CS3IP: Degree Project

Module code: CS3IP

Module provider: Computer Science; School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences

Credits: 40

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Luis Patino , email: j.l.patinovilchis@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module is designed for students to conduct a degree project which is worth 40 credits (out of 120 credits) in their final year of studies. The student must pass this module in order to be awarded an honours degree as this is a BCS requirement.

The module aims to provide students with the research and development framework by following which a major project work is conducted in a professional manner in a specific subject area. During the project, students are able to demonstrate initiative and creativity in applying computing skills, knowledge and experience gained from Part 1, Part 2 modules as well as research investigations in an individual real-world problem-solving project. The module also encourages students to develop a set of professional skills, such as problem-solving; creativity; critical thinking; hypothesis generation and testing; literacy; action planning and decision making; self-reflection; negotiation and persuasion; organisation and time management; professional communication (with supervisors and peers); initiative and self-motivation; software design and development; effective use of commercial software; end-user awareness; presentation skills; and technical report writing for technical and non-technical audiences.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Apply computational knowledge, investigation of best practices, problem-solving techniques, and system modelling principles to design and develop computer-based solutions that address complex challenges.
2. Specify, implement, and assess computing programs/systems in terms of quality, trade-offs, security, and risk, ensuring they align with business goals and future technological needs.
3. Address legal, social, ethical, and professional concerns in software development and data science projects, integrating information security best practices and management techniques to achieve objectives.
4. Work effectively with initiative and creativity in project execution and management by documenting precisely technical specifications, communicating project-related aspects in written and verbal manner, and considering commercial and economic factors to deliver successful computing solutions.

Module content

This module covers the following activities:

• composing a project proposal which can be from students and also from faculty staff members;
• conducting a research investigation and solution development based on the project scope and scale defined in the project proposal;
• addressing social, legal and ethical issues involved in the project;
• using a project management tool for monitoring a project progress against the project plan through supervision meetings and various discussions; and
• engaging with build-in trainings for enhancing professional skills on research, development, evaluation, and document outcomes.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The final year project stretches across a whole final year of studies. Students are encouraged to express preferences for their choice of degree project based on their working experience as well as the project ideas proposed by faculty staff members.

Students will be supported to made project selection and then be assigned with a supervisor so that they can form up a project team and work on the project throughout the academic year. Each project will also be assigned with a second assessor that can help ensure fairness and reduce the likelihood of bias in the project evaluation process.

Arrangement for supervision will normally take the form of a weekly meeting with the supervisor and record project progresses in the log-book which is sign off the supervisor. Full details of the project arrangements, such as project tasks and submission deadlines, project handbook, templates and forms, ethical approval procedures, training materials, and assessment requirements plus marking scheme, can be found in Blackboard. Students will be reminded through announcement from Blackboard for forthcoming activities/events.

All required formative and summative assessment components will be submitted on to Blackboard and feedback from supervisors are also provided thought Blackboard.

Study hours

At least 66 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessments consist of:

• Project initiation Document (PID)
• Feedback to supervisor
• Mid-semester demonstration in Semester 2
• Project poster
• e-Logbook

Reassessment

Additional costs