Module Specification

Continuous Integration and Delivery

London school of INNOVATION

Module Specification

Continuous Integration and Delivery: The Art of Modern Software Deployment



In today's fast-paced tech landscape, the ability to rapidly and reliably deliver software is a game-changer. Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI/CD) has emerged as a cornerstone of modern software development, enabling teams to innovate faster, respond to market demands quicker, and maintain high-quality standards. This module demystifies the complex world of CI/CD, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of its principles, practices, and tools.

Throughout this course, you'll explore a wide array of essential topics, from the fundamentals of version control and containerization to advanced concepts like Infrastructure as Code and cloud-based CI/CD implementations. You'll get hands-on experience with industry-leading tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, AWS CodePipeline, and Terraform, learning how to design and implement robust CI/CD pipelines that can handle real-world challenges. We'll delve into crucial aspects of modern software delivery, including security integration, automated testing, and sophisticated deployment strategies like blue-green and canary releases.

By mastering CI/CD, you'll position yourself at the forefront of software engineering practices. You'll develop the skills to significantly reduce time-to-market for new features, enhance code quality through automated testing, and ensure smooth, reliable deployments. This module will empower you to bridge the gap between development and operations, giving you the expertise to lead DevOps initiatives and drive efficiency in software delivery processes. Whether you're aiming to accelerate your career in software development, DevOps, or cloud engineering, the knowledge and practical skills gained from this module will be invaluable in today's technology-driven world.


Code Number of Credits ECTS Credits Framework HECoS code
ID71 30 15 FHEQ - L7 software engineering (100374)

Learning outcomes

Code Attributes developed Outcomes
LO1 Knowledge and Understanding Critically compare containerisation and serverless technologies, evaluating their impact on software deployment.
LO2 Knowledge and Understanding Demonstrate a systematic understanding of CI/CD practices and principles in the context of modern software development.
LO3 Intellectual Skills Analyse and resolve complex CI/CD challenges, including dependencies, scaling, and security concerns.
LO4 Intellectual Skills Strategise automated CI/CD implementations to meet real-world circumstances, reflecting current industry best practices.
LO5 Technical/Practical Skills Deploy and monitor CI/CD pipelines across multiple environments, utilising strategies such as blue-green deployments and canary releases.
LO6 Technical/Practical Skills Design and implement advanced CI/CD pipelines using industry-standard tools to support complex software projects.
LO7 Professional/Transferable Skills Collaborate effectively within a team to enhance the performance and security of CI/CD processes and practices in a professional setting.

Assessment Patterns

Weighting Format Outcomes assessed
60% Technical Analysis and Solution Assessment
This assessment requires students to develop a solution to a complex problem within a simulated domain, followed by a detailed analysis and reflection on their design and its theoretical underpinnings. The aim is to assess students' abilities to design practical solutions, critically analyse their work, and articulate their understanding of the technical and theoretical aspects of the module.
K LO1
K LO2
I LO3
I LO4
T LO5
T LO6
P LO7
40% Invigilated Exam
This is a time-limited and closed-book exam with a mix of multiple-choice and analytical written questions that students undertake during the summative assessment period as scheduled under the School’s remote invigilation conditions to ensure quality and academic integrity.

The exam enables the students to demonstrate their successful attainment of the module learning outcomes, primarily related to knowledge and understanding, and secondarily related to Professional/Transferable Skills.

The analytical written questions will consist of problem questions representing issues and dilemmas students are likely to encounter in professional life and students have to synthesise and apply what they have learnt on the module in order to produce sound and reasoned judgements with respect to the problem.

To enable the students to practice and prepare, various formative assessment activies, including quizzes and a AI-augmented assignments and mock exams are built into the module. Additionally, throughout the course, students will regularly receive feedback on their knowledge and assignments from AI as well as peers and staff to indicate how to improve future work and how to give constructive feedback to others.
K LO1
K LO2
I LO3
I LO4
P LO7

Student workload

Activity Total hours
Introductory lecture 1.50
Concept learning (knowledge graph) 36.00
AI formative assessment 18.00
Workshop/Lab Sessions 27.00
Independent reading, exploration and practice 153.50
Summative assessment 64.00
300.00

Content Structure

Week Chapter Name Chapter Description
Week 1 Core CI/CD Principles Understand the core principles and benefits of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. Explore why CI/CD is crucial for modern software development, and how these practices enable faster, more reliable releases.
Week 2 Version Control Mastery Learn the importance of version control systems in CI/CD. Discover why managing code changes effectively is critical, and explore strategies for branching, merging, and maintaining repository health.
Week 3 Containerisation Insights Explore the role of containerisation in CI/CD. Understand how containers help in creating consistent development environments, and why tools like Docker and Kubernetes are game-changers for scalable deployments.
Week 4 Automation Essentials Delve into the significance of build and test automation. Find out why automating these processes enhances reliability and reduces human errors, leading to more efficient CI/CD pipelines.
Week 5 Deployment Pipelines Understand the structure and function of deployment pipelines. Learn why orchestrating deployments through pipelines is essential for managing code changes from development to production.
Week 6 Security in CI/CD Examine the importance of security in CI/CD processes. Discover why managing secrets, performing static analysis, and conducting security scans are vital to protect the software and infrastructure.
Week 7 Cloud CI/CD Tools Get insights into using cloud services for CI/CD. Explore why platforms like AWS CodePipeline, Azure DevOps, and Google Cloud Build are pivotal for modern, scalable CI/CD implementations.
Week 8 Infrastructure as Code Uncover the significance of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Understand why using tools like Terraform to automate environment setup is a cornerstone of efficient and reproducible CI/CD processes.
Week 9 Advanced Deployment Strategies Explore advanced deployment techniques like blue-green deployments and canary releases. Learn why these strategies minimise downtime and reduce the risk of deployment failures.

Module References

Type Description
Book "Continuous Integration vs. Continuous Delivery vs. Continuous Deployment", 2nd Edition, Brent Laster (2020), O'Reilly.
Book Belmont, J. M. (2018). Hands-On Continuous Integration and Delivery: Build and release quality software at scale with Jenkins, Travis CI, and CircleCI. Packt Publishing Ltd.

Methods of teaching/learning


Introductory lecture (1.50 hours)

This is the first weekly session, dedicated to providing a comprehensive introduction to the module. The module leader will present an overview of the subject, elucidating its importance within various digital engineering professions and its interrelation with other modules. Students will need no preparation ahead of attending this session.

The module leader will provide a structured breakdown of the content to be covered in the subsequent 9 sessions. Students will also receive an outline of the essential reference materials, alongside suggestions for supplementary reading. The format and criteria for the summative assessment will be delineated, followed by a dedicated period for questions and answers.

A recording of the session will be available to facilitate async engagement for any other student who missed the class, also offering an opportunity to review the content again.


Concept learning (knowledge graph) (36.00 hours)

Our institution's approach to teaching is primarily based on flipped learning. Ahead of each weekly session (Workshop/Lab), students will be required to study the essential concepts that are used in the coming session so they are familiar with the theories and ideas related to that session. The study material will be in the form of written content, illustrations, pre-recorded lectures and tutorials, and other forms of content provided through the AGS.

This content is self-navigated by the students, accommodating different learning styles and schedules, allowing students to watch or listen to them at their own pace and review them as needed.


AI formative assessment (18.00 hours)

Once each concept of the theory is studied, students will be prompted to engage in formative assessment with instant AI feedback. They include multiple-choice questions, socratic questions and answers, written questions, role-play and other AI-assisted practice scenarios.

The purpose of this automated formative assessment is to provide students with immediate feedback on their understanding of module material and highlight any areas that need support or further study. They are also used to track student progress, boost motivation and promote accountability.


Workshop/Lab Sessions (27.00 hours)

The 9 weekly sessions following the introduction (weeks 2 to 10) will be dedicated to teaching the contents of the module during interactive workshops. These sessions will complement the theory with practice, experience or analysis. Their purpose is to advance the student's cognition from 'knowledge' to 'understand' and 'apply'.

Depending on the nature of the content, challenges and learning activities will be pre-designed to apply flipped learning, and may include hands-on project work, group discussions or debates, roleplay, simulation, case study or other presentation, and other learning activities and opportunities. These workshops present an opportunity to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They also encourage collaboration and foster a sense of community among students. There will be an opportunity also for Q&A in every session.


Independent reading, exploration and practice (153.50 hours)

This activity challenges students to engage with the reference material and independently explore and analyse academic literature related to the course topic. Students are expected to select relevant sources, practice critical reading skills, and where applicable technical skills, and synthesise information from multiple references. This is an opportunity to enhance research abilities, critical thinking, and self-directed learning skills while broadening and deepening subject knowledge.


Summative assessment (64.00 hours)

Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the end of a module. These assessments can take many forms, including exams, papers, or presentations. Instructors can use summative assessments to measure whether students have achieved the learning outcomes for the module and provide them with a sense of their overall progress. Summative assessments can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching methods used in the module.

Programmes this module appears on

Programme Term Type
1 Software Technical Leadership (MSc) 1 Core
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change.
Module Spec: Continuous Integration and Delivery: The Art of Modern Software Deployment (ID71)