Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module COMP50715: ENTERPRISE AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Department: Computer Science

COMP50715: ENTERPRISE AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Type	Open	Level	4	Credits	15	Availability	Available in 2012/13

Tied to

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

None.

Aims

To develop within students a critical understanding of the entrepreneurial approach required to progress a business idea from generation, through market testing, to a robust and commercially viable business concept. The business idea will be based on distributed systems.

Content

Generating a business idea - business idea generation theory and techniques
Testing ideas against the market - theory and practice
Developing a clear and commercially viable business concept
Writing a business plan based on a self-generated idea

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

Understand how to plan for the launch of a new business venture.
Be aware of the challenges encountered in the launch process.
Demonstrate an understanding of the responses and strategies used to overcome these challenges.

Subject-specific Skills:

Key Skills:

Have developed/improved their enterprising skills, behaviours and attitudes.
Further experience of group work.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

The module comprises 7 days of lectures and practical groupwork exercises; several tutorials; directed reading, and two weeks developing a business plan. The overall workload conforms to the standard SLAT requirement of 150 hours equivalent to 15 credits.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total/Hours
Lectures	8	various times in weeks 1 and 2	3 hours	24	■
Tutorials	4	weekly	2 hour	8	■
Practicals	7	various times in weeks 1 and 2	3 hours	21	■
Laboratory	10	daily in weeks 3 and 4	7 hours	70	■
Preparation and Reading				27
Total				150

Summative Assessment

Component: Laboratory report		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Laboratory report		100%

Formative Assessment:

Staged written feedback of laboratory and practical work by staff/demonstrators.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University