Programme Specification (2023-24)

Programme Information

Programme Title Programme Code HECoS Code

For Registry Use

Advanced Computing G5UO
Only

Total Credits
Award Length of Study Mode of Study Entry Point(s)
ECTS CATS

1 Calendar Year (12 Annually in

MSc Full-time 90 180
months) October

PG Diploma N/A N/A N/A 60 120

PG Certificate N/A N/A N/A 30 60

The PG Certificate and PG Diploma are exit awards and are not available for entry. You must apply to and join
the MSc.

Ownership

Imperial College
Awarding Institution Faculty Faculty of Engineering
London

Imperial College
Teaching Institution Department Computing
London

Diploma of Imperial Main Location(s) of South Kensington

Associateship
College (DIC) Study Campus

External Reference

QAA Subject Benchmark Statement:

Relevant QAA Benchmark Statement(s) and/or other www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-
external reference points statements/computing

FHEQ Level Level 7 – Master’s

EHEA Level 2nd Cycle

External Accreditor(s) (if applicable)

External Accreditor 1: N/A

Accreditation received: N/A Accreditation renewal: N/A

Collaborative Provision

Collaborative partner Collaboration type Agreement effective Agreement expiry date

date

N/A N/A N/A N/A

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Specification Details

Programme Lead Dr Anandha Gopalan

Student cohorts covered by specification 2023-24 entry

Date of introduction of programme Pre 2000

Date of programme specification/revision August 2023

Programme Overview

The MSc in Advanced Computing is a well-established degree aimed at students who have a substantial
background in computing, and who want to study advanced computing concepts and technologies in more
depth.

The degree enables graduates to develop and master skills in a broad range of advanced computing concepts
and technologies. Participants are given liberty to tailor the programme to their own needs and interest whilst
engaging in modules delivered by world-renowned subject experts. Modules range from blockchain to quantum
computing, from formal program analysis to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It is expected that the
modules build upon knowledge gained in a good first degree in computer science. The expectation of graduates
is that this course enables them to have rewarding careers in computing or in a profession that has computing
as a core component. About 50 students undertake the degree programme each year.

The programme is taken over 12 months, full-time, with a single entry point per year in October. In the Autumn
and Spring terms, timetable permiting, you will study modules from a very large range (approximately 20 per
term) of taught electives. This high level of choice will allow you to extend and deepen your knowledge in the
areas of computing that fit best with your individual background and interests. To further enhance the flexibility
and research proximity of the programme, you will have the option of replacing one taught elective with the
Independent Study Option (ISO) module. The ISO, which is only available on the MSc programme, involves
individual study of an advanced topic selected by you, under the supervision of a member of staff, culminating in
a written report and presentation. The remainder of the degree, from May to September, is devoted to a major
individual project, resulting in a written dissertation and oral presentation. The Individual project selection allows
you to meet with supervisors proposing the projects and then make an informed decision. The projects are
proposed on our internal system and students can see them and accordingly select them before meeting the
supervisors to discuss the projects with them.

You will be taught by leading academic staff who are experts in their fields, and whose research has been
recognised to be at the forefront of current advances in computer science. The teaching is also well-recognised
to be informed by this research. The programme is delivered in the world-leading Department of Computing at
Imperial College London. The Department has leading research groups in Programming Languages, Artificial
Intelligence, Software Engineering, Data Science, Theory and Algorithms and Visual Computing. Many groups
and members of our research staff are at the forefront of research in their respective fields: 56% of the research
in the Department of Computing ranked at 4*, for “Quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance
and rigour” in the last Research Excellence Framework exercise. The department has many collaborations with
other faculties at Imperial, and leading international institutions, as well as with industry. We also house dedicated
research centres, including the Dyson Robotics Lab, the Data Science Institute, the Centre for Integrative
Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, the Hamlyn Centre for Medical Image Computing and Robotics, and more.
You will be sent some pre-sessional material as necessary to help you get started. In terms of selecting the
electives, you have the choice to attend the initial lectures before making your choice much later.

Graduates of the MSc in Advanced Computing have gone on to work in leading companies such as Microsoft,
Amazon, DeepMind, Facebook, Google, and Twitter; many have also progressed to PhD research at Imperial
and elsewhere. A graduate of the department recently had his company valued at $1 billion, and two other
graduates sold their AI startup to Twitter for $150 million.

Throughout the year, leading companies visit the department to give presentations on the Applications of
Computing in Industry. These are on a broad range of industrially-relevant topics including AI, Data Science,
Programming Languages, Natural Language Processing and Software Engineering. We pride ourselves in
presenting great opportunity to learn about the relevance and application of what you are studying, and speak
directly with people working on industrial applications. We also have dedicated extracurricular tutorials and
seminars on computing from guest speakers.

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Usually, software packages required to undertake this degree programme are accessible to all students through
the department's laboratories and College's Software Hub. However, you may need to purchase personalised
hardware/software tools to cater for your individual preferences and project(s). We use digital technology to bring
further benefits to our education programmes, drawing from investments made and skills gained during the
pandemic. We deliver our education as a useful blend of face-to-face and digital learning. This will also prepare
our students well for a more hybrid work culture of the future.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the programme you will have acquired the following abilities.

On achieving the PG Certificate:

1. To translate abstract and mathematical concepts into computer-based solutions for practical problems;
2. To effectively use state-of-the-art computing tools and techniques;
3. To develop and test software solutions to computational problems using a variety of programming
languages and paradigms.

On achieving the PG Diploma, ILOs 1-3 above, and:

4. To apply mathematical methods and scientific reasoning to novel computing-related problems;

5. To design and engineer solutions to advanced computational problems using knowledge of multiple
specialist areas of computer science and engineering;
6. To plan and conduct a programme of original research and software development;
7. To communicate effectively through technical oral presentations and written reports.

On achieving the MSc, ILOs 1-7 above, and:

8. To develop computer-based systems in a manner that respects relevant legal, social, ethical and other
professional practices;
9. To adapt, integrate and transfer methods and skills between established fields and emerging trends in
computing;
10. To organise and successfully implement study of advanced research level information, from diverse
sources, both within instructor-led and research-based educational settings;
11. To devise and conduct practical experiments in order to push the boundaries of understanding in
computer science and its application across disciplines.

The Imperial Graduate Attributes are a set of core competencies which we expect students to achieve through
completion of any Imperial College degree programme. The Graduate Attributes are available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-attributes

Entry Requirements

1st class honours in a subject with a substantial computing component.

Academic Requirement This requirement ensures an ideal amount of preparedness to complete
the MSc

Non-academic Requirements N/A

Higher requirement (PG)

English Language Requirement
Please check for other Accepted English Qualifications

Admissions Test/Interview N/A

The programme’s competency standards documents can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/computing/prospective-students/courses/competence/

Learning & Teaching Approach

Teaching
You will be taught through a combination of interactive sessions, lectures, team-based learning, tutorials,
computer laboratory sessions, guest lectures, and individual project meetings. Module lecturers employ a variety

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of these teaching methods, depending on the content of the module. A typical module might combine teaching
in lectures with tutorial sessions supported by the lecturer and their tutorial assistants. Tutorial sessions can
involve practical coding tasks (run in our extensive computer laboratories), written exercises, or discussion
groups.

Assessed coursework
Most modules set assessed coursework. This is sometimes to be completed in groups, and sometimes individual.
It may consist of practical coding tasks, or written exercises, or a combination of the two. The portion of a
module’s final grade which is determined by assessed coursework is normally 20% but can be up to 100%,
depending on the assessment strategy employed.

Individual project
The degree includes a substantial individual research project, which runs from mid-May to mid-September. The
research project can be conducted with academics in the Department of Computing, or within other departments
at Imperial College. Some students also elect to do a research project in collaboration with industry, jointly
supervised by an academic in the Department of Computing. The project is evaluated with a final report and
presentation.

Independent learning
Students are expected to spend significant time on independent study outside of face-to-face contact time. This
will typically include accessing resources online, reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the
library, reviewing lecture notes and watching lecture recordings, working on the individual project, working on
coursework assignments and revising for exams.

Overall Workload
Your overall workload consists of face-to-face sessions and independent learning. While your actual contact
hours may vary according to the elective modules you choose to study, the following gives an indication of how
much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the programme. At Imperial, each ECTS
credit taken equates to an expected total study time of 25 hours. Therefore, the expected total study time is 2250
hours.

Typically, you will spend in the order of 12.5% of your time on lectures, tutorials, and similar; and in the order of
87.5% of your time on independent study.

Assessment Strategy

Assessment Methods

You can expect a variety of different types of assessment methods.

Written assessment
• Coursework exercises
• Reports on practical coding
• Short-form written answers
• Essays
• Written examinations
• Report writing
• Peer assessment reports

Programming
• Programming coursework (for taught modules)
• Programming examination

Oral assessment
• Oral presentations

Modules provide a range of formative activities to allow you to test and develop your understanding of the subject,
and the ways you are expected to demonstrate the intended learning outcomes, before you complete the
summative assessments that count towards your final mark. Formative activities include tutorial exercises, coding
tasks, quizzes, and worked in-class problems supported by discussion. There is summative assessment during
and/or at the end of each module. Summative assessments demonstrate that you have met the intended learning
outcomes for each module and contribute towards your achievement of the programme learning outcomes,
detailed above.

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Balance of assessment
The percentages below are based on a typical pathway through the course and have been rounded to the nearest
whole number.

Assessed coursework 20%

Examinations (practical and written) 30%
Individual project 50%

Academic Feedback Policy

Feedback on formative exercises may be given in various forms. Automatic testing is commonly provided for
programming exercises, both as files that you can run in a development environment and through the
department's online pre-submission testing system. For both programming exercises and written problems,
model solutions are commonly provided after the work is submitted. These can be used for self-assessment but
will also be the subject of in-class group discussion. More individualised discussion is available during tutorial
sessions and via online forums for each module.

For summative work, the department operates in accordance with the College policy on academic feedback, and
procedures are consistent across all taught Computing programmes. Feedback will normally be provided on
coursework within two weeks of submission. This will be in
the form of, for example:

1. Marked-up coursework, laboratory exercises or tests

2. Personal discussion
3. Discussions in small-group tutorials
4. Verbal presentation, e.g. during or after lectures
5. Written class-wide summaries

Feedback on exams is provided in two forms: (i) numerically, as individual interim marks subject to ratification
(approval) by the Board of Examiners; and (ii) in written form, as non-individual summary feedback on individual
questions. In July you will also receive feedback on which degree grade (Pass, Merit, Distinction) you are on
track for. Further, selected examination questions are routinely set as formative and/or summative assessments
in later years, with model answers provided.

The College’s Policy on Academic Feedback and guidance on issuing provisional marks to students is available
at: www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-and-assessment/

Re-sit Policy

One resit is allowed per module, usually on the next occasion that the module is examined. Determinations of
results and mitigating circumstances will follow college policies and the academic regulations.

The College’s Policy on Re-sits is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-

students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/

Mitigating Circumstances Policy

The College’s Policy on Mitigating Circumstances is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-

data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/

Additional Programme Costs

This section should outline any additional costs relevant to this programme which are not included in students’
tuition fees.

Description Mandatory/Optional Approximate cost

Personalised hardware/software tools to cater for individual

Optional N/A
preferences and project(s).

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Important notice: The Programme Specifications are the result of a large curriculum and pedagogy reform
implemented by the Department and supported by the Learning and Teaching Strategy of Imperial College London.
The modules, structure and assessments presented in this Programme Specification are correct at time of
publication but might change as a result of student and staff feedback and the introduction of new or innovative
approaches to teaching and learning. You will be consulted and notified in a timely manner of any changes to this
document.

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 Programme Structure 1

FHEQ Level 7

You will study 9 electives plus the (core) individual project.

Core/
Code Module Title Compulsory/ Group Term Credits
Elective

MSc Advanced Computing Individual Core

COMP70073 - Summer 45
Project

COMP70004 Advanced Computer Security Elective - Spring 5

COMP70005 Complexity Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70006 Computational Finance Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70015 Mathematics for Machine Learning Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70018 Privacy Engineering Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70020 Program Analysis Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70022 Scalable Systems and Data Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70023 Scalable Software Verification Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70028 Reinforcement Learning Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70074 Prolog Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70050 Introduction to Machine Learning Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70068 Scheduling and Resource Allocation Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70072 Independent Study Option Elective - Spring 5

COMP70021 Quantum Computing Elective - Spring 5

COMP70001 Advanced Computer Graphics Elective - Spring 5

COMP70007 Computational Optimisation Elective - Spring 5

COMP70009 Cryptography Engineering Elective - Spring 5

COMP70010 Deep Learning Elective - Spring 5

COMP70014 Machine Learning for Imaging Elective - Spring 5

COMP70016 Natural Language Processing Elective - Spring 5

COMP70017 Principles of Distributed Ledgers Elective - Autumn 5

Probabilistic Inference (not running in Spring

COMP70019 Elective - 5
2023-24)

1 Core modules are those which serve a fundamental role within the curriculum, and for which achievement of the credits for that mod5ule is
essential for the achievement of the target award. Core modules must therefore be taken and passed in order to achieve that named a5ward.
Compulsory modules are those which are designated as necessary to be taken as part of the programme syllabus. Compulsory modules can
be compensated. Elective modules are those which are in the same subject area as the field of study and are offered to students in order to
offer an element of choice in the curriculum and from which students are able to select. Elective modules can be compensated.

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COMP70024 Software Reliability Elective - Spring 5

COMP70025 Software Engineering for Industry Elective - Autumn 5

Knowledge Representation (not running in Spring

COMP70030 Elective - 5
2023-24)

COMP70031 Modal Logic for Strategic Reasoning in AI Elective - Spring 5

COMP70067 Robot Learning Elective - Spring 5

COMP70086 Advanced Computer Architecture Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70058 Computer Vision Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70090 Graphics Elective - Spring 5

COMP70070 Custom Computing Elective - Spring 5

COMP70071 Distributed Algorithms Elective - Spring 5

COMP70082 Network and Web Security Elective - Spring 5

COMP70075 System Performance Engineering Elective - Spring 5

Logic-Based Learning (not running in Spring

COMP70093 Elective - 5
2023-24)

COMP70100 Computational Neurodynamics Elective - Autumn 5

COMP70105 Deep Graph-Based Learning Elective - Spring 5

COMP70101 Human-Robot Interaction Elective - Autumn 5

Methods and Tools in the Theory of Spring

COMP70098 Elective - 5
Computing

COMP70103 Statistical Information Theory Elective - Autumn 5

Credit Total 90

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Progression and Classification

Award of a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate certificate you must have:
1. accumulated credit to the value of no fewer than 30 ECTS credits at Level 7 or above.

Award of a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate diploma you must have:
1. accumulated credit to the value of no fewer than 60 ECTS credits at Level 7 or above;
2. no more than 10 credits as a result of compensated passes.

Award of a Masters Degree

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate degree you must have:
1. accumulated credit to the value of no fewer than 90 ECTS credits at level 7 or above;
2. no more than 15 credits as a result of compensated passes;
3. met any specific requirements for an award as outlined in the approved programme specification for
that award.

Classification of Postgraduate Taught Awards

The College sets the class of Degree that may be awarded as follows:

• Distinction: 70.00% or above.

• Merit: 60.00% or above but less than 70.00%.
• Pass: 50.00% or above but less than 60.00%.

For a Masters, your classification will be determined through the Programme Overall Weighted Average and
the designated dissertation or final major project module meeting the threshold for the relevant classification
band.

Your degree algorithm provides an appropriate and reliable summary of your performance against the
programme learning outcomes. It reflects the design, delivery, and structure of your programme without unduly
over-emphasising particular aspects.

Programme Specific Regulations

N/A

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Supporting Information

The Programme Handbook is available from the department.

The Module Handbook is available from the department.

The College’s entry requirements for postgraduate programmes can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/apply/postgraduate-taught/entry-requirements/

The College’s Quality & Enhancement Framework is available at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/qualityassurance

The College’s Academic and Examination Regulations can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations

Imperial College is an independent corporation whose legal status derives from a Royal Charter granted under
Letters Patent in 1907. In 2007 a Supplemental Charter and Statutes was granted by HM Queen Elizabeth II.
This Supplemental Charter, which came into force on the date of the College's Centenary, 8th July 2007,
established the College as a University with the name and style of "The Imperial College of Science,
Technology and Medicine".
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/secretariat/college-governance/charters/

Imperial College London is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS)

www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/the-register/

This document provides a definitive record of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes
that you may reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if you take full advantage of the learning
opportunities provided. This programme specification is primarily intended as a reference point for prospective
and current students, academic and support staff involved in delivering the programme and enabling student
development and achievement, for its assessment by internal and external examiners, and in subsequent
monitoring and review.

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