2011 Updates Soon to Appear

Prerequisites

CSC933 (22 credits at SCQF level 8 )

Learning Outcomes

The student should know and understand:

• The principles of object-oriented development: object modelling, information hiding, inheritance and dynamic binding.
• How objects support software reuse, abstraction, modularity and the substitution of different implementations.
• How to construct reusable software components and their use as a mechanism for programming in the large.
• The role of information systems in commercial environments.
• How information systems can support decision making.

Transferable Skills

The module will develop skills in recognising how standard algorithms and data structures can be used as components in the creation of software systems.

Contents

Object Oriented Programming in Java: 14 lectures

• Using BlueJ to create and test individual objects and to combine them in the creation of object-oriented programs.
• Object modelling, class diagrams, object-oriented analysis and design, software life-cycle models.
• Frames, panels, layout managers, exception handling.
• Design and development of object-oriented programs.
• Data abstraction, the hiding of implementation detail.
• Inheritance and dynamic binding, abstract classes and interfaces

Data Structures: 6 lectures

• The representation of data structures as objects and as library components.
• Stacks and queues: run-time stacks and activation records.
• Representation of lists and trees.
• Searching and sorting methods.

Information Systems: 8 lectures

• Overview and pointers to later units.
• Decision making in organisations.
• Decision support systems: architecture, place of artificial intelligence, different roles.

Assessment

• Practical Checkpoints - 10%;
• One assignment - 40%;
• Examination - 50%

Module requirements

In order to obtain a pass grade for the module, you must:

• submit all items of assessed coursework
• attend the examination.

If you fail to submit any item of assessed coursework, you will be awarded no grade for the module as a whole. This rule may be relaxed for students who can show good cause for failure to submit. ‘Good cause’ may include illness (for which a medical certificate or other evidence will be required). If a repeat examination is taken (First Degree Regulations, Regulation 11), then the final grade is obtained from the mark for that repeat examination together with the original assignment marks. The grade obtained following a repeat examination is limited to 3C at best, and will not be lower than the original grade.

If you are unable to attend the exam, you must apply to the Student Programmes Office for a deferred exam. If a Deferred examination is not granted, then the Examiners may allow a Repeat examination.

Plagiarism

The University’s plagiarism policies may be found in Section 6.8.2 of the Assessment Policy. Students are encouraged to collaborate and discuss problems in order to identify solutions. However, submissions must be completed individually. All submissions in this module will be checked.

Attendance requirements

In addition to the above, regulation 14 of the University’s First Degree Regulations sets out attendance rules for classes that have been defined by the Department as prescribed. In this module, the prescribed classes are tutorials and practical classes. Attendance at lectures is also extremely important for successful completion of the module. We will keep records of your attendance at all lectures, tutorials and practical classes.