FIT Lab modules


Future Interaction Technology Lab · Department of Computer Science · Swansea University · Wales
FIT Lab home FIT Lab home Visit FIT Lab Where is FIT Lab? What does FIT Lab do? Who is at FIT Lab? Grand Challenges Recommended reading Degrees Courses: MSc and MRes Apply to study at FIT Lab Example projects Funding available for students PhD programme Recommended reading Research Research Seminars Publications Industry links People in FIT Lab
What does FIT Lab teach? FIT Lab teaches an MSc and an MRes (a master of research). The FIT MSc and MRes are very similar. The two courses share the core FIT content in the first term, then the main difference is whether to take optional taught modules for the MSc, or to do a more substantial research project for the MRes. The FIT MSc and MRes give you the advanced skills, knowledge and the evidence of your abilities to enable you to go on and get significant jobs in industry, to work as a freelance consultant - or you can use both MSc and MRes qualifications to lead into doing a PhD, at FIT Lab or elsewhere. The Masters courses offer a bursary. Variations on the syllabus will be required from year to year because the field is advancing and the course stays abreast of developments. Both staff and students have many opportunities throughout (particularly in the seminars classes) to take initiative in course content and coverage. Core modules Projects Typical optional modules for the MSc Entry qualifications needed How to apply Note. "Teaching blocks" TB1 and TB2 roughly correspond to autumn and spring terms. Core modules on both courses CSM19 Interactive systems design (TB1) Taught by Harold Thimbleby Interactive systems are ubiquitous - from handheld devices, even medical implants, to large systems such as the world wide web. Some systems are safety-critical (such as aircraft flight decks); some are mission-critical (such as ticket machines); some are utilitarian; some are fun. Almost all are badly designed and badly documented - and they cause users problems. Surprisingly, the theory and practice of interactive systems design is not well-developed, and what is known is not widely known. This module reviews the problems and obvious solutions, and shows how information theory, graph theory, finite state machines, and other elementary computer science techniques, when applied well, can make a huge difference. The module has an underlying theme of the social and ethical imperatives why one should make better systems. Back to top CSM25 Research methodology and project specification (TB1 & TB2) Coordinated by Matt Jones with guest lecturers In this modules students are introduced into the scientific background to their chosen project topic and explores in depth the background and the aims of their project and the methodologies appropriate to doing to a high standard. Students write a detailed specification that will be the basis of their research project. The course reviews many approaches and tools for doing research and projects. Specific guidance for appropriate research methodologies is provided. Back to top CSM29 Mobile interaction design (TB2) Taught by Matt Jones This module presents key human computer interaction design issues, methods, tool and techniques in a mobile and ubiquitous systems context. Students will learn how to improve the user interfaces they design and be equipped to develop efficient, effective and satisfying applications for an important, emerging class of computing device. The module will involve students prototyping and evaluating mobile applications and introduce embedded application development environments. Back to top CSM39 Interaction technologies: seminars & readings (TB1) Taught by Harold Thimbleby Papers are selected from the recent research literature, presented and discussed in seminars. Classic papers and some books are covered, as well as reviewing the work of the leading researchers and laboratories in the field. This module encourages students to explore the advanced literature and research results underpinning the field of interaction technologies. Classic papers (and controversies) are covered, as well as recent work from the leading journals and conferences. Students achieve a clear view of the 'cutting edge' and issues in the field. Back to top CSM49 Interaction technologies: lab & field work (TB1) Taught by George Buchanan This is a compulsory module for the Computer Science FIT Masters programmes provides pracitcal laboratory and field-work skills and experience. Back to top CSM69 Interaction technologies: information retrieval (TB1) Taught by George Buchanan This module provides a thorough understanding of how search engines work and how users interact with them. The course covers the retrieval of documents from the web and from text databases, and also searching for images and audio recordings. Back to top CSM79 Interaction technologies: hardware & devices (TB2) Taught by Parisa Eslambolchilar Future interaction technologies rely on developments in hardware, and being able to interface the hardware and software. Students are expected to achieve substantial hands-on practical experience of the 'cutting edge' and issues in the field. Back to top Projects Taught by all FIT staff Students will have carried out substantial research in the area. They will have documented their work in a dissertation that describes the background, aims, methods and results of their research and critically compares it in the context of current developments in the field. The project will demonstrate students have a high-level ability to construct new theories, principles and/or working systems in new application areas, as well as the ability to evaluate the system or theory critically, using both empirical and theoretical methods as appropriate. Students will learn how to work to a standard comparable to research conference papers in the field. Projects may be entirely driven by the student, they may be involved with industry or other external users, or they may be based on working with advanced research projects in FIT Lab. Always, you can expect to achieve something that works and makes a difference. Students find their projects an important and impressive piece of evidence towards furthering their careers. Example projects can be found here. Back to top Typical optional modules for the MSc (all taken in TB2) Since the MSc project is 60 credits against the MRes project of 100 credits, an MSc student takes 40 credits from the optional modules. Although many modules are available across the university, the following are typical of the modules available within Computer Science. These modules are described elsewhere on the Department's web site. (The list below are all 10 credit modules.) CSM07 Data visualisation; CSM13 Critical systems; CSM65 Artificial intelligence applications; CSM16 Logic and semantics; CSM17 Volume graphics; CSM18 IT security: Theory and practice; CSM37 Graphics surveys and research methodologies; CSM61 Concepts of programming languages; CSM46 Interactive theorem proving.


Future Interaction Technology Lab Swansea University SWANSEA Wales, SA2 8PP Email FIT Lab