Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2025-2026

Module COMP51915: Professional Skills

Department: Computer Science

COMP51915: Professional Skills

Type Tied Level 5 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2025/2026 Module Cap None.
Tied to G5T109
Tied to G5T209
Tied to G5T309
Tied to G5T509
Tied to G5T809

Prerequisites

  • Programming skills in Python. Basic C programming skills.

Corequisites

    Excluded Combination of Modules

      Aims

      • Provide training in collaborative large-scale code development.
      • Provide training in essential subject-specific project management, collaboration techniques and version control.
      • Provide training in essential wider professional skills: entrepreneurship, intellectual property, etc.
      • Provide transferable skills training: communicating novel ideas in science, and reflecting on ethical issues around data as well as research in a broader sense.

      Content

      • Training on common tools for agile, collaborative code development including build systems and CI.
      • Software development and usage workshops.
      • Entrepreneuership, Research Ethics (Intellectual Property, e.g.), Academic Writing, Basic Project Planning and Timetabling.
      • Communicating Science, Philosophy and Ethics of Data Sciences.

      Learning Outcomes

      Subject-specific Knowledge:
      • By the end of this module, students should have:
      • an understanding and critical reflection of legal and ethical principles underpinning the application of computational methods and data science in economical and societal context
      • fundamental entrepreneurial/project management and implementation skills
      Subject-specific Skills:
      • By the end of this module, students should have:
      • technical skills in using build systems, CI and common tools for collaborative code development
      • competent management of software projects, understanding of versioning and techniques for quality control
      Key Skills:
      • Mature research on industrial scale
      • Responsible research
      • Productive research

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

      • Workshop 1 (Week 5, Term 1): Agile and Responsible Code Development, Collaborative Working
      • Workshop 2 (Week 10, Term 1): Project Management
      • Workshop 3 (Week 5, Term 2): Communicating Science and Research Ethics
      • Workshop 4 (Week 10, Term 2): Structured Innovation
      • The assignment element of the coursework component consists of a coding exercise with accompanying report.

      Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

      Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
      Workshops 12 2 consecutive days in each of week 5 and 10 of term 1, and week 5 and 10 of term 2. 10 hours per week 40
      Preparation and Reading 110
      Total 150

      Summative Assessment

      Component: Coursework Component Weighting: 100%
      Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
      Assignment 25%
      Report 25%
      Poster 25%
      Presentation 25%

      Formative Assessment:

      The successful participation in professional and transferable skills training as well as the entrepeneurial training will be assessed formatively through individual and/or group presentations. Alternatively, the lecturer may ask for a short essay. They are indirectly assessed (project planning, presentation and communication skills, source code handling) with formative feedback by each individual coursework.


      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