CF906-7-FY-CO:
Professional Practice, Research Methodology and MSc Dissertation
2020/21
Computational Finance and Economic Agents (Centre for)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 08 October 2020
Wednesday 06 October 2021
75
17 July 2020
Requisites for this module
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This module will prepare students to conduct independent research leading to a dissertation. The module provides them with an appreciation of research and business skills which will be invaluable in their professional careers. Subject areas include literature reviews, report writing, business enterprise, accounting and investment appraisal, all focused on a CS perspective.
Students will also be given the opportunity to apply computer science and/or engineering principles and techniques to the solution of a practical problem involving a large project.
This module aims to prepare students for conducting an independent research project leading to a dissertation and to provide them with an appreciation of research and business skills relating to their professional career, including literature searching and evaluation, technical report writing, and an introduction to business enterprise, financial and management accounting and investment appraisal, all focused on a CS perspective. Students individually select an area of Computer Science, or Electronic Engineering, or Computational Finance and perform the necessary background research to define a topic and prepare a project proposal under the guidance of a supervisor. They then proceed to apply computer science and/or engineering principles and techniques to the chosen topic and prepare their dissertation.
After completing this module, students will be expected to be able to
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of professional, business and ethical issues that affect the work of the computing and electronics professional
2. Conduct an academic literature search appropriate to CS, and report conclusions and proposals from this making appropriate use of summarising, paraphrasing, citations and references. Perform background research on practical problems involving the application of computer science and/or engineering.
3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the structure of businesses in the UK and world-wide, ranging from multi-nationals down to SME's (small and medium enterprises), and be aware of how to prepare and submit an effective job application to them focusing on CS related positions.
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the basics of setting up a new business enterprise or reviewing and existing business by constructing or evaluating a business plan and financial and management accounts.
5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how scientific research is conducted, reported, reasoned about, and evaluated, and how it is distinguished from pseudoscience (with a focus on CS).
6. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles and elements of scientific experiments specific to CS.
7. Design, implement and evaluate a solution to the problem according to appropriate computer science and/or engineering principles.
Outline Syllabus
Project Proposals
Identifying a research topic
Finding and reading related work
Report writing, citations and references
Using [digital] library services and search tools
Planning and managing a research project
Plagiarism
Career planning
Elements in the job application process
Business planning, financial and enterprise skills
Effective time and project management
Businesses and Enterprise
Types of commercial organisation and their business and financial structures
Financing companies, business plans and cost headings
Budgeting, cash flow and investments appraisal
New Present Value and Discounted Cash Flow calculations
Business viability evaluation
Research Methodology
Principles of the scientific method
Scientific theories: predictive power, falsifiability, empirical validation, and economy of account
Scientific and controlled experiments: bias, placebos, double-blind methods, variables
Inductive vs. deductive inference
Common logical fallacies
Dissemination and peer review
All taught course MSc students undertake an individual project (subject to successfully completing some tasks in the context of this module). The project, which must be in an approved area of computer science or electrical engineering, is carried out under the supervision of a member of staff, and leads to a substantial dissertation.
Online distance learning sessions, with some homework. Academic Writing and Language Support tailored specifically to the needs of CSEE postgraduate students are provided at all levels from minimum IELTS acceptance level through to native English speakers. Individual academic supervision for each student's dissertation.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Reassessment
100 per cent Coursework Mark
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
Dr Anna Jordanous
University of Kent
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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