1. Introduction

This information is for all students who are taking one of the following Major or Minor Project modules in Computer Science. It outlines:

  • the structure of the module;

  • expectations for different parts of the module;

  • how the work is assessed;

  • where to find information.

1.1. About the Major and Minor Projects

The Major and Minor project modules are taken by students in their third taught year on the course. There are several modules for students taking the Major and Minor Projects. These are:

  • CS39440 Major Project and CC39440 Prosiect Hir - Most students will take one of these modules, which is the 40-credit version of the module. The CC module is for students who will have Welsh Language supervision.

  • CS39620 Minor Project and CC39620 Prosiect Fyr - Students who are on joint honours courses will be able to select the 20-credit version of the module.

Instead of listing each of these modules each time, we refer to them collectively as MMP.

The modules run during Semester 2. There is a Mid-Project Demonstration in week 7 of teaching. There is a final demonstration period that will take place during the exam period for Semester 2.

The Major and Minor Projects are individual pieces of work. Most students have a different topic from one another. Where some students have a similar topic, they will be working on different aspects of the topic or using different technologies to solve the problem.

The project brings together the experiences gained throughout the course. It is also the chance to build on that experience and learn about new areas. Applying your skills and experience from the course will help you to successfully deliver the project.

1.2. Project outline

Within this project, you will:

  • Undertake a technically challenging piece of work.

  • Write about the work and talk about the work.

  • Demonstrate an managed approach to completing the work.

  • Work in on a topic that is relevant to your chosen degree scheme.

You will be guided through the process by your Supervisor and by guidance from the Module Co-ordinator. You are expected to meet your Supervisor at least once a week; your Supervisor will discuss the arrangements for meetings with you.

This online document will be used to provide most of the information about the module, but other materials will be available on Blackboard.

1.3. BCS Guidelines

The Major and Minor projects are design to fit with the Undergraduate individual project requirements from the BCS Guidelines on course accreditation. The BCS guidelines in the list below are taken from the accreditation document. The guidelines specify projects where students can demonstrate the following:

  • their ability to apply practical and analytical skills present in the programme as a whole;

  • innovation and/or creativity;

  • synthesis of information, ideas and practices to provide a quality solution together with an evaluation of that solution;

  • that their project meets a real need in a wider context;

  • the ability to self-manage a significant piece of work;

  • and critical self-evaluation of the process.

During this project, the work and assessment is designed to allow you to demonstrate your work against these aims.