BSc (Hons) Business Computing & Entrepreneurship

This module will introduce the fundamentals of programming and object orientation, including the following basic ideas of programming, including variables, memory and assignment statements, control through conditional statements, loops, functions and procedures, objects and classes, instance variables and methods, arrays, user interaction, interaction between objects, inheritance, polymorphism.

This module is an introduction to the basic concepts essential in the design and implementation of client-side web-based applications; it will cover a basic introduction to the Web, followed by more detailed lectures and labs on current best good practice with technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript.

This module gives a broad introduction to the creation of digital media and rich media websites and applications. It covers both the technical issues of programming with media, and the contextual topics of project management and designing applications to a particular commercial (or other) brief.

This module teaches a basic understanding of a range of different elements of computer systems. This is a fundamental understanding that underpins both professional use of computer systems and further study in computer science. The broad overview provided in this course will support learning in a large range of topics in the degree and later modules will expand upon the topics covered here.

This module aims to help you understand, and to interact with, computer systems. You will learn how to use knowledge about computational processes to analyse and explain the behaviour of computer systems. The module will use the concept of a Notional Machine, an abstract representation of the functioning of a computer system, to help you to reason about computer systems and to predict their behaviour. You will also learn about typical computer system architectures, basic networking and network services such as databases.

Business Statistics aims to provide students with quantitative literacy skills to enable them to search out numerical information, understand it, critique it, reflect upon it, and apply it in making decisions. This module introduces students to the principles and concepts of statistics when applied to business computing activities and challenges. It will equip students with quantitative skills necessary for them to interpret, analyse and communicate information derived from numerical data. The module will equip students with an understanding of how to present business numerical information in a variety of formats, and give them an understanding of the tools necessary to present such information. The module theme is to look at numerical data in a variety of forms, to determine the ‘story’ that this data is telling and to tell that ‘story’ to others.
Subjects covered by the module will include some or all of the following:

Data classification, tabulation and presentation
Measures of central tendency, dispersion, skew
Probability, sampling, and distributions
Hypothesis testing
Correlation and regression
Time series and forecasting

The subject knowledge in this module will be presented in a context relevant for business and/or computer science.

This course examines key concepts of capital, and multiple different perspectives for examining these capitals. It explores the grounding of capital types in economic systems, societal norms, and their creative and cultural roles.
The module provides the theoretical foundations for students to understand the creation and interplay of intellectual, social, cultural, and economic resources.

This course addresses multiple capital types: physical capital (natural resources), social capital (bonding/bridging capital and strong/weak ties), human capital (education, skills, and investment therein), and financial capital (access to finance, operation of debt, equity and working capital). Over the spread of the module, students will develop their knowledge of these capitals alongside frameworks to understand their different forms, their flows and interdependencies.

The module examines how different forms of capital are acquired, maintained, enhanced and exchanged, and the role that networks, evaluation materials and legal systems play. By tracing the historical context of different societal mechanisms to create and distribute capital, students can appreciate how current theories of capital in our digital revolution age are constructed and contested.

This module provides comprehensive coverage of emerging strategies, up-to-the-minute technologies, and the latest market developments in the fields of Electronic Business in the Digital Era. Students will gain an understanding of the dynamics within this fast-paced industry, an appreciation of technological issues and the strategic business aspects of successful e-commerce

This module is aimed at novice programmers who have learnt some basic programming techniques. The course builds on this knowledge by developing students’ ability to combine short segments of code to create larger projects.

Students will begin by developing their knowledge of object oriented programming through learning about principles such as encapsulation and abstraction. Students will be presented with existing programs which they will explore, debug and extend. They will choose one of these to develop into a final project for the module.

During this work students will apply taught techniques in organising, planning and evaluating their code. 

This module introduces students to Java for the first time whilst building on the programming techniques covered at level 4. Through learning about more advanced concepts within object-orientation students are able to design and implement large scale computer programs.

Topics covered include Types, Conditionals and Iteration, Methods, Exception handling, I/O, Classes, Inheritance and Abstract Classes. Throughout the module, there will be a focus on developing student skills in problem-solving through structured thought and familiarity with common resources such as IDEs, professional APIs and language specifications.

This module focuses on the technology underpinning client-server applications. This includes relational database systems, mainly from a development perspective, offering an introduction to data modelling and database implementation in SQL and alternatives such as No SQL The focus is on applications of relational and non-relational databases and techniques relevant to the creation of dynamic web applications such as form handling and templating. It includes practical work related to programming client-server web applications with a focus on principles and up to date practices.

This module builds on the skills developed in Computing Project 1 by giving students the opportunity to work in a group on a medium scale software project of their choosing. Students will enact the entire software production process, from user-centred design to proposal development and implementation. By focusing on user-centred design, this module re-enforces skills in project management, planning, critical awareness and design.

Term one activities centre around project preparation. Students research their chosen project’s technological, social and creative context towards the creation of a project proposal. At the end of the first term, students will submit a project proposal, including user-centred research, design of the software and an initial prototype. Term two centres on implementation. This is done in an environment that mimics real-world development including the use of project management software, issue tracking and source control.

This work will be supported by a series of lectures on relevant topics as well as guest lectures about real world projects.

This course challenges students to think critically about how they can build a creative business. Central to the course is understanding that businesses can be thought of as responses to problems, and thus develops key contextualisation skills as students are required to evidence the existence of demand and articulate the meaning and value that their ideas engender. A range of interdisciplinary analytical tools will be explored throughout the module which act as prisms through which businesses can be evaluated. These include economic/management ideas such as understanding competition and measuring impact, sociological ideas of cultural and social capital, business ideas such as the Lean Start Up method, historical ideas of market change, and psychological ideas of consumer empathy and motivation. The course will lead to students developing and writing a business plan, and thinking critically about the viability of their idea using the broad range of tools they are exposed to throughout the module.

This module will cover the details of the operations of computer networks, including the layered standards that implement the Internet stack; application-layer protocols using that networking stack; and practical issues (such as availability, fault-tolerance and privacy) in the deployment of networked applications and systems.

This module provides you with advanced skills in designing interactive systems and an in-depth understanding of emerging practico-theoretical developments in interaction design.

The module is delivered as a series of workshops, lectures and seminars where you're introduced to a range of key technical skills for making interactive platforms, and develop an understanding of the role of prototyping though the embedding of technical work in the pursuit of a series of design briefs.

You'll be able to then use these technologies in your projects, and develop an understanding of the roles of software and hardware development.

This module builds on the knowledge developed in Java for Industry by introducing students to a broad array of methods and data structures available within the language. Topics covered include:

Polymorphism, Interfaces, Nested Classes, Data Structures, abstract data types, computational complexity, Generics, GUIs, Event-driven programming, concurrency, event-driven programming, software patterns

Students will develop their understanding of these through practical, lab assessed work and longer form home assignments.

The digital economy has created new opportunities and innovations across the economy disrupting existing business models of many established industries.

This course covers business modelling and analysis techniques: the development, implementation, and utilisation of business models for managerial decision making.

The module will cover various techniques for analytical modelling. These could include trend curves, multiple regressions, forecasting and classification. Students will develop business-orientated models for decision making covering applications such as marketing, sales, financial management and operations/project management.

Final Project in Business Computing is an opportunity for students to apply the skills, knowledge and expertise that they have acquired whilst studying Business Computing to a single and coherent body of work. The project allows students to follow an initiative that appeals to them; the outcome will be the most substantial software that they have had to develop as part of their studies. Implemented systems may comprise a software application or a combination of hardware and software development. The project outcomes will serve as a showcase for student’s talents and could launch a professional career in industry.

Students will have to manage their own time and set regular objectives, undertaking project analysis, design, implementation and evaluation.

The purpose of this module is to educate a new generation of managers, planners, analysts, and programmers in the realities and potential for electronic commerce. It aims to familiarise individuals with current and emerging electronic commerce technologies using the Internet. 

The goal of this module is to provide students with a detailed analysis of the concepts and techniques required to complete the third year module on electronic commerce. 

In achieving this, a further goal is to equip students with a detailed understanding of the major issues regarding the deployment of Internet technologies within organisations and between organizations. 

Topics include: 

• Internet technology for business advantage 
• managing electronic commerce funds transfer 
• reinventing the future of business through electronic commerce 
• business opportunities in electronic commerce 
• electronic commerce 
• website design 
• social, political and ethical issues associated with electronic commerce 
• business plans for technology ventures