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Module

CSC8013 : Professional skills and Portfolio

  • Offered for Year: 2025/26
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Emanuela Torelli
  • Lecturer: Dr Clara Crivellaro
  • Owning School: Computing
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

To practice the process of innovation and opportunity development through examination and testing of assumptions upon which value propositions are based.

The module will use a scientific approach to the analysis of identifiable problems; refining and validating problems before moving on to solutions. Students are expected to identify real potential users and stakeholders and develop a plan to collect insights that demonstrate an opportunity for innovation.

Outline Of Syllabus

The problem-opportunity development process will be offered as a toolkit through the module sessions, including;
•       Problem identification
•       Critiquing and constructing project and value propositions
•       Market research and the testing of assumptions
•       Finding customers/users
•       Group Coaching sessions
•       Introduction to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
•       Guest lecture on developing entrepreneurial ideas, exploring freelancing, launching a venture,
•       Guest lecture and workshop on career planning, CV/Cover Letters
•       Guest lecture with speakers from a startup

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials81:008:00Lecture recordings, released over 3 weeks.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00Lectures (in person) includes Guest seminars.
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading120:0020:00Background reading.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops21:002:00Skills workshops held in person.
Guided Independent StudyProject work144:0044:00Portfolio coursework.
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study181:0018:00Lecture follow-up.
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module invites students to ‘bring their individual skills and interests with them’ and combine personal experience, industrial knowledge and interest areas to facilitate ideation, innovation, and problem solving.
A significant focus of the module is on the individual’s ability to self-appraise their own capacities and capabilities for problem-solving through innovation with a view to how they may be deployed to solve problems and approach work in the future.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Portfolio1M100Group report on secondary market research with proposal for primary research that would be needed to confirm the opportunity, including their planned approach.
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Oral Presentation1MPresentation of a problem. A pecha-kucha style presentation (6.40) summarising the problem each group has identified and why they think the problem presents an opportunity(ies)
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assessment will be completed within the taught block and therefore will present secondary research and a plan for primary market research, rather than undertaking the market research itself. The formative assessment provides a checkpoint to ensure that students are progressing appropriately and a chance to gain feedback and ideas for what to do next to complete their report.
The module will be 100% group work and the scaffold, and individual outcomes for this will be managed through other areas of the MSc.

Reading Lists

Timetable