Advanced Project Course: Secure Distributed and Embedded Systems, 6 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Computer Science and Engineering, M Sc in Engineering
• Information Technology, M Sc in Engineering
• Computer Science and Software Engineering, M Sc in Engineering
• Computer Science, Master's programme

Entry requirements

Note: Admission requirements for non-programme students usually also include admission requirements for the programme and threshold requirements for progression within the programme, or corresponding.

Prerequisites

The course expects the student to have applied project management models in previous courses or other context. The student should also have acquired knowledge equivalent to basic courses in one the profiles "Secure systems” or ”Computer systems”, or in one of the specializations ”Embedded systems” or ”Networks, distributed systems and security” in the area covered by the project.

Intended learning outcomes

The project should have significant technical level that requires in-depth subject knowledge in at least one of the subjects networks, distributed systems, security or embedded systems. The project should be carried out in a professional manner, and should develop and consolidate the participants' skills in the area of specialization.

• Analyze and structure problems in the area of specialization.
• Apply knowledge and methods from a wide range of previous courses in the area of specialization.
• Independently acquire new knowledge, as required by the project.
• Integrate knowledge from many disciplines and apply them in the context of the area of specialization.
• Formulate a requirement specification for the project based on a project directive and thereby assess the feasibility of the project in terms of technical solutions and available resources.
• Present the project results for the client as well as for other students, which can not be presumed to be specialists in the techniques used.
• Actively contribute to a well functioning project group.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead the project work with the support of a project model, and with limited access to supervisory resources.
• Plan, implement and monitor a project in the area of specialization.

The result of the project work should:

• Attain high technical quality and be based on modern knowledge and practices in the relevant field of technology.
• Be documented in relevant project documents and relevant technical documentation.
• Be presented orally.
• Meet the requirements stated in the specification.

Course content

Description of the projects, with project directives, are available on the course website. The projects will be closely linked to either ongoing research within the field of computer science or to companies active in this field. Examples could be develop a wide-area sensor data collection system, distributed system evaluation on Planetlab testbed or with cluster simulations, design and implementation of identity- and software-defined networks, or analysis of flight communication systems.
The nature of the projects may change from year to year.

Teaching and working methods

The project, which is formed according to directive given later, should consist of at approximately six students. Each group will be assigned a supervisor, who will support the group in its work and answer technical questions. For each project, there is a client with whom the project team negotiates a specification. Before project work begins, the project team should create appropriate project management documents for the project. 

For each instance of the course, the examiner will present a set of project proposals. Assignment of projects to student groups is based both on their aptitude and their wishes. For each proposal there is a project charter forming the basis for further work. The project begins with the project team developing a requirements specification and relevant project management documentation for their project. The projects should be conducted according to an appropriate development model, selected by the team.
The course runs over the entire autumn semester.

Examination

Grades

Department

Director of Studies or equivalent

Examiner

Education components

Course literature

Additional literature

Other

• Specific to the project