Computer Science, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth University of Wales
C380(h)* - The Professional Engineer in Society
Brief Description
This module covers a range of non-technical issues - legal,
financial, managerial and organisational - with which a professional
software engineer should be familiar. Although the topics are
applicable more widely than simply to software engineering, they are
taught in that context. The module is not therefore suitable for
students from other disciplines. The module is an obligatory part of
the BEng and MEng degree schemes in Software Engineering and of the
BSc schemes in Computer Science and Computer Science with a European
Language.
Long thin module
Aims, Objectives, Syllabus, Booklist
Further Details
- Number of lectures
- 20
- Number of seminars/tutorials
- 4
- Number of practicals
- 0
- Coordinator
- Dr. Fred Long
- Other staff involved
- Not yet known
- Pre-requisites
- None
- Co-requisites
-
CS33210
or by arrangement with the department
- Incompatibilities
- None
- Assessment
- Assessed coursework - 100%
- Timing
- This module extends over both Term 1 and Term 2
Aims
The aims of this module are to familiarise students with
relevant non-technical aspects of the environment in which they are
likely to be working after they graduate. In particular, it aims to
give them an appreciation of relevant topics in:
-
company organisation;
-
finance and accounting;
-
intellectual property rights;
-
health, safety and liability;
-
human resource management.
Objectives
On successful completion of this module, students should understand:
-
the structure of the engineering profession and the role
of professional institutions;
-
the concept of a limited company and its financial
structure;
-
management styles and structure;
-
the basis of financial and management accounting;
-
intellectual property rights as they affect the computer
industry;
-
relevant aspects of industrial relations;
-
safety, health and environmental requirements.
Syllabus
-
Organisations and their Structures - 3 Lectures
-
Limited companies, private and public; partnerships; sole traders.
Special features of limited companies; responsibilities of directors.
Functional organisation and product line organisation. Centralised and
decentralised
organisations. Management styles. Management by objectives.
-
Company Finance - 5 Lectures
-
The need for capital; investment and working capital; sources of funds;
equity capital and loan
capital. Cash flow and its importance.
Costing: fixed costs and variable costs; overheads; opportunity costs;
depreciation. Problems of
cost allocation. Budgeting.
Financial accounts: balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, sources and
application of funds.
Assessment of capital investment. Discounted cash flow analysis.
-
Intellectual Property Rights - 4 Lectures
-
The law relating to copyright, patents and trademarks.
-
Health, Safety and Environmental Requirements - 5 Lectures
-
-
Industrial Relations - 2 Lectures
-
-
The Engineering Profession - 1 Lecture
-
The structure of the engineering profession, both in the UK and abroad.
Professional codes of
conduct and codes of practice.
Booklist
Students are likely to need ready access to the following
-
M.F. Bott, J.A. Coleman, J. Eaton, and D. Rowland.
Professional Issues in Software Engineering.
Pitman, 1991.
Version 2.2
Syllabus
Nigel Hardy Departmental Advisor
nwh@aber.ac.uk
Dept of Computer Science, UW Aberystwyth (disclaimer)