pg kent computing brochure

Graduatestudy

The UK’s European university

Graduatestudy

SCHOOL OFCOMPUTING

Canterbury/Medway

2 School of Computing

Introduction 4

Our courses at a glance 7Career prospects 8Industrial Placement 9Finding a placement 10Taught programmes 12Student profile 17Graduate profile 18Kent IT Consultancy (KITC) 19Taught modules 20Applying for taught programmes 27Makerspace – The Shed 29

Research degrees 31Challenging students 36Research profile: Keeping your data safe 38Applying for a research degree 39Academic staff interests 40General information 44

CONTENTS

3www.cs.kent.ac.uk

WELCOME

The School of Computing at the University of Kentexcels in both teaching and research, with award-winning staff and impressive research results.

The School is an internationallyrecognised Centre of Excellencefor programming education andhas been certified as a universitypartner in the UK-wide Network ofTeaching Excellence in ComputerScience.

In the Research ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014, the Schoolperformed very strongly. Ourresearch impact was especiallyimpressive, with 100% of ourresearch rated world leadingor internationally excellent. Thisindicates that the work in the Schoolhas considerable influence beyondacademia. All our eligible academic

staff submitted research to theREF, showing that our researchis significant in both breadth anddepth.

We provide an extensive supportframework for our taught andresearch students and have stronglinks with industry, which underpinboth methods of study.

Frank WangHead of School

4

INTRODUCTION

Kent is a leading UKuniversity. In theResearch ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014,we were ranked joint 17th*in the UK for researchintensity, outperforming11 of the 24 Russell Groupuniversities. We are also inthe top 20 in The GuardianUniversity Guide 2015.Kent is dedicated toexcellence in bothteaching and research.

World-leading research The School of Computing is hometo world-leading researchers inkey areas such as communications,computational intelligence, gridcomputing, security, and memorymanagement, and interdisciplinary

work with biosciences andpsychology. Based on our resultsin the REF 2014, ‘computer scienceand informatics’ at Kent was ranked12th in the UK for research intensityin the Times Higher Education. TheREF also ranked the School 22 outof 89 for research power, with 100%of the School’s research impactrated world leading or internationallyexcellent.

Staff publish regularly in journals,conference proceedings and books.They have recently contributed to:Journal of Artificial Evolution andApplications; Computer Networks:The International Journal ofComputer and TelecommunicationsNetworking and the Journal inComputer Virology. You will finddetails of academic staff interestson p40.

Teaching excellenceAn internationally recognised Centreof Excellence for programmingeducation, the School of Computingis a leader in computer scienceteaching. Two academics havereceived the ACM SIGCSE awardfor their ‘outstanding contributionto computer science education’.We are also home to two NationalTeaching Fellows, authors of widelyused textbooks, and two award-winning teaching systems(Greenfoot and BlueJ) that are usedin over 1000 institutions worldwide.

School of Computing

* of 122 universities, not includingspecialist institutions

5

We host a seminar series for visitingspeakers and hold regular seminarswithin our research groups in whichresearch students are encouragedto participate. We also host anannual postgraduate conference.

Many of our research studentsearn money by teaching on ourundergraduate programmes.We provide teaching developmentcourses in your first year to giveyou the skills to teach effectively.

Master’s studentenvironmentOur Master’s students can gainvaluable work experience throughour industrial placement scheme orwith the Kent IT Consultancy (KITC),which provides a project-basedconsultancy service to localbusinesses.

We have strong links with industryincluding HP, IBM, Microsoft andOracle.

Our taught postgraduate studentsenjoy a high level of access toacademic staff and have their owndedicated study room providing arange of amenities includingdedicated PCs and a social area.Students on courses that include anindustrial placement are supportedby a dedicated team who help themto gain a suitable position andprovide support throughout theplacement. For more information,see p10.

All students benefit from awell-stocked library and a highbandwidth internet gateway.

Research environmentWe offer an extensive supportframework to all our researchstudents and support you tobecome an effective researcherthrough a series of weeklyworkshops in your first year.

These cover research-specificsubjects including how to accessjournals and review researchpublications, how to write andpublish academic articles and howto present your work at seminarsand conferences. You mayalso attend workshops oncommunication, time managementand teamwork, key transferableskills that are highly valued byemployers.

You join one or more of our activeresearch groups where you test anddiscuss your ideas and place yourresearch in a broader context.

www.cs.kent.ac.uk

“My MSc gave me loads ofknowledge of how to be anentrepreneur. It also gave megood business skills… but,mainly, it gave me moreexperience and knowledgein how to deal with real ITconsultancy projects, workwithin a team and improveleadership, thanks to the KentIT Consultancy. It definitelyimproved my careerprospects.”

Andrea Reyes RomoMSc IT Consultancy

7www.cs.kent.ac.uk

OUR PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE

A goodhonoursdegree in any subject, no priorknowledge of computing or IT

A goodhonoursdegree inany subjectplus goodpracticalknowledgeof IT

A goodhonoursdegree with somecoverage ofcomputing

A goodhonoursdegree incomputing or a closelyrelated subject

A goodhonoursdegree incomputing or a relatedsubject plusstrongprogrammingskills

A goodordinarydegree in anysubject, no priorknowledge ofcomputing

A goodordinarydegree incomputingor a relatedsubject

Conversion MSc

Computer Science 4 4 4

IT and Business MSc

Computing andEntrepreneurship

4 4 4 4

IT Consultancy 4 4 4 4

Advanced MSc

Advanced Comp SciDepends

on modules

4 4

Advanced Comp Sci(Computational Intel)

4 4

Advanced SoftwareDevelopment

4

Computer SecurityDepends

on modules

4 4

Networks and Security

4 4

Pre-Master’s and International Master’s

Computer ScienceGDip

4

Computing GDip 4

International Master’s

4 4

Undergraduate degree subject + other prior knowledge and skills


CAREER PROSPECTS

City University of Hong Kong. Eachyear students work in Hong Kong fora major company, such as HSBC.Since 2011, we have had regularplacements at Cisco in California.

Careers and EmployabilityServiceOur award-winning Careers andEmployability Service can help youto plan for your future by offeringone-to-one advice at any stagein your postgraduate studies. Italso provides online advice onemployability skills, career choices,applications and interview skills.

Further informationFor more information on the careershelp we provide at Kent, visit ourEmployability web page atwww.kent.ac.uk/employability

Industrial placementOur industrial placementprogramme can greatly enhanceyour studies and has a dramaticimpact on your choices aftergraduation. Dedicated placementofficers guide you through theprocess and support you duringyour placement. The industrialplacement programme is availableto all taught Master’s students in the School of Computing.

Work overseasOur students regularly work in theUS, Asia and continental Europe.UK and European Union (EU)students who secure placementswithin the EU are eligible for a grantthrough the Erasmus scheme.The School has a placementexchange programme with the

A postgraduatequalification from Kentopens up a wealth ofcareer opportunities byproviding an impressiveportfolio of skills andspecialist knowledge.

As well as providing a first-rateacademic experience, we want youto be in a good position to face thedemands of a tough economicenvironment. Employers recognisethat a postgraduate qualificationdemonstrates a wide range ofskills. You acquire a high level ofacademic knowledge and specialistpractical skills at Kent and we helpyou to develop key transferableskills that are essential within thecompetitive world of postgraduateemployment. These include theability to adapt to challenges,analyse complex real-worldproblems and develop original ideas that can be applied to allaspects of future work.

Transferable skills trainingAll postgraduate students have thebenefit of skills training offered bythe University, relevant to theirparticular needs.

Links with industryStrong links with industry underpinall our work, notably with Microsoft,Oracle, IBM, Agilent Technologies,Erlang Training and Consulting,HP Labs, Ericsson and Nexor.

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INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENT

The industrial placementengages you in real workand pays a salary. It isan ideal way to geta clearer picture ofgraduate careers incomputing and IT.

Master’s placementsAll full-time taught Master’sprogrammes in the School ofComputing can be combined witha work placement of between eightand 50 weeks. Students usually start their placements as soon as their dissertations have been in submitted in September.Placements provide an opportunityto work in real-world, technical andbusiness roles, putting into practiceknowledge gained from our MScprogrammes and developing newskills.They are also an ideal way to

get a clearer picture of currentgraduate careers in computing andIT. The experience gained gives youan extra edge when applying forjobs in the future.

The School of Computing’sdedicated Placement Team hasindustrial links with hundreds ofcompanies from numerousindustries, both in the UK andoverseas. Our industrial partnersinclude: HSBC, Morgan Stanley,J P Morgan, Lilly, GSK, Warner Bros,The Walt Disney Company, IBM,Microsoft, Cisco, Dstl, Thales Group,BAE Systems, Accenture, Logicaand Kinetic Solutions Ltd.

The average placement salaryoutside London is £16,500. Salariesin London range from £17,000 to£22,000 while some, dependingon the employer, are over £30,000.

www.cs.kent.ac.uk

IMPRESSIVECAREERPROSPECTSKent has an excellent recordfor postgraduate employment:over 94% of our postgraduatestudents who graduated in2013 found a job or furtherstudy opportunity within sixmonths.

“Kinetic has worked withthe School of Computing’splacement officers for six years,and during that time we havehad many students come towork with us. They listen tohow our business works andwhat types of role and peoplewe require. They stay in touchthroughout the placement andhave built connections throughour business that genuinelyhelp placement studentsas they first enter theworkplace… it feels like apersonal, friendly servicewith a true desire to achievethe best possible outcome.”

Chris WildsmithManaging DirectorKinetic Solutions Ltd


FINDING A PLACEMENT

Sian and Katie meet studentsindividually and help them produceCVs, draft cover letters, fill outapplication forms and preparefor interviews. They organiseemployer presentations and invitebusinesses to meet students. ‘Weknow what employers are lookingfor,’ says Sian, ‘so some of our workis a bit like a dating agency. Wesometimes match the characterof the student with what’s availablebut many students don’t know whatthey’re looking for, so we encouragethem to consider a job they may nothave contemplated. We encouragethem to widen their search.Technology isn’t just about workingfor the big IT companies, it’s everysector including pharmaceutical,retail and engineering.’

Students are on placements withmore than 70 companies, includingIBM, Intel, HP, Cisco, Boeing, GSKand Sky and smaller firms, includinga fostering agency and a hospice.

Katie Van Sanden andSian Robson, the School’sdedicated industrialplacement co-ordinators,have experience ingraduate recruitment,careers guidance and thebanking industry. Here,they explain why anindustrial placementis so important.

Since joining the School, Katieand Sian have seen industrialplacements grow from 46 in 2010to 118 in 2014. Competition canbe fierce; Vauxhall Motors recentlyreceived 3,500 applications for just80 jobs. It is no longer enough tosend out hopeful applications,students must do their homeworkto secure a placement that canopen doors to a future career.But it has to meet students’ careeraspirations as well as the learningoutcomes of the module. ‘Studentswrite a report about their placement,which counts towards their degree,’says Katie. ‘There’s more demandamong employers,’ adds Sian. ‘A lot

of companies are waking up tothe benefits to them of an industrialplacement and are using it,effectively, as a year-long interview.’

Katie says: ‘Students tell us they’vesent off 50 applications but haven’theard back from anyone. We getthem to research companies andtailor their approach, spending a lotof time on just one application; it’sabout being a sniper not a machine-gunner – it’s quality, not volume.’

‘We help students get a job ontheir own merits,’ says Sian. ‘Everyemployer has a different recruitmentprocess, and, because we’ve beento visit the company over severalyears, we know whether it’sappropriate to wear a suit foran interview or if it’s OK to turnup in casual clothes. We helpwith feedback, and motivateand encourage students whenthey feel down.’

EXAMPLE OFBEST PRACTICE The School of Computing’sdedicated placement officehas been recognised asan example of best practicein a national report onplacements in computerscience published by theNational Centre forUniversities and Business.

11www.cs.kent.ac.uk

At the time of writing, studentsare in California, Hong Kong andAntwerp, and previously in Geneva(CERN), Barcelona and Amsterdam.

Some students lack confidence anda placement can give them a much-needed boost, but sometimes it cantake persistence to find the right job.Sian recalls: ‘We work closely withthe University’s Student SupportTeam and a student with Asperger’sSyndrome, who was almost blind,struggled to find a placement.He needed a lot of help andencouragement but eventually gota software engineering job with KentPolice. He had a great year and isnow doing a Master’s degree. Forsome, it’s an opportunity to provethey can hold down a job, learn towork as part of a team, or workcommercially rather thanacademically.’

As dedicated placement officers,says Sian, ‘we have the luxuryof being able to adapt to eachstudent’s needs. Some feel theyhave nothing to offer, but we canshow them they do have somethingto offer an employer.’

When students are on placements,Sian and Katie visit them twiceduring the year. The first two months,while they’re finding their feet,is when students are likely to havea ‘wobble’. ‘It could be the reality ofwork is kicking in, there are clasheswith supervisors, the work isn’tstimulating or it’s too difficult,’ saysKatie. ‘Part of our role is to resolveissues for students on placement,’Sian adds.

‘We don’t just go in and sort it out forthem,’ says Katie. ‘We give them thetools and techniques to resolve itthemselves, so they learn what todo if it happens again.’ Sian says:‘Sometimes a manager bringsissues to us, perhaps timekeeping,and we discuss it with the student.’

A placement focuses the mind onwhat a student wants from a career.‘One student worked at a globalconsulting company. He had afabulous year and was offered a job,but he realised that what he reallywanted to do was teach,’ Katierecalls, adding: ‘Students havehad a year of earning money, hadan amazing experience, and returnmotivated for their final year. Theyseem to get a better classificationin their degree because they haveapplied the technology that theyhave learnt on their courses in thereal world and return better skilledand more driven.’

Helping students to find their feetin the workplace is rewarding forKatie and Sian. Katie explains:‘The transformation is amazing. It’sa pivotal year that does so much forour students, it’s very powerful. Theycome out of it more ambitious, moreaware of their strengths with moreof an idea of how and where theywant to apply them, and they wanta better career.’

Sian adds: ‘We go to the students’graduation ceremonies and meettheir families; we keep in touch withthem and see some of them comeback to Kent as recruiters afterthey’ve become managersthemselves, which is great.’

Deepak Selvaraj graduated fromKent in 2014 with an MSc inFuture Computing with anIndustrial Placement. He nowworks at Arqiva WiFi.

‘The opportunity to do an industrialplacement is what made me chooseto study at Kent. My modules werefuture oriented and the programmewas recognised among companiesI attended for interviews. Katie andSian were the best in motivating meand making me laugh at the sillymistakes I made during interviews.They helped me to learn from theseand make the best out of thosefailures, which resulted in offersfrom three major UK companies.

‘One example of how Kent helpedme with interview technique wasduring an interview with twointerviewers in the room and fourothers present via Skype. WhenI was asked about a project I hadworked on, I remembered one of myprofessors said “use a whiteboardwhen you are trying to get morethan one person to understand yourconcept”. I took his advice and, withthe panel’s permission, used theirwhiteboard to explain my projectand technical points. Towards theend of the interview, the head ofdepartment said they wanted meto join their company. In the end,though, I chose to work for ArqivaWiFi. I implemented all the skills I’dlearnt at Kent: I treated each taskas if it was a University assignmentand always completed it on time.As a result, I was twice namedbest employee and was recentlypromoted to Senior Test Lead.’

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TAUGHT PROGRAMMES

School of Computing

IT and Business Master’sprogrammes• Computing and EntrepreneurshipMSc*

• IT Consultancy MSc*

These programmes are for studentswith a keen interest in informationtechnology who wish to broadentheir knowledge in technical andbusiness areas. They are taughtjointly with the University’s KentBusiness School.

Pre-Master’s programmes• Computer Science GDip• Computing GDip

The Graduate Diploma is suitablefor (non-honours) graduates seekingto progress to one of our Master’sprogrammes.

International Master’sprogrammesInternational Master’s programmesare equivalent to a Pre-Master’sGraduate Diploma, followed bya one-year MSc programme withan optional industrial placement.They are for international studentswith undergraduate degrees frominstitutions that do not award theequivalent of UK honours degreesand who prefer (or whose financialsponsors require) enrolment ona single MSc programme.

Please note that progressionfrom the Graduate Diploma tothe Master’s year is dependent onachieving a result equivalent to agood 2.2 honours level, or better.

Master’s with other schools• Information Security andBiometrics MSc, taught jointlywith the School of Engineeringand Digital Arts.

This MSc is designed forpractitioners, professionals andgraduates with an interest ininformation security, access controltechnologies, and applicationdomains using biometricidentification and verificationsystems. For details seewww.eda.kent.ac.uk/postgraduate

*All taught Master’s programmesin the School of Computing areavailable with an optional industrialplacement of between eight and 50weeks. They may be combined witha Pre-Master’s course to form anInternational Master’s Programme –for more details see left.

The School of Computingoffers a variety of taughtprogrammes, so you canchoose the degree thatreflects your interests.

Our taught MSc programmes haveextensive flexibility in entry routes,content and format. Programmesare available for study on a full-timeand part-time basis, with an optionalindustrial placement, or as 12-monthintensive degrees or two-yearInternational Master’s degrees.

Advanced Master’sprogrammes• Advanced Computer ScienceMSc*

• Advanced Computer Science(Computational Intelligence)MSc*

• Advanced Software DevelopmentMSc*

• Computer Security MSc*• Networks and Security MSc*

These programmes are for studentswho have studied computingat honours degree-level who wishto extend their knowledge. Fordetails about these programmes,see p13.

Conversion Master’sprogramme• Computer Science MSc*

This programme is for studentswith a first degree in another subjectarea who wish to switch to a careerin computing. For details about thisprogramme, see p14.

KENT GRADUATESCHOOLThe Graduate School delivers the Global SkillsAward programme forstudents following taughtprogrammes of study.

13www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Course content• Either Advanced Java forProgrammers or Object-OrientedProgramming, plus AdvancedObject-Oriented Programming

• Project Research• Project and Dissertation• Five or six modules from awide variety drawn from theAdvanced Master’s programmesin computational intelligence,advanced software development,computer security and networks.

Advanced Computer Science(Computational Intelligence)MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: As forAdvanced Computer Science.

This flexible programme combinesa wide choice of advanced topicsin computer science with specialistmodules relating to computationalintelligence, including logic-based,

connectionist and evolutionaryartificial intelligence, inspirationsfrom the natural world, practicalapplications and the philosophyof machine reasoning.

The programme is aimed atgraduates considering a career inresearch and development. It wouldalso provide an excellent foundationfor PhD study.

Course contentAt least two from: • Cognitive Neural Networks;Data Mining and KnowledgeDiscovery; Logic and LogicProgramming; NaturalComputation.

• Either Advanced Java forProgrammers or Object-OrientedProgramming, plus AdvancedObject-Oriented Programming

• Project Research• Project and Dissertation• Up to four optional modules fromthe MSc in Advanced ComputerScience.

Advanced SoftwareDevelopment MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A first, 2.1or good 2.2 honours degree(or equivalent) in computing ora related subject with a substantialcoverage of programming andsoftware engineering.

This highly practical programme isfor computing graduates seekingcareers as professional softwareengineers and it equips them withthe skills necessary to succeed.

Advanced Master’sprogrammesAdvanced Computer ScienceMScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A first, 2.1or good 2.2 honours degree(or equivalent) in computingor a closely related subject,plus strong programming skills.

This flexible programme offers alargely free choice of modulesfrom those offered on our range ofAdvanced Master’s programmes.It is likely to appeal to computinggraduates whose interests spanmore than one specialism and/orthose seeking the freedom toexplore a variety of advancedtopics. Depending on theprogramme and the optionschosen, this programme can serveas a springboard for employmentor research.

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TAUGHT PROGRAMMES(CONT)

Employers often complain thatcomputing graduates lack real-world practical skills. Thisprogramme addresses softwaredevelopment for new and emergingplatforms such as wireless devices,multi-core processors and cloudcomputing. Modern developmentenvironments, languages and toolsare also covered.

Course content• Advanced Java for Programmers• Cloud Computing• Concurrency and Parallelism• Development Frameworks• Mobile and UbiquitousComputing

• Project Research• Project and Dissertation

• Plus two optional modules fromthe MSc in Advanced ComputerScience.

Computer Security MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: As forAdvanced Computer Science (p13).

Computer security remains a hottopic in the media and there isstrong demand for graduates withtechnical skills in this area. Thisprogramme addresses computerand information security holisticallybecause vulnerability in any onecomponent can compromise anentire system. This includescomputer architectures, operatingsystems, network technologies, datastorage and software developmentprocesses. A wide range of threatsand other security issues (for

example, denial-of-service attacks,hacking, viruses and worms) arecovered along with defences andcountermeasures.

The programme is aimed atcomputing graduates who areseeking careers as computersecurity professionals or whoare interested in research.

Course content• Security and Trust• Networks and Network Security• System Security• Trust, Security and PrivacyManagement

• Either Advanced Java forProgrammers or Introduction toObject-Oriented Programmingplus Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Project Research• Project and Dissertation And up to two optional modulesfrom our other AdvancedMaster’s programmes and theMSc in Information Security andBiometrics

Networks and Security MSc Location: Canterbury.Entry requirements: As forAdvanced Computer Science, p13.

This programme provides a broadcoverage of computer networks,computer security and wirelessdevice technologies. It looks indepth at some of the securityissues that fixed and wirelessnetworks are subject to, and thecurrent solutions employed toaddress these problems.

This programme appeals tograduates seeking careers inthe network or network securityindustries, or those who wish tocarry on with this topic as an areaof research.

Course content• Advanced Network Security• Security and Trust• Either Advanced Java forProgrammers or Introduction toObject-Oriented Programming,plus Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Mobile and UbiquitousComputing

• Networks and Network Security• Project and Dissertation• Project Research• Up to two optional modules fromour other Advanced Master’sprogrammes and theMSc in Information Securityand Biometrics.

Conversion Master’sprogrammeComputer Science MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A first, 2.1or good 2.2 honours degree (orequivalent) in any subject.

This conversion programmeprepares graduates from anydiscipline for a career in computing,or a career involving the applicationof computing within their originalprofessional field. Our studentscome from a wide variety ofbackgrounds including naturalsciences, engineering, arts,humanities and social sciences.

15www.cs.kent.ac.uk

IT Consultancy MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: Please seewww.cs.kent.ac.uk/pg

This unique programme preparesgraduates for a career in ITconsultancy, particularly in relationto small and medium enterprise(SME) clients. It includes practicalwork experience in a realconsultancy business, theKent IT Consultancy (KITC).The programme may appeal tograduates seeking a career inconsultancy, or to practisingconsultants wishing to roundout their skills and achieve formalacademic recognition.

Course content• Extended IT Consultancy Project(practical work experience in areal consultancy business)

• Either Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming orAdvanced Java for Programmers

• Management of Operations• New Enterprise Development(project)

Three from: • Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Security and Trust• Contracts, ProfessionalResponsibility and ComputingLaw

• Digital Marketing• Financial and ManagementAccounting

• Mobile and UbiquitousComputing

• Networks and Network Security• Software Engineering

This programme offers a flexiblemix of technical, business andentrepreneurship modules deliveredby the School of Computing andKent Business School. It helpsyou to fill the growing demandfrom employers for graduateswho possess both technical andbusiness skills. Such people playvital leadership roles and functionas a bridge between managementand technical development andsupport teams. In addition, manynew graduates are in a position,with guidance, to set up anenterprise of their own.

Course content• Computing Law, Contracts andProfessional Responsibility

• Either Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming orAdvanced Java for Programmers

• New Enterprise Development(project)

• Project Research• Project and Dissertation

Three from: • Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Security and Trust• Digital Marketing• Financial and ManagementAccounting

• IT Consultancy Practice• Management of Operations• Mobile and UbiquitousComputing

• Networks and Network Security• Software Engineering• Strategy • Structure and Organisation of theE-Commerce Enterprise

• Web-based Information SystemsDevelopment.

No prior knowledge of computerscience is required.

Course content• Introduction to Object-OrientedProgramming

• Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Logic and Logic Programming• Project Research• Project and Dissertation• Software Engineering• Systems Architecture• Web-based Information SystemDevelopment

One from: • Computer Graphics andAnimation

• Computing Law, Contracts andProfessional Responsibility

• Data Mining and KnowledgeDiscovery

• Introduction to Intelligent Systems• Mobile and UbiquitousComputing.

IT and Business Master’sprogrammesThese programmes are taughtjointly with the University’s KentBusiness School.

Computing andEntrepreneurship MSc Location: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A first, 2.1or good 2.2 honours degree (orthe equivalent) in any subject.Applicants must have a keeninterest in, and sufficient priorknowledge of, informationtechnology (not necessarilygained via formal academic study).

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TAUGHT PROGRAMMES(CONT)

• Strategy • Structure and Organisation of the E-Commerce Enterprise

• Web-based Information SystemsDevelopment.

Pre-Master’s programmes

Computer Science GDip

Computing GDipThe Pre-Master’s programmes topup the equivalent of a UK ordinarydegree to UK honours level. Theyare for international students withundergraduate degrees frominstitutions that do not award theequivalent of UK honours degrees.

A Graduate Diploma (GDip) canbe used to gain admission to arelevant MSc programme at Kentor elsewhere in the UK (subjectto satisfactory performance).Performance on the GDipequivalent to a good 2.2 honourslevel, or better, guarantees entryto appropriate MSc programmesat Kent.

Computer Science GDipLocation: Canterbury. Attendance: Nine months full-time.Entry requirements: A goodordinary Bachelor’s degree (orequivalent) in computing or arelated subject.

The GDip in Computer Science issuitable for graduates of computerscience or related subjects seekingto progress to one of our Advancedor IT and Business Master’sprogrammes.

Course content• Advanced English for AcademicStudy (for non-native speakers,if required)

• Fundamentals of Programmingand Logic (if not coveredpreviously)

• Individual or group project• Research and Study Skills.

You also choose up to five optionalmodules from our BSc honoursdegree programmes. Topicstypically include: computernetworks; security; web technology;mobile computing; graphics andanimation; intelligent systems; datamining; neural networks; human-computer interaction; advancedprogramming techniques andcomputing law. The options mayvary, subject to timetabling andother constraints.

AssessmentAssessment is by examinations andcoursework, the relative weights ofwhich vary according to the natureof the module.

Computing GDipLocation: Canterbury. Attendance: Nine months full-time.Entry requirements: As forComputer Science GDip.

The GDip in Computing is suitablefor graduates of other disciplinesseeking to progress to one of ourConversion or IT and BusinessMaster’s programmes.

Course content• Advanced English for AcademicStudy (for non-native speakers)if required)

• Introduction to Object-OrientedProgramming

• Advanced Object-OrientedProgramming

• Foundations of Computing(mathematics, if needed)

• Research and Study Skills• Individual Project andDissertation

Plus up to three optional modulesfrom our BSc honours degreeprogrammes in topics such asinformation systems, databasesystems, web applications andcomputing law. These options mayvary from year to year, and aresubject to timetabling constraints.

AssessmentAs for Computer Science GDip.

International Master’sprogrammesPlease see www.cs.kent.ac.uk/international.html

Taught Master’s with otherSchoolsInformation Security andBiometrics PDip, MScLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A 2.2 or higherhonours degree (or equivalent) in asubject with a strong IT component.Applicants are assessed on anindividual basis, with professionalexperience taken into consideration.For details see www.eda.kent.ac.uk/postgraduate

17www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Chambers, the CEO. We had to givea short presentation explaining theproject conceptually and technically,and he seemed pleased with ourwork.

The Bay Area is amazing for thequality of tech talent, startups etc.It really is another world. Gettingon to Meetup means you can go toan interesting talk given by a start-up through to eBay, Facebook orGoogle (owing to our close proximityto their headquarters in MountainView) every week. So it is a fantasticopportunity to learn more aboutyour subjects of interest from thebest in the business… and tonetwork. And there’s always freepizza!

San Francisco is an amazing city, I’dsay like London but with sun. Initially,I brought my bicycle – I thoughtI could get around easily, but thesheer size of California meant thatI soon wanted to buy a car. I try toget out most weekends and enjoythe incredible nature close to whereI live. I’ve just got back from a snow-boarding trip to Lake Tahoe, it’s only200 miles away. It’s amazing that ina few hours you can go from a hotwinter to being able to snowboard.

How did Kent help you with your career plans?I’m part of the CIIP (CiscoInternational Internship Program)started by Kent about six years ago,so the University has already beenhugely proactive in my future careerplans by helping me to get realexperience during such an amazingindustrial placement.

Daniel Lawrence isstudying for a taught MScin Advanced ComputerScience and is currentlyon an industrial placementat Cisco in California.

Why did you choose to studyat Kent?I reviewed every Computer ScienceMSc course offered in the UK and,as I was living in London at the time,Kent provided a more attractiveoption for a year out of workstudying, both from an environmentaland financial standpoint.

What made you want to go intothis area of study?I originally graduated in Australia,with degrees in Law and Psychology,and used little from either as I movedto the UK to focus on one of mypassions, music: a common factorin all my work was the enjoymentI got from solving problems withtechnology. I would stretch my jobrole in any way possible, to giveme the opportunity to learn simplescripting, utilities, even Excel macros!

My last job, as a Digital Editorworking daily with XML and relatedtechnologies, reminded me howmuch I enjoyed programming in highschool, and I decided to ‘do thingsproperly’ and return to study –specifically to focus on learning codefor a year and to ‘reset my CV’ withan academic degree, which wouldsteer me in this directionprofessionally.

How are you enjoying yourindustrial placement?I am spending a year workingas a Software Engineering intern forCisco in San Jose, California. I amsix months in to the placement.I was told I would be using Pythonto create backends to communicatewith Openstack. However, on mysecond day a large-scale, intenseproject fell into the department’s lapand since then I have been focusedon using Javascript and Angular tocreate the front end for it. I had morepractical experience in coding intwo months of this than in a yearof my Master’s degree, so thisinternship has been important inconverting the theoretical computerscience background I learnt duringthe programme into practical,business-ready coding skills.

Interns are working on a variety ofprojects, from the Internet of Things(designing Bluetooth-based locationtools or markers to communicatewith friends) to new videocompression technology anddelivery formats, hardcore queuingtheory in computing, networkadministration and SEO andnetwork administration.

We recently had an intern mid-yearshowcase, in which groups ofinterns set up trade show-stylebooths for the day to demonstratetheir projects and value to otherstaff and managers in the company.Because of the high-value, client-facing nature of our project, it wasone of the few booths to be visitedby Cisco’s Head of Engineering,who reports directly to John

STUDENT PROFILE


GRADUATE PROFILE

Which part of the course mostinterested you?I found the coding challenges themost interesting; I really enjoyed thesense of accomplishment once aproblem was solved. The one-weekproject for the Software Engineeringmodule and my final project stoodout because they allowed me towork on larger-scale projects fora prolonged period.

What about your lecturers?The lecturers are clearlyknowledgeable and enjoy theirareas of research. The amount ofmaterial each lecturer had to coverwas clearly challenging, given thecontact hours and they did well tocover the necessary material in amethodical fashion.

What was the level of supportlike in your studies? Although teaching staff were clearlybusy, they made time for me outsideof the regular contact hours. Theplacement team was also helpful;they proofread CVs and coveringletters, and recommended the mostsuitable placements to apply for.

How did you enjoy yourindustrial placement? The industrial placement was ahighlight of the course. Working onreal projects allowed me to applythe theory I had learnt during thefirst year to actual projects thatwould impact on businesses. Theplacement also endorsed the factthat I enjoyed working in a technicalenvironment and wanted to continuea career in software engineering.

Matthew Gould graduatedfrom Kent in 2012, with anMSc in Computer Science.He works as a softwareengineer for InfluentialSoftware Services Ltd.

Why did you choose Kent?The University of Kent has greatlinks with local companies, whichI (correctly) believed would assistme in my placement search. Kentwas one of the few universities thatoffered an industrial placement,which would give me practical workexperience as part of the degreeprogramme. The campus wasa big part of why I chose to studyat Kent – it had a strong, vibrantcommunity feel.

How did you find theprogramme?It was demanding and stretchedme in many areas, which helpedme to realise my potential. It was sobroad it enabled me to find the areaof computing I enjoyed the mostand the final project allowed me tohone the skills I wanted, as I couldchoose a project that interested me.

Did the programme live up toyour expectations?It met my expectations, as therewere plenty of coding challengesin multiple languages. Otherdisciplines, such as softwareengineering, enabled me to thrivein a technical atmosphere onceI left university. I expected myMaster’s to prepare me for atechnical working environmentand I was not disappointed.

How did Kent help with yourcareer plans?The industrial placement gave mepractical, real-world experience thatI could not have gained throughlectures alone. Kent made it possiblefor me to get my foot on the careerladder with my first job as a softwareengineer.

How do you see your careerprogressing?I would like to continue in softwaredevelopment. I hope to eventuallygain sufficient experience tobecome a senior developer. I enjoyworking for a software consultancy,because it gives me exposure tomany different projects, whichenables me to gain a broad rangeof experience.

What would you say tosomeone thinking of studyingat Kent?I would say ‘go for it’. If you’reprepared to put in the work and areaware of what the course involves,then there is no reason not to studyat Kent. It has good facilities andteaching, and is a great placeto live.

19www.cs.kent.ac.uk

KENT IT CONSULTANCY (KITC)

Master’s students lookingto gain consultancyexperience can do so byworking in the Kent ITConsultancy (KITC) aspart of their degreeprogramme.

What is KITC?KITC was founded in October 2004,and is part of the University ofKent’s School of Computing. It is runby IT consultants who are studentsat the University, who provide aproject-based consultancy serviceto small businesses. Therelationships between theKITC consultants and theirclients are managed by full-timeIT professionals and the studentsare closely mentored by School ofComputing staff members. Studentconsultants gain academic creditfor the work they do, which countstowards their degree.

What is KITC’s mission?KITC’s mission is to solve businessproblems with technology and makeour student consultants moreemployable. For our studentconsultants, the work that theydo for our clients gives them theopportunity to apply their academicstudies and experience in a real-world setting. This is backed up bythe provision of specific, industry-focused training and supportfrom both academics andprofessional IT consultants.

How can KITC help me?It can significantly improve youremployment prospects. It gives realwork experience, which is invaluableto future employers, and it givesyou the edge over other graduateswhen applying for jobs. KITC is agreat route for students who wereundergraduates of any disciplinewho want to use their existinganalytical and problem-solvingskills in an IT setting.

“I have achieved my goal ofswitching careers fromworking in banking to ITand I am now a consultant.I believe the course helpedme to stand out among otherrecent graduates at the samelevel as myself, because ofthe work experience I gainedwhile working in Kent ITConsultancy.”

Oyinua FumudohMSc IT Consultancy

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Cloud ComputingModule code: CO846Cloud computing describes a newsupplement, consumption, anddelivery model for IT services basedon the internet. It typically involvesover-the-internet provision ofdynamically scalable and oftenvirtualised resources. It is abyproduct and consequence of theease-of-access to remote computingsites provided by the internet. Thisfrequently takes the form of web-based tools or applications thatusers can access and use through aweb browser as if it was a programinstalled locally on their owncomputer.

Cognitive Neural Networks

Module code: CO836Neural networks are placed in ahistorical perspective related tosymbolic approaches and in thecontext of the artificial intelligencehypothesis. The idea of thecomponents of a neuron as

School of Computing

TAUGHT MODULES

wireless networks, and the use ofrouter-based firewalls as a methodto protect intranets is also covered.

Advanced Object-OrientedProgrammingModule code: CO882This builds on CO881 and coversthe design and implementation ofhigh-quality software using object-oriented techniques. Systems aremodelled as configurations ofobjects communicating with oneanother. Techniques are introducedwhich allow objects to play differentroles within a system. Theseconcepts are key to the supportfor adaptation and reuse that object-oriented programming provides.Emphasis is placed on gaininga deep understanding of theseconcepts and applying them inpractice by developing programsin Java. You also explore softwarecomponent frameworks that supportthe structuring and manipulation ofdata (structures and algorithms).

Below is a list of modulescurrently offered by theSchool of Computing.Please note that somemodules may not beavailable in a particularyear. For this reason,minor adjustments toprogramme structuremay also sometimes benecessary.

Advanced Java forProgrammersModule code: CO871This module is for well-qualifiedcomputer science students enteringthe MSc programme from a rangeof backgrounds. You will alreadyhave strong programming skills butwill not necessarily have used Javaor another object-oriented languageextensively. This module developsyou as a reflective programmerand seeks to ensure that you havethe Java and object-oriented designskills necessary for the rest of yourprogramme.

Advanced Network SecurityModule code: CO892This module is about email security.Spam: why it exists, targeted spamand filtering systems. Phishingattacks, how to block fake sites andinstall browser-based defences;email-based malware and thedefences against this. The topicincludes intrusion detection,prevention systems, honey potsand denial of service, methods todetect complex denial of serviceattacks and defences against them.Eavesdropping and security in

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Concurrency and ParallelismModule code: CO890Concurrent design andprogramming skills are of growingimportance as multicore processortechnology advances. A soundunderstanding of fundamentalconcurrency concepts andobstacles is essential. This moduleintroduces fundamental theoriesof concurrency. It discusses howdesigns can be made paralleland identifies the common faultsin concurrent programs and howto avoid them. It introduces a rangeof widely used programmingparadigms and techniques forwriting concurrent programs.

Contracts, ProfessionalResponsibility and ComputingLawModule code: CO841You look at professional issues andprofessional organisations, dataprivacy legislation, and other UKlaws relating to the professional useof computer systems. Criminal lawrelating to networked computer use,including new anti-terrorismlegislation, and its application.

www.cs.kent.ac.uk

a ‘detector’ are developed. Neuralnetworks are explained in termsof the biology of the brain at acellular electro-transmission level.A general framework is provided forneural network architectures at anabstract level and in terms ofnetworks in the cortex. A simpleHebbian model of learning isoutlined, and other models ofunsupervised learning areintroduced. Error-driven tasklearning is outlined, and thedelta rule and back propagationpresented. The generalisedrecirculation algorithm is introducedand its mathematical formulationand properties discussed.

Computer Graphics andAnimationModule code: CO641Computer graphics and animationare important for a variety oftechnical and artistic applicationsincluding web design, human-computer interaction (HCI) andgraphical user interface (GUI)development, games andsimulations, digital photographyand cinema, medical and scientificvisualisation and so on. This moduleintroduces the subject from theperspective of computing. You learnabout technologies and techniquesfor modelling, manipulating,capturing, displaying and storing2D and 3D scenes, digital images,animations and video. You alsogain practical experience of3D modelling and animation tools,and of implementing digital imagingtechniques in Java.

You learn about intellectual propertyrights, including copyright, patentand explicit intellectual propertyrights legislation. Contract law iscovered, with a specific focus onvendor-client contracts and relatedissues. You look at examples of real-life contracts that have exposed avendor or supplier to unacceptablecommercial risks. However, this isa rapidly evolving field so specifictopics will change from year to year.

Data Mining and KnowledgeDiscoveryModule code: CO832This module explores a rangeof data mining and knowledgediscovery techniques andalgorithms. You learn about thestrengths and weaknesses ofdifferent techniques and how tochoose the most appropriate for anyparticular task. You use a state-of-the-art data-mining tool, and learnto evaluate the quality of discoveredknowledge. There is also theopportunity to extend data miningconcepts and principles to text andweb mining.

Development FrameworksModule code: CO894This module examines the state-of-the-art in software developmentenvironments and the facilities theyprovide. The module outlines thedevelopment of simple applicationsin these environments, softwarelibraries and frameworks, and theiruse in developing and testingsoftware systems. You usedevelopment frameworks’ facilitiesfor project and source-codemanagement, automated testing,

“Without my degree and theplacement year, I would nothave the great job I have now.The help from the placementteam is invaluable as theyteach you how to deal withfuture employers and get thebest deal for you.”

Christian BaverstockMSc Computer Science with anIndustrial Placement


TAUGHT MODULES(CONT)

refactoring and profiling and learnhow to deploy applications acrossmultiple platforms using installersand build-systems; continuousintegration and deployment.

Extended IT ConsultancyProjectModule code: CO843Students taking this moduleundertake three or (typically) moreassignments for Kent IT Consultancy(KITC), which involves working withan external client. Every student isexpected to take the lead in at leastone project of this type. For eachassignment, you may workindividually or as part of a group.You are involved in the formulationand development within KITC of aproduct or service to be offered forfuture sale and you are expected toparticipate in a ‘buddy’ (mutualmentoring) relationship with anotherKITC student. In certain cases,you may be asked to undertakesupervisory duties for which trainingis provided. Each assignment iscarried out under the supervisionof KITC’s management. You aregiven a portfolio of assignments thatexplore a wide variety of stages inthe software lifecycle.

Foundations of Computing

Module code: CO322Mathematical reasoning underpinsmany aspects of computer science.This module provides the skillsneeded for other modules on thedegree programme.Topics includealgebra, reasoning and proof settheory, functions and statistics.

Fundamentals of Programmingand Logic

Module code: CO523This module covers object-orientedprogramming: fundamentals ofclasses and objects. Testing.Inheritance and polymorphism.Graphical-user interfaces (GUIs),exceptions and input-output.Functional programming:expressions, values and types(sessions and scripts). Numbers,Booleans and characters. Functiondefinitions. Approaches to testingprograms. Polymorphic types.Lists and common list processingfunctions. Tuples. Pattern matching,recursive function definitions.Algebraic data types. PropositionalLogic. Data and informationrepresentation using XML.

Introduction to IntelligentSystemsModule code: CO528This module covers the basicprinciples of machine learning andthe kinds of problems that can besolved by such techniques. Youlearn about the philosophy of AI,how knowledge is represented andalgorithms are used to search statespaces. It is also an introductionto both machine learning andbiologically inspired computation.

Object-Oriented ProgrammingModule code: CO881This introduces you to object-oriented programming using thepopular Java language. It isdesigned for beginners who havenot studied computer programmingbefore. By the end you will be able

to develop simple programmesusing Java.

(Note: students with substantial priorexperience of programming takemodule CO871 Advanced Java forProgrammers instead.)

IT Consultancy PracticeModule code: CO645Students taking this moduleundertake one or typically moreassignments for Kent IT Consultancy(KITC). You learn to formulate andevaluate technical alternatives tomeet IT requirements of smallbusinesses including issues ofintegration with existingtechnologies and procedures,maintenance and expansion.Working under supervision, youestimate proposed solutions to smallscale IT-based problems in smallbusiness situations in respect oftime and cost. Assessment is 100%project-based.

Logic and Logic ProgrammingModule code: C0884There are four main components tothis module, several of which are atthe forefront of the academicdiscipline and are informed byresearch. These are: • propositional and predicate logic,and resolution – this looks at theformal languages of propositionallogic and predicate logic and therole of resolution in theoremproving and logic programming

• prolog programming – this is anintroduction to the programminglanguage and the concept ofdeclarative coding

23www.cs.kent.ac.uk

• search techniques – this usesgeneric search algorithms thatare widely applied in solvingcomputationally hard problems

• constraint logic programming –this shows how constraintsatisfaction is useful in searchand how this emerging paradigmfits with logic programming.

Mobile and UbiquitousComputingModule code: CO831You discuss the characteristicsand limitations of hardware devices,communication and softwareinfrastructures and environmentsused on small devices and in mobileand ubiquitous computing contexts.You look at the current practice inmobile and ubiquitous computingcontexts, and deal with a range ofprofessional and ethical issues,particularly those relating to security and privacy in mobile and ubiquitous computing.

Natural ComputationModule code: CO837This looks at the increasing useof nature-inspired computationaltechniques in computer science.These include the use of biologyas a source of inspiration for solvingcomputational problems, theapplication of artificial intelligencetechniques to various problems, andthe use of physical, chemical andbiological systems to constructcomputers.

Networks and Network SecurityModule code: CO874You review network techniques,switching and multiple accessand look at high-speed local areanetworks and network protocols,including data link, transport andapplication layers. You look atreal-time data transmission andquality of service; naming andaddressing, including material on

the domain name system, dynamicIP address allocation and addresstranslation systems. Firewalls, layer3 network security and recentdevelopments are also discussed.The nature of the topic changesfrom year to year and is addressedprincipally by research seminarsand student-centred research.

New Enterprise DevelopmentModule code: CO845This module looks at all aspects ofestablishing a new business fromevaluating a business idea toidentifying potential markets andcustomers and writing a businessplan. What skills are required forsuccess? How do you identifyrelevant ‘intellectual property’ (IP)protection requirements. How doyou commercialise and protectIP assets? Legal compliance andpolicies to ensure best practice inthe governance of the business arecovered as well as competitoranalysis, marketing strategies anddistribution networks. You also lookat financial planning, cash flow,profit forecasts, break-even analysisand risk analysis. You learnnegotiation skills to ensure bestvalue from suppliers, for sales andcustomer contracts, and also forobtaining funding for the business.

Project and DissertationModule code: CO880Students choose their project nearthe beginning of their second termin co-ordination with the ProjectResearch module (CO885). Projectsare usually suggested by theSchool, a number of which mayinvolve industrial collaboration.

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24

Software EngineeringModule code: CO886This module takes a wider view ofthe software development process,with an emphasis on techniquesand procedures for ensuring highproduct quality. A key topic is theuse of the Unified ModellingLanguage (UML) for problemanalysis and software design.Towards the end of the modulestudents have an opportunity to puttheory into practice by undertakinga group project, with another groupas their customer.

Systems ArchitectureModule code: CO883This provides an understanding ofthe basic principles of computerarchitecture. This includes thefundamental ideas of computerhardware such as Boolean algebra;binary and hexadecimal numbers

School of Computing


Security and TrustModule code: CO876You study cryptographic algorithmsincluding symmetric and asymmetrictechniques and the distinctionbetween encryption and signaturesand look at security mechanismsthat are used with operating systemsand the common criteria forevaluation. The module considersthe problems of network securityincluding wiretap, replay,masquerade and denial of serviceand the mechanisms to providesecurity such as firewalls and VPNs,and the problem of viruses andworms. You also look at digital rightsmanagement systems using digitalwatermarking techniques and thesecurity of IEEE 802.11 networks,such as Wi-Fi.

You may propose a project ofyour own if a suitable memberof academic staff is available tosupervise. The project must beappropriate for, and relevant to, yourprogramme of study. Project workis normally undertaken individually.The project examines your abilityto understand and expand on aspecific technical problem, carryout investigations and practicalwork, including programming. Youalso have to be able to describeresults, draw conclusions from themand write a coherent, well-organiseddissertation.

Project ResearchModule code: CO885The crowning piece of mostMaster’s degrees is the projectand dissertation in which you applya wide range of skills learned in thetaught modules to an interestingresearch problem or practicalapplication of your choice. Thismodule provides useful transferableskills for completing the project, andsupports you in some preparatorytasks such as literature study andproject planning.

“By changing fields, I haveamultidisciplinary skill base.The technical skills frommy Computer Science MSccombined with problem-solving and analytical skillsfrom my Physics BSc gaveme a unique ability to sellmyself to employers.”

Robin TaylorMSc Computer Science

25

some existing applications, and howsecurity issues will effect the uptakeof ubiquitous computing systems.

Web-based InformationSystems DevelopmentModule code: CO887Web-based information systemsform the heart of e-commerce.They are also increasingly theway businesses handle all theirinformation needs. Building suchsystems requires an understandingof up-to-date tools and technologiessuch as XML, UML, Java anddatabases; it also calls for anunderstanding of how to designsystems that genuinely meet userand business needs. This modulestarts by examining the businesscontext of web-based informationsystems. It introduces designmethodologies and techniques,using UML in recordingrequirements. Systemsimplementation involves databasemanagement systems and these arestudied in some depth. By the endof the module, you have developeda complete information systemwhich uses XML and Java to linkdynamic web pages to a databaseback-end.

The following modules are taughtby Kent Business School.

Digital Marketing

Module code: CB9067This module looks at the digitalmarketing environment andrelated issues including: enablingtechnologies for digital marketing,website design, implementation and analysis, and the use of social

and data representation; bits, bytesand character codes; memory, andperipherals; registers, RAM andROM. It also offers a practicalintroduction to the use of a UNIX-like operating system and you learnthe principles and mechanismsof operating systems includingmemory management, swapping,virtual memory, file systems andlocal and remote file access.

System SecurityModule code: CO899You look at federated identitymanagement, privacy protection;viruses and worms and hacking.The module also covers securearchitectures; formal verificationmethods and email security, such as SMTP-MIME and S/MIME. Youstudy secure software developmentmethods and tools, common criteria,code inspections, code coveragetools and code evaluation.

Trust, Security and PrivacyManagementModule code: CO834This module investigates theprocess of security management.You take a holistic view of securitymanagement, starting with riskmanagement and the formulation ofsecurity policies. Technical subjectsinclude a description of the varioussecurity models, showing howauthorisation policies can beautomatically enforced. The legaland privacy issues associated withinformation management are alsoaddressed, as are the usabilityissues of security technologies. Themodule concludes by investigatinghow security has been inbuilt into

www.cs.kent.ac.uk

media as a marketing tool. You alsoconsider the needs of customersin the internet age, customer loyalty,the customer relationship and howto reach and retain customers.Network effects and versioning,strategy and brands in the internetage are also covered, as well asdata protection, privacy, legalissues, and digital marketingand globalisation.

Financial and ManagementAccountingModule code: CB937The nature and purpose ofaccounting and the conceptsunderpinning accounting systemsand financial statements arecovered in this module. You look atthe construction of primary financialstatements and how to interpret and evaluate them, the regulatoryframework of financial reportingand corporate governance. Topicscovered include: budgeting, costingsystems, including costing foroverhead expenditure, accountingcontrol and investment appraisal.

Management of OperationsModule code: CB932In this module you discover howoperations can deliver a realcompetitive advantage. You gainthe ability to review the overalloperations management task,look at market issues and thedevelopment of business andoperations strategies, and themanagement of people.You analyse operating problems,using the appropriate techniquesto improve the operation’s functionsand develop your personal learning



Structure and Organisation ofthe E-Commerce EnterpriseModule code: CB904Internet technology, infrastructure,technology planning, management,acquisition and development oforganisational capabilities arecovered in this module. You look ate-commerce business models andcompetitive advantage; internettechnologies and infrastructure;organisational IT (and ITinfrastructure) management,especially in relation to information,networks and the internet, and thesocial, legal and ethical issuesarising from use of the internet,such as security, privacy, identityand intellectual property. You areintroduced to the notion of firmcapabilities and discover how firmsobtain, develop and retain these

capabilities as well as organisationalstructure and management, andhow capabilities can be extendedthrough virtual organisation.

skills, group working skills, andthe ability to critically analyse thetechniques used within operationsmanagement taking account ofthe organisational context. Topicscovered include: managingoperations in the manufacturingand service sector; the operationsmanager’s task and role; operationsstrategy, levels of strategy; linkingthe different levels of strategiesthrough markets; designing anddeveloping services, productsand delivery systems to achievestrategic objectives; managing andcontrolling the operations system:Material Requirements Planning(MRP) Just in Time (JIT) Total QualityManagement (TQM) SixSigma,inventory, and supply chain;improving operations, whichincludes measuring productivityand performance, and the toolsand techniques for improvement.

StrategyModule code: CB934This module provides anunderstanding of strategic analysis,strategic decision-making andstrategic processes within andbetween organisations. It introduceskey concepts, frameworks andapproaches that are used in theformulation, implementation andevaluation of strategies, as well ascontemporary issues that influenceorganisational strategic directionand decision-making. Case studiesand exercises, used throughout themodule, provide a vehicle forexploring the relationship betweentheory and practice in organisations.

“I managed to get a job offerwhile I was doing mydissertation, which I don’tthink I would have got if Ididn’t decide to do the course.A lot of technical knowledgewas required for the jobinterview that my coursehelped with; I think puttingthe course on my CV alsohelped me to stand out fromthe crowd.”

Paul AshtonMSc Networks and Security

27www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Applicants must have a keen interestin, and sufficient prior knowledge of,information technology, which neednot have been gained via formalacademic study.

For the MSc IT Consultancy, entry is subject to a skills assessment and an interview (which may beconducted by phone or Skype).

Pre-Master’s programmesComputer Science GDipA good ordinary Bachelor’s degree(or equivalent) in computing ora related subject.

Computing GDipA good ordinary Bachelor’s degree(or equivalent) in any subject.

International Master’sprogrammesFor details please see p12.

How to applyWe only accept online applications.To apply, select the programme thatyou wish to study and click on‘apply’. See www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply/

There is no fixed deadline, but werecommend that you apply no laterthan three months before yourintended start date. Most taughtpostgraduate degrees begin inSeptember although some may offerthe opportunity to start in January.

If you have further questions aboutthe application process, please readthe application FAQs and if yourquery is not answered there, contactus on www.cs.kent.ac.uk/about/contact-us.html

For details of the University’sgeneral entry requirements, seepage 44.

The entry qualificationsvary according to whichMaster’s programme youare applying for.Applicants whosequalifications fall shortof the requirements butwho have relevant workexperience will alsobe considered and areencouraged to apply.

Advanced Master’sprogrammesA 2.2 or higher honours degree(or equivalent) in computing ora closely related subject.

Conversion Master’s (ComputerScience MSc)A 2.2 or higher honours degree(or equivalent) in any subject.

IT and Business Master’sprogrammesA 2.2 or higher honours degreeor equivalent in any subject.

APPLYING FOR TAUGHTPROGRAMMES

“I liked the flexibility of mydegree. The lecturers werereally helpful and the subjectswere structured in a way thatthe knowledge you receive andyour progress is perceived asa whole, rather than just acollection of separate classes.It is interesting to see howwhat you’ve learnt in onesubject can be applied in aseemingly different subject.”

Elena TishkovaMSc Advanced Computer Science

29www.cs.kent.ac.uk

MAKERSPACE – THE SHED

The School of Computinghas its own makerspace,The Shed, which supportsnew kinds of innovativeteaching and learning.Students and staff can useit to build physical devicesfor taught modules andto develop their owninterests and hobbies.

Equipped with a wide varietyof machinery and developmentequipment such as the Oculus Riftand Raspberry Pi, The Shed takesadvantage of the increasingaccessibility of electronics andengineering with a rapid prototypingcapability.

Over the last decade there hasbeen a transformation in the easewith which complex, interactiveobjects combining software andhardware can be made. Theseoverlapping technologies and waysof working have made this happen.They include: • the ready availability of cheap,computer-controlled hardwarethat can easily be attached toother hardware such as lights,speakers, motors andmicrophones

• new software environments, suchas processing and wiring, whichfacilitate the rapid prototypingof interactive software

• novel interfaces, in particularthose using gesture and opensource interfaces to gamecontrollers such as Wii and Kinect

• the interaction of technology andcraft, such as 3D printing andlaser cutting, that enable complexdesigns to be readily built andshared online for others to buildon, and craft that incorporatestechnology, such as smart textiles

• open source software projects, sothat software design can draw ona vast repertoire of already-written software components

• the availability of data formatsthat allow the creation andmash-up of data from differentsources including web andsensors.

What’s in The Shed?The Shed is a large open-planworkshop area, fitted at oneend with large, fixed pieces ofequipment including 3D printers,a laser cutter and metal fabrication

machinery. Moveable workbenchesgive added flexibility and there is anopen area for exhibitions whichopens out on to a terrace.

How is the space being used?Initially it is being used for informallearning and teaching. We planto embed a number of final-yearundergraduate and Master’sprojects in the space. It is beingused by other University groups,primarily TinkerSoc (Kent’s MakerSociety) for its community activities.We hope to run events for the wider University community andcollaborative events with outsideorganisations and for the public.


SECTIONCOND

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RESEARCH DEGREES

their expectations This underlinesour commitment to creating anexcellent environment for ourresearch students.

Funding and teachingopportunitiesEach year the School of Computingoffers several scholarships. Theseare open to UK, EU and overseaspostgraduate research studentswho satisfy the entry requirements,who have made a formal applicationto the University, and who havebeen offered a PhD place.

All scholarships available are forhome fees only. Overseas studentsneed to demonstrate that they canfund the difference between theinternational and the home fee.Some studentships are for GraduateTeaching Assistantships (GTAs),and the School requires students inreceipt of GTA funding to undertakeno more than up to six hours ofteaching and teaching-related

duties per week during termtime. GTA applicants need todemonstrate that they are suitablyskilled to carry out teaching.

These awards are typically forthree years for PhD students,and dependent on satisfactoryprogression through each yearof study. They are awarded ona competitive basis and interviewperformance is taken into account.

The Alumni Research Scholarship,for alumni of the University of Kent,is open to applicants from anysubject. The successful candidate isselected on the basis of academicexcellence, achievements to datein their chosen field, theircommunication skills and theircontribution to the life of theUniversity community.

For more details seewww.cs.kent.ac.uk

The School of Computingis recognised for its world-leading research. In theResearch ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014,computer science andinformatics at Kent wasranked 12th in the UKfor research intensityby the Times HigherEducation (THE).

We have a vibrant postgraduatepopulation and actively seek newPhD and MSc research studentsto join our research environment.We offer substantial financialsupport for students undertakingresearch degrees with studentshipsavailable by competition.

For a research degree in the Schoolof Computing you undertake originalindividual study in a specified areaof computing, under the guidanceof an academic supervisor. A full-time PhD degree requires aminimum of three years’ work;an MSc research degree can becompleted in one year. All researchstudents join a Research Group andare encouraged to work within theSchool and to engage with the widernational and international researchcommunities.

In the most recent nationalPostgraduate Research ExperienceSurvey, the School of Computingscored highly, with 90% ofrespondents expressing satisfactionwith the quality of our supervision,and 90% stating that their overallexperience either met or exceeded

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RESEARCH DEGREES(CONT)

regular contact with your supervisorto report on progress, get adviceand make plans.

Skills trainingAs a postgraduate student at Kent,you have access to the supportof the Graduate School, whichis a focus for all graduate mattersat Kent and provides specialistacademic and personal adviceand guidance.

The University’s Graduate Schoolco-ordinates the ResearcherDevelopment Programme forresearch students, providing accessto a wide range of lectures andworkshops on training, personaldevelopment planning and careerdevelopment skills.

All first-year PhD students arerequired to complete a skills audit,which encourages you to consideryour existing portfolio of skills, aswell as the skills that you hope toacquire while doing your doctoralresearch. In addition, researchstudents who are required to teachtake part in an initial teacher trainingsession and can enrol for theAssociate Teacher AccreditationProgramme.

Research programmesComputer Science MSc, PhDLocation: Canterbury.Entry requirements: A first or 2.1degree or advanced/specialisttaught MSc in computer scienceor a related discipline (such asmathematics, business studies

For details on how to apply forfunding, see www.cs.kent.ac.uk/research/studyingforaphd/fundingopportunities.html

For self-funded students, we may beable to offer the possibility of hourlypaid teaching for small groups.

Studying for a research degreeThe PhD programme providesrigorous training for careers inprofessional computing oracademia. At the end of this three-year period, you submit your PhDor enter an extension year. At thebeginning of your registration,you and your supervisor producea document outlining your planfor your degree. During the threeyears of your registration, you have

33www.cs.kent.ac.uk

development tools, such aseducational programminglanguages, or developmentenvironments, which can adaptto changes in programmingparadigms and technologyand pedagogical advances

• analysis of data generated asa part of the learning process,which could be text-based,naturally occurring in theclassroom (eg, assessments),generated as a reflective processon learning (eg, diaries), orgenerated from interaction withprogramming environments.

Computational IntelligenceGroupThis Group brings togetherinterdisciplinary researchersinvestigating the interface betweencomputer science and the domainsof bioscience and cognition. Interms of applying computationto other domains, we have expertsin investigating the modellingof gene expression and humanattention, emotions and reasoning.From the perspective of applyingbiological metaphors tocomputation, we research newcomputational methods such asgenetic algorithms and swarmintelligence.

The Group also develops noveltechniques for data mining,visualisation and simulation. Theseuse the results of interdisciplinaryresearch for finding solutions tocomputationally expensiveproblems.

The Group has strong links withother schools at the University ofKent, as well as with universities,hospitals and scientific researchinstitutes throughout the countryand internationally.

Areas of research activity within the Group include:• bio-inspired computing includingneural networks, evolutionarycomputing and swarmintelligence

• application of computationalsimulations in biology andmedicine

• systems biology including geneexpression modelling

• theory and application ofdiagrammatic visualisationmethods

• data mining and knowledgediscovery

• construction of computationalmodels of the human cognitiveand neural system.

Future Computing GroupWe target the next generationcomputing paradigms and theirapplications. The Group has beenworking on grid/cloud computing(internet II), green computing andvirtual computing, etc, for manyyears. A developed grid/cloudcomputing platform conformsto the internet standard andcan universally accelerateoffice/database/web/mediaapplications by a factor of up to ten.This work won an Association forComputing Machinery/Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers’(IEEE) SupercomputingFinalist Award.

or electronics, as long as the degreehas a strong computingcomponent).

Your research should produce anoriginal contribution in your chosenfield of study. You work closelywith your supervisor, a memberof academic staff, who is yourprincipal source of support. If youchoose a research area that hasinterdisciplinary aspects, you mayhave more than one supervisor. Inaddition to regular supervision, youwill be supported by a supervisorypanel who provide furtherstructured input and guidance.

Research groupsComputing Education GroupWe focus on disciplinary-specificpedagogy, especially the teachingand learning of computer scienceand programming. Our researchinterests focus on understandingthe aspects of learning that arespecific to computing education,and which range from examininggeneral theories of learning, throughthematically focused investigations(such as gender), to toolconstruction. We examine educationfrom multiple aspects, includingsupporting computing educationresearch infrastructure, workingwith teachers, or focusing onstudent learning.

Areas of interest include:• building an evidence base ofresearch on early programmingeducation

• tool support for learning andteaching of programming,including custom-made

CONTINUED OVERLEAF


RESEARCH DEGREES(CONT)

range of programming paradigms:object-oriented, concurrent,functional and logic. We researchthe links between logic andprogramming languages, theverification of the correctness ofprograms, and develop tools forrefactoring, tracing and testing. Weare interested in incorporating safeconcurrent programming practicesinto language design.

The Group is also interestedin practical implementation ofprogramming languages, fromconcurrent parallel processingto battery-operated mobile systems.Particular research topics includelightweight multi-threading kernels,memory managers and garbagecollectors.

Research areas include:• theoretical and architecturalquestions concerning designsfor both hardware and software

• abstractions and implementationsof concurrency in programminglanguages

• formal specification of systemsand their architecture

• design patterns and tools forenabling the safe and scalableexploitation of concurrency

• compilers, memory managersand garbage collectors

• lightweight multi-threadingkernels and highly concurrentoperating systems

• refactoring of functional andconcurrent languages

• applications of formal methods toprovably correct, secure systems

• model checking and abstractinterpretation, includingapplications to discoveringsecurity vulnerabilities

• program verification and theoremproving.

Security Research GroupThis Group is a key partner in theUniversity’s Interdisciplinary CyberSecurity Research Centre, seewww.cybersecurity.kent.ac.uk

The University has been recognisedas an Academic Centre ofExcellence in Cyber SecurityResearch by the Engineering andPhysical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC) and the GovernmentCommunications Headquarters(GCHQ). The centre of excellencerecognition will run from July 2015to June 2017.

Security of computer systems andthe information held on them isbecoming even more important as aconsequence of society’s increasedreliance on electronic devices – withmost of these holding valuableinformation or performing criticaloperations, and connected throughnetworks of some kind.

The Security Research Groupcovers a wide range of securitytopics, including identitymanagement and authorisation,privacy, cloud computing, intrusiondetection, intrusion tolerance,network overlays, cryptography,formal methods and reverseengineering for vulnerability

The Group’s other important workis on environment-friendly greencomputing through utilising arevolutionary element – memristor.Most recently, the Group hasdiscovered that memristor hasa peculiar effect (they named it‘delayed switching’ in an IEEEpaper). It has demonstrated thatpower-saving memristors can bepacked at least twice as denselyas semiconductors, achievinga significant breakthrough incomputer storage density.

The Computational Economics andMulti-Agent Systems (CEMAS) Labis part of this Group and conductsresearch in the intersection betweencomputer science and economics(including finance), and thecrossroads between multi-agentsystems and cloud computing.

Areas of interest include:• grid/cloud computing• green computing• biologically-inspired computing• computational economics andfinance

• multi-agent systems anddistributed artificial intelligence

• evolutionary computation andoptimisation

• web-based information retrieval.

Programming Languages andSystems GroupOur research involves all aspectsof programming languages andsystems, from fundamental theoryto practical implementation. TheGroup has interests across a wide

35www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Research areas include:• public key and privilegemanagement infrastructures

• trust management and metricsand reputation systems

• intrusion detection• tools for vulnerability analysis• formal methods for cryptography• policy-based security• security and risk management• privacy and security• autonomic security• user-friendly security• continuous auditing• cloud security.

analysis. It has a strong involvementwith postgraduate teaching in theMSc programmes in ComputerSecurity, Information Security andBiometrics, and Networks andSecurity.

A main subgroup is the InformationSystems Security Group led by theauthors of PERMIS, a fully functionalopen source authorisation (orprivilege management) infrastructurewritten in Java.

Research in the Security groupcontributes to the ResearchCouncils’ UK Global UncertaintiesProgramme.

“I have studied fromundergraduate through toPhD here at Kent, and choseto because I enjoy it here somuch! The campus isbeautiful and always buzzingwith a friendly atmosphere.I have been able to grow as aresearcher in an environmentwhere I feel confident andsupported.”

Jenny CookePhD Computer Science

36

CHALLENGING STUDENTS

School of Computing

How have you found thesupervision process?My supervisor goes above andbeyond. She lets me know whenI am going down the wrong pathand is always around so that I canquickly chat to her about my work.She also points me in the rightdirection for new opportunities.

Sally: Dan is a good PhD student!He confronts issues and doesn’t‘hide’ when the research is notgoing well. Also, he realised veryearly in his doctoral studies that hewas going to have to write papers(and a thesis) and that this wasnot a strength for him; he workedconsistently at this, and has greatlydeveloped his writing skill andfacility.

What are you most enjoyingabout your studies? Everyone has their specialismand they are happy to share theirknowledge. This means there isalways help for academic ‘problems’and my own projects. For example,a lecturer in my School helped me tosee some data [that I had collected]in a new light.

How is study at postgraduatelevel different to undergraduatestudy?You are in control. I decide what towork on each day and make surethings get done. I can choose towork on research, teaching, myacademic development or my ownsmaller projects each day. Manydays I do them all; it involves longhours, but is very rewarding. Thereis also no right or wrong answer

anymore. This means that I have todefend my position, based upon myresearch and literature in the field.

Sally: Postgraduate study can belonely. Students aren’t part of acohort, and they don’t face thecommon hurdles of assessmentsand exams together. As studentrepresentative, Dan has done greatwork in bringing PhD students in theSchool together for group activitiesand social events.

How have you funded yourstudies?I received a three-year scholarshipfrom the Engineering & PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC)and supplemented it with someteaching. Currently I now work as atechnician in the new makerspacethat the school has built, which helpsme fund my continuation year.

How would you describe therelationship between asupervisor and a student?Sally: Part challenge (I’mchallenging them, or they’rechallenging me) part adventure (younever know the end of the journey atthe start). With luck it’s the start of along-term association: at best, youend up owing your students anintellectual debt.

Daniel: The relationship betweena supervisor and student changesover time and it can be radicallydifferent for each student. Generally,your supervisor will be quite hands-on in the first year, suggestingliterature and encouraging you towrite. Hopefully, this is also the time

Sally Fincher, Professor of Computing Educationand Director of GraduateStudies – Research,supervises Daniel Knox,who is studying for a PhDin Computer Science.Here, they discuss whatstudying at PhD level is like and how thesupervisory processworks.

Daniel, why did you choose tostudy for a PhD at Kent?I originally did an undergraduatedegree at Kent and really enjoyedthe degree and campus, so stayingat Kent was a big motivation for me.It is also one of the few computerscience departments with aneducation research group, whichwas also a big draw for me.

What are you researching foryour PhD?I am researching how a space canafford different kinds of practicewhen students are learning toprogram. I choose to researchthis because much of our currentresearch investigates how studentsinteract with the computer (whenthey are programming), and so,my research takes a step backfrom this and asks, ‘where arethey programming?’, ‘why didthey choose to go there and notsomewhere else?’ and ‘what arethey doing in that space?’.

37

when you can experiment andlearn the ropes about conductingresearch – you will make lots ofmistakes, have cringe-makinginterviews, etc. Your supervisorwill get you over this.

By year two, you get a lot moreindependence and your supervisoris likely to start suggesting differentpublishing routes and introducingyou to others in your field. By yearthree, most of what a student doesis their own independent researchand you go to your supervisor foradvice – a second pair of eyes onyour work – and, most important,discussions about your thesis.

What makes a goodsupervisor?Daniel: One who lets youexperiment, but also keeps track oftime, so that they can pull you backwhen you are going the wrong way(there is only three years after all!).

Sally: PhD supervision is a trickyskill, because every student isdifferent. Some need project-management from you, some needclose intellectual guidance, someneed wide-ranging discussion,

other students, if possible. Makesure you have a good intellectualand interpersonal fit.

Daniel: Think why you want to doresearch, it will be a long and hardthree-plus years. At the same time,Kent is a brilliant place to work, witha lot of support that goes on behindthe scenes (we get provided with allthe computer resources and printingwe need, office space and constantsupport from people throughout theSchool). The hardest bit is selectingyour initial topic (it will likelysubstantially change), work out ifyou are willing to do the same thingfor a long time (compared to earningmoney in industry) and pick asupervisor that you feel you canwork well with during that time.After that, you’re set.

www.cs.kent.ac.uk

some need reassurance – theypretty much all need coffee! Andjust as students are different, so aresupervisors, which means there aredifferent types of good supervisor,and different ways of being a goodsupervisor. Perhaps the real skill isin the match, in knowing what kindof person you want to work with forthree or four years.

Is Daniel a good student tosupervise, and why?Sally: Dan is determined anddogged in tracking ideas down –and that’s a great thing in a PhDstudent. Doctoral studies are moremarathon than sprint, so beingpersistent gives you an advantage.

Do you have any advice forsomeone thinking about takinga research degree at Kent?Sally: Don’t walk in cold offthe street: talk to your potentialsupervisor – and to some of their

“My PhD allows me to exploremy own personal interests incomputer science and makemy own discoveries. I am nolonger studying other people’sideas, but creating my own.”

Edward BarrettPhD Computer Science


it can possibly be automated, theEuropean data protection laws havebeen encoded in a policy for thePERMIS system as well, to ensurethat access to personal data alsosatisfies the relevant legalobligations.

PERMIS is an open source project,which means that it can be freelyused by organisations, which canalso give back their own additionsto the project. One example of thisis the ‘hardened’ version of PERMISthat was constructed by the SwissMinistry of Defence. The currentdevelopment of PERMIS is toenable it to protect access tocloud-based systems.

Another way that Manning andSnowden might have been foiledis by detecting the unusuallyhigh number of files that theydownloaded, especially in relation totheir position within the organisationsthey worked for. Research is underway at Kent to detect these kinds of

‘insider attacks’ through observinganomalous behaviour, and howaccess control systems can bemodified, while still in operation,to stop such attacks. Along withChadwick, Dr Rogério de Lemosand Chris Bailey are exploring this.

A final and essential componentis the protection of data while it isbeing transmitted across the openinternet. It had been clear for a longtime that information sent ‘in theclear’ across the network could inprinciple be ‘sniffed’ and collectedby any of the computers traversed.Recent revelations have made itclear that this sort of data gathering,or ‘mass surveillance’, is actuallyhappening in practice. As aconsequence, encryption asa mechanism of guaranteeingconfidentiality, and steganographyas a way of hiding messages, arebecoming more prominent andare being explored within theSecurity Research Group.

The Security Research Group in theSchool of Computing has as one ofits main themes the protection ofdata from malicious access. This isof great importance to individuals –people are beginning to feel theirprivacy slip away because of theactivities of internet companiesand intelligence services. With moreand more cases of identity theftand compromised internet bankingaccounts, people are also gettingmore worried about the securityof personal data.

The role of humans in security iscritical, and this is reflected in theSecurity Research Group havingmany collaborations with otherdisciplines (such as Psychologyand Law) in the InterdisciplinaryCyber Security Research Centre.

For many years, Professor DavidChadwick and his research teamhave worked on the PERMISauthentication infrastructure.This allows the owners of data toexpress in a very sophisticated way,and to a high level of detail, whocan have access to which data.

Part of the reason that ChelseaManning and Edward Snowdenwere able to access so many‘highly secret’ files is the lack ofsophistication of the access controlsystem usage by the intelligenceservices. PERMIS also coversissues such as sharing databetween different collaboratingorganisations, allowing exceptionalaccess in special circumstances,and delegating access rights toothers where needed. In so far as

RESEARCH PROFILE:KEEPING YOUR DATA SAFE

39www.cs.kent.ac.uk

APPLYING FOR A RESEARCHDEGREE

The School of Computingwelcomes applications tostudy for a researchdegree (PhD, MSc).Candidates must holda good honours degree(first or 2:1) or a Master’sdegree at merit ordistinction in a relevantsubject or equivalent.

Before you can apply for a researchdegree, you must have an idea fora project, or an area you wish towork in. If you have a specificresearch proposal (or area) in mindyou can contact a member of staffand develop a research proposaldirectly with them. You can find outmore information about the researchinterests of members of staff andlook at some suggested researchprojects. Once a research proposalhas been agreed, you can then fillin the University’s online admissionform.

If you have not previously contacteda member of staff, you can applyusing the University’s onlineadmission form. We will thenwork to match your interests witha member of the academic staff.

Applying for fundingYour application will be put forwardfor consideration for any of theavailable funding, including 50thAnniversary Scholarships. Thereare several funding opportunities;see p31 or visit www.kent.ac.uk/pgfunding for more details.

Application requirementsYou must complete an onlineadmission form and, for fundingapplications, a completed requestfor funding form. You must alsosupply the name and contact detailsof two referees; plus an originaldocument providing confirmation ofyour degree. If the degree is not yetawarded send a transcript givingdetails of your marks to date. Non-native English speakers must supplya certificate of competence inEnglish (IELTS or Pearson). TheSchool of Computing requiresIELTS at 6.5 with no element lessthan 6.0 (or equivalent) and Pearson62 including 60 in all subtests.Applicants for the IT ConsultancyMSc require 7.0 IELTS (including 7.0speaking and all other elements at6.0) or Pearson 68 (inc 62 in all foursubtests).

DeadlinesWe have one starting date eachyear for our research degrees:September. We will considerapplications up to 30 June for entryin September that year. Overseasstudents may wish to apply inadvance of the deadline to ensurethat they leave enough time toobtain their visas.

The School Scholarship Committeehas much earlier deadlines forcompleted applications, and sitstwice a year, in the early springand in the summer. If you apply forexternal funding be aware that theseoften have their own deadlines.

Further informationFor details of how to apply, see p44.

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CONTINUED OVERLEAF

ACADEMIC STAFF INTERESTS

The School of Computingis home to over 40academic staff, includingworld-leading researchersin key areas such assecurity, communications,computationalintelligence, gridcomputing, and memorymanagement.

For full details please see:www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/

David BarnesLecturerTools for testing numerical andscientific software; computersimulation in biology; technologicalsupport for computer sciencelearning and teaching. Recentpublications include: Objects Firstwith Java (co-author, 2012).

Dr Fred BarnesSenior Lecturer Concurrent programminglanguages, compilers and run-timesystems for and based on thecommunicating processes model ofconcurrency (CSP and pi-calculus);low-level programming; operating-systems; memory management;run-time system implementation;distributed, parallel and GPUcomputing; languages, compilersand formal methods.

Dr Mark BattyLecturer Concurrency; software verification;systems; relaxed memory;programming language semantics;GPU concurrency.

Dr Laura Bocchi Lecturer Formal verification of distributedsystems; service-oriented systems;concurrency; behavioural typeswith logical annotations and time;transactions and transactionprotocols.

Dr Eerke Boiten Senior Lecturer Formal methods, refinement,cryptography and security.

Professor Howard BowmanProfessor of Cognition and Logic Human attention, emotions,reasoning; connectionist modelling;symbolic modelling; EEG recordingand analysis methods; formalmethods and concurrency theory.

Professor David ChadwickProfessor of Information SystemsSecurityPublic key infrastructures; privilegemanagement infrastructures; trustmanagement; identity management;privacy management; policy-basedauthorisation; cloud security;autonomic access controls andinternet security research.

Dr Vincent Cheval LecturerMember of the Security ResearchGroup; formal and automaticverification of cryptographicprotocols.

Dr Olaf Chitil LecturerSemantics and theoreticalfoundations of programminglanguages; type theory; program

transformation; compilerconstruction; message-passing-based concurrency; programmingtools; how to write programs.

Dr Dominique ChuSenior LecturerComputational systems biologyand simulation of biologicalsystems. Recent publicationsinclude: The Science Myth: God,society, the self and what we willnever know (2013).

Professor TheodosiosDimitrakosProfessor of Computer ScienceCloud computing security; cybersecurity; data confidentiality anddata leak protection; trustmanagement and repurationsystems; identity and accessmanagement; uncertaintyreasoning and formal logic.

Bob EagerSenior LecturerSystem software, particularlyoperating systems; computerhistory; hardware-related topics;UNIX operating systems.

Professor Sally FincherProfessor of ComputingEducationThe construction and boundariesof Computer Science education;the teacher perspective, especiallyteacher decision-making; patternsand pattern languages, their usein knowledge-transfer, and theirapplication to CS pedagogy. Recentpublications include: A CommonsLeader’s Vade Mecum (co-author,2011).


ACADEMIC STAFF INTERESTS(CONT)

for improved memory management;program visualisation. Recentpublications include: The GarbageCollection Handbook: The Art ofAutomatic Memory Management(co-author, 2011).

Dr Anna JordanousLecturer in ComputingComputational creativity; musicinformatics; information retrieval;knowledge modelling; naturallanguage processing; machinelearning; data mining; semanticweb; linked data; ontologies; digitalhumanities. Contributed a chapteron ‘Language and Music’ to TheRoutledge Handbook of Languageand Creativity, edited by Rodney HJones (forthcoming, 2015).

Dr Stefan KahrsLecturerExpressiveness of programminglanguages, type systems, termrewriting, infinitary rewriting.

Dr Michael KampouridisLecturer Computational finance; applicationof computational intelligence (ci)techniques to business-relatedproblems, such as economicsand finance; use of evolutionarytechniques (eg genetic algorithms),genetic programming), heuristicsearch optimisation and hyper-heuristics; financial forecasting;intelligent decision support systemsfor business.

Dr Peter KennySenior Lecturer; Director ofGraduate Studies – TaughtComputer graphics and animation,especially realistic humancharacters; simulations and gamesbased on AI techniques; digitalimaging and image processing.

Professor Andy KingProfessor in Program AnalysisAbstract interpretation, logicprogramming and security.

Professor Michael KöllingProfessor of Computer ScienceObject-oriented systems; computerscience education; programminglanguages; visualisation;development environments andtools; user interfaces. Recentpublications include: Objects Firstwith Java: A Practical IntroductionUsing BlueJ (co-author, 2011).

Dr Rogério de LemosSenior LecturerSoftware engineering forself-adaptive systems: justdynamic generation of processes,abstractions for supporting self-adaptability and self-organisation,resilience evaluation; self-adaptivedependable and secure systems;architecting dependable systems:architectural abstractions for faulttolerance, and verification andvalidation of dependable softwarearchitectures; software developmentfor safety-critical systems;dependability and bio-inspiredcomputing.

Professor Alex FreitasProfessor of ComputationalIntelligenceData mining; evolutionaryalgorithms; bioinformatics;the biology of ageing. Publicationsinclude: Automating the Designof Data Mining Algorithms: anevolutionary computation approach(co-author, 2009).

Dr Marek GrzesLecturerSimulation-based dynamicoptimisation; reinforcementlearning; symbolic and decision-theoretic planning and developingintelligent, assistive systems forpeople with dementia.

Dr Julio Hernandez-CastroLecturerComputer and network security;cryptography and cryptanalysis;steganography and steganalysis;data loss prevention; lightweightcryptography and RFID security.

Dr Colin JohnsonReaderBioinformatics; computer simulationin biology; bio-inspired computingincluding genetic algorithms,genetic programming and swarmintelligence methods.

Professor Richard JonesProfessor of Computer SystemsImplementation of programminglanguages; memory management;garbage collection, distributedgarbage collection; objectdemographics; program analysis

43www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Dr Palaniappan RamaswamyReaderBiological signal analysis;biometrics; brain-computerinterface; genetic algorithms;neural networks. Recentpublications include: BiologicalSignal Analysis (author, 2010);Digital Systems Design (author,2011); Introduction to SpeechSignal Analysis Using MATLAB(author, 2015).

Dr Peter RodgersReaderInformation visualisation; graphdrawing; Euler diagrams.

Professor Simon ThompsonProfessor of Logic andComputationFunctional programming in Haskelland Erlang; refactoring functionalprograms: tool building, theoryand practice; dependently-typedfunctional programming; testing ofcomplex and concurrent systemsusing properties; propertyextraction from test suites. Recentpublications include: Haskell: TheCraft of Functional Programming(2011).

Gerald TrippLecturerTechniques for the analysis andcontrol of high-speed packetnetworks, including systemmonitoring and network intrusiondetection; use of special-purposehardware and firmware designsto perform high-speed string andregular expression matching.

Ian UttingSenior LecturerTool support for teachingand learning in CS, especiallyprogramming, and especiallysmall and mobile devices; largescale data-driven studies of initialprogramming education, especiallyusing Black Box.

Professor Frank WangProfessor of Future Computing;Head of SchoolFuture computing; greencomputing; cloud computing;biologically-inspired computing;data storage and datacommunication.

Dr Meng WangLecturerFunctional programming;bidirectional transformation;software testing and debugging.

Dr Caroline Ling LiLecturer Tools for controlling computer/robotusing brain signal; body sensordata fusion for healthcare andsports; methods for diagnosing,classifying and monitoring statesof brain health/ illness; signalprocessing and machine learningmethods. Recent publicationsinclude: Tax Reforms under MarketDistortions in Product and LabourMarkets (with K Angelopoulos andJ Malley), European EconomicReview, 2013, 61(c), 28-42.

Ian McLaughlinHead of School (Medway)Embedded systems; speech andaudio; mobile and energy-awarecomputing; communications;machine hearing; smart buildingsand homes.

Dr Fernando OteroLecturerDevelopment of ant colonyoptimisation algorithms for datamining; economic applicationsof data mining; bioinformatics;evolutionary algorithms, mainlygenetic programming.

Dr Scott OwensSenior LecturerSemantics of shared memoryconcurrency; design ofprogramming languages; formalverification for software andinteractive theorem proving.

RESEARCHEXCELLENCEThe School of Computingwas judged to have anenvironment conducive tosupporting the developmentof internationally excellentresearch, according to theResearch ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014.

45www.cs.kent.ac.uk

Further informationFor information about applyingto Kent, or to order a copy of theGraduate Prospectus,please contact: Recruitment and Admissions Office,The Registry, University of Kent,Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ, UKT: +44 (0)1227 827272F: +44 (0)1227 827077

COME AND VISIT USWe hold Open Daysand postgraduate eventsthroughout the year.For more details, seewww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Academic scholarshipsSchool of Computingscholarships Scholarships are awarded onacademic merit and are availableto students of any nationalityregistering on our standard taughtMaster’s programmes. Please note:a scholarship is guaranteed for alleligible overseas (non-EU) studentswith the equivalent of a UK firstclass honours degree.

International Scholarship forTaught Master’s StudentsThe University of Kent offersscholarships to overseas (non-EU)students registering on our taughtpostgraduate courses. These areawarded on the basis of academicmerit. For details, and to applyonline, see www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/international/taught_masters.html

International scholarship applicantsare also recommended to apply fora School of Computing Scholarship.Applying for both increases yourchance of securing some funding.For more details, seewww.cs.kent.ac.uk/research/studyingforaphd/fundingopportunities.html

For Kent graduatesKent students who graduate with anhonours degree from the Universitywho opt to go straight in to aMaster’s programme are eligible fora tuition discount. For details seewww.kent.ac.uk/ scholarships/postgraduate/graduateschool.html

DeadlinesThe deadlines for applying forSchool of Computing and Universityscholarships can vary, so pleasecheck the School and Universitywebsites for up-to-date information.

School enquiriesT: +44 (0)1227 824180E: [email protected]

Admission enquiriesT: +44 (0)1227 827272E: [email protected]

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FUNDING


GENERAL INFORMATION

European connectionsKent is known as the UK’s Europeanuniversity. Our two main UKcampuses, Canterbury and Medway,are located in the south-east ofEngland, close to London, andwe also have study locations inBrussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.We have a diverse, cosmopolitanpopulation with 149 nationalitiesrepresented. We also have stronglinks with universities in Europe.From Kent, you are two hours awayfrom Paris and Brussels by train.

World-leading researchIn the Research ExcellenceFramework (REF) 2014, 97% ofKent’s research is of internationalquality, up from 87% in 2008. Thepercentage of Kent’s researchdeemed to be world-leading orinternationally excellent is 73%.Kent’s score for research powerincreased by 59%, the third largestincrease of the top 50 research-intensive universities. ComputerScience at Kent is ranked in the top20 in the UK for research intensity.

Strong academiccommunityKent’s postgraduate studentsare part of a thriving intellectualcommunity. In addition to lectures,seminars and supervision, youbenefit from a rich and stimulatingresearch culture. We have alsoinvested in Woolf College, a modernfacility on the Canterbury campusdedicated to postgraduates, whichcombines accommodation withacademic and social space.

A global outlookKent has a great internationalreputation, attracting academic staffand students from around the world.Our academic schools are engagedin collaborative research withuniversities worldwide and we offera range of opportunities to studyabroad and an approach that istruly global.

The Graduate SchoolAs a postgraduate student, you alsohave the support of the GraduateSchool, which promotes youracademic interests, co-ordinatesthe Researcher DevelopmentProgramme and the GlobalSkills Award, and facilitates cross-disciplinary interactionand social networking.

FundingKent provides a variety offinancial support opportunitiesfor postgraduate students. Theserange from research studentships,location-specific funding, sport andmusic scholarships, and fundingspecifically for overseas fee-payingstudents. For further information,see www.kent.ac.uk/pgfunding

Enhanced careerprospectsAt Kent, we want you to be in agood position to face the demandsof a tough economic environment.During your studies, you acquire ahigh level of academic knowledgeand specialist practical skills.We also help you to develop keytransferable skills that are essentialwithin the competitive world of work.

Terms and conditions: the Universityreserves the right to make variations to thecontent and delivery of courses and otherservices, or to discontinue courses andother services, if such action is reasonablyconsidered to be necessary. If theUniversity discontinues any course, it willendeavour to provide a suitable alternative.To register for a programme of study, allstudents must agree to abide by theUniversity Regulations (available online at:www.kent.ac.uk/regulations).

Data protection: for administrative,academic and health and safety reasons,the University needs to process informationabout its students. Full registration as astudent of the University is subject to yourconsent to process such information.

LocationCanterbury and Medway

FacultyFaculty of Sciences

SchoolSchool of Computing

ContactSchool of Computing,University of Kent, Canterbury,Kent CT2 7NF, UK

T: +44 (0)1227 824180E: [email protected]

Applications

Taught programmesOnline atwww.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/apply

Research programmes See p31 or contact the Schoolfor further details.

47www.cs.kent.ac.uk

COME ANDMEET US

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk

To find out more about visiting theUniversity, see our websitewww.kent.ac.uk/visit

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