UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
Programme Specification
This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme
and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and
demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
Sources of information on the programme can be found in Section 17
1. Awarding Institution / Body
University of Central Lancashire
2. Teaching Institution and Location
of Delivery
University of Central Lancashire
3. University Department/Centre
Physical Sciences and Computing
4. External Accreditation
5. Title of Final Award
MSc in Agile Software Projects
PGDip in Agile Software Projects
6. Modes of Attendance offered
Part-Time (Burst Mode)
7. UCAS Code
Not applicable
8. Relevant Subject Benchmarking
Group(s)
QAA Computing
9. Other external influences
DSDM Consortium – www.dsdm.org
GlobalFN – www.globalfn.org
British Computer Society (BCS) ISEB – www.bcs.org
February 2013
10. Date of production/revision of this
form
11. Aims of the Programme
MSc Aims (these are in addition to the PGDip aims)
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To develop students’ individual self-management and independent learning skills to help them
face complex problems
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To develop students' skills of critical evaluation and communication
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To evaluate and adapt appropriate research methods
PGDip Aims
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To enable students to identify and respond effectively to challenges associated with
implementing an information system and support the people involved in organisational change
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To enable students to use academic literature and contribute to profession discourse
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To develop students’ ability to work actively with stakeholders.
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To enable the students to critically evaluate and contribute to an agile project
To encourage and enable the students to become reflective practitioners
12. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
A. Knowledge and Understanding
The successful student will be able to:
A1. Critically evaluate policies and approaches to Agile methods and strategy
A2 Apply and evaluate principles, practices and tools needed for an Agile approach
A3. Interpret relevant literature and evaluate trends relating to Agile methods and strategy
Teaching and Learning Methods
Lectures, directed reading, tutorial exercises, visiting speakers, case studies, supervised and
unsupervised practical work. Project and literature-based research.
Assessment methods
Assessment methods are specified in each module syllabus. All learning outcomes in a module are
assessed with the mode of assessment specified for each outcome of the assignment. Assessment
methods include written reports, portfolios, practical assessment, presentations and examinations.
B. Subject-specific skills
The successful student will be able to:
B1. Identify and develop strategies for working with stakeholders of IT projects, and elicit and
specify system requirements
B2. Facilitate and scribe joint development workshops.
B3. Demonstrate a professional approach to ethical and legal issues and understand the
implications of their actions
B4. Apply skills, techniques and knowledge to plan, perform and evaluate a substantial project (MSc
only)
Teaching and Learning Methods
Lectures, tutorial exercises, role-play, visiting speakers, case studies, group workshops, video case
studies, directed reading
Assessment methods
Assessment methods are specified in each module syllabus. All learning outcomes in a module are
assessed with the mode of assessment specified for each outcome of the assignment. Assessment
methods include written reports, portfolios, practical assessment, presentations and examinations.
C. Thinking Skills
The successful student will be able to:
C1. Solve technical and human problems relating to the development and use of systems.
C2. Locate, synthesise and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
C3. Apply knowledge that was created for use in one situation to a new situation
C4. Analyse complex systems and concepts, communicating the outcome effectively
Teaching and Learning Methods
Lectures, tutorial exercises, role-play, visiting speakers, case studies, group workshops, video case
studies, directed reading
Assessment methods
Assessment methods include written reports, portfolios, practical assessment, presentations and
examinations.
D. Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
The successful student will be able to:
D1. Sustain current awareness through review of a range of source material
D2 Reflect critically on professional experience, devising and evaluating new approaches
D3 Develop individual self-management and independent learning skills
D4 Work as part of a team, identifying issues and devising responses
Teaching and Learning Methods
Lectures, tutorial exercises, role-play, visiting speakers, case studies, group workshops, video case
studies, directed reading
Assessment methods
Assessment methods include written reports, portfolios, practical assessment, presentations and
examinations.
13. Programme Structures*
Level
Module
Code
Module Title
14. Awards and Credits*
Credit
rating
Masters Degree in Agile Software
Projects
Level 7
CO4804
Masters Project
60
Requires 180 credits at Level 7
The project will include
substantial work with people
Post-Graduate Diploma in Agile
Software Projects
Level 7
CO4603
CO4608
CO4754
CO4820
CO4830
Workshop Facilitation
Agile Systems Development
User-Centred Systems Design
& Evaluation
Critical Analysis
IT Project Management
20
20
20
20
20
One module from the following
list of options (or an alternative
agreed with the course leader):
CO4403
CO4758
CO4757
CO4753
CO4817
OO Software Development
Advanced Topics in Information
Systems
Advanced Topics in Databases
Design Away from the Desktop
Student Initiated Module
20
20
20
20
20
Requires 120 credits at Level 7.
This must include
CO4603 Workshop Facilitation
CO4608 Agile Systems Development
CO4754 User Centred Systems Design
& Evaluation
CO4820 Critical Analysis
CO4830 IT Project Management
A student who has previously passed a
module whose content and level is
similar to one of those listed, may be
offered another level 7 module from the
School’s modules, as an alternative.
Post-Graduate Certificate in
Computing
Requires 60 credits at Level 7
15. Personal Development Planning
Professional skills cannot be developed through dedicated course modules, but are fostered through the
adaptation of teaching methods such as seminars, project work and oral and written coursework to make
these qualities an explicit element of the content and context of all work. This will be reflected in the
criteria by which you are assessed.
Technical competence alone is not enough for the good computing professional and so is not sufficient
for the award of any Masters within the School of Computing, Engineering & Physical Sciences. The
Programme aims identify the need to develop interpersonal skills and generic transferable skills as well
as subject-specific knowledge, understanding and skills. The course team believe that this combination
is needed to ensure the employability of the graduate.
The following transferable skills are developed:
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critical evaluation
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presentation skills
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report-writing skills
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investigative (information finding) skills

problem solving

independent learning
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team work
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time-management.
The design of the course has been directed to the development of these practitioner skills alongside
technical competence. The skills will be developed and assessed throughout the programme as a
whole.
The process begins from the first day of the programme with an induction scheme aimed at developing
reflective learning skills and is continued seamlessly through the delivery of the course modules. The
personal tutor, allocated at enrolment, helps students to determine their personal development plans and
use will be made of the Skills Learning Resource available from the Learning Development Unit (LDU)
www.uclan.ac.uk/skills . There are opportunities throughout the course for students to reflect on their
learning and revise their personal development plans. Students will have a minimum of 2 tutorials with
their personal tutor to discuss their personal development
16. Admissions criteria
Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic qualifications,
together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to study. These criteria may be
expressed as a range rather than a specific grade. Amendments to entry requirements may have been
made after these documents were published and you should consult the University’s website for the
most up to date information.
Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter.
In order to gain admission to the course you should have one of the following:
 Honours degree of 2.ii or above
 Degree and substantial relevant industrial experience
 BCS post-graduate diploma plus PGD project
 Qualifications deemed by the University to be equivalent to the above.
Students will also be expected to be employed within the software development industry. If students do
not have this experience, they would be interviewed to assess their suitability for the course.
Students will be expected to display communication skills appropriate to an Honours graduate. In
particular, students whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate competence in
the language. The normal minimum standard required is IELTS 7.0 or equivalent.
17. Key sources of information about the programme
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www.uclan.ac.uk/agilemsc
fact sheet
postgraduate prospectus
18. Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Programme Learning Outcomes
Core (C),
Compulsory
Module
(COMP) or
Knowledge and
Level Code
Module Title
Option (O)
understanding
Subject-specific Skills
Thinking Skills
A1
PGDip
MSc CO4804 Masters Project
CO4603 Workshop Facilitation
CO4608 Agile Systems Development
User-Centred System Design &
CO4574 Evaluation
CO4830 IT Project Management
CO4820 Critical Analysis
CO4403 OO Software Development
CO4758 Adv Topics in IS
CO4757 Adv Topics in Database Systems
CO4817 Student Initiated Module
Note:
C
Comp
Comp
Comp
Comp
Comp
Option
Option
Option
Option
A2
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A3
B1
B2
B3
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B4
C1
C2
C3
C4
D1
D2
D3
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Other skills relevant to
employability and personal
development
Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks
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D4