Prerequisite Modules
Description
All students who wish to exit at the
Ordinary Degree stage are required submit a project. The project
focuses on the three stages of system development, namely analysis,
design and implementation. The student may focus on one or more of
these stages (e.g. produce a fully working system or a prototype). The
software system must meet the requirements of an ordinary degree. Each
student is required to generate their own project idea. They are then
required to expand this idea into a formal project proposal. If the
proposal is of an acceptable standard the student is allocated a
supervisor. The student should produce a project manual, containing
details of analysis, design, implementation, testing and deployment
(if appropriate). The students are provided with guidelines which
explain the exact requirements of the project. An interim report is
submitted by the student when the research and analysis phases of the
project are completed. At the end of the project the student submits
the system software and a project manual documenting the project. The
student also makes a formal presentation of their project.
Aims
The aim of this module is to get the
student to complete an individual software project. The project
requires the student to use the skills they have developed from
previous modules to analyze, design and implement a substantial
software system. The use of best practice and software tools is
strongly encouraged.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
On successful completion the
graduate will be able to:
-
select a practical task
appropriate to an ordinary degree,
-
identify how various techniques
and technologies apply to their project
-
take a reflective view of their
own work.
Skills and Know-How
On successful completion the
graduate will be able to:
-
analyze, design, and implement a
software system,
-
apply a range of techniques and
technologies,
-
document the entire system,
including a user manual.
Competence
On successful completion the
graduate will be able to:
-
demonstrate a knowledge of their
chosen development techniques and technologies,
-
develop a consistent and well
reasoned project report,
-
develop an appropriate set of
tests for each stage of development.
Learning and Teaching Methods
-
Supervised research
-
Project guidance
-
Technical support
-
Practical library research
techniques.
-
Self study
Assessment
The assessment details are
described in detail in Guidelines for Ordinary Degree Project.
Projects are assessed under a number
of categories, which are outlined here:
-
Presentation (10%)
- the quality of the student's presentations of the project
-
Project Report (15%)
- the quality of the student's project report
-
Research, Analysis and Design
(45%) - the extent of the student's
background research and overall understanding of the project subject
area; the quality of the student's analysis of the project; and the
quality of the overall and detailed design of the system to be
implemented (as applicable)
-
Project Management (10%)
- the overall ability of the student to carry out a project
successfully, including the ability to seek advice from others and
the ability to report progress to supervisor regularly
-
Completeness and Complexity
(10%) - some projects are by nature
technically more complex than others. In such cases, these projects
are not required to be as complete as others; this category reflects
how complete a particular project is, with respect to the complexity
of the project
-
Achievement (10%)
- the value and the usability of the project, including the project
report and any software designed and implemented
The project supervisors are required
to assess each project under each of these categories. The second
assessors are not required to assess each project under Category 4
(Project Management), but are requested to submit an overall mark as a
percentage.
Recommended
Reading
-
Project Guidelines document
-
Assignment & Thesis Writing 4E,
Jonathan Anderson, Wiley. ISBN 0471421812
-
Conquering Your Undergraduate
Thesis by Nataly Kogan, Natavi Guides. ISBN 0971939209
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For more information contact
Ciarán O'Leary
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