- Student Records
Programme & Unit Catalogues


CM30072: Safety-critical computer systems

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Computer Science
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment: EX 100%
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: CM30072 Mandatory Extra Work (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To give an appreciation of the current state of safe systems development. To develop an understanding of risk in systems. To give a foundation in hazard analysis models and techniques. To show how safety principles may be built into all stages of the software development process.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course a student should be able to demonstrate the following:
1. An understanding of the nature of risk in developing computer-based systems.
2. The ability to choose and apply appropriate hazard analysis models for simple safety-related problems.
3. An understanding of how to approach the design of safety-critical software systems.

Skills:
IT (T, A).

Content:
The nature of risk: computers and risk; how accidents happen; human error. System safety: historical approaches to system safety; basic concepts and terminology. Managing the development of safety-critical systems. Modeling human error and the accident process. Hazard analysis: basic principles; models and techniques. Safety principles in the software lifecycle: hazard analysis as part of requirements analysis; designing for safety; designing the human-machine interface; verification of safety in computer systems.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

CM30072 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • USCM-AFB01 : BSc Computing (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB01 : BSc Computing (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AFB06 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB07 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB19 : BSc (hons) Computer Science (incl. ab initio Japanese Language & with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AFB09 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB10 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB10 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Business with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB16 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with German Language (with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB16 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with German Language (with Study Year Abroad) (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AKB17 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Spanish Language (with Industrial Placement) (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB17 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Spanish Language (with Study Year Abroad) (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB07 : BSc (hons) Computer Science with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
  • USCM-AFM01 : MComp (hons) Computer Science (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKM02 : MComp (hons) Computer Science (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAM02 : MComp (hons) Computer Science with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4
Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng (hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Full-time) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AKM13 : MEng (hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 5
Department of Mathematical Sciences
  • TSMA-AFM08 : MSc Modern Applications of Mathematics (Full-time)
  • TSMA-AWM14 : MSc Modern Applications of Mathematics (Full-time incorporating placement)
  • TSMA-AFL02 : PG Dip Modern Applications of Mathematics (Full-time)

CM30072 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Computer Science
  • USCM-AFB11 : BSc (hons) Computer Information Systems (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USCM-AKB12 : BSc (hons) Computer Information Systems (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USCM-AAB12 : BSc (hons) Computer Information Systems with Study Year Abroad (Full-time with Study Year Abroad) - Year 4

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/4 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.