Pre-Master's in Science and Computing

The Academic English Skills course teaches students the specific academic language skills they need to develop for success at Cardiff University. The course focuses on receptive (listening and reading) and productive (speaking and writing) skills through practice in semi and authentic task-based activities which build a strong foundation in preparation for each student's future studies. This critical module places particular emphasis on developing academic reading and research skills; research-based writing along with presentation and seminar speaking skills.

This is a mathematics module for students progressing to department of computer science at Cardiff University.  The module provides a platform for students from different educational backgrounds to build their mathematical skills in preparation for their studies in a Master’s degree level. Students will develop a solid understanding of mathematical principles and concepts essential for science and engineering. They will acquire the ability to apply a range of mathematical methods using analytical methods and computational tools in Python.

This is a core module for students progressing to the department of computer science at Cardiff University. Learners from different background will be introduced to the programming environment in PyCharm as a beginner and they will build up Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) skills to an advanced level in imperative programming paradigm. Students will develop teamwork, document version control, communication skills, and working effectively as an individual and as part of a team. The module offers a platform for students to extend their programming skills as part of a project in the context of computing and engineering and collaborate with other team members in planning, design and development of the project. Students will use PyCharm, a professional Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to write, debug and test Python codes. Students will collaborate on development of a given project and they will design a poster and present their solution to an audience at the end of the module.

This is a core module for all Pre-Masters students progressing onto Business, Computer Sciences, Social Science or Humanities degrees. Students entering into Master’s programmes in these fields will need to have a strong background in evaluating and conducting primary research. This module provides students with the foundation required to engage with primary research at a postgraduate level. Students on these pathways will develop essential skills necessary to effectively design, execute and report on academic research, introducing and reinforcing knowledge and skills relevant to the Research Project module.

Conducting independent research is a requirement for many postgraduate courses, while project management skills are much sought-after in the world of work. As such, Research Project has been established as a core module for all Pre-Masters students progressing onto Business, Computer Sciences, Social Science or Humanities degrees. This module provides students with an authentic experience of academic research in their discipline. Students will have the opportunity to build a “researcher identity” by formulating a robust research methodology, carrying out original research in their field, and gaining first-hand experience of the research process (including managing the supervisor-supervisee relationship and engaging in meaningful discussion within the postgraduate community).

Research and data analysis are vital tools in understanding the world and making informed decisions about it. On this module, students will investigate methodological issues and the role of statistical analysis in academic research. In doing so, they will explore quantitative and qualitative research methods with an aim of locating the usefulness of statistics. They will learn about concepts and principles of statistics, probability and data analysis, developing a valuable foundation for both primary and secondary research projects.