BSc (Hons) Software Engineering with Foundation Year

This module aims to provide an introduction to technical computing and the application of computers in the implementation of simple algorithms.

This module aims to provide you with the mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills which are required to use mathematics as an analytical tool in engineering and technology subjects.

This module will introduce you to the software development process in order to be able to use a range of computer programming environment and their applications. You will also be able to develop problem solving skills in computing and wider engineering or technology areas.

This year long module supports you in developing the academic and practical skills needed to become an effective and independent learner. It includes regular contact with personal tutors, encouraging a smooth transition into the Higher Education environment.

This module enables you to identify the importance of information and how information can be transformed into developing logical designs in order to develop a working database. This database will manipulate data to produce meaningful information for the end user. You will participate in student-focused learning activities based on a combination of formal lectures and practical, experiential learning in laboratories, with supporting tutorials and seminars designed to reinforce and increase your learning experience.

This module provides you with the concepts, methods, techniques and experience to design, develop and manage digital multimedia productions. Lectures will concentrate on the necessary theory of these topics while hands-on practical sessions and workshops will develop the capabilities to design, create, produce and deliver media rich experiences.

The emphasis of this module will be on the underlying computing challenges of large-scale applications of the kind regularly featured in the general media. The intention is to demystify these applications and spark your interest in the underlying computing challenges and solutions. Lectures on contemporary applied computing topics will be complemented with lab sessions encouraging you to research information and develop high-level solutions to related problems.

In this module you are delivered programming and problem solving skills with no prior assumptions of programming experience. Given the importance of programming to computer science, this module will encourage you to study more specialised software development topics. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and become familiar with a range of computer programming paradigms.

This module provides you with a basic knowledge in relation to the computing platform (hardware, operating systems, networks) upon which applications are developed and hosted. You will need this as support knowledge for subsequent modules at Level 5 and 6.

This module provides you with an opportunity to consider your future role as a computing professional. The tutorials and workshops will be used to develop strategies that you can use, providing opportunities for you to understand the field of Computing in a more effective way. You will develop your understanding of professionalism in computing, of working in the computing industry, and of the ethical frameworks and codes of conduct for the computing industry.

The module develops your ability to model data in various differing scenarios. You are initially required to manipulate and present data in spreadsheet based applications. Then, you are required to solve problems using a data modelling methodology (e.g. entity relationship models/normalisation), ultimately leading towards the construction of database based applications.

This module aims to introduce you to the fundamental principles of best practice in software engineering and system modelling, focusing on key topics that are central to all development processes and aspects concerned with the engineering of reliable distributed systems. The major issues of systems thinking and development are addressed utilising software process models and relevant techniques of project management.

This module is intended to give you a comprehensive introduction to applied software development on real-world problems, utilising team-working methods and industry-standard practices. In addition to the scheduled contact hours, teams will need to utilise private study time to research and develop solutions. Teams will have considerable supported study activities to assist them in this significantly, regular (student-led) team meetings with module staff to update progress and gain assistance.

Increasingly, much of the world's software is being run in a web browser. Software offered over the Web provides many sought-after benefits in software deployment: ease of implementation, universality and ubiquity of access, and availability of server-side data and services. This module seeks to endow you with the necessary knowledge and underpinning technologies to develop for the World Wide Web. You will learn techniques and technologies to develop web applications, hosted on a web application server, using a server-side programming language to dynamically generate standards compliant mark-up, driven from a data source. You will use design principles which abstract content from aesthetic and utilises client-side dynamism to enhance the user's experience, using industry standard toolsets and web-focused API.

The module has two main purposes. First, you will be equipped with adequate research skills and experience of working on subject-related research topics, to lead into your final year project. Second, this module works to enhance your professionalism, including teamworking, which boosts employability and your awareness of what is expected in an employment scenario.

In this module you will explore the operation of database systems through a scrutiny of modern RDBMS (Relational Data Base Management Systems), the SQL (Structured Query Language) and database connectivity APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). The module continues by exploring some of the managerial considerations of large-scale RDBMS. The module concludes by exploring the operation of emerging NoSQL (Not Only SQL) database systems. Overall, you will design relational databases, develop date driven applications, critically evaluate applications, and design appropriate non-relational databases.

In this module you will explore the object oriented paradigm from analysis and design through implementation and testing to maintenance. The UML (Unified Modelling Language) is employed alongside OOP (Object Oriented Programming) to demonstrate key concepts, resulting in mature, fully functioning object oriented systems. You will apply principles and patterns to object oriented systems with test driven development and source control playing a supporting role. The module concludes by exploring the various architectures that object oriented systems may embrace.

This module introduces you to the fundamentals of Abstract Data Types (ADTs) and complexity of operations on ADTs followed by an implementation-based exploration of common data structures and operations, their implementations and application. You will be exposed to the development and optimisation of software based on both theoretical and applied evaluations.

This module introduces you to automata theory and formal language theory and emphasises real life application. Particular attention is paid to compiler design considerations using regular expressions and context free grammars. You will also investigate the limits of effective computation by studying undecidable problems.

This module provides you an overview of developing web applications for mobile platforms. It will illustrate the main platforms available for mobile-focused web development, drawing data from a variety of sources including other web services and databases. The module will conclude with an overview of alternative mobile development techniques, familiarising you with the fundamentals of native focused and cross-platform frameworks-focused mobile developments.

The aim is to provide students with an extended period of work experience at an approved partner that will complement their programme of study at LJMU. This will give students the opportunity to develop professional skills relevant to their programme of study as well as the attitude and behaviours necessary for employment in a diverse and changing environment. This extended placement forms a key part of a sandwich degree. All placements need to be assessed and approved prior to commencement in line with the LJMU Placement Learning Code of Practice. The Code of Practice requires students to conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner during the placement - failure to do so may lead to the placement being terminated prematurely. Placements are normally for one calendar year on a full-time basis. Split placements of a shorter duration may be permissible. There is an expectation that a minimum of 1200 hours will be spent in the workplace.

The aim is to provide students with an additional year of study at an approved overseas partner that will complement their programme at LJMU. This is an additional year of full-time study at an approved higher education institution. The modules to be studied must be agreed in advance, and must be appropriate for the student's programme of study. Assuming successful completion of this year, mark-bearing credit will be awarded by the Faculty Recognition Group. The grade conversion scale to be used will be made available in advance of the year abroad.

This module presents you with the opportunity to complete a substantial project in a chosen area relevant to your programme. The scope of what is an appropriate artefact varies between programmes and you will discuss this with your programme teams. This module will enable you to use rigorous development or scientific methods to produce an artefact, resulting in an oral and written report.

The aim of this module is to enhance your technical knowledge of systems development with an appreciation of the social-technical aspects of design. It covers the evolving area of User Experience (UX) design. This involves you using UX methods to design and prototype an interactive system and then validate your design against user requirements using UX evaluation techniques.

This module works with a growing area of database systems, that of the analytical database. The module begins by enabling you to explore the rapid growth of business intelligence data and the complex data models that are needed to support it. The module continues by exploring the platforms and processes that report such data through both web based and service oriented platforms.

This module enables you to explore often overlooked yet key disciplines in modern computing infrastructure. It serves to impart upon you both a conceptual and practical insight into three key disciplines, namely virtualisation, distributed and cloud computing. It neatly complements two associated modules at NQF6, namely Embedded Systems and Applied Data Science in providing you with a complete coverage of modern computing infrastructure.

This module broadens a Software Engineer's horizon to include system and software development for embedded systems, with consideration of the Internet of Things. You are required to have considerable high-level programming knowledge by Level 6. This will be expanded to consider working with lower-level architectural concerns and development software for "baremetal" systems.