Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2014-2015 (archived)

Module COMP50715: ENTERPRISE AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Department: Computer Science

COMP50715: ENTERPRISE AND DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

Type Open Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Not available in 2014/15 Module Cap
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