UNIVERSITY OF KENT
Annex C: Programme Specifications Template
Please note: This 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 passes the programme. More detailed information on
the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each
module can be found [either by following the links provided or in the programme handbook].
The accuracy of the information contained in this specification is reviewed by the University
and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Degree and Programme Title
1. Awarding Institution/Body
University of Kent
2. Teaching Institution
University of Kent
3. Teaching Site
Canterbury Campus
4. Programme accredited by
N/A
5. Final Award
MSc, PGDip
6. Programme
Mobile Application Design
7. UCAS Code (or other code)
8. Relevant QAA subject benchmarking
Master’s Degrees in Computing (2011)
group(s)
9. Date of production/revision
March 2012
10. Applicable cohort(s)
2012 entry onwards
11. Educational Aims of the Programme
The programme aims to:
1. Educate graduate engineers and equip them with advanced knowledge of the
technology required to deliver applications and web content to mobile devices.
2. Produce high-calibre designers versed in modern interaction design methodology who
are able to develop mobile applications with high usability.
3. Provide proper academic guidance and welfare support for all students
4. Create an atmosphere of co-operation and partnership between staff and students, and
offer the students an environment where they can develop their potential.
5. To strengthen and expand opportunities for industrial collaboration with the School of
Engineering and Digital Arts.
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12. Programme Outcomes
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge
and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas. The
programme outcomes have references to the subject benchmarking statements for Masters
Degrees in Computing (SB).
Knowledge and Understanding
Teaching/learning and assessment
methods and strategies used to enable
outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
A. Knowledge and Understanding of:
1. Standards, design principles and
practices for the mobile web (SB).
2. Interface technologies and principles of
interaction design and usability for
mobile applications (SB).
3. Current standards, processes,and
technologies to support mobile
communications (SB)..
4. Structured programming techniques for
embedded and mobile systems (SB).
5. The development of the e-commerce
market place and principles.
6. Project management techniques relevant
to the mobile application development
industry (SB).
Skills and Other Attributes
B. Intellectual Skills:
1. Ability to integrate web and mobile
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
technologies (SB).
Ability to develop information
architectures for the mobile web (SB).
Ability to take into consideration
accessibility, sociability and other issues
when designing mobile applications (SB).
Ability to analyse a problem and develop
a system level specification, based on an
understanding of the interaction between
the component parts of the system (SB).
Ability to design and develop software
solutions based on a system level
specification, taking into account
economic factors, risks and benefits (SB).
Integration of information and data from a
variety of sources to develop new
software solutions (SB).
Teaching/learning
Lectures; tutor-led example classes based
on problem-based learning; laboratory
classes and assignments; case studies; all
aspects of project work including formulation,
specification and execution of the
dissertation project.
Assessment
Written unseen examinations; laboratory
classes; coursework and case study
assignments; individual project presentations
and dissertation.
Teaching/learning
Lectures;
tutor-led
example
classes;
laboratory
classes
and
assignments;
problem-based learning; case studies; all
aspects of project work including formulation,
specification
and
execution
of
the
dissertation project.
Assessment
Written unseen examinations; laboratory
classes; coursework and case study
assignments; individual project presentations
and dissertation.
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C. Subject-specific Skills:
1. Ability to use Software Development Kits
(SDK) to develop mobile and embedded
applications (SB).
2. Ability to devise tests of a software
and/or hardware system through
experiment or simulation and to critically
appraise the results (SB).
3. Ability to design mobile applications with
high usability by effective integration of
user interface elements in a SDK (SB).
4. Ability to carry out user research and
technical searches when developing
mobile and embedded applications (SB).
5. Ability to apply management techniques
to the planning, resource allocation and
execution of a project (SB).
6. Ability to prepare technical reports and
presentations (SB).
D. Transferable Skills:
Teaching/learning
Lectures and examples classes, problembased learning; PC-based assignments and
laboratories; all aspects of project work
including formulation, specification and
execution of the dissertation project.
Assessment
Written unseen examinations; assessed
assignments from coursework laboratories
and case studies; project presentations and
dissertation.
1. Ability to generate, analyse, present and
interpret data.
2. Use of Information and Communications
technology.
3. Personal and interpersonal skills, work
as a member of a team (SB).
4. Communicate effectively (in writing,
verbally and through drawings) (SB).
5. Learn effectively for the purpose of
continuing professional development
(SB).
6. Ability for critical thinking, reasoning and
reflection (SB).
7. Ability to manage time and resources
within an individual project and a group
project.
For more information on which modules provide which skills, see the module mapping
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13. Programme Structures and Requirements, Levels, Modules, Credits and Awards
The programme normally lasts for 1 year and leads to the MSc degree. Students may
undertake the programme over 2 or 3 years part-time. The programme consists of two
stages, and students will need to meet University progression requirements before
proceeding from stage 1 to stage 2. Stage 1 consists of five 15-credit theory (taught)
modules and one 30 credit project based module and is taken over the first two terms.
The students are introduced to their main dissertation project in a 15-credit “Research
Methods and Project Design for Mobile Apps” module during the second term. Each
taught module consists of approximately 150 hours of student learning, endeavour and
assessment and has a credit value of 15 credits. Stage 2 consists of the main part of the
dissertation project, has a credit value of 60 and, in the full-time mode of study takes
place from the end of the examinations until the end of the academic year. Projects may
be carried out in industry or with industrial sponsorship. All credits are at level M.
To be eligible for the MSc degree, students must obtain 180 credits at level M. Students
who have failed to obtain the required 180 credits for an MSc but have obtained 120
credits will be eligible for a PG Diploma. Hence, students successfully completing Stage
1 and either not progressing or failing the Masters Project, will be eligible for the award
of a PG Diploma. At its discretion the University allows for narrow failure in a small
proportion of modules to be compensated by good performance in other modules or, in
cases of documented illness or other mitigating circumstances, condoned. Students are
also permitted to trail a small proportion of modules, with resit examinations available in
August. Failure in certain modules, however, may not be compensated and/or
condoned, as indicated by the symbol * below, nor can these modules be trailed.
At the end of Stage1, a Board of Examiners will consider the award of credits for the 1st
and 2nd term modules. It will also decide on progression to the project with trailed
credits if appropriate. To proceed onto Stage 2 of the programme, students require at
least 75% of their Stage 1 credits ie 90 credits. The registration of students on the
PGDip programme is reviewed at this Board of Examiners meeting. If a student has
passed the requisite modules, their registration may be changed to MSc, and they will be
transferred on to the MSc programme to undertake the Masters project. The final Board
of Examiners in October will consider the award of credits for the project module and
trailed credits after resit examination results, and make recommendations for the final
award of the degree.
The programme detailed below is subject to change. Please check handbooks for
further details of the modules.
Code
Title
Level
Credits
Term(s)
M
M
M
15
15
30
1
1
2
M
15
2
Stage 1
Required Modules
EL880
HCI for Mobiles
EL882
iPhone Application Design
EL884
Mobile Application Design
Project
EL883
Mobile Web Development
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EL849
Research Methods and
Project Design for Mobile
Apps *
Optional Modules (choose 2 out of 3)
CB903
Economics of the Electronic
Marketplace
CO881
Object-Oriented
Programming
EL829
Embedded Real-Time
Operating Systems
Stage 2
EL890
MSc Project
M
15
2
M
15
2
M
15
1
M
15
2
M
60
3 + Summer
14. Work-Based Learning
Where relevant to the programme of study, provide details of any work-based learning
element, inclusive of employer details, delivery, assessment and support for students.

Projects may be carried out in industry, although this is not an essential requirement.
Companies such as Orange are frequently involved. An industry supervisor provides
day-to-day technical supervision, while an academic supervisor advises on fulfilling the
requirements of the project assessment. The academic supervisor will visit the student
in the company at least once.
15. Support for Students and their Learning
 Induction programme for new students. The induction programme will provide an




opportunity for meeting with the academic tutor, the teaching staff on the programme
and most importantly an induction into the use of the learning environment. This is an
essential part of the programme. From this induction meeting, students will have
familiarity with the electronic resources available to them and will know where to turn to if
problems arise. Most often, the latter will require contact with their tutor (the MSc course
director). The tutor will make themselves available out of normal hours for industry
based students, if necessary (e.g., via mobile phone number or email).
Course Handbook with details of all the courses, modules, lecture syllabi and
comprehensive study information. Student guides providing information on support
services will be made available on-line and in hard copy.
Library: students will be granted full access to the library facilities on each site as
standard students, although it is expected that they will mostly make use of remote
access facilities. These include borrowing books via post, remote access via computing
service logins to the library catalogue and searchable databases such as INSPEC and
other on-line publications.
Learning resources: SEDA has well equipped Project and Simulation Labs, and
Communications group Research Laboratories. The resources will include lecture
resources, worked examples, and past papers. Access to simulation software will be
provided out-of-hours.
Intranets with full module information, timetables, past examination papers, coursework
submission and feedback upload/downloads, group emailing etc are provided . These
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


will be linked to the single entry point to the site. A uniform style will ensure the students
can navigate through the site easily. The students’ logins/passwords will provide them
with full access to the required parts of the school intranets.
Academic Support comes from the lecturers involved in the delivery of individual
modules/courses, the MSc course director who will be responsible for the students’
pastoral care, and school administration in SEDA. Regular contact by email and
telephone will be provided by the MSc course director. Lecturers will be expected to
respond in some way to enquiries within 3 working days.
Central support services for general support and advice are present at Kent. Part of the
programme website will include information on the extent to which students might use
these services, and links to the general university pages for the services. Examples at
Kent include: a confidential Counselling Service, the Medical Centre, college Sick Bays
and the Faculty Concessions Committee.
University and School web pages may provide additional information regarding
aspects of studies at Kent.
To summarise the main elements of the above, the support seen by a student on the
programme after registration can be described as follows:
An induction at which they will meet the other students, course lecturers and the MSc
course director, and at which they will learn how to use the learning environment. A practice
area will be available in which students can communicate with each other to practice their
skills in using the learning environment. The learning environment will provide information
on the programme as a whole with separate areas for academic information, study and
welfare support and resources/software, and areas for individual modules (with the learning
material). Each area will include on-line discussion forums.
Module teaching will then commence for the first term. At the beginning of each module, the
students will be reminded of the requirements of the module, including any assignment
deadlines. Problems with meeting deadlines or submitting coursework should be discussed
with the personal tutor and then referred to the lecturer concerned (who will take appropriate
action such as sanctioning an extension) having received the support of the tutor. Students
will be updated on the progress of any query or problem within 3 days.
The format for the teaching/learning in the 2nd term is similar to that of the 1st.
At the beginning of the 3rd term the students will attend examinations. Any problems with
attendance at examinations should be reported immediately to the course director and will
then be taken to a concessions committee prior to the Board of Examiners’ meeting.
At any time, the students can contact the course director for advice. In circumstances
where the student wishes to contact someone else for advice the Student Welfare Officer
should be approached in the first instance. Contact information will be available on the
website and in hard copy in the programme booklet.
During the 2nd term, as part of the Research Methodologies and Project Design module, the
students will be assigned an academic supervisor for their dissertation projects who will
provide guidance on the requirements of the project work for suitability for presentation in an
MSc dissertation. For students with supervisors outside University of Kent, an advisor from
Kent will be appointed to ensure consistent standards are applied. For students carrying out
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projects in industry, a nominated industrial supervisor will perform the detailed day-to-day,
technical supervision. For institution based projects this role will also be carried out by the
academic supervisor.
All supervisors/advisors are expected to keep in regular
email/telephone contact with the student and amongst themselves. In the case of industrial
projects, the academic supervisor will make at least one visit to meet the student at the
company premises.
At the end of the project period, the students will attend a presentation session (half day)
during which they will present the results of their projects. They will also submit a
dissertation to be examined before the final Board of Examiners meeting.

Any problems with the project or attendance at the workshop or presentation sessions
should be brought to the attention of the student’s tutor and project supervisor.
Extensions to deadlines will be sanctioned by the course director after consultation with
the supervisor.
16. Entry Profile
The minimum age to study a degree programme at the university is normally at least 17
years old by 20 September in the year the course begins. There is no upper age limit.
Entry Route
For fuller information, please refer to the University prospectus
The normal entry requirements for MSc programmes, of an Honours Degree at 2.2 level or
equivalent apply. The applicant’s first degree should be in an engineering, multimedia,
scientific, computing, or similar discipline. Applicants should also be familiar with object
oriented programming methodology. Other qualifications, and the taking of experience in
lieu of formal qualifications, will be considered by the course director, the admissions officer,
the School’s Director of Graduate Studies and where necessary, an appropriate case will be
made to the Admissions Office.
Students not having English as a first language will need to demonstrate their proficiency
with the appropriate qualifications or evidence of having been taught in English previously
(standard Kent procedures).
What does this programme have to offer?



The technical and creative skills a developer needs to build applications for mobile
devices taking into consideration usability, accessibility and sociability issues.
The development of the ability to undertake relevant user research to build customer
oriented applications.
The development of a broad range of skills that are highly sought after by employers and
which open up a wide range of careers to graduates within the mobile applications
industries.
Personal Profile



A desire to become an engineer developing innovative applications for the mobile phone
industries.
A willingness to focus on ensuring that applications have high usability.
A desire to understand the technology necessary to deliver applications and web content
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to mobile devices.

A desire to work in research or development laboratories in academia or industry.
17. Methods for Evaluating and Enhancing the Quality and Standards of Teaching
and Learning
Mechanisms for review and evaluation of teaching, learning, assessment, the
curriculum and outcome standards
 Continuous monitoring of student progress through problem solving and assessed
assignments. Student non-submission of work or frequent errors will be used to identify
general problems and problems with individual students. The lecturer can remedy these
problems immediately or by consultation with colleagues e.g. to ascertain if student X is
having problems with all courses. Remedial workshops may be set up if problems are
identified for groups of students.
 Discussion forums to provide more general feedback for the programme (plenary area)
as a whole. Lecturers should respond in some way within 3 working days. Students will
be able to help each other and gain help from the lecturer on problems and
assignments. Student evaluations; lecture, project and laboratory electronic (on-line)
feedback forms, discussions with lecturers will be taken to module team meetings.
 Module team meetings to discuss student feedback and examination results and annual
module reports.
 Course Executives review of teaching.
 Three-stage vetting process of examination questions, module team, Quality Assurance
Committee, External Examiner.
 School annual monitoring reports.
 External examiners’ reports
 Periodical programme review
 Annual Staff appraisal
 Peer observation
 QAA subject review.
Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality and standards







School of Engineering and Digital Arts Quality Assurance Committee
Module teams
Course Executives
MSc Board of Examiners (consisting of all module convenors, External Examiner, at
least)
School of Engineering and Digital Arts Graduate Studies Committee
University of Kent Sciences Faculty Graduate Studies Committee
University of Kent Graduate School Board
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Mechanisms for gaining student feedback on the quality of teaching and their
learning experience


Student evaluations; lecture, project and laboratory electronic/on-line feedback forms
Student feedback will be regularly monitored. This is recognised to be the most
important, immediately method of gaining feedback (as committee representation may
be difficult – see below). Responses to queries will be posted quickly – or at least an
indication of how the problem will be dealt with. Problems and their responses (as
appropriate) will be taken to module team meetings and BoS meetings.
 Student representation on staff-student liaison committee
 Student representation on school committees.
 Email discussion with lecturers/ course director.
Staff Development priorities include:







PGCHE requirements for new members of staff
Staff appraisal scheme
Staff development courses
CPD
Committee and module team responsibilities
Research Seminars
Conferences
18. Indicators of Quality and Standards
 Department of Electronics, (now the School of Engineering and Digital Arts), Kent was
among the top 30 electronic and electrical engineering departments in the 2008
Research Assessment Exercise.

Department of Electronics (now the School of Engineering and Digital Arts), ranked first
among all electronic and electrical engineering departments in the UK in 2005 and 2006
National Student Surveys.
The following reference points were used in creating these specifications:



School Learning and Teaching Strategy
The University Plan and Learning and Teaching Strategy
Staff research
Version 1.0 Les Walczowski, May 2010; Version 1.2 revised March 2012.
Programme Specification Template
Last update approved by LTB 1 February 2006
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UNIVERSITY OF KENT
Curriculum Map for MSc in Mobile Application Design
Explanation. This map provides a design aid to help academic staff identify where the programme outcomes are being developed and assessed
within the course. The map shows only the main measurable learning outcomes. There are many more outcomes in the module specifications.
Shading represents skills that pervade all units.
Modules
Programme Outcomes
Codes
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
HCI for Mobiles
EL880
x
x
x
iPhone Application Design
EL882
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mobile Web Development
EL883
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mobile Application Design Project
EL884
x
x
x
Research Methods and Project Design
EL849
x
x
x
Economics of the Electronic Marketplace
CB903
o
o
Object Oriented Programming
CO881
Embedded Real-Time Operating Systems
EL822
MSc Project
EL890
x
x
x
o
x
o
o
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
o
Knowledge and understanding
o
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
x
x
o
o
x
x
x
o
o
o
x
o
x
x
B6 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7
x
x
o
o
o
o o
x
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
x
x
x
x
x
x
o
x
x
x
x
x
Professional Practical Skills
A1
A2
Standards, design principles and practices for the mobile web
Interface technologies and principles of interaction design and usability
C1
C2
A3
Current standards, processes,and technologies to support mobile
communication
Structured programming techniques for embedded and mobile systems
The development of the e-commerce market place and principles
Project management techniques
C3
Ability to use SDKs to develop mobile and embedded applications
Ability to devise tests of a software and/or hardware system through
experiment or simulation
Ability to design interfaces for mobile applications with high usability
C4
C5
C6
Ability to carry out user research and technical searches
Ability to apply management techniques to project planning
Ability to prepare technical reports and presentations
A4
A5
A6
Intellectual Skills
B1
B2
B3
B4
Ability to integrate web and mobile technologies
Ability to develop information architectures for the mobile web
Ability to take into consideration accessibility, sociability and other issues when
designing mobile applications
Ability to develop system specifications
Transferable/Key Skills
D1
D2
D3
Ability to generate, analyse, present and interpret data
Use of Information and Communications Technology
Personal and interpersonal skills
D4
Effective communication
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UNIVERSITY OF KENT
B5
B6
Ability to design based on system requirements
Ability to integrate information and data
D5
D6
D7
Learn effectively for continuing professional development
Critical thinking, reasoning and reflection
Time and resource management
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