Module Specification

Master's Final Project

Module Specification

Master's Final Project: Shape your expertise, define your impact.


Understanding the essence of an MSc programme lies not just in the acquisition of knowledge but in the real-world application and demonstration of that knowledge. This module sets the stage for such an enlightening experience, as it demands that students take charge, demonstrating mastery and aptitude at a professional level. Through structured seminars and individualised mentorship, you are prepared to tackle the challenges of project management, innovative design, and rigorous execution.

This module encompasses a suite of structured seminars that guide you through the key concepts needed for your project, including interdisciplinary research methodologies, ethical standards, and comprehensive submission requirements. With the backbone of guidance, you will conceive, propose, and ultimately deliver a project that meets the high expectations of originality and impact. One-to-one supervision ensures that your project not only adheres to expectations but exceeds them, reflecting both personal growth and academic achievement.

By undertaking this challenge, you will cement your standing as an independent thinker and practitioner, one capable of producing high-level, impactful work. Beyond fulfilling academic requirements, the skills, and insights gained from your project will serve as a foundation for your professional pursuits. The experience equips you with a unique portfolio piece that showcases your ability to manage complex tasks and demonstrates your readiness for advanced, impactful roles in your chosen field.


Mode(s) of Study Code CATS Credits ECTS Credits Framework HECoS code
Full-time Blended Learning
Part-time Blended Learning		 FP10 60 30 FHEQ - L7

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Learning Outcomes

Code Attributes developed Outcomes
LO1 Intellectual Skills Analyse and apply research and other appropriate techniques with some originality, incorporating feedback and open science principles to contribute to scholarly research.
LO2 Technical/Practical Skills Construct a methodological framework, using interdisciplinary approaches and advanced computing techniques.
LO3 Technical/Practical Skills Demonstrate advanced proficiency in data management, analysis, and use of appropriate research methods to solve complex problems.
LO4 Professional/Transferable Skills Communicate research findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring clarity and impact.
LO5 Professional/Transferable Skills Exhibit a responsible, professional approach to research, adhering to legal, ethical, and data protection standards.

Content Structure

Week Topic
Week 1 Introductory lecture
Introduces the module, outlining its relevance to the field and connections to other topics. It provides an overview of the content structure, key references, and assessment details.
Week 2 Seminar 1: Foundations of the Final Project (Week 1)
It lays the groundwork for your final project, focusing on setting clear objectives that deliver real-world impact. We’ll cover Level 7 learning outcomes and professional standards, providing insight into assessment criteria with an emphasis on originality and applied knowledge. Building on feedback from your proposal, we’ll discuss ways to refine your project design using an agile approach. The seminar also introduces Open Science principles, fostering ethical transparency. You’ll learn to craft a literature review that supports the practical aims of your project, enabling you to interpret findings meaningfully. Finally, we’ll address strategies for communicating your project’s impact to varied audiences, ensuring your work resonates on personal, professional, and social levels.
Week 3 Seminar 2: Defining Project Objectives and Approach (Week 1)
In this session, we focus on defining actionable objectives and a practical approach to your final project. You’ll develop self-direction and initiative, essential for a high-impact project, and explore the value of interdisciplinary methods to broaden your project’s relevance. The seminar covers foundational skills in computing and data science, which are critical for creating impactful, evidence-based results. We’ll also review the scientific method’s application, guiding you in setting up a clear framework for problem-solving. Essential project management techniques will be discussed, covering time and risk management. Additionally, you’ll identify key soft skills like adaptability and communication that are necessary for successful project execution.
Week 4 Seminar 3: Criteria for Project Success (Week 2)
This seminar explores the criteria that underpin project success, focusing on the effective application of research methods. We’ll examine advanced data processes such as collection, processing, and quality assurance to support rigorous project outcomes. Special attention is given to ensuring the reliability and validity of your data, minimising bias and maximising accuracy. You’ll learn how to refine your project in iterative cycles, incorporating feedback and testing to strengthen your deliverable. This approach ensures that your final project meets Level 7 expectations and demonstrates a strong grasp of practical data management, research methods, and the iterative improvement necessary for high-quality results.
Week 5 Seminar 4: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Standards (Week 2)
In this seminar, we delve into the professional, legal, and ethical standards essential to your project. Emphasising responsible innovation, we’ll discuss what it means to be an ethical project leader. You’ll learn about data protection legislation, including GDPR compliance, and gain practical guidance on responsible data handling. Navigating the School’s ethics approval processes, cybersecurity protocols, and digital best practices are covered to ensure your project aligns with professional standards. We’ll also discuss the integration of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) principles, ensuring your project meets modern expectations of responsible and inclusive innovation.
Week 6 Seminar 5: Project Submission and Professional Presentation (Mid-Way)
This seminar prepares you for project submission, focusing on practical submission requirements, including documentation and professional presentation of results. We’ll revisit assessment criteria, focusing on how to demonstrate integrity, originality, and IP considerations. Strategies for articulating your project’s impact to different audiences, from academic to industry stakeholders, will be discussed. We’ll also cover the submission process, ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines and plagiarism standards. Finally, we’ll explore opportunities for publishing your work and discuss career development, highlighting how your project experience can be leveraged in professional contexts for maximum visibility and influence in the field.

References/Indicative Reading List

Importance ISBN Description
Supplementary Reading Zina, O. The essential guide to doing your research project. Sage, 2021.
Supplementary Reading McGrath, Jim, and Anthony Coles. Your education masters companion: the essential guide to success. Routledge, 2015.
Supplementary Reading Berndtsson, Mikael, et al. Thesis projects: a guide for students in computer science and information systems. Springer Science & Business Media, 2007.
Supplementary Reading Williamson, Kirsty, and Graeme Johanson, eds. Research methods: Information, systems, and contexts. Chandos Publishing, 2017.
Supplementary Reading Biggam, John. Succeeding With Your Master's Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Handbook. Open University Press, 2021

Student Workload

The methods of teaching and learning for this module are based on the School's Postgraduate Final Project 60 teaching system, consisting of the following activities.

Activity Total hours
Introductory lecture

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.

 1.50
Concept learning (knowledge graph)

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.

 18.00
Independent reading, exploration and practice

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.

 276.00
Individual Research

Part of the credit hours on a module are also made up of self-guided individual research. These hours enable students to look at what components they are going to study on a module and ascertain for themselves what they will believe will additionally benefit their leaning. This may be prior to attending a lecture or workshop, following their use of a concept learning (knowledge graph) where they identify that additional reading may deepen their understanding of a concept, or after a seminar has taken place. Students will also use self-guided individual research to prepare for summative assessments. In the main, as this is self-guided, students will decide for themselves what additional research they will do. This will require them to identify what concepts or knowledge, skills, and competencies they want to deepen, what resources will assist them, such as books, videos, or online sources, how they will use these, and what the outcomes should be. Students may decide to work with their peers in undertaking this individual research – and they can ask their tutors for guidance and help. Students may also have to use some of their self-guided individual research to prepare for lectures, workshops, or assignments, or for work their tutors have set them.

 300.00
One-to-one project supervision meeting

During these meetings, the student presents their recent progress, including any research findings, data analysis, or draft sections of their work. The supervisor provides feedback, addressing both strengths and areas needing improvement. These sessions often involve discussing challenges faced by the student, strategising solutions, and setting goals or deadlines for the next phase of work. The supervisor may also offer insights on relevant literature, methodologies, or academic writing techniques.

 4.50
600.00

Assessment Patterns

Weighting Format Outcomes assessed
50% Research Module Assessment: Final Report
Students will be required to submit a final report. The purpose of the final report is to assess how students conducted independent research, applied critical thinking, and demonstrated a systematic understanding of their subject of study within computer science in producing their artefact.

The final report also allows students to showcase their originality in applying knowledge and techniques in producing the artefact, as well as their proficiency in utilizing established research methods and tools. It provides an opportunity for students to communicate their research findings, interpretations, and conclusions effectively, both to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Students will have a workshop in the module on how to prepare, structure, and submit a final report, and your module leader will be able to provide you with further support whilst you work on it. You will be shown examples of successful and unsuccessful final reports. You will also have the opportunity to present your work during your programme modules and receive peer and tutor feedback.

Throughout the programme, students will regularly receive formative assessment tasks and feedback opportunities to gain actionable feedback (from self, peers and staff) on their own work to indicate how to improve future work and learn how to give constructive feedback to other people.
 I LO1
P LO4
P LO5
15% Research Module Assessment: Presentation
Students must deliver a presentation on their artefact. The purpose of the presentation is to assess their ability to communicate their research findings, methodologies, and implications effectively to a diverse audience in a concise, professional, and engaging manner.

The presentation stems from the research problem statement set out in the Final Project proposal, which require students to come up with a practical solution in the form of an artefact that uses the implementation lifecycle. It is envisaged that the Final Project will require students to apply the tools and architectures they have learnt in their programme modules to diagnose problems, undertake requirements analyses, and produce an artefact. This presentation will require them to expand on how they strategized and overcame practical, professional, ethical and other issues and constraints they may have come across.

Students will have a workshop in the research module on how to make an effective presentation, and their module leader will be able to provide them with further support whilst they work on their project. They will have the opportunity to present their work in their programme modules and receive peer and tutor feedback.

Throughout such programme modules, students will also regularly receive formative assessment tasks and feedback opportunities to gain actionable feedback (from self, peers and staff) on their own work to indicate how to improve future work and learn how to give constructive feedback to other people.

 I LO1
P LO4
P LO5
35% Research Module Assessment: Artefact
For the research project, students must submit an artefact that meets the problem statement that they articulate in their final report. You will have a workshop on the module on how to ideate and design practical solutions for problems using an implementation lifecycle and how to succeed with your project.

Throughout the programme, in particular, their programme modules, students will regularly receive formative assessment tasks and feedback opportunities to gain actionable feedback (from self, peers and staff) on their own work to indicate how to improve future work and learn how to give constructive feedback to other people.
 I LO1
T LO2
T LO3
P LO4
P LO5

Programmes this module appears on

Programme Term Type
1 MSc Data Science and Analytics (conversion) 3 Core
2 MSc Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship 3 Core
3 MSc Software Technical Leadership 3 Core
4 MSc AI for Business Transformation 3 Core
5 MSc Digital Project Management 3 Core
6 MSc AI and Machine Learning 3 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: Master's Final Project: Shape your expertise, define your impact. (FP10)