The programme is specified as an add-on year to each of the corresponding BSc degrees (that is, those with the same titles).
The year consists of four course units of study. 1 course unit comes from taught courses; 3 course units come from a large scale research project,
conducted under the guidance of a member of academic staff.
For the taught material, you may choose 1 course unit's worth of study from the Department's current MSc programmes, or
M-level versions of 3rd year courses. If you opt for 3rd year courses, you may not take courses you have taken before.
The 3 course unit project is a major piece of research work, which involves independent study, analysis of literature,
synthesis of ideas and the production of a concrete piece of computational work based on that study. The work is presented
verbally and in writing at various landmark points through the year. The project specification can be found here.
The learning outcomes of the Goldsmiths' Computing MSci degrees are as follows:
Subject-specific Knowledge
On successful completion of the programme, students will have demonstrated capability to:
Explain advanced topics underlying computers, software, networks and the Internet;
Explain the mathematical underpinnings of computing and mathematical and other forms of abstraction for modelling systems at advanced level;
Explain techniques for critical analysis of coherent processes and resolve concomitant problems in moving from complex abstract requirements to implementable specifications;
Explain techniques for critical analysis of computing systems, both to verify that they are correct and to ensure that they are well-designed.
Subject-Related Procedural Skills and Competencies
On successful completion of the programme, students will have demonstrated capability to:
Model requirements of complex systems;
Design and implement an advanced, theoretically sound software project.
Transferable Skills and Competences
On successful completion of the programme, students will have demonstrated capability to:
Conduct detailed literature research in a specific area of computer science related
to their degree and analyse and synthesise outcomes of this research in a written literature survey;
Write large scale project reports and other documentation;
Present advanced work in lecture format.