems (CMS) that allow you to advise and influence your clients appropriately on the most suitable platform to use in their organisation. Client relationships are key as you are heavily involved in client-facing activities in order to collect data and present findings.
You widen your experience of working as part of a team and grow your understanding of the theories underpinning effective teamwork.
Computing Project
You complete a large scale piece of work, under the supervision of an academic staff member. You produce a substantial artefact relating to the computing field, and complete your report and viva consisting of a presentation, demonstration and discussion of the artefact.
You are guided to develop an appropriate sense of work-discipline coupled with a professional outlook. You take responsibility for the planning and execution of an extended piece of work including the consideration of associated legal, social, ethical and professional issues. You are able to explore in depth a chosen subject area, and thereby demonstrate your ability to analyse, synthesise, and creatively apply what has already been studied on the programme while demonstrating critical and evaluative skills and professional awareness.
Data Analytics for Enterprise
Business intelligence tools are used to show the state of the business to facilitate better and faster business decision making. The next evolution is business analytics which is a technology-aided process which analyses the data to predict future performance.
You will develop skills in combining the analysis of a given data set from a business case study and the creation of dynamic, interactive visualisations that enable decision makers to explore the data through a variety of perspectives.
Using an interactive graphic gives the option to zoom in on sections of the data which are of interest, explore more than one dimension at a time, and sort and filter to discover new patterns and themes within the data.
Databases and Business Intelligence
You develop your ability to design and implement big data solutions to meet business needs by using a case study to follow the system development life cycle. You then develop a plausible big data solution from inception to implementation for a real world scenario.
You investigate the issues and technologies associated with implementing and supporting large scale databases and the services that are needed to maintain and access a repository of data. You undertake investigations in a number of areas including big data, data warehouses, integrating legacy data, data management and approaches that support the modelling and visualisation of data for a range of use views.
Information Governance
You identify the goals of information governance, from protecting the needs of the stakeholder to ensuring the transparency of processes and how these link together to support data governance principles such as integrity, transparency, auditability, accountability, standardization and change management.
You study a range of governance topics including law, regulations, and compliance; security governance and risk management; security for cloud architectures and issues around 3rd party data storage.
