Course Guide 2015-16
BSc Computing
Course Leader Dr Joanna Olszewska
School of Computing & Technology
Faculty of Arts & Technology
School of Computing & Technology Courses Guide
Contents
This guide introduces the courses of Business Information Technology,
Computing, Computer Games Design, Computer Games Programming, Forensic
Computing, Multimedia Web Design and Integrated Engineering.
SECTION
Page
Courses
3
Key Staff
4
Tailoring your course
6
Study Commitments
7
The Key to Success…
8
Resources
9
Buying your own computer
12
Assessment & Assessment Offences
13
Placements
17
Professional Development Planning (PDP)
18
Communication / Course evaluation
18
Course evaluation
19
Progression and Transition
20
Term Dates 2015/2016
20
Appendix 1. Student Representative Role
21
Appendix 2. Guidelines on writing style and referencing
23
Appendix 3. Research ethics: policy for all students
27
Appendix 4. C&T Courses Assessment Grid
29
Appendix 5. Business Information Technology (BSc) - Full Time Course Map31
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Please note that this document is for guidance only, the definitive regulations
are contained online at the Academic Registry web site
(http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/registry/Quality/Pages/AcademicReg
ulations.aspx).
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Courses
What is a Course?
A Course is a subject area, such as Business Information Technology, Forensic
Computing, Multimedia Web Design (MWD) or Computer Games Design (CGD).
The School of Computing & Technology offers eight courses: Business
Information Technology (BT), Computing (CO), Computer Games Design (CGD),
Computer Games Programming, Forensic Computing (FCO), Integrated
Engineering (IE), Multimedia Web Design (FCO), Product Design (PD). All the
Courses are taken as single subject degrees.
What is a module?
Each course is made up of modules. Detailed description of each module and
the combinations required to form a course are available on the University
website: http://infonet.glos.ac.uk and on Student Records Online.
Subject Aims
The subject aims set out below are presented in concise, simple terms for this
Guide and reflect a broad area of study. Each subject may be studied by
taking a particular range of modules. The full aims and learning outcomes of
the Courses are presented in the Programme Specifications. These are
available on the University website.
Computing (CO)
The programme aims to:
1. Develop a broad theoretical knowledge and practical skills which integrate
programming, software development, and computer science.
2. Provide opportunities to cultivate the necessary technical and interpersonal skills required to be directly and effectively employed as
software developer and computer scientist in the IT field.
3. Cultivate an appreciation of the professional, social and ethical issues
associated within the software industry.
4. Develop the skills needed to exploit Computing and Computers to assist in
problem solving and design processes to build or enhance a wide range of
computing products such as softwares, mobile apps, web sites, databases,
security systems, smart devices, robots, intelligent vision systems,
artificial intelligence applications, etc.
5. Introduce essential academic skills required to work in programming-based
environments.
6. Develop the understanding of software development and computer science
with a project-based approach all along the Course, using real-world,
work-based case studies and newest research-informed examples.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Key Staff
Academic Subject Leader
The academic health of all the courses within the Technical Computing
element of the School is the responsibility of Paula Thomas. Generally issues
with a module or course should in the first instance be discussed with the
relevant Course Leader. If an issue cannot be resolved satisfactorily then
contact Paula via email (pthomas2@glos.ac.uk).
Academic Course Leader
Each Course has a Course Leader, who is responsible for the academic
direction of the Course and ensuring that the content of the Course is current
and appropriate. Please note: Names are correct at time of publication
Currently the Course Leaders are:
Course
Name
Office
Email
BT
Julie Paterson
WW103
jpaterson@glos.ac.uk
CGD/CGP Paul O’Brien
WW103
pobrien@glos.ac.uk
CO
Dr Joanna Olszewska
WW103
jolszewska@glos.ac.uk
FCO
Paula Thomas
WW103
Pthomas2@glos.ac.uk
IE
David Liewe
WW103
dliewe@glos.ac.uk
IT
Kevin Walter
WW103
kwalter@glos.ac.uk
MWD
Zayd Dawood
WW103
zdawood@glos.ac.uk
PD
Dr Michelle Williams
WW103
mwilliams@glos.ac.uk
MSc
David Johnston
WW103
djohnston@glos.ac.uk
External Examiners
As part of the Quality Assurance process, each Course has an External
Examiner shown below, who reviews samples of student work, attends Course
Examination Boards and submits a report for inclusion in the Course Annual
Report.
CO
Chris Sturley
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Module Leader
A Module Leader leads a module, as indicated in the regulations, and is
responsible for the organisation, subject content and assessment of the
module. In large modules, someone other than the Module Leader might
teach you, but the they still retains overall responsibility for the module.
Personal Tutor
When you start University you will be assigned a Personal Tutor for the
duration of your course, they will provide guidance on the scheme rules,
module choices and help deal with any issues you may have with your studies.
Helpzones & Senior Tutor
Further Advice and support is also available from the Student Helpzone or the
Senior Tutor, Mo Clutterbuck.
The Student Helpzone for the Park Campus will be able to provide general
support for non-academic issues, e.g. housing, finance, disabilities etc. Tel:
(71) 4444, email: helpzonepark@glos.ac.uk.
Academic support and advice is available from the Senior Tutor, Mo
Clutterbuck, email: mclutterbuck@glos.ac.uk.
The Student Adviser for International Students is Charlotte Robinson, tel:
(71) 4380, email: crobinson@glos.ac.uk
Course Administrator
A Course Administrator, Sue Frazer supports the C&T Courses. The
administrator is the contact for student reps.
Library staff
The Library includes the computing and academic resources, which are
controlled by the Department of Learning and Information Services (LIS). See
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/Pages/default.aspx
Questions relating to LIS, e.g. computer faults or book loans, should be
addressed to the Park enquiry desk.
The Top Floor Labs in the Learning Centre along with the Labs in the
Waterworth building are staffed by the Park Technical Services (PTS)
technician: Liz Graham. Her office is LC203.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Essay Writing and Numeracy Support
If you have problems with essay writing, note taking, reading, organising your
ideas, referencing, or if English is your second language, then the Student
Achievement Centre can help. The Student Achievement Centre offers a wide
range of interventions and support options for students seeking to improve
their academic work and enhance their study skills. For those students for
whom English is not their first language the service offers specific language
support.
Advice and Guidance can be accessed through workshops, 1:1 appointments
across the University and on line resources. Information regarding the service
will
be
available
via
the
Student
Services
web
pages
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/studentservices Appointments can be made via
Library Reception Desks, Student Achievement or Helpzones.
Tailoring your course
Choosing modules
Each year you will be required to select module choices for the next academic
year on the web. Consult the Course maps on the University website
http://infonet.glos.ac.uk and consult your Personal Tutor if you need advice.
Module changes
If you are unhappy with your module choices, you may change them within
the two weeks of the start of the semester via Student Records Online. Your
Personal Tutor will advise on your choices or alternatives to ensure you have a
legal programme of modules for your course.
Compulsory modules
The compulsory modules are identified on the maps on the University
Website. Make sure you understand how to read the map(s) relevant to your
course, and check your compulsory modules. Your Personal Tutor or the
Helpzone can help, but remember that course validity is your own
responsibility.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite modules are those you must have passed before taking a
particular module and are marked on the course maps.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Credits/exemptions
If you have qualifications or significant experience in the subject area of a
module, you might consider making a case for a credit or exemption from that
module. The case for an exemption or credit should be made to the Module
Leader in the first instance.
Course changes
If you think you have made a wrong choice of course, you need to talk over
the consequences with your Personal Tutor or the Senior Tutor. Course
changes are made using an C50; ask your Personal Tutor or the Helpzone for
help.
Study Commitments
Student Charter
The Student Charter is intended to set out the standards of service that
students can expect from the University of Gloucestershire together with the
expectations that the University reasonably has of its students. A copy of the
charter can be obtained from the University web site at the following address:
http://www.glos.ac.uk/life/pages/student-charter.aspx
Timetable
You should check your timetable with your Personal Tutor, to ensure that it
contains the correct modules, as specified on your course map. If the lecture
or tutorial times given on your timetable present great problems for meeting
other module or work commitments, you may be able to arrange to attend an
alternative session.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Module delivery
During a semester, each module should occupy about 120 hours of your time.
A module will appear as 2 or 3 hours per week on your timetable, depending
on the level of staff/student contact; the remainder is to be used for
background reading, individual study and assessment work (i.e. around 5 - 8
hours per module per week on average). Lectures will generally be used to
introduce topics in a fairly formal way and may involve demonstrations of the
tools you will be using in the labs. Tutorials normally involve smaller groups,
so there is an opportunity to ask questions and to follow up on the work from
the lectures.
Individual Research Project
Final year Honours degree students must complete an Individual Research
Project, (CT6007). See the course maps on the University website for more
details. Appendix 2 of this Course Guide gives useful guidelines on writing
style and referencing.
There are a series of lectures in Semester 1, which provides useful support for
all project students. Good projects from previous years accessible online via
the Library page.
Degree Group Project
Group projects are a compulsory feature of Level 6 on some courses, e.g.
Computer Games Design, Computer Games Programming and Multimedia Web
Design, and optional for others e.g., Computing, Business Information
Technology. Should you choose to take this module in Level 6, please contact
the Module Leader to ensure that you form a group and embark on the project
in a timely manner. Planning ahead at the end of level 5 is advisable.
The Key to Success…
Full-Time Students Please Read Carefully
We want you to enjoy your time here at the University and, ultimately, for
you to enjoy your student experience you will need to be successful. Whilst
we encourage you to take part in the many and varied ‘fun’ activities that are
available at this University, we urge you not to become involved to the extent
that it is detrimental to your studies. You are here to work as well as ‘play’
and we consider attendance to all of your timetabled sessions a minimum
requirement. Find out when all the lectures, tutorials and seminars run for
each module that you study, so that if you miss one, you may be able attend
an alternative session.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Of course, if you want good results you will have to invest in many hours of
independent study but if you do not have the grounding provided by the
timetabled sessions then you will limit your chances of success. Some of the
modules you study will involve group work, so if you don't make sufficient
effort, you could be letting others down as well as yourself. In our
experience, students who do not attend, either fail or achieve far below their
capabilities, whilst those who attend and work hard, excel.
Your weekly commitment to your studies during term time should be 40 hours,
which is 10 hours per module per week.
Advice for Part-Time Students on Degrees
We recognise that many part-time students as well as attending University
have significant work-related responsibilities. We are of course sympathetic
to this, but regular attendance is expected and is the key to maximising your
performance in assessment. If you have to miss a session for any reason it is
critical that you take steps to ensure that you catch up. It is not usually
possible for a Module Leader to provide individual tutorials, but material is
usually available electronically via Moodle, the Infoserver or a module
website. The Module Guide will contain details of resources.
Please contact the Student Helpzone:
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/ss/helpzones/Pages/default.aspx
Resources
Keep up to date
Check out the University website http://infonet.glos.ac.uk for important info
for current students.
Students with disabilities or special needs
Students with disabilities such as Dyslexia, may contact Student Services
email: disability@glos.ac.uk who are happy to advise on assistance that may
be available. More details are available at:
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/ss/disability/Pages/default.aspx
University website
The University website http://infonet.glos.ac.uk/ is a valuable source of
learning materials, and requires password access to some areas. Once you
have enrolled, you will be issued with a photo ID card containing your Student
Number. To access the University Intranet and the Library services you will
need to provide this number prefixed by the letter “s” as your Username
(student number) and use the Password (PIN number) which you will be
provided with.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
The University provides access to the Internet from the Learning Centre as
well as wireless hotspots in most places on Park Campus. However, it is also
possible to waste a great deal of time emailing friends, using chat rooms or
just aimlessly ‘surfing’ the net. Past students have criticised the antisocial
behaviour of other students who monopolise resources in this way. Just as in
the workplace, students abusing the resources may face disciplinary
proceedings.
Using the Faculty of Learning & Information Services
(LIS) resources
During LIS induction, you will be told what resources are available and how
you can use/book them. If you plan to use a computer, you must check
availability first (the room timetables are on the doors), bearing in mind that
these labs are used primarily as teaching rooms.
Class work and private study
If you are in the labs studying privately when a class is due to start you will be
asked to leave; please do so as quickly as possible. If a class does not require
all machines, it is possible that you will be allowed back into the lab once the
class is underway; in such circumstances, please work as quietly as possible.
The use of an IT lab when a class is in progress is at the discretion of the
tutor.
Computing Labs
The Waterworth Building, the Library and the second floor of the Park
Learning Centre contain a number of computing labs which are available for
use by students studying subjects in the School of Computing & Technology.
The labs available are:
WW002 – Games Lab 1

WW003 - Games Lab 2

WW101a/b – General Purpose Lab

WW114 – Cyber Security Lab

LC201 – General Purpose Lab

LC204 – General Purpose Lab

LC205a - Audio Recording Room

LC205 – General Purpose/MSc Lab

LC206 – General Purpose Lab

LC207 – General purpose Lab
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide

LC208 – Render farm
The resources in the Labs are available to any student on the course or
modules in Computing & Technology subjects. Some specific resources such as
digital or video cameras can be booked via the technician based in LC203.
Most PC’s in the labs have firewire facilities to capture video with video
editing software and all PCs are equipped with DVD writers. In addition,
there is a range of equipment, professional microphones, loudspeakers,
headphones, digital cameras, HDTV and digital video camcorders, game
consoles, 3D TVs, 3D printer, XBOX controllers and WACOM art tablets with
stylus available from the technician.
Software includes MS-Office; Oracle RDBMS; Adobe CC, (After Effects,
Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere); Autodesk
Entertainment Suite (3D Studio Max, Maya & SoftImage), Mudbox, Java, Visual
Studio .NET, Visual Basic, Unity, UDK, CryEngine 3, ActionScript, C#, SPSS,
MATLAB, plus numerous other tools.
ICT Services
Check
out
the
contact
details
for
the
ICT
Helpdesk
https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/ictservices/Pages/default.aspx
at
If you plan to use a computer, you must check availability first (the room
timetables are on the doors), bearing in mind that these labs are used
primarily as teaching rooms.
Moodle
Moodle is part of the University computer network and provides access to
information associated with BT courses. Module Guides will indicate where
such information is available.
Learning support materials
Extensive learning support materials are available on Moodle for all modules.
In addition further resources can be found on http://ct.glos.ac.uk. These
include course notes, practice exercises, web links, students’ showcase work
from previous years and important news information and reminders. We also
advertise employment opportunities from industry. These resources were
recently commended by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
(QAA) as a model of good practice.
Recommended books
You may be given a reading list for each module, but check before buying as
some books will be used only for background reading and will be available in
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
multiple copies from the library. E-books services such as myilibrary, Dawson
Era and EBSCO are very useful with titles provided free of charge. See
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/resources/Pages/eBooks.aspx.
In
addition, more up-to-date material can often be found in academic journals,
most of which are available online on and off campus, e.g. ACM or IEEE
databases,see
https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/Pages/OnlineResources.aspx.
University website
The University website http://infonet.glos.ac.uk/ is a valuable source of
learning materials, and requires password access to some areas. Once you
have enrolled, you will be issued with a photo ID card containing your Student
Number. To access the University Intranet and the Library services you will
need to provide this number prefixed by the letter “s” as your Username
(student number) and use the Password (PIN number) which you will be
provided with.
The University provides access to the Internet from the Learning Centre as
well as some wireless hotspots in the Refectory and Student Union, and it can
be a very valuable resource for assignments. However, it is also possible to
waste a great deal of time emailing friends, using chat rooms or just aimlessly
‘surfing’ the net. Past students have criticised the antisocial behaviour of
other students who monopolise resources in this way. Students abusing the
resources may face disciplinary proceedings.
Misuse of resources
The Learning Centre publishes Rules and Regulations of the general Learning
Centres Guide available on the Intranet at
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/help/documents/lc%20guide_15_re
gs.pdf . It is important to follow these otherwise you risk disciplinary action
and loss of access to University facilities. It is your responsibility to read
this section carefully.
Buying your own computer
Many students find that the recently refurbished computing facilities provided
by the University are sufficient, although if you have access to an appropriate
PC or MAC at home/work, you will find it an advantage. If you are considering
buying a computer or a particular software package, discuss your
requirements with the appropriate Module Leader first. Make sure you make
adequate backups of all your University work created or stored on your own
computer.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
What software should I buy?
Microsoft
Office
is
valuable
for
http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/engb/default.aspx?cid=UniStudent
all
students.
Visit
and you could also search the Internet for shareware and freeware. Adobe
offers student versions of their software as well as 30day trials. Autodesk have
free student versions of their various 3D products (e.g. 3DS Max, Maya etc).
The University email system for students, Connect, is part of Microsoft's
Windows Live online service, which offers web-accessible email facilities,
25Gb file storage (SkyDrive), photo galleries and blogging. You are advised to
use SkyDrive to back up your work regularly.
Arduino Starter Kit:
We will be using Arduino kit in this module and it will be useful if you buy your own
kit. Following kit seems to be a good choice (price on 15 Sept 2015 is £25.95) but
search eBay and may be you could find a better one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sintron-UNO-R3-Upgrade-Kit-with-Motor-LCD-ServoModule-for-Arduino-AVR-Starter/161099897306?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networking&hash=item25824d5
9da
MatLab Student Licence (Life Valid)
You might find useful to buy your own MatLab licence at a student price which
is a huge discount compared to its normal price. Your MatLab licence will
remain valid for your entire life. More information could be found at:
http://uk.mathworks.com/academia/student_version/
Assessment & Assessment Offences
You
should
read
the
University
Regulations
and
Procedures
(http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/registry/Quality/Pages/AcademicReg
ulations.aspx) so that you understand the University regulations and
procedures. The module descriptors on the University website state the type
of assessment for each module.
Assignment briefs
The Module Leader will provide the assessment details on the Module Guide in
the first session. This should make clear what you are required to do, what
you have to submit, the submission deadline and how the work will be
assessed. Most assessment is based on the School of Computing & Technology
Courses’ Assessment Grid (Appendix 4).
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Assignment deadlines
All assignments must be submitted by the stated deadline (see regulations),
with a completed Cover Sheet (available from the online Student Records
system). You should always obtain an email receipt for your work from the
Assignment Room. NB: Keep your receipts and always keep a copy of the
work you have submitted.
Extensions
In the event of a short-term illness, it is possible to self-certify, once only per
year,
for
48
hours
(see
regulations
on
restrictions:
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/registry/Quality/assessment/Pages/Pr
oceduresforStudents.aspx) with no penalty in the marks awarded. In the
event of illness or other valid mitigating circumstances, you may request an
extension to the deadline of up to three weeks from the Helpzone, as
explained in the regulations. You will need to provide them with suitable
evidence, e.g. a medical certificate.
If you have significant personal issues which are affecting your studies, you
should make an appointment to talk to the HelpZone tel: (71) 4444, email:
helpzonepark@glos.ac.uk who will arrange an appointment with the Senior
Tutor.
Please note that poor time management is NOT considered a mitigating
circumstance.
You are responsible for the security of your work on disc, so you should make
appropriate back-up copies. Loss of work on a disc or loss of a disc is NOT
considered a mitigating circumstance.
Hand-in arrangements - Assignment Room
The Park Campus operates a central hand-in and collection point for
assignments at the Assignment Room. Marked assignments can be collected
Mon – Fri 3.00pm – 5.30pm, please check on the notices, (term-time only).
Part-time students may contact the Student Helpzone to make special
arrangements, but these must be made so that you meet the deadline.
The Module Leader will specify hand-in and return arrangements in the
assignment brief. Your work may be recalled or retained until after the
Examination Board. Work will then be returned via the Assignment Room.
It is your responsibility to submit your assignment in a secure, named folder.
If submitting a disc or CD then you should use a clear, transparent Polyfile
with a disc pocket.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
e-Submission
The majority of assignments are now handed in electronically via Moodle or
the University’s EMA system. Details of hand in procedures and dates will be
found in Module Guides.
Principles for the Electronic Submission of Assessment
1. A student cannot opt to submit a hard copy document if electronic
submission has been identified for an assessment.
2. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that work submitted
electronically:
a. is the correct work for the assessment task
b. is not corrupted
c. can be read on University computers
d. does not contain any computer viruses that could compromise
the University's network systems.
3. It may not be possible to mark submitted documents that do not
conform to the above requirements.
4. Once work has been submitted electronically by a student, it cannot be
amended or re-submitted, even if the deadline for submission has not
expired.
5. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the assessment is
submitted on time. Failure of the student's equipment, such as the
student's computer or network, is not a valid reason for late
submission.
6. If, because of a failure of the University network, a student is unable to
submit an assessment electronically, the student will be given an
automatic extension and will be required to submit the assessment
within 24 hours of the network being reinstated. The student should
not use an alternative method of submission unless directed otherwise
by the Module Tutor.
7. All feedback on a student's work will be returned electronically.
Submission
1) One electronic copy uploaded to Moodle or the EMA, as stated in the
module guide.
2) You are advised to keep your own copy of this assessment.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
a) You are advised to submit work electronically by midday (British local
time) to ensure that technical support is available should you
encounter any issues with the electronic submission process.
b) You should use the convention for naming your file as specified on the
Moodle site for that particular Module.
All files must be submitted as an Office document, these may include docx,
pptx or xlsx, whichever is appropriate. [Note: please refer to the web pages
at https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/adu/ema/
for details of
approved file formats.] Information about electronic submission, including a
set
of
Frequently
Asked
Questions,
is
available
at
https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/adu/ema/Pages/emastudents.aspx .
Results
You must access your module results from Student Records Online on the
University website when they become available. See the regulations for an
explanation of the grade descriptors.
Check your results carefully and consult your Personal Tutor or the
Helpzone if you have any queries.
If you fail a module you should discuss the implications with your Personal
Tutor or the Senior Tutor.
Reassessment
If you have any reassessment grades, you will have to submit extra work or
retake Examinations. This will be in late June/early July.
NB: You must keep yourself available to complete reassessment work in
June/July or you will fail the module and have to pay to retake it.
Please note also that you will have to pay a reassessment fee via the
University Online Store (see regulations).
Failure to undertake reassessment when offered will require you to
retake the module in the following year this has serious consequences:
1) You will fail the module, to retake the module you will be charged full
fee.
2) You may breach the “Max Fail” rule, which means you will not be
eligible for a Honours Degree.
Assessment Offences
There are a number of ways in which a student might commit an offence to
gain some unfair advantage in assessment. These include plagiarism, representation and collusion. You may find yourself accused of plagiarism if,
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
for example, you do not reference your work properly or if you submit work
that is copied from a textbook or the Internet. If you submit work that is
similar to the work of another student then you may infringe the rules on
syndication/collusion.
These and other terms are explained in the
regulations.
Such offences incur grave penalties, as described in the regulations.
Generally, unless stated otherwise in the assessment brief, the work you
submit should be your own.
This Course Guide contains advice on writing style and referencing in
Appendix 2 and the Personal Development materials, it also explains how to
reference your work correctly. Read these carefully so that you do not
unwittingly commit an assessment offence.
Placements
A year out in industry
The industrial placement is compulsory for students studying particular
courses. However, all full-time C&T students are recommended to take a
year out in relevant employment. The placement takes place between Levels
2 and 3 of the degree. There will be some advertised sessions to help you
prepare for placement.
In the past, students have arranged placements with a wide variety of
organisations both in the UK and abroad eg: Content Master, IBM UK (Hursley
Research), Intel UK, Sun Microsystems UK Ltd, Time Warner Home
Entertainment (California), Xerox UK, HP Systems (Bristol), Kraft Suchard,
Sola Productions (London), Learning Eye, Freestyle New Media (Leamington),
e2train Limited, Renishaw (Stroud), SAPA Building Systems, Schlumberger
Reed-Hycalog, Xebec, Zurich Financial Services Ltd, Stroud & Swindon
Building Society, B.N.F.L. Magnox Generation, Headstrong Games, QinetiQ,
UCAS, Local Government and Educational establishments etc.
For advice, contact the Placements Office in LCE040 and talk to Simon Dove
tel: (71) 4320 email: sdove@glos.ac.uk
A semester/year abroad
Students may take advantage of the Erasmus arrangements to spend a
Semester abroad in a European country.
If you are interested contact the Erasmus Co-ordinator, contact Help Zone. It
is not necessary to speak the local language initially as you can attend classes
before the start of the visit.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
The University also has links with the Brethren Colleges Abroad (BCA) allowing
a semester to be spent at a US university such as La Verne, California.
Careers
Students with computing qualifications have usually found rewarding careers
in a variety of occupational areas from the more technical areas such as
programming and multimedia development to the more management-oriented
areas of systems analysis and end-user support. Some students progress to
further study such as Master’s courses in more specific computing areas such
as Advanced Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networks or
Cybersecurity, and others take a Post graduate Certificate in Education and
teach ICT in schools.
Students who have completed a placement are sometimes offered permanent
employment with their placement organisation as they have less of a learning
curve before they are fulfilling a productive role.
Professional Development Planning (PDP)
There will be opportunities for you to develop a file of evidence for PDP,
during all levels and this will be useful in applying for both placements and
jobs at the end of your course. PDP includes not only academic work and
reflection on what you have learnt, but also work experience and voluntary
work that you do for the SU or local charities e.g.: Rag fund raising, student
representative.
Communication / Course evaluation
The University website
http://infonet.glos.ac.uk ; Important university wide information is highlighted on the homepage of the intranet. Up-to-date notices about the
Student are available from its menus.
Email
All University staff are accessible via email; addresses are generally of the
form abloggs@glos.ac.uk, which would be the correct address for Dr. Anita
Bloggs (a fictitious member of staff and email address at the time of writing!).
The University Administration and academic staff frequently contact
students via the student email and no other, so it is important to check
your university mailbox regularly.
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Notice boards
Module related news is available via the module Moodle web site. Other news
will be on http://ct.glos.ac.uk
Internal mail
You can send mail to a member of staff or another student via the internal
post. You can give these to Park Reception. The mail boxes for students
based at the Park are also located in Park Reception.
Phone
Phone numbers and email addresses are provided through the University web
site: http://www.glos.ac.uk
Concerns/Complaints
If you have a concern or complaint about your course that you have not been
able to resolve by talking to the Module Leader, Course Leader, Senior Tutor,
Academic Subject Leader, Head of School or Helpzone, then you should follow
the University Complaints Procedure detailed on the University website
http://www.glos.ac.uk
Course evaluation
Each semester, Module Leaders will ask you to help them evaluate the module
so that the module can be improved using student feedback to find out what
went well and what could be improved. This may be conducted via a standard
questionnaire or discussions or electronically. The results are reported to the
Course Board of Studies as part of the Quality Assurance process. It is
important to participate in this as it helps keep the modules up to date and
relevant both to you and future cohorts. In the past new modules such as
CT5006 Mobile Application Development have been introduced as a result, in
part, of student feedback.
The C&T Courses are in a process of constant change due to the nature of the
subject and it is important that this is managed in a coherent manner. Your
input is vital!
Student reps
Each year of the degree has at least two elected student representatives who
are invited to all meetings of the Course Board of Studies. Their job is to
gather student opinion and present it at the meetings; a full job description
can be found at the end of this guide. If you are interested in becoming a
student rep then talk to the appropriate Course Leader.
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Progression and Transition
Most students will progress through their course smoothly from level 4 to level
6. Should you fail one or more modules you may need to study more than
120cats in one year to recover these fails. On occasions a bespoke timetable
will be required and this should be discussed with your Personal Tutor or the
Senior Tutor.
Note that students who fail more than 60cats of modules at level 4 will
automatically be withdrawn from their course. Students who fail more than
60cats of modules at level 5 & 6, will lose their right to honours and only be
eligible for an Ordinary Degree.
Students may also decide after their first year to take an alternative degree.
This is possible though you must seek advice and guidance from your Personal
Tutor or Course Leader.
Term Dates 2015/2016

Induction: 21 September – 2nd October 2015

Semester 1: 5 October 2015 – 15 January 2016

Semester 2: 25 January 2016 – 13 May 2016

University Festival Fortnight: 2June 10 June 2016

Christmas Vacation: 21 December 2015 – 1 January 2016

Easter Vacation: 21 March 2016 – 1 April 2016
Note that classes may be scheduled at any time during the University working
day, which runs from 09:15 to 21:15 (17:15 on a Friday).
You are expected to be available at the University until the end of the
summer term, Friday 17th June 2016.
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Appendix 1. Student Representative Role
Purpose :primary function :- To provide representation for students on your course at
Course boards. To remain unbiased in all situations. To keep students
informed of any major changes they should be aware of.
secondary function :- To be available for student representation outside your
Course. To be involved with mid-semester and module evaluation.
Main Responsibilities :
To attend Course board meetings and raise any relevant students
issues.

To liaise with the Course Leader.

To liaise with course representatives at other levels within the Course.
Skills :Must have a willingness to develop the following skills

Communication: Active listening, Diplomacy, Putting views across
clearly

Presentation skills: Verbal and written skills
Commitment :
At least one year.

Attend a minimum of two Course board meetings.

Attend course rep training.
Training :Course rep training will be available. Course Leaders will provide guidance as
to practice within your Course.
Benefits :
Looks good on your CV.

References from Course/FASC chairs.

Meet many other student representatives.

Develop your transferable skills and Personal Development Profile.

Get behind the scenes of your course and make a difference to your
University.
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Contact :If you are interested in becoming a student representative, contact your
Course Leader for further details.
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Appendix 2. Guidelines on writing style and
referencing
Resources
The Learning Centre has a wealth of useful resources but, inevitably, you may
like to start with an overview from an Internet based source like Wikipedia.
This is NOT an acceptable “academic source” to be used as evidence in your
essay or report, in most cases, as it is not “peer reviewed” in the same way as
published academic sources. However, it may give a helpful, brief
introduction to a subject and the better articles do give links to more
academic sources which you should follow in your “literature search”.
NB: In previous years there have been cases where students have been
severely penalised for using Wikipedia in inappropriate ways as this is
“Poor Academic Practice” at the very least.
Writing style
Many students new to university are unsure of tutor expectations with regard
to writing essays and reports. Follow the advice below and use the services of
the Open Study Centres if you need further help.
NB: In what follows, italics have generally been used to highlight an example
of writing style. In general you should only italicise text that is in a foreign
language like, for instance, ab initio meaning “from the start”.
All essays and reports should be written in a formal, impersonal, style from
the point of view of the passive researcher or observer and not from a
personal point of view. This improves the tone for technical documents. For
example: I carried out the interviews in a quiet room… is poor style; The
interviews were carried out in quiet room … is better.
Abbreviations or acronyms can be used, and in some
standard. However, in all cases the first time a word
should be presented in full, with the acronym given
appropriate acronym can then be used throughout
example:
cases have become
or phrase is used it
in parentheses; the
the document. For
The final questionnaire was published on the Internet though the World Wide
Web (WWW) …,
The British Computer Society (BCS) have stated that …,
… currently automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology is available at a
relatively small cost ….
All academic work should be written with a degree of cautious scepticism,
therefore avoid strong statements such as: …which proves system A is easier
to use than system B …, instead use: … which suggests system A may be easier
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to use than system B …. Also, you should be careful when suggesting evidence
is proof. Science (particularly behavioural, managerial, social, and
engineering sciences) can rarely provide absolute proof; more usually there
will be evidence to support an argument or theory. In any case, no statements
should be made without some cited support provided from academic
literature or empirical data so provide references where possible. If there is
no evidence to back a statement, then this should be made clear, and words
chosen carefully to indicate it is pure speculation. For example: … although
there is no empirical evidence, it seems possible that experience with arcade
games improves the ability to use a new operating system…. Such statements
should be supported by reasoned arguments.
Using references and citations
For all academic work it is essential that any work cited is properly
referenced. Full and accurate citing of sources is important for the following
reasons:

it helps the reader distinguish between your own ideas and findings
from those ideas quoted or obtained from other sources; failing to do
this suggests deliberate plagiarism;

it helps your arguments by showing the extent to which independent
theoretical and empirical sources support them (though this depends on
the quality and appropriateness of those sources);

it enables readers to check and follow up those original sources for
themselves;

it gives credit to authors of original work (therefore, where possible,
cite the original author, not the secondary source).
The general standard for the University is based on the Harvard Citation
system for referencing, which uses the author family name (surname) and
year of publication. Full details produced by the Learning and Information
Services
(LIS)
can
be
found
at
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/resources/Pages/referencing.aspx.
A summary is contained below.
In journals and books there are two generally accepted ways to cite
references within the text:

direct: According to Hofacker (2001) to market successfully to
consumers on the internet, one needs to be at least as proficient at
surfing the web as they are.

indirect: ... this is an important element in speech recognition (Erber,
1969)., or … the limits of video phones for deaf signing and finger
spelling are well understood (Pearson & Robinson, 1985)….
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As the argument/discussion proceeds, the date need not be given every time
if there are continued references to a particular work in the sentences
immediately following the reference citation, e.g. In their studies Pearson &
Robinson were able to show that...
If a source is quoted directly, then the relevant page numbers should be
given. For example: According to Kalakota & Robinson (2000: p36) “The
business world is transitioning from a physical reality based on atoms to a
digital one of bits”. Where necessary, a range of pages can be indicated as:
pp45-46. If work is described in a secondary source, but for some reason the
original is unavailable (e.g. unpublished), only the secondary source is cited
with the appropriate page number provided.
If the original source has two authors both names are always given. With
three or more authors, for example: Card, Moran & Newell (1983), the full
reference is provided the first time it is mentioned, but thereafter it is
abbreviated using the first author and et al. which means ‘and others’. For
example: Card et al. (1983).
Electronic sources such as World Wide Web pages are treated the same as
printed sources when cited in the text. Thus the surname of the author and
the date last updated should be provided. If no date is given for the last
update, the date it was found should be given. As with printed text, if no
author or organisation is available, this can be indicated with Anonymous.
However, such sources should be treated with caution and used sparingly, if
at all, in academic work. This is true of most sources that have not undergone
academic scrutiny or review; regard these with some degree of scepticism.
Reference section
In academic books and journals all cited work is listed in full, in a section
called ‘References’ after the main text. A section called 'Bibliography' is
hardly ever used (a bibliography is mainly used in textbooks to indicate
alternative sources for additional reading).
Remember: when writing essays and research reports, all and only the
work cited should be listed.
References are listed in alphabetical order on the author’s surname.
If a number of different works from the same author are cited (e.g. Neisser,
1976 and Neisser, 1967), these are given in reverse chronological order as
(Neisser, 1976; Neisser, 1967). If there are two or more works published by
the same author in the same year then use lower case letters to distinguish
between them e.g. listed in the References would be:
Neisser, U. (1996a) The appliance of Science. London, MacHill publishers.
Neisser, U. (1996b) The science of an appliance. New England Journal of
Everything Else 12(2) Feb, 1996 p.34-40.
Notice that the title of the book (item1) and the title of the journal (item 2)
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are emphasised by underlining, or you could use italics, but not both
together. In the text of the essay the citation would be ….(Neisser, 1996a)
Electronic sources are treated the same way as printed sources wherever
possible. For World Wide Web sources the full addresses should be provided
in Universal Resource Locator (URL) format (i.e., not simply the home page
for the web site).
The general formats for listing in the References section are illustrated by the
following example. Note the alphabetic order on the author. Also note the
portions highlighted here. Italics or Bold text may be used instead of
Underlining, but these do not always show clearly after printing.
References
Card, S.K., Moran, T.P. & Newell, A. (1983). The Psychology of HumanComputer Interaction. London, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Gibson, E.J. and Walk, R.D. (1960). The "visual cliff". Scientific American, 202,
pp64-71.
Hofacker, C.F. (2001). Internet Marketing (3rd ed.). New York, John Wiley &
Sons.
Kalakota, R. & Robinson, M. (2000). E-Business 2.0: Roadmap for success.
New York, Addison Wesley.
Neisser, U. (1976). Cognition and Reality: Principles and Implications of
Cognitive Psychology. San Francisco, Freeman.
Pearson, D. E., & Robinson, J. A. (1985). Visual communication at very low
data rates. Proceedings of the IEEE, 73, pp795-812.
University of Gloucestershire (2011) Referencing. Available from
http://ist.glos.ac.uk/referencing/harvard/ [accessed 24 August 2011]
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Appendix 3. Research ethics: policy for all
students
The University has a framework to promote and regulate the ethical conduct
of research. All forms of research, at all levels – including module assignments
and dissertations – are covered by its regulations.
A sub-committee of the University’s research committee, the Research Ethics
Sub-committee (RESC) reviews, approves and if necessary, provides feedback
on or rejects research proposals. If your dissertation includes research on the
reaction of children to a web site, for example, the RESC may review your
proposal. The RESC has produced a useful document “Research ethics: a
handbook of principles and procedures”. Full details can be found on the
internet
at
http://insight.glos.ac.uk/researchmainpage/researchoffice/pages/researchet
hics.aspx
The handbook comprises three parts:
Part A : Principles sets out the generic issues that comprise research ethics
from a multidisciplinary standpoint. The University recognises that “the
primary responsibility for ethical research lies with the researcher”. The
Handbook sets out researchers’ general responsibilities to research
participants and to other researchers in terms of key issues and concepts such
as: informed consent; deceptive and covert research; and confidentiality and
anonymity. These issues are presented in order to raise researchers’
awareness of potential difficulties and to enable them, where possible, to
avoid them or limit their impact. However, the handbook identifies three
areas of research which specifically require RESC approval before the
research can commence: (i) research which involves clinical or biomedical
intervention; (ii) deceptive research; and (iii) certain classes of covert
research. If you are uncertain as to whether your research activities fall
under these categories, or whether they may bring about ethically
problematic situations or consequences, you should consult one or more of
the relevant “gatekeepers” of the research, who are detailed below. All
students are required to signal their adherence to the regulations of the
handbook on their assignment cover sheets for every assessed piece of
work.
Part B: Procedures sets out the mechanisms through which researchers
should seek the requisite advice, and guidance may be sought as well as
formal approval for projects, as outlined above. For all students (and staff),
there are “gatekeepers” who operate as links between the research(er) and
the RESC. For all undergraduate students, the relevant “gatekeeper” may be
the Module Leader (including dissertation supervisor) or the Course Leader.
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Part C: Appendices and Bibliography includes further discussion of the key
issues set out in Part A and gives more detailed guidance.
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Appendix 4. C&T Courses Assessment Grid
Mark
Grade &
Theory &
Practice &
%
Characteristics
Academic Approach
Deliverables
0
Fail
plagiarism, collusion, non-pres., name
only
as theory
1-9
Fail
no understanding, very short,
inadequate
no effective deliverables
10-29
Fail
factual but little interpretation, lacks
coherence, short, errors,
misconceptions
requirements not met; not
recoverable
30-39
Reassess:
coherent but mechanical notes, basic
task OK but limited - partial rudimentary answer, limited
interpretation, lack of knowledge of
topic, weak English but some
appropriate use of language of topic
deliverables partially complete, not
all requirements met, limited
response to brief.
adequate response, demonstration of
basic knowledge, relevant content,
clear intention communicated,
evidence of reading, acceptable
minimum level of English for business
presentation but may lack precision,
some limited analysis / application of
knowledge / theory / weighting of
evidence, inconsistent
deliverables meet basic
requirement correctly but limited,
just adequate but not innovative,
interesting or exciting, for higher
marks, 45+ just exceeds minimum
specification, might be good in
some areas but not consistent
good response to task, collates info,
satisfactory analysis & judgement,
constructs generalisations based on
evidence & opinion, argues clearly,
logically & constructs a case, some
limited ability to state a personal
position, correct English with few
imprecise statements
good deliverables, some evidence of
good design or execution, coherent
and organised product, some
limited evidence of self criticism
concerning deliverable, some
independence, initiative,
autonomy, appropriate techniques,
integration of knowledge for task
evaluates info. & synthesises
generalisations, good ability to state &
defend personal position, good analysis
& judgement, applies knowledge to
new situations, sound on theory,
critical, understands limitations of
methods, selective coherent & logical
approach, well written with clear,
correct and precise English
all criteria met to good standard,
evidence of good design or
execution, good integration of
academic & practical issues, solid
evidence of self critique/evaluation
of deliverables, products well
organised - documented - coherent.
Evidence of independence,
initiative, autonomy, creativity,
adaptability, resourcefulness.
Integration of knowledge,
inadequate but
recoverable with
limited effort
40-49
3rd, D
Pass: Sufficient for
award of credit
adequate mainly
descriptive approach,
fair, limited
conceptual or
theoretical ability
50-59
2ii, C
Satisfactory
Satisfactory with some
conceptual ability but
lacks good evaluation
or synthesis of ideas
60-69
2i, B
Good.
Good analysis,
evaluation, synthesis,
integration &
argument.
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
70-79
First class, A,
very strong ability to state & defend
position, uses criteria & weighting in
judgements, wide knowledge and
theoretical ability, full understanding
of possibilities and limitations of
methods & theories, 75+ more
original, innovative approach,
command of critical positions, lively
articulate writing, excellent grasp of
material - synthesis of ideas
most criteria met to high standard,
strong evidence of evaluation of
deliverables, 75+: deliverables
excellent - all criteria met in clear
and definite manner, evidence of
excellent design or execution,
elegance, innovation, very good
evaluation of deliverables,
Outstanding.
as above but also :-
as above but also :-
as above but also
all aspects of deliverables
superlative
creative
seen all possibilities in task, gone
beyond accepted conceptual/critical
positions, evidence of creative,
intelligent, innovative approach
consistently & forcefully expressed
Faultless
as for 80-89 but also :-
as for 80-89
Edexcel Distinction
all work superlative & without fault
as above but also
stronger evidence of
excellent, original,
innovative, articulate
work
80-89
authoritative,
superlative,
90-100
beyond 80% emphasis on theory
rather than practice/deliverables
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School of Computing & Technology Course Guide
Appendix 5. Business Information Technology
(BSc) - Full Time Course Map

Course Code: COPDG

Course Leader: Dr Joanna Olszewska

Senior Tutor(s): Mo Clutterbuck
To achieve your intended award you must meet the overall award
requirements for your course.
Programme without a placement year

Take 360 CATs in total, with 120 CATs at each Level.
Single Honours: take at least 300 CATs from the course including at
least 75 CATs at each Level

Joints: take at least 135 CATs from each subject including at least 30
CATs at each Level

Pass 300 CATs in total with at least 90 CATs at both Levels 4 & 5 (whilst
achieving at least 30% in the remaining 60 CATs to allow them to be
condoned) and 120 CATs at Level 6


Pass compulsory and core modules described in the Course Map
Programme with a placement year
Take 480 CATs including a 120 CATs placement module and 120 CATs at
each Level.

Single Honours: take at least 300 CATs from the course including at
least 75 CATs at each Level

Joints: take at least 135 CATs from each subject including at least 30
CATs at each Level


Pass 420 CATs in total (including the placement module).
Pass at least 90 CATs at both Levels 4 and 210 CATs at Level 5 (whilst
achieving at least 30% in the remaining 60 CATs to allow them to be
condoned) and 120 CATs at Level 6


Pass compulsory and core modules described in the Course Map
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Level 4vel 4
ev
el 4
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Level 5vel Level 5
L
E
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Level 6vel 4
Updated 14th September 2015
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