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MSc Independent Study Option (11/12)

The purpose of the individual study options on the MSc is to introduce a larger element of independent study and research into the curriculum. Students considering the possibility of doing a PhD after their MSc can identify an area of interest and a potential supervisor, and begin work that can contribute directly to a PhD programme. The scheme is also open to students who may wish to follow a career in industrial research, or to those who wish to develop the skill of self-directed learning. Potentially ISO work can be continued and expanded in the individual project giving students a better start on a PhD programme than was previously possible.

MSc in Advanced Computing and MSc in Computing (Specialism) students can optionally take an ISO in Term 2. An ISO is equivalent to one optional course. The expectation is that each ISO will represent around 80 hours work. The format of the ISO is flexible. A member of staff will supervise each ISO, and will be expected to agree a plan for the technical content and the assessment, and to see the student for around half an hour each week to discuss work in progress. Students cannot be guaranteed to find an academic staff member who wants to supervise their ISO.

Normally an ISO will contain a major element of directed reading. This can be in the form of either advanced textbooks or research papers. There can also be a practical element of independent research. Normally the end product of an ISO will be a short, well-focused dissertation (20-30 pages) on an advanced topic in computer science.

The assessment of an ISO will be carried out by the supervisor and a second marker, and will normally involve a presentation with time for discussion. The grades will be A*, A, B, C, D and Fail. Grades A* and A will be only awarded if the work goes beyond a literature survey of a research field.

Procedure for choosing ISO projects

Students can either choose from the suggestions provided by staff in the CATE projects portal, or propose their own project in CATE. In either case, it is the responsibility of the student to find a supervisor willing to supervise the project.

The student must select a project that they are interested in in CATE and then arrange a meeting with the potential supervisor to discuss the project. By the project allocation deadlines listed below, the student must ensure that two things have happened:

• After discussing an ISO project, a supervisor must have marked the student as 'Seen' in CATE and also put down his willingness to supervise the student in CATE. (I suggest to remind the prospective supervisor to do this at the end of the meeting.) Note that this can only be done after the student has selected the project in CATE.
• The student must have marked the agreed project as his or her first choice in CATE.

Procedure for submitting ISO reports

By the deadlines listed below, ISO reports should be submitted electronically in PDF format via CATE, together with two hardcopies. The hardcopies (for the supervisor and second marker) should be handed in at the Student Admin Office (Huxley Room 345). Please make sure that your report uses an 11pt font size with single line spacing. The pages should be securely stapled together and printed on double-sided A4 paper with 2 cm margins.

Presentations

You will report on your ISO through a presentation towards the end of May (roughly the first week after the exams finish, and the fourth week of summer term). A timetable will appear here, and you will be informed about your slot through email. Please ensure that you and your supervisor agree with your slot. The slots may still change, so please check regularly.

Each slot is 40 minutes, containing of 15-25 minutes of presentation followed by questions and discussion. Make sure you do not run overtime, and give sufficient detail of the actual work you did and what your ISO focussed on. It is best to should discuss the exact structure of your presentation with your supervisor.

You can either bring your own laptop for the presentation, but there will be a machine available that can display Powerpoint and PDF files.

ISO Timetable

Spring Term 09/10 (Term 2):

ISO allocation deadline	16:00 on January, 13th 2012 (Friday)
ISO report deadline	16:00 on May, 4th 2012 (Friday)
ISO presentations	Week 4 of Summer Terms, after exams

Slides from Introduction talks

Here are the slides from the ISO introduction event:

If you have any questions, please email me at (svbxdocyicyacyuk)[@/x,./y].

Steffen van Bakel

(Document based on one prepared by Peter Pietzuch)