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Cardiff School of ComputerScience & InformaticsPostgraduate Programmes

www.cardiff.ac.uk/computerscience


Welcome from the Head of School 1

Meet the Team 1

Cardiff: Capital City of Wales 2

Cardiff: the University 4

Accommodation 6

Introduction to the School 8

Postgraduate Study at the School 10

MSc Advanced Computer Science 12

MSc Information Security & Privacy 14

MSc Conversion Courses– Computing and Computing and IT Management 16

Joint degree: MSc Computational Journalism 18

Professional Placement 19

Postgraduate Student Support Services 20

Getting Involved 21

Student Profiles, Alumni and Employability 22

Research 24

PhD, MRes and University Graduate College 27

International Students and English Language Programmes 28

Funding and Scholarships 30

Application and Entry Requirements 32

Contact UsEmail: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 4812

Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4598

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Contents

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Cardiff University Main Building

www.cardiff.ac.uk/computerscience 1

Welcome to the Cardiff Schoolof Computer Science & Informatics

It gives me greatpleasure to welcomeyou to the School ofComputer Science &Informatics here atCardiff University.Based in Europe’s youngest capital city,we are blessed with a great location andexcellent facilities for you to reach your fullpotential. Indeed, our students consistentlyvote us among the top three in the UK forlearning resources and environment andwe are seeing increasing internationalinterest from students overseas wishing tojoin the School.

Now more than ever the prospects foremployment post studying ComputerScience remain very strong indeed.Across most of our MSc programmes,we offer the opportunity to study with aplacement which allows students theopportunity to gain valued experience inpaid employment. We are proud of ouremployability record and have recentlyseen our graduates move on to some ofthe major UK recruiters - you are welcometo check out what our alumni are doing onLinkedIn.

Alongside this, our staff are technologistsand computer scientists, being leaders inareas of their expertise and keen to sharetheir skills, knowledge and understanding.Much of the research that our Schoolundertakes is internationally leading andpart of our mission is to share theexcitement of discovery and the state ofthe art with our students.

If you want to learn more about life inour School, please feel free to join uson Facebook and Twitter. It would be apleasure to see you in Cardiff, and onbehalf of all staff here at the School ofComputer Science & Informatics, mayI wish you the best of luck with yourfuture studies.

Professor Stephen HurleyHead of School

ProfessorAlun PreeceDirector ofResearch

Dr Stuart AllenDirector ofTeaching

Dr Wendy IvinsPostgraduateProgrammeOperation's TeamLeader

Dr Leigh HodgePostgraduateAdmissions Tutor

Gemma MurphyInternationalStudentRecruitment Officer

www.cardiff.ac.uk/computerscience2

Cardiff:the Capital City of Wales

Cardiff is a thriving and attractivecity which is widely recognisedas an outstanding placein which to live and study.

LocationCardiff is located on the coast of South Wales, which has beautiful nationalparks and beaches only 30 minutes away. Cardiff is approximately 230km(145 miles) west of London and is easily accessed by train in about 2hours. Cardiff has excellent transport links (ranked 1st in the UK for themost transport friendly city) with an international airport that has flights tomany cities in Europe.

KeyCardiff City Centre

1 Cardiff University

2 Bute Park

3 Cardiff Castle

4 Millennium Stadium

5 Shopping centre

6 Student neighbourhood

The perfect student cityCardiff is a small city with a population ofabout 340,000 people. Approximately20% of the population are students, whichmakes it safe, friendly and affordable(see pages 6-7). Cardiff, however, is alsoa capital city with all the culture, sports,shops, entertainment, work opportunitiesand atmosphere you would expect of amodern European metropolis.

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With its distinctive character, good qualityof life, and growing national andinternational reputation, it hosts manyhigh-profile sporting and cultural events,including international rugby, soccer,cricket and motor sport, Cardiff Singer ofthe World and is home to the biannualArtes Mundi exhibition and prize (the UK’sbiggest art prize).

Home to the world-renowned WelshNational Opera, it boasts prestigiousconcert venues such as the WalesMillennium Centre, St David’s Hall and theMotorpoint Arena, as well as the iconicMillennium Stadium, the National Museumand Gallery of Wales, several theatres andthe historic Cardiff Castle.

Cardiff is the location for award-winningtelevision productions, including Dr Who,Sherlock, Torchwood and Casualty, and the

Dr Who Experience in Cardiff Bay is apopular new attraction.

This means you get a small inexpensivecity you can easily walk around, but alsoan exciting city where there is alwayssomething to do. To find out more aboutthe city of Cardiff visit:www.cardiff.ac.uk/postgradlife

A diverse, international cityCardiff was one of the UK’s first multi-cultural cities and an estimated 94languages are spoken here. This is a realbenefit for international students becausemany of the food and ingredients you havein your country are also sold in Cardiff.You can also be assured that there aremany religious and cultural facilities acrossthe city, including mosques, synagogues,churches and temples.

12 Facts About Cardiff� Cardiff University is in the citycentre of Cardiff.

� Cardiff Airport has more than30 flights a day to UK andEuropean cities.

� Cardiff is only 2 hours fromLondon by train.

� Cardiff has a new £675 millionshopping centre in the city centre.

� Voted the UK's seventh bestnightlife city in 2011 byTripAdvisor users.

� Cardiff has a 70,000 seatedstadium, an international sportsvillage and a football leaguesoccer club: Cardiff City FC.

� Cardiff has more than 330 parksand gardens.

� Cardiff was one of NationalGeographic’s top 10 summerdestinations 2011.

� The popular TV shows Doctor Whoand Torchwood are filmed in Cardiff.

� Selected as the European Capital ofSport for 2014.

� Named as 6th best shoppingdestination in the UK.

� Home to Europe’s oldest livinglanguage, Welsh is spoken by 20%of the population, but don’t worryeverybody speaks English!

Weather in CardiffThe average temperature in Cardiff inWinter is 7°C, and in Summertemperatures can reach up to 30°C.With four seasons, the weather in theUK is generally unpredictable and canvary considerably, however, Cardiffexperiences less rainfall than otherareas of Wales and is consistent withthe rest of the UK.

The University is surrounded byattractive parkland and is adjacent toCardiff Castle and the city centre


A History of AchievementThe University was founded in 1883 whenit was granted its own Royal Charter. Today,Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group,the UK’s top 24 research intensiveuniversities. It attracts students from morethan 100 countries and substantialresearch funding from the ResearchCouncils, public bodies, industry,commerce and other sources.

Cardiff University has celebrated a numberof notable achievements during the pastfew years. Foremost among these was theaward of the Nobel Prize for Medicine toProfessor Sir Martin Evans of the School ofBiosciences; Sir Martin becoming CardiffUniversity’s second Nobel Prize winner,joining Professor Robert Huber of theSchool of Chemistry. The University wasalso awarded its fifth Queen’s AnniversaryPrize – an award which recognisesuniversities and colleges across the UK forwork of outstanding excellence.

Looking to the future, further increasingpartnerships and collaboration are centralto the University’s mission to be a world-leading university; both internally – throughinterdisciplinary teams – and externally,through links with organisations of alltypes, nationally and internationally.

LocationThe University’s Cathays Park campus islocated in and around the impressivePortland stone buildings, parks and widetree-lined avenues that form Cardiff’sattractive civic centre. The majority ofacademic schools are located here - just afew minutes’ walk from the city centre.The four academic schools offeringhealthcare courses (excluding Optometryand Pharmacy) are based at the HeathPark campus, approximately one mileaway, which is also home to the UniversityHospital of Wales.

The School of Computer Science &Informatics is located in the Cathays Parkcampus and is in very close proximity tothe city centre. Further details can befound on page 6.

FacilitiesAlthough dating from 1883, Cardiff isfocused on the 21st century, and hasmodern state-of-the-art buildings andfacilities. The University has invested£200 million in its estate in recent yearsand most academic schools have benefitedfrom major refurbishment, including newand well-equipped laboratories, lecturetheatres, libraries and computing facilities.

Cardiff:the University

Cardiff University has an international reputation forexcellence in teaching and research, built on a historyof service and achievement since 1883, andrecognised by our membership of the Russell Groupof leading research-led universities.The Complete University Guide 2015

Top 30 British universities(Complete University Guide 2015)

Rank University

1 University of Cambridge2 University of Oxford3 London School of Economics4 University of St Andrews5 Durham University6 Imperial College London7 University of Warwick8 University of Bath9 University College London10 University of Exeter11 Lancaster University12 University of Surrey13 Loughborough University14 University of York15 University of East Anglia16 University of Southampton17 University of Birmingham18 University of Bristol19 University of Leicester20 Newcastle University21 Edinburgh22 University of Kent=23 Cardiff University=23 University of Leeds=23 University of Nottingham26 University of Sheffield27 Aston University=28 King’s College London=28 University of Manchester30 University of Glasgow


The Graduate Centre

A Dedicated Space forPostgraduatesOur Graduate Centre is dedicated tomeeting the needs of postgraduatestudents, through provision of a widerange of study and social resources andservices, exclusive to postgraduates,which complement those offered by ouracademic schools. The Centre provides afocal point for the broader taught andresearch postgraduate community, givingyou the opportunity to meet and socialisewith others in a friendly and relaxedenvironment. A smaller facility is locatedin the Main Hospital for postgraduatesbased at the Heath Park Campus.

Study FacilitiesThere is wireless access to the University’scomputing network throughout theGraduate Centre and a dedicated computerroom with 35 networked terminals,printers, scanner and photocopier. Fivemeeting rooms provide space for studyand project groups, training workshops,seminars, presentations and meetings.A reading room offers individual quiet studyspace for up to 35 people. The Loungeprovides an informal space for group study,as well as additional computing. At HeathPark, there is a study room which is alsoequipped with a projector and awhiteboard, so it can be booked bypostgraduates for seminars or meetings.

Social Venue & ActivitiesThe Graduate Centre hosts a programmeof social events specifically forpostgraduates, to give you the opportunityto meet and get to know your fellowstudents. These include two weeks ofwelcome events for new students inOctober, plus weekly film nights, quiznights during the autumn term, a summerparty in June and other one-off eventsthroughout the year.

We also run a programme of coach tripswith fortnightly excursions to various UKdestinations such as Oxford, Stonehenge,Longleat Safari Park and more.

The Café Bar is modern and cosy,providing space for postgraduates to relaxwith friends, watch TV, play on the Wii, andtake a break from their studies. It can alsobe booked free of charge for postgraduate-led events. At Heath Park, the social spacealso includes a TV, BluRay player and Wiiconsole.

There is a licensed bar service, run by theStudents’ Union, which is open someweeknights and for special [email protected]

10 Facts AboutCardiff University� Ranked 15th in the UK basedon Research and top 1.5% inthe world.

� Cardiff University is a member ofthe elite Russell Group top 24 UKresearch-led universities.

� The University teaches more than28,000 students from more than110 countries.

� Employment rates for Cardiff arehigher than the UK average (HESA2012/13).

� Accommodation in Universityresidences is guaranteed for mostinternational students and iswithin walking distance of theUniversity.

� The University has 18 libraries, 28IT suites, a Wi-Fi enabled campusand more than 1.5 million books.

� The University is on two campusesat the very centre of Cardiff, thecapital city of Wales. Cardiff is only2 hours from London by train.

� Teaching at the University was giventhe highest possible award in thelast UK Government review. TheUniversity’s degree programmes arealso recognised by more than 40professional bodies.

� The University generates more than£100 million annually from researchgrants and contracts.

� University Professor Sir MartinEvans FRS, is a Nobel Prize winnerfor Medicine.

Looking to thefuture, furtherincreasingpartnerships andcollaboration arecentral to theUniversity’smission to be aworld-leadinguniversity . . .

This is why CardiffUniversity provides allinternational/EUpostgraduate studentsa guarantee ofaccommodation inone of our highly-rankedUniversity residences.The University has numerous residences,each with different facilities, in differentlocations and at different costs. Allinternational/EU postgraduate students areguaranteed a single occupancy place inUniversity residences, providing theysubmit an online application and make apre-payment by the specified deadline.Living in a university residence providesan opportunity to meet and get to knowstudents from a variety of backgrounds,studying a range of different subjects.Your choices include:

� single or mixed gender accommodation.

� private or shared bathrooms. About70% of University residences haveprivate bathrooms (called ‘ensuite’).

� self-catered, part-catered or fullycatered (with vegetarian options).

� a variety of social and sporting facilities.

You will have your own study bedroom.

Cardiff University does not have sharedrooms or dormitories.

There is a very limited supply of residencessuitable for couples and families. We aretherefore unable to guarantee this type ofresidence and priority in the allocationprocess is given to students coming fromoverseas for their first year of study. Youshould not bring your family to Cardiff untilsuitable accommodation has been secured.

Close to the SchoolCardiff’s residences are very well located,with many residences being a shortdistance from the Queen’s buildingcomplex in which the School of ComputerScience & Informatics is located. Themajority of students are able to easily walkor cycle to their lectures everyday. Thetable below gives the approximate walkingtimes from three residences to the School(see table below).

Safe and supportiveOne of the advantages of Universityresidences is the support you are offered.Each residence has a network ofresidences staff, student wardens andsecurity staff that provide 24 hourassistance. Only students, guests ofstudents and staff are allowed onUniversity residences sites. This makesthem safe and secure.

What do Universityresidences provideA typical apartment in Universityresidences could include 6 studybedrooms, each with their own bathroom.Six occupants would share a kitchen.

Every student has their own bedroom.Each room has a bed, desk, chair,wardrobe and storage.

Accommodation

We know that where you live is very importantto you. You will want to settle quickly and livein a secure, well-located, sociable locationthat is also a suitable study environment.


SenghennyddGordan Hall Court Talybont Court

School of ComputerScience & Informatics 3 minutes 2 minutes 22 minutes

Main Building& Students' Union 8 minutes 5 minutes 15 minutes

City Centre 6 minutes 5 minutes 20 minutes

You will also find that like the University, residences are within easy reach of shops,the city centre and parks

International/EUpostgraduate studentsare guaranteeda single-occupancy placein University residencesfor the full duration ofyour studies.This is providing you apply

through the normal admissionand allocation process, andre-apply for residences eachyear through the overseasreturners process.

YourGuara

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modation

You won’t need to buy additional furniture.Also Halls of Residence bedrooms areconnected to the University network andhighspeed internet. In your flat you willhave access to a shared kitchen/diningroom. This area includes a cooker,refrigerator, sink, table and chairs. If youchoose ‘ensuite’ you will have your ownbathroom with shower.

How much do Universityresidences cost?The cost of residences depends on severalfactors, including the residence youchoose, length of stay, meal options andwhether you want private bathroomfacilities. University residences are verygood value as the cost includes water,electricity, security, furniture and internetaccess. As everything is included in oneprice, it helps you more easily budget.

For the 2014/15 year self-cateringresidences ranged from £82 – £115 a week.Part/fully catered residences ranged from£99 – £119 a week. Rooms with privatebathrooms are generally more expensivethan rooms with shared bathrooms.

Private SectorAccommodationFor students who wish to rent privately-owned accommodation, there is a greatchoice of accommodation available forrental in the city – including a good varietywithin walking distance of the Universityand city centre.

The University’s Residences Office can helpby providing you with lists of properties thatare currently available to rent. Detailedadvice on tenancy agreements and otheraspects of living in private sectoraccommodation is made available via theUniversity’s Student Support Centre or theStudents’ Union Advice andRepresentation Centre. The Students’Union also runs a letting agency, details ofwhich can be found at:

www.cardiffstudentletting.com

If you are looking for privateaccommodation you should arrange to visitCardiff before the start of term as it is notadvisable to arrange such accommodationeither by post or telephone. When youcome to Cardiff for this purpose, you cantake advantage of low cost accommodationin our halls provided your visit is outsideterm-time and that you arrange this withus in advance. Details can be found at:

www.cardiff.ac.uk/summer

The University organises an annual HouseHunting Event usually taking place duringAugust aimed at new and current CardiffUniversity postgraduate students who arelooking for shared rented accommodationfor the next academic year.

Further details here:

www.cardiff.ac.uk/for/prospective/accommodation/postgraduates/uk/house-hunting.html

How does Cardiff comparewith other places?Cardiff has many advantages which makeit a cheaper place to study than otheruniversity cities. These include:

� Cardiff is a compact city and theUniversity is in the middle – thereforeyou won’t have far to travel between theUniversity, city centre shops and youraccommodation.

� Cardiff is also very flat making it easy towalk or cycle around. You won’t need tospend money on buses or taxis.

� Cardiff council runs bicycle and carsharing schemes. This will make it eveneasier for you to get around withoutlarge extra costs.

Cardiff is also one of the most affordableof the traditional university cities.Accomodation for students.com placedCardiff as one of the top 10 cheapestuniversity cities.

Living ExpensesThe University estimates that a singlestudent in Cardiff would need £800 amonth. These estimates are based on theactual experiences of students living inCardiff. This means for the year that apostgraduate student (September – June)needed £9,573 a year. These estimatesinclude accommodation, bills, food,books, clothes, travel, telephone andsocial expenses.

Accommodationforstudents.com placedCardiff in their list of the top 10 cheapestuniversity cities.

If you are intending to bring familymembers, such as a spouse or child,you will need to have at least an extra£400 a month for each family member.



Introduction to the School ofComputer Science & Informatics

Teaching, Learning andAssessmentMost modules are delivered through aseries of full-day contact sessions, whichinclude lectures, seminars, workshops,tutorials and laboratory classes. Most ofyour taught modules will have furtherinformation for you to study and you will beexpected to work through this in your owntime according to the guidance given toyou by the lecturer for that module.

You will study taught modules to a total of120 credits during the Diploma stage ofyour degree. All taught modules are worth20 credits. The Placement stage (if you aredoing one) is worth 120 credits. TheMaster’s stage of your degree will be anindividual project (worth 60 credits) whichyou will write up as a dissertation, after theDiploma or Placement stage.

During the Diploma stage, full timestudents must take all core modules andthen select further optional modules tomake up their 120 credit total. Part-timestudents take 60 credits per year.

The teaching year is split into twosemesters (Autumn: 14 weeks, Spring:17 weeks). Each semester consists of11 teaching weeks followed by a revisionweek and an assessment period which istwo weeks in the Autumn semester andfive weeks in the Spring semester.

Friendly Staff and SupportAt the start of the course you are allocated apersonal tutor, who is an academic memberof staff in the School and serves as a pointof contact to advise on both academic andpersonal matters in an informal andconfidential manner. Your personal tutor willmonitor your academic progress and willalso supply references in support of any jobapplications that you make.

Your personal tutor will monitor yourprogress throughout your time at universityand will support you in your PersonalDevelopment Planning. You will see yourpersonal tutor at least once eachsemester. Outside of scheduled tutorsessions, our senior personal tutor runs anopen door policy, being on hand to adviseand respond to any personal matters asthey arise.

As a School, we pride ourselves onproviding a supportive environment throughwhich we are able to support our studentswith the majority of personal problems thatarise. However, as in life, there are thingsthat can crop up that require morespecialist help. The university provides arange of specialist services, all free ofcharge, that students can be referred to ifneeded. These encompass advice servicescovering health, careers, finances,counselling and personal development,to name a few.

The exciting and dynamic fields of ComputerScience and Informatics underpin manyaspects of modern life.

Our stimulating andcutting-edge Master’sdegree programmes willgive you a real advantagein the job market, with anadvanced qualificationhighly regarded byemployers, and allow youto position yourself totake full advantage offuture technologicaldevelopments.

The Cardiff School of Computer Science &Informatics has an established reputationfor being at the forefront of the field forits innovative teaching and cutting edgeresearch.

Student FeedbackMechanismsWe believe that providing suitable feedbackmechanisms is crucial to ensure that thebest programmes of study are available toour students. The School has astudent/staff panel consisting of electedstudent representatives and members ofteaching staff who meet to discussacademic issues. Any issues that you feelneed attention can be highlighted to yourstudent representative, who will raise thequery with the panel.

In conjunction with the work of the panel,all students are provided with an opportunityto complete feedback questionnaires at theend of the Autumn and Spring semesters.These mechanisms allow the School toconstantly review courses and our studentsto receive the best provision, delivered ina consistent manner, across all of ourdegree programmes.

The School also has an Equality and DiversityCommittee, comprising representatives ofboth staff and students, which regularlyreviews the School’s commitment toproviding equal opportunities for all its staffand students, regardless of age, colour,race, ethnic or national origins, sexualorientation, marital status, familyresponsibilities, physical or sensorydisabilities, political or religious beliefs.

Library FacilitiesThe School library is conveniently locatedin the Trevithick building, within the samecomplex as the School itself. Students canborrow up to 12 books at any one time,with a standard loan period of up to threeweeks. Heavily demanded books, such asrecommended texts, can usually only beborrowed for shorter periods of time. Somebooks can also be accessed electronically.

The library staff are on hand to offerspecialist assistance and provide workshoptraining in information searching andliterature research. The Trevithick Libraryalso contains a PC room, 24 open accesscomputers, self service issue/return, 24 hourbook return and four bookable group studyrooms, each equipped with plasma screens.

School FacilitiesThe School has 5 dedicated cross-platformlaboratories, accessible solely by studentsfrom the School, comprising Macs, Windowsand Linux based machines, as well as aspecialist cybersecurity and computingforensics facility. The majority of these labscan be accessed on a 24/7 basis and provideour students with free printing facilities.

The University campus is covered by theCardiff University Wireless Network, which isfreely available upon registration to staff,students and invited guests offering flexible

access to online resources via laptop, tabletand Wi-Fi enabled phones. Our facilities areconsistently rated among the top three of allcomputing schools in the UK, by studentsvoting in the annual National Student Survey.

DevelopmentYou may have participated in a process ofPersonal Development Planning (PDP)during your previous studies or in theworkplace. During your Master’s course,PDP is designed to help you to adjust tothe intensity and level of study and to buildon and enhance the variety of skills whichyou will have developed during yourprevious studies and work experience.PDP will help you to get the most out ofyour student experience at Cardiff andmake your Master’s year a success byencouraging you to take responsibility foryour own learning and development.

The records you keep as part of the PDPprocess will constitute a valuable profile ofwhat you have achieved during your timeat university, both academically and in awider sense.

Your personal tutor and dissertationsupervisor will support you through thePDP process, and the School will provideyou with support, guidance and facilitiesfor recording your achievements andreflective statements.


The school has 5 dedicated cross-platformlaboratories, comprising Macs, Windows andLinux based machines.

Postgraduate Study at Cardiff Schoolof Computer Science & Informatics

The School of Computer Science &Informatics aims to educate and inspire thenext generation of national and internationalleaders in the discipline.


We are proud tocater for a diversityof interests,backgrounds andaspirations forgraduates from theUK and overseas.

The School has significant experience ofrunning MSc Programmes, both generalist(conversion) and specialist. This portfolioof MSc programmes has recently beenupdated to ensure the content iscontemporary and relevant, placingemphasis on both research-led teaching(through specialist modules andprogrammes) and employability. Thedesign of the new postgraduate taughtcourse portfolio has been influenced byfeedback from alumni, and industrial andacademic experts.

Many of our degrees are professionallyaccredited by the BCS, the CharteredInstitute for IT. Ensuring that our degreesare relevant to the latest demands fromindustry is a further highly regardedendorsement for potential employers.

The portfolio has been designed to allowstudents to select the option that best fitstheir interests and career aspirations. TheSchool offers conversion Master’s degreeswhich provide the opportunity to transfer toa career in computing, whilst the specialistMaster’s programmes provide graduates ofcomputing with the opportunity to enhancetheir knowledge, skills and understanding,through modules taught by researchexperts in a given area.

Programme

MSc Advanced Computer ScienceMSc Advanced ComputerScience with Placement *MSc Information Securityand PrivacyMSc ComputingMSc Computing withPlacement *MSc Computing and ITManagementMSc Computing and ITManagement with Placement *MSc Computational Journalism

MRes / PhD

Type

SpecialistSpecialist

Specialist

ConversionConversion

Conversion

Conversion

N/AResearch

Part Time

3 YearsNot Available

3 Years

3 YearsNot Available

3 Years

Not Available

Not AvailableNot Available

Full Time

1 Year2 Years

1 Year

1 Year2 Years

1 Year

2 Years

1 year1 Year

Details

Pages 12-13

Pages 14-15

Pages 16-17

Pages 16-17

Page 18Page 27

Postgraduate ResearchDegreesThe School offers cutting edge researchdegrees that offer you the opportunity tobecome part of a strong, dynamic andinternationally successful research school.The exciting development of our new MResdegrees are aimed at students who aremore orientated towards a research career.For full details about our internationallyrecognised research areas and aboutstudying for our MRes or PhD degrees,please see pages 24-27.

Postgraduate Taught DegreesWe offer a variety of challenging andstimulating Master’s degrees that aresuitable for students with diverseacademic backgrounds.

Specialist Masters Programmes

Our MSc’s in Advanced Computer Scienceand Information Security & Privacy are forstudents who have completed a degree incomputer science or related subject. Thesedegrees will allow you to hone and expandyour existing skills to an advanced level, soyou will graduate with specialised expertiseat the forefront of your chosen field.

Conversion Courses

We offer two distinctive conversion Master’sprogrammes, each with a particular flavourand focus which have been specificallydesigned for graduates who want to moveinto computing from another discipline. MScComputing offers a structured programmeof study which will allow you to enter abroad range of computing jobs and roles.The introduction of our MSc Computingand IT Management caters for those whowish to focus more on the managerialaspects of modern computing systemsand their interaction with organisations.

Joint Degrees

This MSc Computational Journalism is ajoint honours degree with Cardiff School ofJournalism, Media and Cultural Studies.It develops knowledge and skills throughresearch-informed learning in digitaljournalism, data science, computercoding and digital development.

* Our two-year “with Placement” programmes give you the opportunity of gaining 7-10 monthsprofessional work experience on a salaried placement (further details on page 19).

Information Securityand Privacy

Secure Applications,Identity and Trust

Security Techniques

Computing

Software Engineering

AdvancedComputer Science

Programming Paradigms

High Performance Computing

Pattern Recognition andData Mining

Visual Computing

E-Commerce and Innovation

Computing andIT Management

Information, Networks and Cyber Security

Business and IT Management

Information Processing in Python

Computational Systems


Autumn Semester

Enrolment Week

Monday 19 September 2016 to Friday 23 September 2016


Diploma Stage Module Structure for our Master’s Programmes

2016/17 Academic Year

Information Securityand Privacy

Secure Applications,Identity and Trust

Computing


Object OrientedDevelopment with Java

AdvancedComputer Science


Informatics

ComputationalOperational Research

Web and Social Computing

Computing andIT Management

E-Commerce and Innovation E-Commerce and Innovation

Distributed and Cloud Computing

Human Centric Computing Human Centric Computing

Digital Forensics Information Modelling and Database Systems


Spring Semester

Enrolment Week

Monday 21 September 2015 to Friday 25 September 2015

2015/16 Academic Year

Autumn Semester

Semester Dates Start: Monday 28 September 2015Finish: Sunday 24 January 2016

Christmas Recess Start: Saturday 12 December 2015Finish: Sunday 3 January 2016

Examination Period Start: Monday 11 January 2016Finish: Friday 22 January 2016

Spring Semester

Semester Dates Start: Monday 25 January 2016Finish: Friday 10 June 2016

Easter Recess Start: Saturday 19 March 2016Finish: Sunday 10 April 2016

Examination Period Start: Monday 9 May 2016Finish: Friday 10 June 2016

Spring Semester

Semester Dates Start: Monday 23 January 2017Finish: Friday 9 June 2017

Easter Recess Start: Saturday 8 April 2017Finish: Sunday 30 April 2017

Examination Period Start: Monday 8 May 2017Finish: Friday 9 June 2017

Autumn Semester

Semester Dates Start: Monday 26 September 2016Finish: Sunday 22 January 2017

Christmas Recess Start: Saturday 10 December 2016Finish: Sunday 1 January 2017

Examination Period Start: Monday 9 January 2017Finish: Friday 20 January 2017


MSc Advanced Computer Science

This flagship programme offers exposure tostate-of-the-art topics that are driving keytechnological developments and trends.

You can opt for a two-year programme onthis course and apply for a paid 7-10month work placement (see page 19 forfurther details).

The courseComputer Science is one of the fastestmoving academic disciplines, and theoutcomes of research and innovation inthis field have a massive social impact.The subject spans all aspects of modernlife, and this programme offers you theopportunity to apply new skills andadvanced techniques to the area ofyour choice, whilst allowing you todemonstrate that you are at the forefrontof your discipline.

This MSc programme will allow you tohone and expand your existing skills whilst

demonstrating independent learningthrough the duration of the course.

Core to this programme is the opportunityto further develop the scope of yourproblem solving skills by studying advancedprogramming languages and newprogramming paradigms. A module ine-commerce and innovation will enhanceyour transferable skills and employmentprospects. You will choose to studyoptional research-led modules that allowthe freedom to build a distinctive personalportfolio of skills and knowledge. These arestructured around advanced topics in theSchool's three core research areas:Informatics, Visual Computing, andDistributed and Scientific Computing

Programme Leader:Dr Matthew Williams

Email:[email protected]

Phone:+44 (0)29 2087 4683

“This MSc focuses on advanced topicsin Computer Science, with an emphasis

on subjects which reflect the researchstrengths of the School. We lookforward to working with students from a

technical background for this advanced

qualification.”

Designed for computing graduates who wish todifferentiate themselves further through anadvanced mastery of the discipline.

main image: Cardiff University's ARCCA(Advanced Research Computing @ Cardiff),SRIF-3 Cluster, codenamed 'Raven', that isenabling and transforming research acrossthe University

The subject spans all aspects of modern life,and this programme offers you the opportunityto apply new skills and advanced techniques tothe area of your choice.


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Module Title



Information, Networks and Cyber Security

Security Techniques

High Performance Computing

Visual Computing

Pattern Recognition and Data Mining

Web and Social Computing


Digital Forensics

Human Centric Computing

Informatics

Computational Operational Research

Optional Module Selection

Module Code

CMT302

CMT304

CMT104

CMT105

CMT106

CMT107

CMT108

CMT111

CMT202

CMT213

CMT206

CMT209

CMT211

MSc Advanced Computer Science Modules

Key: A - Autumn S - Spring AS - Both semesters

� Compulsory Module � Optional Module

Sem

ester

Credits

MSCCS Assessment Schedule

Coursework Examination

During the summer months you willundertake an individual research projectand complete a dissertation under thesupervision of a number of academicresearch staff. The topic will be driven byyour own interests. 60 credits of the 180credit programme concern the dissertationand individual supervision. The programmeis delivered in our cutting edge learningfacilities, which are consistently voted asamong the best in the UK by students.

Successful graduates will be able todemonstrate to employers both a deepunderstanding and broad knowledgeconcerning state-of-the-art computerscience from a research anddevelopment perspective.

Graduates from this course will beideally placed to pursue a number ofcareers such as systems architects,programmers and software developers,and will be in a strong position to pursuea research career via doctoral studies.

MSc Information Security and Privacy


Programme Leader:Professor Omer Rana


Phone:+44 (0)29 2087 5542

A detailed understanding of the keythreats and techniques for ensuringsecurity, privacy and trust are fundamentalrequirements for successful informationsystems. Professionals in this field arewell placed for a wide variety ofemployment opportunities.

The courseThis programme addresses the keysecurity issues that are faced by globalcommunications and information systems.The programme provides a mix of businesscontext with core security, trust and privacyissues that challenge the IT sector. As wellas studying themes such as trust andidentity and forensic investigation, securitytechniques and information, network andcyber security, the programme provides anunderstanding of the e-Commerce andbusiness environment. This combinedbusiness/security approach providesvaluable training for interacting withorganisations, and understanding theirbusiness functions in a deeper context.

Using case based analysis the programmealso gives students the opportunity to learnabout forensic approaches to investigationacross multiple platforms. On a practicallevel, students have the opportunity togain external accreditation for use of marketleading forensic software, as taught in our“sandpit lab” (see photo on facing page).

The School is one of only five universitiesin the UK to offer training (at a smalladditional fee for those students wishing topartake) in Microsystemation XRY, anindustry-leading mobile phone forensicstool used by more than 85% of policeforces and all major forensics laboratoriesin the UK and Ireland. We are also able tooffer the top 10 performing students fromthe ethical hacking module the opportunityto sit the EC-Council Certified EthicalHacker (CEH) examination, giving them anindustry-recognised accreditation on top oftheir MSc. We are one of only eightuniversities in the UK that currently offerthis EC-Council CEH qualification.

Appropriate security measures are anessential part of any modern enterprise.

“With our increasing reliance on

information services that are provided

over distributed computing

infrastructures (such as Cloud

computing and mobile/handheld devices

such as Android phones), information

security has become one of the most

significant challenges for both

consumers and providers of such

services. The increasing use of social

media and microblogging platforms also

introduces security and privacy concerns

that must be acknowledged and

responded to. This MSc will equip

students with an understanding and

awareness of security and privacy issues

in a business context, along with skills

using techniques and software tools to

address some of these concerns.”


main image: Our new Forensics and CyberSecurity Lab (aka the "sandpit" lab) in whichsome of your classes will take place

AS

AS

A

A

S

S

AS

20

20

20

20

20

20

�

�

�

�

�

�

N/A20 Credits

100%

100%

100%

30%

30%

30%

70%

70%

70%

Module Title


Secure Applications, Identity and Trust

Information, Network and Cyber Security

Security Techniques


Digital Forensics


Module Code

CMT301

CMT306

CMT104

CMT105

CMT202

CMT213

MSc Information Security & Privacy Modules



Sem

ester

Credits

MScISP Assessment Schedule


MSc Conversion Courses

MSc ComputingDesigned for graduates who want to moveinto computing from another discipline, thisone-year programme attracts students fromdiverse career and subject areas who wishto be introduced to the skills required for acareer in Software Development. The MScComputing programme provides studentswith an appropriate balance of the softwareengineering skills and technical abilitiesneeded to develop effective software andsystems. This course is recognised by BCS,the Chartered Institute for IT.

To enhance your CV further you can optfor a two-year programme and apply fora paid 7-10 month work placement(see page 19 for further details).

The courseThrough this programme you will get a firsthand understanding of the vital problemsolving role of software, the interdisciplinaryopportunities available and whatcomputational systems can achieve. Youwill learn, practice and demonstrate theprofessional skills required by all softwareengineers, individually or as part of a team,when developing a software solution.

Through a gentle introduction and intensivesupport, you will be introduced toprogramming skills using importantlanguages such as Java™ and Python™.The set of compulsory modules is roundedoff with a module on e-commerce andinnovation aimed at equipping studentswith an understanding of new businessopportunities and how to approach thetasks associated with researching andsetting up a high-tech business or socialenterprise venture.

A choice of taught optional modules allowsyou to develop skills in SQL (StructuredQuery Language) for advanced databasefunctionality using industry standardproducts such as Oracle™, or to learnabout the exciting new area of distributedand cloud computing.

Finally 60 credits of the 180 creditprogramme concern a dissertation withindividual supervision.

MSc Computingand IT ManagementDesigned for graduates who want to moveinto computing from another discipline,this one-year programme provides you witha broad technical knowledge and a soundbusiness context for managing IT systems.These are required to meet fundamentalIT sector needs such as planning majorprojects or improving business processes,and are essential for those with aspirationsof a management role in the IT sector.

To enhance your CV further you can opt fora two-year programme and apply for a paid7-10 month professional work placement.(see page 19 for further details).

The courseThrough this programme you will get afundamental understanding of softwaredevelopment and supporting technologyrelating to programming and databasemanagement. You will understand theprofessional skills required to lead ITmanagers, individually or as a part of ateam, working on business change projects.

Programme Leader:Miss Helen Phillips


Phone:+44 (0)29 2087 6752


“The School is proud to introduce this

redeveloped MSc Computing course,

building on the success of a long

standing postgraduate programme,

which in the past, has seen students

move into career areas such as web

development and software

development, whilst others have

selected to remain in academia to do

research degrees. We are looking

forward to working with students

holding various first degrees in either an

arts or science subject, and introducing

them to the discipline of computing.”


With an emphasis on how computationalsystems can support business operationand the role of e-commerce, you willunderstand in detail the dependencybetween business operations and ITsystems. You will be made aware of thechallenges in IT management and developan appreciation of the many factors onwhich successful IT projects depend.

In addition to being taught industrystandard products like ORACLE™, you will

have the option of learning about new andemerging technologies, such as cloudcomputing, that are radically changing theopportunities and threats for the provisionof IT systems. You may also opt for humancentric computing which focuses ondefining and delivering effective informationsystems from a human centric perspective.

Finally 60 credits of the 180 creditprogramme concern a dissertation withindividual supervision.

AS

AS

AS

A

A

S

S

S

S

AS

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

N/A20 Credits

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

N/A20 Credits

100%

100%

100%

30%

50%

30%

30%

50%

50%

70%

50%

70%

70%

50%

50%

Module Title




Computational Systems

Information Processing in Python


Object-Oriented Development with Java

Human Centric Computing

Information Modelling and Database Systems


Module Code

CMT301

CMT302

CMT303

CMT102

CMT103

CMT202

CMT205

CMT206

CMT207

MSc Modules



Sem

ester

Credits

MScCom

puting

MScCom

puting

&ITManagem

ent

Assessment Schedule


Our MSc Conversionprogrammes aredesigned to takegraduates from noncomputing backgroundswho wish to pursue acareer in the industry.

Programme Leader:Dr Wendy Ivins

Email:[email protected]:+44 (0)29 2087 0248

“MSc Computing & IT Management isfor students whose first degree has littleor no computing content. It builds onthe strengths of our successful MScComputing but offers a strongerbusiness focus. We are looking forwardto working with students who want toexpand their knowledge and practicalskills to enable them to develop andmanage business applications andinformation systems for organisations.”

A joint honours degree withCardiff School of Journalism,Media and Cultural Studies.

MSc Computational Journalism

MSc Computational Journalism is aninnovative new joint honours degreedelivered by Cardiff University’s respectedand distinguished Schools of Journalism,Media and Cultural Studies and ComputerScience & Informatics.

The programme focuses on thedevelopment of knowledge and skillsthrough research-informed learning indigital journalism, data science, computercoding and digital development.

During this 1-year, full time programme,you will benefit from a combination oflectures, seminars and workshops todevelop your skills in an open, discussiondriven environment.

You will initially gain a solid foundation injournalism and computing, beforespecialising in your areas of interest andfinally completing a practical and researchbased dissertation project using the uniqueskills that you have acquired.

� the perfect foundation for a career atthe forefront of digital journalism

� designed to respond to a shortage inskills reported by employers

� built to develop professional writing andeditorial skills

� delivers specialist training tounderstanding data, coding and webapplication development

Who should study this course?The Master’s degree in ComputationalJournalism provides the perfect vantagepoint from which to succeed in the world ofdigital journalist. No previous knowledge ofcomputing is necessary and the programmeis open to graduates from any discipline.

This MSc is ideal for recent graduateslooking for specialist skills in digitaljournalism and coding that are proven tobe in demand by leading organisations.

� This innovative programme is the first ofits kind in the UK and is supported byleading industry bodies such as theFinancial Times, the BBC and the Officefor National Statistics

� An exciting guest lecture series willfeature leading figures in the world ofdigital journalism and computing

� Specialist modules include sciencereporting, business journalism, crisisreporting, visual communication andinformation design

Course structure and modulesThe course is structured in three phases –Foundation, Application and Specialisation,Dissertation – in order to support studentsin the development of skills and knowledgein the key aspects of the course. Eachstudent is appointed a personal tutor tosupport them during their studies.

Semester 1 – Foundation phase

Core modules:

• Information Processing in Python• Web Application Development• Digital Journalism• Reporters and the Reported

Semester 2 – Application &SpecialisationCore modules:

• Digital Investigation

Optional modules:

• Computing (choose one)- Web and Social Computing- Human Centric Computing- Visual Communication andInformation Design

• Journalism (choose two)- Reporting Business, Finance andEconomics

- Reporting Health and Science- Global Crisis Reporting- Managing Print in a Digital World

Semester 3 – Dissertation project


Course Co-Director:Mr Glyn Mottershead (left)

Cardiff School of Journalism,

Media and Cultural Studies


Phone:+44 (0)29 2087 6183

Course Co-Director:Dr Martin Chorley (right)School of Computer Science & Informatic

s


Phone:+44 (0) 29 208 74767

@MScCompJCardiff

Our School is one of onlya few in the UK to offerpostgraduate workplacement opportunitiesin the field of ComputerScience and Informatics.

Professional PlacementsTo ensure you really stand out from thecrowd in the competitive job market,we offer students the valuable opportunityto undertake your Master’s degree overtwo years with a salaried placement.

The aim of our With Placement degrees isto provide you with the opportunity to gainvaluable work experience as part of yourMaster’s programme. Employers recognisethe mutual benefits to be gained by givingstudents the chance to learn within aworking environment before you progressyour career.

How does it work?Your placement will normally last betweenseven and ten months, normally takingplace at the end of the Spring Semester inJuly between the taught elements of thecourse and your final dissertation, allowingyou to practice the new skills you havelearned and apply the knowledge you haveacquired, in the workplace.

You will return to university followingsuccessful completion of your workplacement at the start of the Summersemester the following year to undertakeyour individual project and write yourdissertation, with the aim of completingthe course within 24 monthsof entry. A further benefit of choosing ourPlacement option is that you will have theopportunity to draw upon the practical reallife situations you encounter during yourindustrial experience and incorporate itinto your final dissertation.

Whilst students are responsible for findingtheir own placements, the School worksalongside professional placementconsultants to ensure you have access toa broad variety of opportunities, and thatyou receive constant support and guidancethroughout the whole process. This willbegin with a series of workshops and talksprovided before the industrial experience togive advice on applying for a placementand on preparing you to get the most fromyour placement opportunities.

Professional Placement

An opportunity to put theory into practiceand gain valuable real world experience.

Overseas placementsIf you are an international student,it is possible for work placements to beundertaken overseas, allowing you tocarry out your industrial placement inyour home country if you are able tosecure a suitable position. Suitableoverseas placements can also be takenby Home and EU students. As with UKplacements, this would be subject tothe Board of Studies deeming theplacements as suitable. Under currentUK BA Tier 4 visa regulationsInternational students can undertakepaid work for up to 50% of their visitduration, so students enrolled on thetwo year programmes “with placement”will have a valid visa to work in the UKfor their placement period. Tuition feesare set a reduced rate of the maximumfull-time tuition fee for studentsundertaking the work placement.

Further informationStudents who are registered on aWith Placement programme but whoare unable to secure a suitableplacement within a company, will transfertheir registration to the equivalent degreeprogramme without placement andcontinue their studies in the Summersemester by undertaking their individualproject, and subject to satisfactoryperformance will graduate within oneyear of commencing their studies.

It is expected that students on placementwill be paid by the companies orinstitutions for the duration of theplacement.

The School does not guarantee thata placement can be found for allstudents.

The placement you secure will alsoneed to be deemed suitable by theBoard of Studies.

Professional AccreditationCore to the placement will be theability to demonstrate competencyto Level 4 in one or more of theProfessional Skills from the SkillsFramework for the Information Age (SFIA)framework, the world’s most populardefinition of IT skills. During thePlacement students will engage inContinuing Professional and PersonalDevelopment activities.

The placement therefore provides astrong platform for post-MSc futurepersonal development planning to enablestudents to continue to develop theirskills to Level 5 in the SFIA framework,which is required for Chartered ITProfessional Status under the BCS –The Chartered Institute for IT.


The School works alongside professionalplacement consultants to ensure you haveaccess to a broad variety of opportunities . . .

Postgraduate Student Support Services

The Students’ Union� The University’s social life revolvesaround an organisation called“The Students’ Union”.

� Every student enrolled at CardiffUniversity is automatically a memberof Cardiff Students’ Union.

� The Union is run by a committee ofstudents and is dedicated to the socialand welfare needs of all students oncampus. All profits made go back intoimproving the services available to you.

� The Union building includes a bar,nightclub, concert venue, shoppingmall, cafés and an advice centre.

� The Union runs its own studentnewspaper, magazine, radio station andtelevision station.

The LoungeBuilt with international students in mind,within the Students’ Union and is open toall, free of charge. It boasts of state of theart multimedia stations with Skype andVOIP capabilities, versatile work spaces,modern meeting rooms and touch screentables giving students access tointernational channels and games.

Student societiesThe best way to make friends is to join a“student society”. These clubs are veryimportant to student life and are run byother students. There are more than 120societies, many of which represent areas ofthe world including: Arabia, China, Malaysia,India, Pakistan, Nigeria and many more.

For two weeks every year the internationalsocieties celebrate “Go Global” – a festivalthat showcases the University’s diversityinvolving dance, music and food.

Global Opportunity CentreThe Global Opportunity Centre provides adedicated resource and source of expertisefor all of the opportunities available atCardiff University for students to gain aninternational experience.

We can support you if you are considering,or currently spending, a period of timeabroad on a study or work placement,or if you are interested in taking part onshort-term programme including, study,work and volunteering opportunities.

We also provide support for incomingInternational and European exchangestudents.

Languages for AllLearning a language is your opportunity tothink beyond your horizons and open up aworld of new destinations, inspiringcultures and exciting career options.

The new Languages for All programmeoffers all undergraduate and postgraduatestudents the chance to gain invaluablelanguage and cultural skills for free duringtheir studies at Cardiff University. With aflexible choice of study options includingweekly and intensive courses taught bynative speaking language teachers, aswell as independent study, the programmeis designed to fit around your normaldegree course.

We cater for a range of abilities andcurrently offer a range of languages.Among them are French, German,Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Mandarin.Additional options such as Arabic, Russianand Swedish will be offered in the future.

More information about the Languages forAll programme including details on how toenrol for a course can be found on thewebsite: www.cardiff.ac.uk/languagesforall.For all other enquiries, please [email protected].

You might be wondering what life is like forthe 28,000 students at Cardiff University?

Outside of academia youwill find a vast range ofopportunities to try newthings, meet new peopleand enjoy the excitingatmosphere on campus.


The International Office aims to make yourtransition as smooth as possible with an“induction programme” in September and January

Sport & keeping fitThe University takes sport very seriously, andthe Athletic Union runs 60 sports clubs andarranges fixtures against other universities.Almost every popular sport is played at theUniversity and whatever your level you willfind an opportunity to play and participate.

Supporting youThe University knows that while you arehere you may need some help. You mighthave an academic question, or you mighthave a more personal issue.

Cardiff University offers support in manyways:

� Every student at the University isallocated a personal tutor. Your tutorcan assist with any academic orpersonal problems you may have.

� The Student Support Centre hasspecialist international advisers who canhelp you with visas, housing, financesand anything which you would like totalk about:www.cardiff.ac.uk/studentsupport

� If you want to talk to someone outsidethe University, the Students’ Union alsohas an advice centre.

� Cardiff University is one of only a fewUK universities to provide postgraduatestudents with dedicated social, trainingand academic facilities at theUniversity’s Graduate Centre:www.cardiff.ac.uk/gradc

Orientation forInternational StudentsBefore you arrive at the University you maybe worried about settling in, making friendsand life in the UK. The International Officeaims to make your transition as smooth aspossible with an “induction programme”in September and January.

The September induction programmeincludes:

1 A free collection service from Cardiffand Heathrow airports. InternationalOffice staff will provide a warm welcomeat the airport and take you and yourluggage to your accommodation.

2 Practical information and fairs to helpyou settle quickly into living andstudying in Cardiff.

3 Tours of the University and the city ofCardiff to help you find your way around.

4 Social events and parties includingtraditional Welsh dancing. These are agreat way to make friends.

5 A bank letter service to help you open abank account when you arrive in the UK.

6 A coach tour of South Wales. Visit someof Wales’ historic monuments with theInternational Office.


Getting involved at the SchoolWe pride ourselves on our reputation

of being a small, inclusive, friendly School, and

recognise the importance of giving our students the opportunity to take par

t in extra

activities if they wish. As the majorityof our current students and successfu

l graduates say,

the more you put in during your time at university and get involved, the more

you will get out

of your experience with us.

We have a dedicated Teaching Operations

Team especially for postgraduate taught

students, who are responsible for the day

to day management of the Master’s

Programmes. The team organises a series

of activities to support you during your

time studying with us.

A warm welcomeThis starts with a two-day induction and

welcome to the School. You will receive

information about the School, our

programmes and facilities as well as

getting an opportunity to meet other

Master’s students and staff over lunch.

We also run Information Literacy

workshops with a Library Specialist to help

you effectively search and use high quality

references for your Master’s studies.

Tell us what you thinkWe believe that providing suitable feedbac

k

mechanisms is crucial to ensure that the

best programmes of study are available to

our students. We hold regular student-staff

coffee mornings where students have the

opportunity to discuss their views about

their programme and raise any concerns.

The School also has a student/staff panel

consisting of members of teaching staff and

elected student representatives who meet

to discuss academic issues. Any issues that

you feel need attention can be highlighted

to your student representative, who will

raise the query with the panel.

Enhance your experience

We organise talks and events that we

think will be of interest to you and add

even further value to your learning

experience with us. These can include

inviting former students back to talk about

their project experience and give advice

for students about to start their projects.

Master’s students are also invited to the

regular research talks and seminars

organised by the School, which can range

from informal discussions between the

School’s research groups (see pages

24-26 for further information), to

prominent high profile speakers leading

a lecture in their field of expertise.

A number of our students also attend talks

organised locally by BCS, the Chartered

Institute for IT, which the School enjoys

strong links with. Our visit days also proveto

be popular and have recently included trips

to BT’s data centre and the University’s

Advanced Research Computing Centre.

And finally . . .Your Master’s programme finishes with a

Submission party, which is organised to

coincide with the Dissertation submission

date. This gives you an opportunity to

relax over drinks and nibbles with other

students and staff, before you finally

leave us at Cardiff.

David Moore from WalesSoftware Developer at True ClarityMSc Computing

I originally studiedPsychology atuniversity which Ithoroughly enjoyedbut didn’t want towork in the fielddirectly, so ended upworking in a callcentre for a largeinsurance company.

After speaking with colleagues about howfrustrating the IT systems we used in ourdaily work were – specifically that we hadto do a lot of manual calculations, I createda simple program in Excel that would helpmy colleagues to complete their work moreefficiently and accurately. I took it into workand showed the management team whowere impressed and rolled it out to 1,000of my colleagues instantly.

It was doing this that made me realise thatI would enjoy this kind of solution findingand prompted me to investigate how Icould study to acquire the skills necessaryto become a software developer.

Cardiff appealed to me for a number ofreasons. Firstly, I was local and the campuswas very conveniently located for me.Secondly the School had an excellentreputation and a track record of takingpeople such as myself from zero to novicedeveloper in under 12 months. Thirdly theSchool was known for having close ties withlocal businesses that would open doors andprovide opportunities not available at other

Student Profiles, Alumni and Employability


institutions. Finally the degree contentexcited me – there was a broad offering oftechnologies to learn and the ability toshape my own course through the optionsavailable in the second semester.

Looking back on the course now the mostuseful resource for me was the number ofcompanies that came to us to recruit. Thisstarted after a month of the course andcontinued throughout. I took everyopportunity I could and as a result endedup with two job offers by April. I didn’t fillout any application forms as I had met thecompany directors on several occasionsby the time the interview came around.

In October after the submission of thedissertation I started work at True Clarity.As I said I had accepted a position as agraduate developer in April which took a lotof pressure off the exams and subsequentproject. I have been at True Clarity sinceand have enjoyed every minute. We createhigh end websites for some of the largestcompanies in Europe. I have been giventhe room to grow as fast as I feelcomfortable. I have developed rapidly intothis role and a lot of this is thanks to thewell rounded nature of the MSc course.

90% of responding graduatesbetween 2010-13 reported tobe in employment or furtherstudy within 6 months

We recognise that students pursue apostgraduate qualification not only to broadentheir knowledge, but to get ahead in theworkplace, which is why improving youremployability is at the heart of everything we do.

The teaching on our courses will provide you with the practical skills neededto progress your career, whilst talks and networking opportunities withprofessional guest speakers from our strong corporate connections will giveyou a real life insight into the industry. The University also offers numerousservices to assist you in fulfilling your career goals.

Student Enterprise atCardiff University:• This free initiative offers skillsdevelopment, mentoring events,competitions and business supportfor students and alumni at CardiffUniversity. It is home to ‘Centerprise’,the Cardiff University StudentBusiness Incubator, which gives yousupport to grow your business ideas.For more details visit:http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/racdv/students/index.html

• The Careers Service has a dedicatedInternational Students Career Advisorwho offers 30 minute appointmentsand holds workshops on EmploymentRegulations and CVs.

• The Careers & Employability Centre isspecifically designed to meet studentneeds and includes an extensive andwell-equipped Careers Library withcomprehensive information, internetaccess, computerised guidanceprogrammes and DVD library.

Recent graduates from theSchool’s MSc degrees havetaken jobs with such high profileorganisations as Logica CMG,Corus and Accelero DigitalSolutions, or have progressed toother Universities to gainemployment or continue research.


Shada Alsalamahfrom Saudi ArabiaPhD student at the Cardiff Schoolof Computer Science & Informatics MScStrategic Information Systems withInformation Assurance (now supersededby MSc Information Security & Privacy)

After studyingInformationTechnology inmy undergrad fromKing Saud University,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,I aimed for anacademic researchcareer. Mainly thesevere shortage of

female teaching and research staff at theuniversities in my home countryencourages me to become a positiveaddition in this regard. Therefore, followingmy graduation, I undertook a teachingassistant position in King Saud University,and worked for about nine months beforeI relocated to Cardiff to pursue my studies.

My experience at Cardiff University haswithout doubt satisfied my hunger forknowledge and further developed my skills.The Masters helped me gain a number ofkey skills. Firstly, good writtencommunication skills in English as a secondlanguage were gained where clear, conciseessays and reports are essential. Second,verbal communication skills were developedthrough delivery of presentations. Third,effective contributions as both teammember and team leader and, in mystudies, being able to work in groups wasessential. Fourth, I was able to learn aboutnew tools and methodologies with theutilization of reliable electronic resourcesand books as sources of information.Finally, the most important skill gained frommy MSc degree was self-reliance andworking independently, which prepared mewell for the doctorate degree (I’m currentlydoing) where being an independentresearcher is essential for my success.

Cardiff University is a prestigious universityand is considered one of the very topBritish universities in the field of computerscience. In addition, the School ofComputer Science & Informatics has aworld-leading and excellent researchsuccess rate with appealing researchgroups that match my intellectual desiresas well as needs in my research area.

The Student Support Centre in CardiffUniversity has a range of servicesdedicated to helping international studentsfrom around the globe to make the most oftheir student life and offer confidentialadvice and support for those who need it.

Alongside having a leading university, and acouple of academies for learning foreignlanguages, Cardiff is a lovely city perfect fortouring with families and friends. There areunique attractions, top class entertainment,quality shopping all within walking distance.

Moreover, the transportation system isreally affordable and easy to use andprovides transport for the whole city andto other cities around the UK.

Satyam Guptafrom IndiaMSc Advanced Computer Science

Technology hasalways fascinatedme throughout mychildhood, from 8-bitvideo games to 64-bit PC Games, frommy first programmingline ‘10 REM’ inBASIC to my firstScala object at

Cardiff University, I have grown with aninclination toward technology. Aftercompleting my Bachelors in India from UttarPradesh Technical University, my appetiteto learn more about technology broughtme here at Cardiff University to pursueMasters in Computer Science. One of thekey reasons for choosing Cardiff Universityover other British Universities was the wayComputer Science course was structured;it gave me more opportunities to learn thecourse both practically and theoretically.

Cardiff University has a very unique positivevibe throughout the campus; one can feelthe positivity in air whilst walking throughthe campus. The entire campus is reallyclean, modern and installed with latesttechnology wherever appropriate. The labsare equipped with latest gadgets andsoftware; giving students unrestrictedaccess to latest technologies in labsthroughout the campus.

The staff members are highly qualifiedprofessionals in their field of expertise andare very friendly; they are always willing tohelp you dig more. Apart taking normallectures, the professors do variousresearches in collaboration with highreputed firms worldwide. As a student atCardiff University you get a chance to learnabout these multinational companies andtheir projects from time to time throughguest lectures and seminars.

Cardiff University recognizes all internationalstudents just like other home students;the campus has many social places whereyou can hang out with your colleagues orfriends. Cardiff University’s student unionwas voted second best across the UK in2013, the student union is a veryhappening place, with various differentthings to get involved in. Cardiff Universityalso encourages students to get involvedin sports; the sports village is very wellequipped with different sport equipment.

Everything is available to you at a walkingdistance; Cardiff is not expensive andoffers you everything you need at areasonable price.

Pursuing Masters at Cardiff University hasgiven me an opportunity to learn about mostof the latest technology that is in use today,

meet new people from different parts of theworld, a better insight of how things work incommercial world and has helped me toshape my future as a Software Engineer.

Simeon Ivanovfrom IndiaMSc Computing and IT Management

The MSc inComputing and ITManagementappealed to mebecause it offeredcontemporary skillssuch as Cloudcomputing,Ecommerce andDatabases, and also

had a Project Management component(Business and IT Management).Additionally, the degree was suitable forstudents who do not have a first degree inIT, which was perfect for me, as my firstdegree was Business Studies. Anotherreason I chose Cardiff was its high positionin the university league tables.

I really enjoyed networking with otherstudents – the group work sessionsenabled me to find new friends, whoshared my interests in programming.The high quality teaching is anotherhighlight – most of the lecturers have verygood experience in industry, making thelectures very useful. A good example wasthe Cloud computing tutorials, duringwhich we were deploying live Linux virtualservers based in a data center.

After successfully completing my exams,I received an offer of employment fromone of the largest IT companies worldwide.I am currently a permanent employee andmy job involves using most of the skillsgained during the degree, including theuse of JavaScript, as well as knowledgeregarding the software developmentprocess in general.

I really wanted to start a career in IT andcompleting an MSc in Computing and ITManagement enabled me to achieve thisgoal. I also learned the importance ofgaining a degree from an internationallyrecognised University, because the goodreputation of Cardiff University will boostmy CV throughout my career. My currentemployer valued the contemporary skillssuch as Cloud Computing and XML,combined with my interpersonal andcommunication skills.

If you are interested in computing, IT,or want a great career, the School ofComputer Science and Informatics is theright first step. The course has preparedme very well for a career in the IT field,while the quality of teaching and the goodreputation of the university is somethingwhich has definitely added to my CV andhelped my career prospects.

Research

Researchers here at Cardiff are currentlyworking on new developments in areas likecomputer graphics, data mining, and‘intelligent’ mobile systems. We hope thatour research will enable new kinds ofcomputing applications, products, andsystems to help people in areas likehealthcare, the environment, security andbusiness. Conducting research in computerscience and informatics is exciting andchallenging - and we hope that readingthese pages will make you want to find outmore by visiting our website.

Research in the School is organised intothree Research Groups. Each one is led bya distinguished professor and is made upof academic staff, research assistants, andpostgraduate research students. Thegroups provide a ‘home’ for researchers,allowing them to exchange ideas, getsupport, and often work together onprojects. All postgraduate researchstudents are expected to participate in theirgroup, for example by giving presentationson their own research, or giving feedbackto fellow students and other groupmembers. Over the course of their studies,postgraduate research students willnormally publish a number of papers thatwill help them work towards their thesis.

To be successful, these papers will containnew ideas and research results that will gobeyond current knowledge in computerscience and informatics. The student'ssupervisors will help them develop theseideas and get their results. The othermembers of the student's research groupwill help them communicate and improvetheir ideas and results.

You'll find out more about the activities ofthe three Research Groups on thefollowing pages. Some areas of researchin computer science and informatics relateto more than one group. For example,research in mobile computing involves staffand students from both the Distributed &Scientific Computing and Informaticsgroups. Every postgraduate student hasa ‘home’ group, but may benefit fromsupervision and interaction with peoplefrom more than one group. This createsa more exciting and stimulating researchenvironment for our students to study in.

There are also ‘multi-disciplinary’ researchareas where postgraduate students aresupervised by academic staff from morethan one school. For example, we oftencollaborate with the Medical School onprojects including computing and healthtechnologies.

Research in computer science and informatics is all aboutgoing beyond current knowledge and technologies to build thecomputing systems of the future.


Technologies wenow take for granted,like the Web,smartphones, anddatabases, are allproducts of pastresearch in computerscience andinformatics.

So what will the futurebring?

School of ComputerScience & InformaticsResearch Groups:

Distributed &ScientificComputingled byProfessorDavid Walker

Informaticsled byProfessorAlun Preece

VisualComputingled byProfessorRalph Martin

Name:Dr. Gualtiero Colombo

Dr Colombo completed his PhD on‘A decomposition approach for theFrequency Assignment Problem’ in 2008.He now works as a Research Associatefor Cardiff University.

“During my PhD I applied novelsolutions to solve large instances of the

frequency assignment problem. This isa complex problem of great importance

to radio-communication that cannot be

solved exactly for large-scale problemsthat occur in practice. The combinedapplication of heuristics methods andpartitioning techniques were able toprovide very good performance on atime and quality scale.

Subsequently I have been involved as a

researcher in two European projects inthe area of mobile and socialcomputing. One of my main researchcontributions concerns the explorationand exploitation of social networks forthe delivery and acquisition of contentin a mobile pervasive environment,focusing on issues such as cooperation

and trust. I am currently involved in aresearch project investigating newapproaches for embedding self-awareness in ICT systems, based onhuman cognition inspired techniques.”

Distributed & ScientificComputingThe Distributed & Scientific Computinggroup is focused on developing efficienttechniques for large scale problems. Ourinterest in this area is strongly motivated tosolve practical, real-world problems andissues, reflected in a high level ofinterdisciplinary collaborations. These haveled to advances and applications of ourwork in a wide range of fields, frommedicine to wireless communications.

Some examples of the group’s workincludes:

Technologies for Communicationand CollaborationDistributed computing covers a wide fieldof study, but in essence addresses largecomputational problems by dividing theminto subtasks which are farmed out to besolved on autonomous nodes, either remoteor local. Part of our work here coverscomposing web-services to encapsulate andbroker remote computational capabilitiesalong with developing approaches to exploitthese within workflows, for example tomanage, process and interact withmassive medical data sets. The theme oflarge scale data is also at the core of ourresearch into Grid related technologies fore-Science. Here we specialise in novelvisualisation and simulation techniques,together with innovative distributed problemsolving environments. We also considerdecentralised approaches to operation andmanagement, critical in exploiting distributedand mobile systems, such as mobile peerto peer and opportunistic networking.

Intelligent Techniques forProblem SolvingComplex optimisation problems requiringefficient, intelligent solution techniquesoccur in a wide range of important fields.As an example, consider planning thelayout and scheduling of a system of busroutes, where approaches have to balancemany competing technical and economicconstraints, such as cost, capacity,frequency and reliability. Our expertise is indeveloping scalable algorithms capable ofquickly and effectively solving this class of

computationally hard combinatorialproblems. With a focus on industriallyrelevant problems, our research covers anexpanding range of applications, includinggreen logistics, wireless network design,scheduling and load balancing.

InformaticsInformatics is the science of information.Informatics is at the core of all systemsthat store, process, and transmitinformation. Research in informatics atCardiff focuses on new ways of modellinginformation, integrating information, andgetting the right information to the rightpeople at the right time. Many of ourinformatics researchers test their newideas in particular application areas, likehealth care, the environment, or business.

Some examples of groundbreakingInformatics research at Cardiff:

� Our researchers came up with a newway to manage information to helpteams of medical specialists care forcancer patients, and our ideas arenow built-into the main computersystem for cancer care in the WalesNational Health Service.

� We designed the definitive database ofall the world’s animal and plantspecies, used to manage and protectour environment. To do this they hadto solve problems in how to integratedata from many different, oftenconflicting, databases across the world.

� We developed a new technique for‘data mining’ in medicine that protectsthe privacy of patients. Data mining isan important way to discover newmedical knowledge from data on thetreatment of patients. Our researchmeans this can be done withoutrevealing confidential personalinformation about patients from the‘mined’ data.

We are interested in a broad range ofInformatics topics, including:• Data/knowledge mining• Geoinformatics and spatial informationsystems

• Healthcare & medical informatics• Informatics for biodiversity &environmental science

• Information quality• Information privacy & security• Ontologies & rule-based reasoning• Open data and the Semantic Web• Resilient information systems• Sensor information processing systems• Social & mobile computing• Strategic business information systems


Name:Diego Pizzocaro

Diego recently completed his PhD incollaboration between Cardiff Universityand IBM. He is now co-founder of astartup company in Italy.

“In my PhD, I studied the problem ofhow best to assign sensors to helpusers in emergency response situations.When major emergencies like theJapanese earthquake happen today,there are many kinds of sensors thatcan help get vital information to userssuch as rescuers, firefighters, andmedical teams. Sensors can be simplephone cameras, specialist devices likeradiation detectors, or complex systemslike drone aircraft. The problem Istudied in my PhD is how to choose thebest sensors where different users havedifferent needs, and there may not beenough sensors to satisfy every user.This is a hard problem to solve in real-time. I designed an ‘intelligent’algorithm that can run on a smartphoneand cope with rapidly-changingsituations.”


Visual ComputingVisual computing covers computer vision,computer graphics, geometric computingand both image and video processing.There are many applications in this area,and much of our work is inter-disciplinary.The group has had recent collaborationswith the Schools of Engineering, Psychology,Dentistry, Optometry and Earth Sciences.

The group has attracted top qualityinternational researchers as staff, andrecent collaborations include: University ofCambridge, University of Oxford, HarvardUniversity, University of SouthernCalifornia, Tsinghua University, PekingUniversity, Seoul National University, KoreaUniversity, Aachen University. Industriallinks exist with Delcam, Royal Mint,Renishaw, Unigraphics, Airbus, GeneralDynamics, and QinetiQ.

The group is part of RIVIC (ResearchInstitute of Visual Computing), the onlypan Wales computer science consortium,which has been funded by a £5m grantfrom the Welsh government.

Some examples of major research themescovered by the group are:

� Reverse engineering of CAD models,i.e. regenerating CAD models fromscan data. One of the group's paperson this topic has been cited morethan 1000 times.

� 3D triangle mesh processing, in whichalgorithms have been developed formanipulating and improving the qualityof meshes by noise filtering,segmentation, morphing, texturetransfer, parameterization,watermarking and remeshing.

� Face analysis, in which both static andvideo sequences of both 2D and 3Ddata are analysed to develop biometric(recognition) systems and also buildperceptual models and stimuli thathave then been applied withinpsychological experiments.

� The group is working on controlling,modelling, simulating and identifyingquantum systems for applications innano-electronics, photonics, quantumcomputing, quantum networks, andmedical applications.

� The group is participating in the INSISTEU Marie Curie International TrainingNetwork involving. Its objective is thedevelopment of the next generationdesign/simulation methods based onisogeometric analysis.

Examples of active specific research topicswithin the group are:

� Human motion analysis

� Image and 3D shape retrieval

� Point-based modelling

� Reverse engineering of solid shape

� Solid, curve and surface modelling

� Characterisations and analysis of shape

� finite element meshing

� visualisation and analysis of sports data

� image registration

� non-photorealistic rendering

� cellular automata

� 3D model segmentation

� data/information fusion

� Quantum engineering

� Human perception and visionspace rendering

� Optimal route and reaction design forchemical synthesis (member of theDial-A-Molecule EPSRC network).

Name:Jonathan Quinn

Jonathan recently completed his PhDon ‘Low-Discrepancy Sampling of 2DManifolds for Applications in VisualComputing’. He now works within theOne Wales Research Institute for VisualComputing.

“During my PhD I investigated theproblem of sampling, within the field ofVisual Computing. Sampling is a hugelyimportant problem in ComputerScience, but more specifically, Iconsidered how to optimally sample 3Dmodels for rendering and mathematicalsimulations. High quality samplingallows for the simplification of complexmodels, whilst preserving importantfeatures. Simplified models speed uprendering, transmission, and searchalgorithms, and reduce storage costs.Our solution involved the developmentof algorithms to reduce thedimensionality of the 3D models, thusreducing the difficulty of the samplingproblem.”

Recent graduates fromthe group have goneon to positions inindustry (e.g. EADS),government positions(e.g. Office forNational Statistics)and university facultypositions.


PhD, MRes and University Graduate College

PhDPhD study at Cardiff follows three yearprogrammes which aim to provide you withthe ability to produce original, novel andsignificant research findings in your chosenarea. We welcome applications withproposals related to any of our researchareas. Examples of potential projects canbe found at www.cs.cf.ac.uk/research

Although individual PhD projects can followdiverse paths, they generally have acommon overall structure. Usually your firstyear involves an in-depth review ofliterature and preliminary investigations todevelop and refine your research plan. Byyour second year you should haveformulated a clear problem or hypothesisto study, and can plan an appropriateapproach to demonstrate your theory.Typically your final year is spent producingexperimental results to validate yourproposed approach and writing your thesis,which you will defend in a viva.

Each student in the School is guided bysupervisors with relevant interests andexpertise that is internationally recognisedin their field. Annual poster andpresentation events for our PhD studentsallow you to develop your presentationskills and gain valuable feedback on yourwork, and we encourage and support yourparticipation in national and internationalconferences over the course of your study.Throughout your PhD you are given theopportunity to develop your technical,communication and project managementskills via a range of available taughtcourses. The School has an excellent

environment for postgraduate students,with well-equipped modern laboratoriesand a vibrant community of students, bothacademically and socially.

At the end of your PhD programme, youwill have demonstrated your ability as anindependent researcher, and will be ideallyprepared to pursue a career in academiaor industry.

MResOur one year MRes programmes aredesigned for those who are interested inpursuing a research career, but are unsureof which topic to pursue or feel the needto first strengthen their research skills.As such, they give you the opportunity todevelop the necessary skills to conductand publish internationally recognisedresearch while also exploring contemporarytopics and techniques in order to refineyour research interests.

In contrast to our taught MSc programmes,over half of your time will be spentundertaking a substantial research projectof your choice with regular individualsupervision. Although you will specialise inone of our research areas, a key elementof the programme is interaction withstudents from different fields and our PhDcohort in order to broaden your awarenessof applicable techniques. For the remainderof your time, as well as choosing advancedmodules from our MSc portfolio, you willfollow modules to develop your criticalreading, research and innovation skills, andgive you an understanding of the levels ofrigour necessary to publish successfully.

At the end of the programme, you will befully prepared for future research, whetherthrough a PhD at Cardiff, elsewhere, or inindustry.

The UniversityGraduate CollegeThe University Graduate Collegesupports the work of our academicSchools and supervisors and enhancesthe experience of postgraduateresearch students by:

� Fostering an intellectuallystimulating environment throughencouraging postgraduate researchstudents to become part of thewider research community;

� Providing a comprehensive,integrated skills developmentprogramme for research students;

� Ensuring a quality researchexperience by working withSchools, supervisors andpostgraduate research students toprovide information and guidancebased on the University’s Code ofPractice for Research Degrees;

� Developing the facilities andservices for postgraduateresearchers.

The formal training available topostgraduate research students isknown as the University GraduateCollege Programme for PostgraduateResearchers.


International Students (Non-EU Countries)

Supporting InternationalStudentsThe University has a long tradition ofwelcoming international students andprides itself on providing a supportiveenvironment. Some of the benefits forinternational students studying at CardiffUniversity include:

� Guaranteed accommodationCardiff is one of few universities thatguarantees accommodation to singleinternational students for the durationof your course, as long as you applythrough the normal admissions cycleand appropriate allocations process.The accommodation is in a variety ofhigh quality student residences whichare close to campus. You can find outmore on the web:www.cardiff.ac.uk/residences

� Help before you arriveThe International Office will send youdetailed information on how to applyfor your visa, travelling to Cardiff andthe other necessary arrangements youwill need to make to prepare forstudying in the UK.

� The induction programmeIn September and January each yearthe International Office organises acomprehensive orientation programmefor new students. In September thisincludes free collection from Cardiffand Heathrow (London) airports.

� International student advisorsIn addition to the support provided byyour School, the University has speciallytrained international student advisors toprovide you with assistance on anyissues including visas and finances.

� International student societiesThe Students’ Union is home to morethan 20 international student societies.The societies run social and culturalevents and organise the annual GoGlobal international culture festival.There is also space within the Students’Union for students to meet and relax.

� International careers adviceThe University’s Careers Service has aCareers Consultant for InternationalStudents, and provides resources tohelp you research career paths andopportunities.

Meet the International Officein your CountryStaff from the International Office alsotravel to more than 30 countries eachyear so you can meet University staff anddiscuss your study options in person.Additionally staff from the School visitvarious countries throughout the year sothere could be an opportunity to meet arepresentative from your academic school.Look at the International Office website:www.cardiff.ac.uk/international for moredetails of where we are travelling, and signup to receive notifications of visits.

Help Making an Applicationin your CountryIn addition to help provided by theInternational Office, you can get assistancefrom the University’s network ofeducational advisors. To find out whetherwe have an educational advisor near you,visit the International Office website andselect your country:www.cardiff.ac.uk/international

English Language RequirementsAll students must have a standard ofwritten and spoken English that will enableyou to benefit fully from lectures, seminarsand tutorials. The English Languagequalifications accepted by the Universityinclude IELTS, and the minimum standardsrequired are listed on the website. You areadvised to check the website for the mostup-to-date information:www.cardiff.ac.uk/postgradapply

Applying to Cardiff University asan International StudentTo apply to Cardiff as an internationalstudent you follow the standard procedureas outlined on page 32. You do, however,have access to additional support from theInternational Office.

The International OfficeAs an international student you haveaccess to a personal and dedicated servicefrom the International Office to help withyour application, and make the transitionto studying at Cardiff. Please contact us.We are here to help.

Further Information:

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 4432

Skype: cardiffuni_international

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cardiffinternational

Web: www.cardiff.ac.uk/international

As an international student you have access to a personal anddedicated service from the International Office to help withyour application, and make the transition to studying atCardiff. Please contact us, we are here to help.


English Language Programmes

Summer Pre-SessionalProgramme in English forAcademic PurposesThese full-time courses of 8 or 10 weeksare designed to prepare you for academicstudy at Cardiff University. They combineintensive English language tuition withadvice and practical exercises onacademic study skills. You learntechniques for listening and note-taking inlectures, discussing ideas and expressingopinions in seminars, succeeding in examsand producing good written work. You willalso have the opportunity to prepare forthe IELTS exam, if needed. The minimumentry requirement for the Pre-SessionalCourse is IELTS 6.0, with a minimum of4.0 in each sub-score.

The English for University StudyProgramme: an AcademicEnglish Language and StudySkills courseThis academic-year programme isdesigned to prepare students for study ata UK university. It is a full-time Englishlanguage and study skills course with entrypoints in September (9-month course),January (6-month course) and April(2-month course). Each entry point has aminimum entry requirement of IELTS 4.0,4.5 and 5.5 respectively.

The programme is suitable for studentswho have applied for, or are planning toapply for, a postgraduate taught orresearch degree in the UK.

The programme aims to improve students’English, allowing them to reach theappropriate level for their chosen academiccourse, and to give them the study skills tofunction successfully within their academicschool. It is designed to improve Englishlanguage ability, increase knowledge ofacademic conventions and provide asmooth progression from English languageimprovement to academic study.

The programme aims to provide studentswith a balance of the following elements:

� An opportunity to improve their generalEnglish skills;

� The necessary exam techniques toachieve the results needed to enter theiracademic school;

� The academic study skills required forsuccessful study in their academic school.

In-Sessional Programme:Support Classes in AcademicEnglish and Study SkillsWorking and studying at an English-speaking university can be verydemanding. Once you are enrolled as a fullfee-paying international student at CardiffUniversity, you can select from a range offree and optional English language supportclasses. You can choose courses to suityour individual needs and, as the coursesrun part-time, you can fit languagedevelopment around your university study.

As well as developing your reading,writing, speaking and listening skills,the courses help you with academicwriting, examination techniques, listeningand speaking, pronunciation, note-takingand seminar skills.

There are also regular writing clinics andworkshops. Some schools have their ownprogrammes of academic study skills forinternational students, specificallydeveloped to meet the needs of aparticular course or subject area.

AccommodationAccommodation for courses is providedin University halls of residence or housesand is guaranteed for pre-sessionalstudents, and English for University Studystudents starting in September.

Additional InformationWe offer small and friendly classes,with a maximum of 14 students. You willfind the teaching material is relevant andapplicable to life in Britain today. We havewell-qualified and experienced staff, whowill offer you regular feedback, support andadvice to make sure that your individuallanguage needs are addressed.

Our courses help students improve their general Englishlanguage skills, as well as develop the specific skills neededfor British academic study. Cardiff University is also an officialBritish Council IELTS Test centre

More online at:

Web: www.cardiff.ac.uk/elt

Funding and Scholarships

Tuition FeesTuition fees vary depending on the courseyou decide to study and whether you areclassified as a home, EU or internationalstudent. You should check our courselisting online for detailed fee informationfor your course.

To make it easier to manage your financesyou can pay in 3 instalments each year.

Cardiff University PostgraduateStudentshipsEach year Cardiff University offers a widerange of funded, competitive studentships.Funding sources for these studentshipsinclude awards made by individualAcademic Schools, the UK ResearchCouncils, collaborations with charities andtrusts, industry and businesses,government departments and other bodies.

Studentships become available throughoutthe year and are published on our websitewhen they become available. There is nouniform application deadline and you areencouraged to follow us on Facebook orTwitter for the latest funding opportunitiesor sign up to our funding email newsletter.

Awards can range in value from partialfunding to full tuition fee support and astipend to cover living costs. You shouldcheck your eligibility for specificstudentships carefully; some are restrictedto UK/EU applicants and others are opento non-EU applicants.

Funding for InternationalPostgraduatesCardiff University's highly prestigiousInternational Scholarship Fund is designedto attract and reward the most deservingand exceptional students to the University.A range of Postgraduate scholarships andbursaries are available. We also adviseinternational students to investigate fundingopportunities offered by their own country,and to check with the British Council.

Cardiff University is a participatinginstitution in the US Government FederalFamily Education Loan Programme(FFELP). US students seeking FederalStafford Loans for overseas study canstudy at Cardiff University.


Securing funding for postgraduate study is an importantconsideration for most students. Most funding sources arehighly competitive and are subject to various applicationdeadlines.

In most cases, you willneed to have receivedan offer of a place tostudy in order toobtain financialsupport, so an earlyuniversity applicationis advisable.

PhD Scholarship in ComputerScience & InformaticsEach year the School is normally able tooffer a full-time 3 year PhD Scholarship inComputer Science & Informatics in one ofthe School's research areas. Thesuccessful candidate will normally receivean annual stipend in line with the currentlyrecommended EPSRC rate (£13,726 perannum in 2013/14), and the School willpay full-time home/EU tuition fees.

The scholarship includes provision of alaptop or desktop computer, and fundsattendance at one national and oneinternational conference during the threeyears of study.

You should check the School’s website tosee what PhD Scholarships are availablefor your preferred point of entry.

Charities, Foundationsand TrustsThere are many charities, foundations andtrusts that may contribute to your studycosts. You will need to apply to theseindividually and often after having receivedan offer to study. Many of these are listedin publications such as The GrantsRegister, the Directory of Grant MakingTrusts and the Graduate ProspectsPostgraduate Funding Guide.

LoansProfessional and Career DevelopmentLoans are the most common loans forvocational postgraduate degrees, but areonly available to UK and EU students whohave lived in the UK for at least three yearsbefore the course starts and plan to workin the UK, EU or European Economic Area(EEA) after the course.

The loan is a deferred repayment bankloan to support further education ortraining that is interest free up to onemonth after the end of your course whenyou start repaying it with interest. You canborrow between £300 and £10,000.

You should apply for your loan up to threemonths before your course starts.

Cardiff University’s Learning ProviderNumber is 8655.

Working alongsidefull-time studyIf you intend to undertake some paidemployment while pursuing full-time study,one option is to register with the UnistaffJobshop. The Jobshop is run by theStudents’ Union, and features casualemployment opportunities in the Universityand surrounding area.

Most international students can work up to20 hours during term-time and full timeduring the holidays. The University doesnot recommend you work the full 20 hoursduring the term because studying in theUK is intensive and you will need to makesure you have enough time to complete allyour coursework and reading.


Application and Entry Requirements


Admissions CriteriaWe welcome applications from computerliterate graduates who have a good honoursdegree, or equivalent professionalqualification in a subject such as ComputerScience or a related subject. We arealways pleased to consider suitablyqualified international applicants.

If your first language is not English youmust provide evidence of competence inEnglish. Our standard requirement is anoverall IELTS score of at least 6.5 with noarea less than 6.0. The University offersEnglish language courses that can help youachieve this.

We are committed to providing equalopportunities and welcome applicationsfrom all sections of the community.

Application procedure –Postgraduate Taught /Masters / MResProgrammes start in September each yearbut applications are considered as theyarrive throughout the year. You apply directlyto the University for a postgraduate taughtcourse. You can apply online atwww.cardiff.ac.uk/postgradapply or youcan download paper application materialsfrom the website. It is recommended thatyou apply online because it is quicker andyou can track your application.

Please feel free to supplement yourapplication with a detailed CV or any othersupporting material you may consider tobe appropriate.

If you have any questions about the courseor the application process please contactthe Admissions Tutor,[email protected]

Application procedure –Postgraduate Research /PhD / MPhilThe application procedure for postgraduateresearch is the same as postgraduatetaught (above), however you will also needto include a research proprosal. You shouldalso make contact with a member ofacademic staff who could act as apotential supervisor to your studies.

To do this:

1 look at the School website to see ifthere is a member of academic staffwho matches your area of research.

2 send the member of staff a short e-mailoutlining your area of interest.

3 mention on your application form whichmember(s) of staff you have contactedregarding your supervision.

If you are unsure whether the School isable to offer supervision for your researchyou can contact us directly:[email protected]

International StudentsThe University recognises qualificationsfrom all over the world. To know if youwould be considered for entry you can:

� look on the website. We have adedicated section for many countries.This will give you an overview ofqualifications we consider:www.cardiff.ac.uk/for/international

� contact the International Office.

� contact an educational adviser. TheUniversity has an international networkof educational advisers (agents) whogive free advice (see the websiteabove for their contact details).

Applying to Cardiff Universityas an international studentTo apply to Cardiff as an internationalstudent you follow the standard procedure.You do, however, have access to additionalsupport as detailed on page 28.

Further Information:


Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 0084

Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 0085


Terms and ConditionsEvery effort has been made to ensure that theinformation contained within this brochure iscorrect at the time of going to press in August2014. However, the University does not accept anyliability for any errors that it may contain, or for anysubsequent changes to the University orGovernment policy that may affect the informationgiven. Cardiff University expressly excludes anyrepresentations or warranties (whether expressedor implied) and all liability including direct, indirect,special, incidental or consequential damagesarising out of the use of the information on thesepages, to the fullest extent possible under law.

COMSCPG/0814/2000

Cardiff University is a registered charity, no. 1136855

This document can also bemade available in large print(text), Braille and on audiotape/CD. To request analternative format,please contactLaura Roberts:Tel: 029 2087 4455Email:[email protected]

This brochure is printed on paper sourced fromsustainably managed sources using vegetable-based inks. Both the paper used in theproduction of this brochure and themanufacturing process are FSC® certified.The printers are also accredited to ISO14001,the internationally recognised environmentalstandard. When you have finished with thisbrochure it can be recycled, but please considerpassing it onto a friend or leaving it in yourcareers library for others to use.

Thank you.

Cardiff School of ComputerScience & InformaticsFor further information contact:Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, 5 The Parade,Roath, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK

Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 4812 Facebook: facebook.com/csicardiffFax: +44 (0)29 2023 4598 Twitter: @csicardiffEmail: [email protected]


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