Computer Science with Cloud Computing BSc (Hons)

30 credits

In this module, you will develop a strong foundation of how computers work in terms of hardware and software, and the formal logic behind it. You will have the opportunity to meet several different experts in the topics that form the basis of modern-day computer science.

To equip you to excel in your course, the subject experts will guide you in an exploration of digital logic, data processing, representation and storage, essentials of computer software and hardware including architectural concepts and relevant data structures and algorithms.

You will develop this knowledge further through the introduction of databases, web development, and the underlying technologies of modern-day communication, including Ethernet, WiFi and the Internet.

30 credits

The goal of the Professional Environments module is to prepare you for professional practice by first ensuring that you understand the legal, ethical and societal implications of the technologies you build and work with. Being a professional also means that you understand the key legal, ethical, and societal issues relevant to your domain, can communicate professionally and effectively in a range of situations, and understand how to develop and enhance your career over time. This module will introduce you to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate.

30 credits

We designed this module to establish a foundation for key Programming Concepts. We do not assume prior experience of programming, as we know you will all have widely different levels of existing knowledge. The module is designed to be accessible to a beginner while still being exciting for an experienced coder.

We are excited to be able to deliver this module using Kingston's own home-grown learning environment for programming, NoobLab. NoobLab gamifies your learning, making programming enjoyable and accessible for all existing ability levels – no other university offers this platform or unique approach to learning:

You will learn a variety of programming languages. In the first few weeks, we will use visual blocks that will allow you to construct programs and focus on thinking like a programmer rather than getting bogged down in grammar and syntax. Then, with these skills established, you will learn Python, Javascript and optionally Java, solving Code Kata style programming challenges on a weekly basis. This will equip you to build a graphical card game as your capstone project for the module.

30 credits

Good design is the key to good software, and at the heart of good software design is Requirements Analysis.

You will learn how to identify project stakeholders and your prospective target audience of a software project, and carry out an effective stakeholder and user analysis. This will entail learning how to capture, evaluate, validate, and document requirements, using appropriate industry-standard methods, techniques, and tools.

Additionally, you will learn the principles of software project management using Agile, iterative methodologies and have the opportunity to develop hands-on experience in an Agile project team.

Another key aspect of this module is learning and applying the elements of good user experience (UX) design. By the end of the module you will be able to use a prototyping tool to build wireframes, user interfaces and interactive prototypes, incorporating specific usability requirements and UX design principles. These skills will be applied when you build a high-fidelity prototype using contemporary software tools.

Finally, you will learn how to conduct usability evaluations and analyse results to draw subsequent design recommendations to iteratively improve your work and make it better fit for purpose.

30 credits

This module introduces you to the principles and practice of interactive design and immersive media production. You will explore the intersection of design thinking, user experience (UX), web technologies, and extended reality (XR) to develop interactive and immersive digital experiences. Through a combination of lectures, workshops and practical sessions, you will build skills in prototyping, development, and critical reflection relevant to contemporary digital media industries.

You will investigate concepts including user experience (UX), immersive storytelling, spatial interaction, responsive media design, and accessibility. You will apply these through hands-on projects using industry-relevant tools and platforms, developing a portfolio of work that demonstrates your creative and technical abilities.

30 credits

In this module you will learn to design and build full stack web applications. The first half of the module will be dedicated to relational databases which are crucial to any company or organisation, and form the back-end persistence layer of the vast majority of modern applications. You will learn the fundamental concepts and principles of database design before moving on to building the databases and writing queries to extract data from the database.

Once you have the foundation of database development, the module will move on to teaching you to develop and deploy web based applications that use an MVC design pattern. You will learn server- and client-side development, how to access the database/persistence layer, and techniques and technologies that span the whole stack. By the end of the module you will have gained the skills to build a complex, scalable and robust web application driven by a back-end database.

30 credits

This module introduces the practical side of building AI systems and running them in cloud environments. You will learn how machine learning and deep learning models work, how data is engineered for different types of applications, then get hands-on with real cloud platforms to train and tune your own models. You'll also explore how AI has to adapt depending on where it runs e.g., a data centre, the edge of a network, or a resource-constrained device, and pick up the skills to shrink models so they work in those tighter environments. Along the way, you'll build good engineering habits and think critically about the ethics and security of AI systems.

30 credits

This module is designed to encourage you to look outwards to industry and employability, and make you more confident when facing the job market upon graduation. You will develop excellent group working skills, broaden your understanding of industry and its requirements, and enhance your project management skills.

It is always exciting to watch the groups collaborating as they produce their entrepreneurial projects for Kingston University's 'Bright Ideas' scheme; students involved in this have won awards, producing fascinating artefacts for their remaining term and exploring new and different areas within their course field.

The module is an opportunity to work with many different students, working in subject areas that are innovative and unusual. Very often, a student may discover something they did not know that they could achieve. This triggers new learning and an added confidence that was not previously there. Those are the times that the learning is strongest, and our pride in the student, the greatest.

60 credits

This module is an essential course programme component for students on the sandwich route of an honours degree with professional placement. It is a key element in providing an extended period in industry gaining real world employability skills. Students are supported both before and through their placement by the Placement Team. Students that successfully complete their placement year will graduate with a four-year sandwich degree.

30 credits

The goal of the module is to further develop skills in organisation, timekeeping, research literature, developing and critically analysing results as well as reporting work verbally and in a written format. The end result will be an artefact or artefacts which demonstrate creativity and technical competence as well as a technical report.

15 credits

This module builds upon foundational database knowledge by exploring advanced topics such as database design, data warehousing and the development of data pipelines. The module will also introduce ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) processes for moving data and transforming data to support analysis. In addition, students will learn to create data visualisations to communicate insights.

30 credits

This module takes you from the theory of distributed systems into the practical architecture behind modern cloud platforms. You'll containerise and orchestrate applications, design microservices, and work with the algorithms that keep distributed data consistent and fault tolerant. You'll explore how systems are built to run not just in centralised data centres but at the network edge, and how they're secured, monitored and kept reliable at scale. By the end, you'll design and partially build a distributed, cloud-native system of your own, consolidating the architectural thinking that underpins virtually every large-scale software system in production today.

15 credits

This module provides you with a dedicated opportunity to develop your Future Skills Graduate Attributes that will set you apart from other graduates and enhance your employability and confidence. At the start of the module, you will be supported to self-assess your current skills profile and determine which attributes you need to develop to support your career ambitions. 

Taught sessions will give you the opportunity to have coaching conversations with students from across the University, supported and facilitated by the Module team. Outside of these taught sessions, you will engage in activities from a menu of opportunities to develop your Graduate Attributes. 

The menu of opportunities allows you to self-select activities such as hackathons, masterclasses and taster sessions, short online learning courses, and study abroad. In your taught classes with students from across the University, you will be encouraged to reflect on the activities you undertake to develop your graduate attributes and work towards the final assignment, a portfolio.

30 credits

This module will expand your skill set and your awareness as software industry professional, using industry-relevant tools, know-how, as well as theoretical areas. Our focus is on real-world experience, and preparing you to become a skilled graduate, regardless of the job roles you are considering or the skills you want to expand on within the computing domain.

This will empower you to become better at whichever role you are aiming at; developer, analyst, designer, project manager and so on. This is not a code-centric module; the skills in this module are more concerned with efficiently working within a software development team and managing the code produced rather than necessarily writing code yourself.

You will explore the latest practices for making more dependable, reusable and scalable software systems, and how to configure, maintain and support such systems. We will also discuss topics on software architecture, and how to select the right architecture based on the system requirements. We will also cover popular industry practices like refactoring, software measurements, DevOps, Microservices, and software testing approaches, and even a bit of Quantum computing.

The workshop activities promote collaborative learning. Within the first teaching block you will explore a specific topic or tool every two weeks. In the second teaching block, you will work as a team, taking up a role as a manager, developer, analyst, designer, security expert or tester and work on a software development case study.

Most of the topics and tools you come across in the module are linked to skills advertised as essential or desirable by software industry employers. They are also closely linked to interview questions or assessment centre activities. Overall, the main focus of this module is to equip you to become a skilled and knowledgeable IT professional capable of facing challenges, while maintaining a holistic, practical perspective on the issues at hand.