We teach the topics covered at an advanced level and they have close links to the research strengths of the School. We will introduce you to the latest developments in the fields covered. You will focus on both the theory and application of the associated techniques. The topics covered include:

• advanced programming
• distributed algorithms
• information management
• safety and dependable systems
• security and trust
• formal modelling and system validation
• internet programming
• human factors engineering

A team project is also incorporated into the course to provide an opportunity for the development of team working skills.

Placements

Members of our industry advisory group help to ensure that the course is relevant to the needs of business and industry today. There are opportunities to choose a project for your final dissertation that has some industry involvement associated with it.

You also have the unique opportunity to apply for a small number of work placements with our industrial partners as part of their projects. Previous students have found placements with organisations such as Redhat.

Research links

The course is demanding and rewarding with close links to ongoing research in the School of Computing. We have leading international research groups and three research centres focusing on a wide range of computer science fields, including:

• security and resilience
• dependable systems
• cybercrime
• cloud computing 

Your experience

You will be encouraged to play a full part in the life of the School, participating in seminars delivered by distinguished external speakers. Our experienced and helpful staff will be happy to offer support with all aspects of your course from admissions to graduation and developing your career.

The course is part of a suite of related courses that also include:

• Computer Security and Resilience MSc
• Cloud Computing MSc

All three courses share core modules. This creates a tight-knit cohort that has encouraged collaborations on projects undertaking interdisciplinary research.

During the course you will also complete an individual project. This five month project gives you an opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills in depth, and to work in a research or development team. You will have one-to-one supervision from an experienced member of staff, supported with supervision from industry partners as required.
The project can be carried out in:

• one of the research groups at Newcastle
• an industry laboratory
• your place of work

We have a policy of seeking British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation for all of our degrees, so you can be assured that you will graduate with a degree that meets the standards set out by the IT industry. Studying a BCS-accredited degree provides the foundation for professional membership of the BCS on graduation and is the first step to becoming a chartered IT professional.
The School of Computing at Newcastle University is an accredited and a recognised Partner in the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science.

Our staff teaching you have international reputations for their contributions to the field and some have extensive experience as practitioners in industry.

You can study over one year full time, or two years part time, leading to the award of an MSc. It will provide you with the skills to be able to pursue a career as a software architect or project manager. You will also be able to undertake basic research or establish your own consulting or software development company.

The first two semesters consist of lectures totalling about 20 hours per week. You will then undertake written assessments. You will also complete a substantial amount of supervised and unsupervised practical work

You will have dedicated computing facilities in the School of Computing. You will have access to the latest tools for system analysis and development, as well as an allocated PC and desk space in a project lab. For certain projects, special facilities for networking can be set up as required.

You will enjoy access to specialist IT facilities to support your studies, including:

• over 300 dedicated PCs running Linux and Windows
• an immersive virtual reality suite
• motion capture facilities
• 3D printing facilities
• Graphics Processing Unit
• cloud scale virtualisation facilities
• Linux based home pages and student hosting services
• haptic and wearable computing hardware

The School of Computing is based in the £58million Urban Sciences Building, a flagship development located on the £350m Newcastle helix regeneration site in the heart of Newcastle.

• CSC8208 Research Methods and Group Project in Security and Resilience
  
• CSC8499 Project and Dissertation for MSc in Advanced Computer Science

You normally select one module from the following list:

• CSC8404 Advanced Programming in Java OR
• CSC8406 Object-oriented programming*

*If you have limited programming experience on entry, you are required to take this module option.

You take one optional module from the following:

• CSC8103 Distributed Algorithms 
  
• CSC8201 The Challenge of Dependable Systems

You take two optional modules from the following:

• CSC8104 Enterprise Middleware(*)
• CSC8105 System Validation
• CSC8106 System Evaluation 
• CSC8202 Information Security and Trust

(*)You are required to have taken module CSC8404 Advanced Programming in Java to take this module.

You take two optional modules from the following:

• CSC8102 System Security
• CSC8110 Cloud Computing
• CSC8111 Machine Learning
• CSC8204 High Integrity Software Development

You take one optional module from the following:

• CSC8101 Big Data Analytics
• CSC8112 Internet of Things
• CSC8207 Security Analysis of Complex Systems

• 6 week Pre-sessional entry: IELTS 6.0 overall (with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills)
• 10 week Pre-sessional entry:  IELTS 5.5 overall (with a minimum of 5.0 in all sub-skills)

You can study our Pre-sessional English course at the INTO Newcastle Centre.