Masters Foundation programme

Alternatively, you may also be eligible for one of our Pre-Masters courses. These are pathway programmes designed specifically for students who require additional support to meet the entry requirements of their chosen Masters degree.

Pre-Sessional English and Study Skills

If you have IELTS 5.5 – 6.0, you may be eligible to join our Pre-Sessional English before starting this programme. This programme will help you develop language skills in a content-based approach to learning involving critical thinking, questioning, discussion, reflection and analysis.

In this module, you will learn about the information governance and cyber security principles that underpin the management of an organisation’s information assets. You will critically analyse the key concepts, theories, standards and frameworks of information governance and security, including risk management.

It will enable you to evaluate an organisation’s current approach to information governance and cyber security. You will have the expertise to advise on the design and implementation of an appropriate strategy for managing an organisation’s information (ensuring all assets meet legal, regulatory, organisational and/or societal needs for information governance and cybersecurity).

In this module, you will develop new knowledge and skills in leadership in a digital context.

These capabilities are essential for your career development. They enable you to become competent at the visioning, development and deployment of technological strategies and responses to challenges and opportunities in complex operating environments.

This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject-specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject area.

The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes.

You will gain practical skills in analysing source material and using it in seminars and academic writing, whilst advancing your language and communications skills to a higher level.

This module aims to provide you with a critical review of the theory and practice of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), including the use of different methods and tools to collect, represent, manipulate and manage spatial data.

You will work in QGIS or a similar cross-platform to view, edit and analyse spatial data and will be introduced to C++ or Python to create plugins.

The module will further provide opportunities to appreciate the role of ethics, sustainability, privacy and security within the context of the use of GIS and spatial data exploration.

This module is designed to ensure you have the skills and knowledge to complete a postgraduate research project, relevant to Technology for Sustainable Cities and your career or future aspirations. As such, you will work closely with our careers and professional development specialists to consider the future opportunities post completion of your degree.  You will develop a career plan and reflective log considering how your learning from the programme can accelerate the achievement of this plan.

To further prepare you for this final research project, this module will familiarise you with the nature of research and project management and the processes involved. Research approaches and methods will be covered, including literature evaluation and review.

In this module, you will additionally explore and use several tools and techniques that are in use in the field of project management to ensure that projects are completed successfully.

The module aims to provide you with a critical review of the Internet of Things (IoT) for sustainable development as a key requirement of smart city projects. For example, where IoT plays an important role in infrastructure as well as to encourage efficient collaboration between city authorities, residents and urban communities.

This module offers exciting learning opportunities where you will learn IoT challenges facing businesses and how to overcome such challenges with the use of appropriate techniques using research, design, development, plan, policies, cyber security and interpreting associated risks/threats to IoT infrastructures.

As part of your assessment you will analyse, design, develop, and implement a prototype of an IoT smart city solution.

You will learn the application of blockchain technology and how to deal with the challenges faced by smart cities, using a range of methods and tools.

The module introduces you to the importance of blockchain and how it can add value to any sustainable development, underpinning blockchain technical skills, infrastructure and architecture.

You will work on the Ethereum platform and will programme smart contracts in Solidity, gaining practical hands-on experience.

This module aims to enable you to undertake a substantial academic research project at the Masters level and present the results from this work in both written and oral forms. Your project itself will be a piece of independent and original research centred at the forefront of your programme discipline within the wider sphere of the computer science and digital technologies field.

You will experience the full life cycle of a research project- from initial conception and development of a research proposal, through a critical review of the literature, planning, design, implementation and analysis of your main research project, to final evaluation, reflection and dissemination.

You will be expected to consider and address the professional, ethical, legal and social issues related to this academic research project. You will also be expected to apply your expertise, project management and practical skills within your particular domain of computer science and digital technologies and demonstrate critical and innovative thinking and problem-solving within a research environment.

Your research proposal will normally have been produced as part of an earlier module on research and project planning but should be reviewed again at the start of the project phase to ensure it is still valid and appropriate.