Software Design with Digitalisation – BSc (Hons)

Connected devices are physical objects that are equipped with sensors, software, and network connectivity that allow them to communicate with other devices and exchange data. This module introduces learners to the domain of connected devices and digitalisation, Learners will describe the features of a digitalisation strategy and explain the role of connected devices in the Internet of Things. Learning will take place in a largely practical environment, with a hands-on approach where learners will create a visualisation which connects to an Excel range of data sources and interface various sensors to a single board computer and determine output values.

This module covers topics that include theories, components and services that constitute the Internet. Theories will be supported with practicals allowing the learner to understand the different components and construction of web pages and forms. Learners will learn how cascading style sheets (CSS) are associated with and influence the appearance of webpages/websites. Learners will also use a lightweight framework for developing and designing responsive websites. Learners will then have to apply the theories and technologies demonstrated in lecturers to design, create and deploy a responsive website employing CSS, video and images. Learners will also gain experience uploading websites to the cloud.

The purpose of this module is to equip the student with the necessary skills to solve a range of problems in Algebra and Real Analysis pertinent to a first-year honours degree programme. No prior knowledge beyond basic numeracy is assumed. Technologies such as Geogebra, Moodle Quizzes, and CMAs are employed to help the student comprehend new concepts and to build a foundation for modules to follow.

The module develops students’ oral and written communication skills and equips them with key IT skills for the third-level academic environment.

This module introduces students to computer programming using the Java language. It focuses on the fundamentals of structured software development while building essential programming skills. Students will learn to design, write, test, and debug small programs, gaining a solid understanding of core concepts such as data types, operators, selection, and looping constructs including while, for, and do loops.

In this module, students will gain a fundamental insight into the application creation process. Gaining an understanding of the principles and methodologies behind the rules and play of games. Complimenting this, students will develop digital media skills for the purpose of content creation. This includes, an introduction to multimedia authoring tools such as GIMP and Audacity.

This module builds on the learnings of digitalisation for connected devices 1.1 where learners were introduced to the domain of connected devices and digitalisation. In this module learners will implement event handling using a visual development environment. Learning will take place in a largely practical environment, with a hands-on approach. They will use a visualisation system such as Power BI to create basic forms and controls and create an end to end connected device data visualisation system and build interfaces to the connected device using a mobile Web browser.

In this module, learners will understand the architecture of web applications, server side and client side technologies. Learners will focus on developing a dynamic client side application developed using JavaScript and DOM scripting that will be deployed to the cloud. Learners will also gain knowledge in cognitive services used in industry and understand how data is processed, labelled and embedded using a well-defined API.

The purpose of this module is to equip the student with the necessary skills to solve a range of problems in Analysis, Complex Numbers, and Statistics pertinent to a first year honours degree programme. No prior knowledge beyond basic numeracy is assumed. Technologies such as Moodle Quizzes are employed to help the student comprehend new concepts and to build a foundation for modules to follow.

This module will develop students’ ability to communicate about technical topics relating to their discipline in Engineering.

This module builds on introductory Java programming by developing students’ understanding of structured software development and enhancing their coding skills. It focuses on writing more advanced programs, including the use of arrays and array lists, creating and calling methods with parameters, and interpreting returned results. Students will also learn to design and implement classes based on UML diagrams, incorporating variables, constructors, and methods, and to create and interact with objects effectively.

This module introduces students to the application creation process with a focus on game development and digital media. Students will explore the principles behind game design and gameplay, while developing skills in creating multimedia content. The module also provides hands-on experience with multimedia authoring tools such as GIMP and Audacity. By the end, students will be able to document game concepts, develop prototype games, create and edit audio and video content, and understand key concepts such as multimedia integration, encoding, and compression for the web.

This module starts out by reinforcing the Java fundamentals from primitives up to, and including, classes and objects. From there. demonstrating an understanding and ability to apply the core tenets of OOP (encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism) are especially important. In addition, abstract classes and interfaces are also covered. This module also starts the journey towards Java Foundations Associate Certification.

This module provides an introduction to the following different types of agile methodologies: Scrum, Extreme Programming, and Kanban by focusing on the key processes of Requirements, Pair Programming and Test Driven Development.

This module has the following aims:

1. To further build on the foundation from year 1 for subsequent mathematical courses especially in Algebra, Analysis, Statistics, and Complex Analysis.
2. To provide the necessary problem-solving skills for other subjects in year 2 and later.
3. To use symbolic mathematical software and tutorials to improve the student’s problem-solving skills.

This module introduces learners to connecting traditionally non-networked devices to a network. Learning will take place in a largely practical environment, with a hands-on approach. Learners will develop intermediary systems to interface between real world transducers and a web-based interface, they will design, develop, test and evaluate small-scale embedded systems for specific applications using real-world hardware platforms.

This module builds on foundational database knowledge by focusing on the design and development of relational database applications. Students will gain practical experience using a database development environment while learning key concepts such as database normalisation and structured query language (SQL).

This module focuses on the design of software capable of interfacing southbound towards connected devices. The module will enable students to develop an integrated system implementing actions from a client GUI towards a server side implementation that is connected to different types of sensors.

This module focuses on the design and implementation of software systems that bridge connected devices and end-user graphical interfaces, following a full-stack approach from sensor-level hardware through to GUI-based data visualisation. Students develop practical skills in client/server architectures, TCP/IP socket communication, and CRUD operations applied to IoT environments.

Firstly, how Java handles exceptions is covered. Next, the Collections/Generics framework is detailed. Lambda expressions and records are also explained. The students complete the topics on the Java Foundations Associate Certification syllabus.

This module provides in-depth coverage of agile Planning, Tracking, and Reporting within Scrum, Extreme Programming, and Kanban. The module also focuses on the concepts of Test-Driven Development and Software Configuration Management / Version Control.

This module has the following aims:

1. To further build on the maths from earlier semesters.
2. To provide the necessary problem-solving skills for other subjects in year 2 and later.
3. To further develop knowledge in probability theory applicable to Machine Learning and AI applications.
4. To apply Graph Theory and Petri Nets to a wide range of Software Engineering based problems.

The Connected Devices 2.2 module provides an introduction to students in the Wireless Sensor Networking area. Wireless Sensor technology is used extensively to monitor, track and control physical parameters in areas of Internet of Things (IoTs) enabled applications, home and building automation, smart cities, industrial IoT, smart farming and food production, healthcare, and HVAC systems etc. This module provides practical experience of capturing data of wireless sensors to monitor real world physical parameters in a series of labs. Combined with a series of lectures developed with the leading industry players it provides a good grounding in the areas of deployment, configuration and data management of wireless sensor technology.

Data visualisation is a powerful tool for understanding and analysing large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. By presenting data in a visual format, it can help people to identify trends, patterns, and outliers that might not be apparent from raw data. This module will enable students to create clear and effective visualisations that effectively communicate insights.

This module introduces key concepts in software engineering, focusing on how software systems are designed, developed, and improved. It explores different approaches to agile development, software process models, and the importance of architectural design, including common patterns and application structures. Students will learn about quality assurance, standards, and measurement techniques used to evaluate both software products and development processes. The module also covers process improvement frameworks such as CMMI, along with methods for analysing and enhancing workflows. In addition, it examines risk management at project, product, and business levels, including identifying, analysing, planning, and monitoring risks.

This module introduces students to the principles of ubiquitous computing and the Internet of Things, exploring how smart devices can be deployed across a variety of application domains. Students examine the components, protocols, and communication interfaces required to connect and interact with smart devices, including bidirectional data exchange with microcontroller-based systems.

Data visualisation is a powerful tool for understanding and analysing large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. By presenting data in a visual format, it can help people to identify trends, patterns, and outliers that might not be apparent from raw data. This module will enable students to create clear and effective visualisations that effectively communicate insights.

This module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the infrastructure underpinning the Internet and modern communications networks. Topics covered span the core layers of the networking stack, including the Application, Transport, and Network layers, as well as Local Area Networks.

The focus of this module is the development of interactive and dynamic web applications, also known as Rich Internet Applications (RIA) and Single-Page Applications (SPA). Learners will develop practical skills in implementing a range of client-side and server-side web technologies, including Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and responsive web design, within this area.

Building on ideas taught in second year, this module teaches the fundamentals of Object Oriented Programming. GUIs, RMI and Serialisation are also included.

The placement preparation module supports all aspects of the process of applying for and securing of actual work placement in industry.

This module provides students with practical experience in the software engineering industry through an industrial placement. It complements academic learning by allowing students to apply their software design, programming, and testing skills in a real-world environment. By the end of the module, learners will be able to solve problems collaboratively, communicate effectively within an organisation, produce technical documentation, and reflect on current issues in the software engineering field.

Project 4 module is a comprehensive final-year project that merges four years of software engineering expertise into a single, research-driven application. The goal is to master a specific subject area and then use a defined software lifecycle to build and test a high-quality solution. It’s essentially a bridge between academic study and professional practice, focusing on high-level research and technical execution.

This module explores how self-management and emotional intelligence influence individual behaviour and effectiveness within teams. Students examine the role and responsibilities of individuals in collaborative business environments while developing self-awareness through personality assessment and reflective practice. The module highlights the importance of reflection, including reflective logs and project retrospectives, particularly within agile and team-based work. It also introduces key management concepts by comparing the theories of Fayol and Mintzberg and examining motivation, organisational structure, and culture. Students explore core strategy concepts, including Porter’s Five Forces and generic competitive strategies, and apply them through teamwork and case study analysis.

The growth of the Internet has facilitated a transient approach to how and where we connect to each other and the services of the Internet. The expansion in availability of adaptable, high-performance, ubiquitous mobile devices for computing / connectivity to heterogeneous networks, has encouraged such an approach to work and life. This Networks 4 module aims to equip participants with a good understanding of various Quality of Service (QoS) requirements for applications using the Internet. The module will emphasise the move away from a network centric approach to delivering services to the user centric approach. It includes how cloud computing can facilitate enhanced service availability while also evaluating the delivery from a networking perspective.

This module introduces learners to advanced concepts in the domain of connected devices and digitalisation. Learners will design, implement and evaluate visualisations for networked connected devices using protocols applicable for IOT. They will utilise the principles of explainable computing to create a drill-down connected digitalisation system for real time data. Learning will take place in a largely practical environment, with a hands-on approach.

This module will studies algorithms and methods used to find patterns in data and perform prediction and forecasting. The process includes data selection, cleaning, coding, using different statistical and machine learning techniques, and visualization of the generated structures. Special emphasis will be given to the Machine Learning algorithms and methods. The students will use recent Data Mining APIs and software.

This module focuses on designing and implementing relational databases, with an emphasis on advanced SQL and data modelling techniques. Students will learn to create entity-relationship diagrams, normalize data, and build functional databases for real-world scenarios. It also explores the differences between relational and object-oriented models, including the use of JDBC and ORM approaches. Through practical lab work and projects, students will develop skills in database administration, security, and problem-solving.

This module explores the role of the engineer within the wider business, legal, and ethical contexts of modern society. Students examine how organisations develop strategy, including vision, mission, objectives, competitive analysis, and change management. The module also analyses a range of business environments, such as public bodies, multinational organisations, and start-up companies. Key legal principles relevant to engineering professionals are introduced, including contract law, intellectual property, internet law, tort law, and employment law. Ethical considerations in personal, business, and professional contexts are explored through case studies and discussion. In addition, students develop essential professional skills including business planning, communication, presentation, writing, and interview preparation for the workplace.

Connected devices are physical objects that are equipped with sensors, software, and network connectivity that allow them to communicate with other devices and exchange data. This module analyses how digitalisation strategies can be integrated with the rich sensory capability of connected devices to optimise business processes. Learners will design, build, test and analyse a number of connected systems including smart home appliances, wearable fitness trackers, industrial sensors, and autonomous vehicles. Digitalisation refers to the process of using digital technologies to transform and streamline business processes, services, or products. This can involve using digital tools to automate tasks, store and process data, improve communication, and enhance customer experience.

The module will give the students a grounding in Computer Security issues. In particular, it will examine Cryptography and its uses, particularly in distributed applications. Various types of malware and best coding practices for delivering secure software systems are also addressed.

This module covers data storage and retrieval for large data sets. Students will implement NoSQL databases including Document Orientated and Graph databases. Students will implement Object Relational Mapping (ORM) using the Java Persistence API (JPA) and assess transaction management for Relational and NoSQL databases. The module also explores key concepts such as transaction management, concurrency, and data consistency to support efficient, scalable, and secure data solutions.