Unit information: Research Project in 2020/21

Unit name	Research Project
Unit code	COMSM0033
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Awais Rashid
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	COMSM0030, COMSM0031, COMSM0032
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Computer Science
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

The individual research project is an open-ended investigation of a cyber security related topic with a focus on trust, identity, privacy and security in large-scale infrastructures. Each project is carried out under the supervision of a member of staff.

The precise nature of any project will vary depending on the research topic. However, any project will require a systematic review of the (relevant) literature that leads to an initial research question and possibly associated hypothesis. With this in mind, students will be guided towards choosing an appropriate methodology to tackling the identified open problem. Research question, hypothesis and methodology typically get refined over the course of the project as the students’ understanding becomes increasingly sophisticated. An important element of the individual project is to systematically evaluate this process, paying particular attention to responsible innovation, and eventually producing a clear and coherent write up. Projects may involve the design of hardware, software, experiments, a study, etc.

The aim of the unit is to develop independent research skills including:

• systematically identifying and studying a body of literature on a cyber security topic related to trust, identity, privacy and security in large-scale infrastructures;
• identifying an open research problem;
• undertaking research (e.g., a study, development of a novel prototype, experimental work) to address the research problem;
• systematically describe the process and outcome of the research in the form an original research dissertation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Work independently on a cyber security related project for which they have defined the objectives and rationale.
2. Apply cyber security knowledge a specific problem pertaining to large-scale infrastructures, which may be related to human, organisational or technical factors.
3. Effectively communicate their conclusions in terms of their motivation, methodology, results and relation existing work (both in written and verbal form).

Teaching Information

The unit does not have any taught elements. Students meet weekly with supervisors to discuss progress.

Assessment Information

Dissertation: (75%) (ILO 1, 2, and partially 3)

Viva voce: (25%) (ILO 3)

Reading and References

As appropriate to the individual research project.