Social, Ethical and Professional Issues in Computing

Students will gain the essential skills and knowledge to operate within the professional, legal and ethical frameworks of their profession. Techniques for breaking down a project into manageable parts and efficient time allocation are taught, leading to a fundamental understanding of the skills and methods required to pursue scientific inquiry and the fundamental concepts and tools for statistical analysis to measure and explain data. Exemplars and guidelines on producing concise and structured scientific reports are offered and students receive additional lectures on presentation skills, professional ethics in relation to computing and communications. Finally, lectures provide an awareness of fundamental legal aspects related to a profession in computing and communications, including intellectual property rights and patent law.

Throughout this course, students will gain a high level of awareness of subject specific skills and general competence needed to gain employment in their field. The module develops academic writing and research skills in a computing context, complimenting students’ other modules.