Cloud Computing – (M.Sc.)

Contents

First Half Session

These courses are mandatory:

Programming and Security for Cloud Computing
This course delivers a thorough understanding of enterprise programming models and techniques for building appropriately architectured distributed systems. To gain a better understanding of these systems you will developing applications using the tools and technologies of Amazon Web Services such as EC2, S3 and RDS and others.

Issues in Corporate FinanceThis course provides the opportunity to develop appropriate analytical skills in order to understand corporate finance theory and the implications of corporate financing decisions. The course offers knowledge and understanding of: the theoretical underpinnings of corporate finance theory; corporate financing problems; financing choices and their interaction with financial markets; and develops communication, problem-solving and time management skills through the study and practice of corporate finance.

Readings in Cloud ComputingThis course provides the opportunity to study the architectures and technologies of the cloud computing ecosystem and their impact on economic and technical systems, as well as the wider contexts of cloud computing in society.

In addition, students will take two courses from the following electives (some courses will not be available every year, others may be made available):

Semantic Web EngineeringThis course introduces fundamental knowledge and technologies of the Semantic Web (next generation of the World Wide Web), including ontologies, as well as related applications.

The Electronic Society
This course provides grounding in the field of e-commerce, e-health, e-science and e-governance, with case studies illustrating the infrastructures, models, and activities in various industrial and public sectors.

Multi-Agent Systems
This course provides an overview of both the theoretical and technological issues involved in the development and deployment of Multi-Agent architectures for information and task management. It presents a range of computational techniques which can be used to facilitate knowledge management and reasoning capabilities, process automation, and creation of electronic institutions.

Data Mining & Visualisation
This course provides an overview of data mining technologies and looks at their applications in commercial contexts; for example the management of business relationships within an E-Business context. The course covers data trend and pattern detectors, abstraction formation, data integration, and qualitative modelling and reasoning. Data visualisation, user variability and preferences, and interface design are also studied.

Mobile Computing
This course provides an overview of the technologies underlying modern mobile computing environments. It includes Mobile Application Development and Testing, Java and Android Mobile Applications, Thin client Mobile Applications, Location Based Services and Bluetooth Applications.

Natural Language Processing
This course provides an overview of the techniques used in natural language processing. It covers formal aspects such as linguistic models of English, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, and it also covers practical applications such as grammar checking, machine translation, database interfaces, report generation, and dictation. Modern techniques are also covered, such as the combining of the symbolic approach with the statistical approach (based on the analysis of large corpora).

Bio-Computing
Computing Science has always enjoyed a strong and fruitful two way relationship with the biological sciences. Computing methods have facilitated the understanding of biological processes at various levels of detail and biological processes have served as the inspiration for novel computing methods. In this course we will explore some of the tools and techniques that have come out of this relationship, focussing on Bioinformatics, Biologically Inspired Computing (e.g. Genetic Algorithms and Artificial Immune Systems), and Model-based Reasoning.

Second Half Session

All of the following courses are mandatory:

E-Business Strategies
This course covers essential business strategy and associated legal issues in e-commerce. The course is designed to develop entrepreneurial skills, so that students know how to identify a market niche, find a solution, legally protect it, and develop it into a viable business. This course also offers the opportunity to work with collaborative organisations on behalf of the Aberdeen Software Factory so that students can have real-world development experience.

Economics of Cloud Computing
This course provides an awareness that cloud computing has a wider impact than just technology. In particular it looks at the issues of the social needs for security in a cloud environment, as well as the benefits of cloud as a provider of network facilities and the metamorphosis of fixed to variable costs for business.

Advanced Computer Science Workshop
This course delivers practical experience in the technical issues involved in creating a software prototype that can be showcased to better attract commercial or scientific funding. It comprises a team effort to plan and develop such application, from the initial requirements specification to the finished product. At the end of the module, members of the department's industrial liaison committee will come to look at your developments (including your business plan or your case for support) and give you feedback. They are playing the role of venture capitalists/research panel reviewers; your aim is to show them that your idea is viable and would be worth funding.

Technological, Scientific and Market Research
This course is a preparation for the Summer project. Students work together with an assigned academic supervisor to outline the scope of the planned project, and then to identify specialist areas where knowledge required to undertake the project may be lacking; relevant background reading is then undertaken to gather the required expertise. Students also review the latest existing work which is closely related to the area of their dissertation topic, and examine competing offerings in the marketplace; this work is then critically analysed, identifying strengths and weaknesses. This course is assessed by a dissertation.

Summer Project (Dissertation)

Candidates who complete the above programme at an appropriate standard will be allowed to progress to the MSc Project in Cloud Computing. Candidates who fail to achieve the standard for progression to, or who elect not to proceed to, the project stage shall be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma if they have achieved the appropriate standard for that award.

The Summer project is taken under the supervision of an assigned academic supervisor in the department. The project will require creative, analytical and practical skills. The project typically involves the development of a substantial piece of software, and its evaluation.