6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate, Postgraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Unit guides
Synopsis
All sciences are increasingly relying on computational support and the growth of many branches of science has only become possible due to the availability of efficient computational methods. The common basis of such methods are; numerical methods and high performance computing. Topics for this unit include: Numerical Methods, High Performance and Parallel Computing, Optimisation and Operations Research Bioinformatics, Simulation, Visualisation and Modelling.
Outcomes
At the completion of this unit students should be able to:
- explain the role of computational methods in the chosen field of specialisation and their relation to complimentary and related approaches;
- solve non-trivial problems using the algorithms specific to the chosen field of specialisation;
- compare and evaluate alternative computational approaches in the chosen domain in terms of performance and suitability to a specific problem;
- critically evaluate the limits and capabilities of these methods;
- select, design and test computer programs in the domain;
- use standard computational packages in the chosen domain effectively for practical problem solving where appropriate.
Assessment
Assignment and Examination, relative weight depending on topic composition. When no exam is given students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge by solving practical problems and maybe required to give an oral report.
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:
- Contact hours for on-campus students:
- Two hours of lectures
- Additional requirements (all students):
- A minimum of 10 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.
See also Unit timetable information
Chief examiner(s)
Prerequisites
Completion of the Bachelor of Computer Science or equivalent to the entry requirements for the Honours program. Students must also have enrolment approval from the Honours Coordinator.