Our MSc in Software Solutions Architecture is a part-time programme delivered over 2 years. It equips learners with the very latest architecture skills needed to move forward in their careers. The programme covers a number of cutting-edge areas including Human Dynamics, IT Architecture Design and Architecture in Practice.
In the final semester, participants will complete their major research project. In this article we’re going to discuss the research project in a little more detail so you get a good handle on what lies ahead…..
Idea Generation
Prior to beginning the research project, participants will complete a Research Methods module. This will help them formulate their initial research idea.
Learners may pick a topic of their own choice, they might want to work on a suggested topic from the organisation they work for, or discuss ideas with the academics to create a research topic.
Participants will need to consider cutting edge areas where they have identified a problem and be ready to carry out a practical investigation into the problem.
The aim is to select a niche topic area that is of particular interest to the learner and an area they wish to specialise in. Primary research will then be conducted; this could include interviews with industry professionals and typically includes testing or evaluating software or hardware. For instance, comparing Solution A with Solution B with Solution C – and identifying the best solution to tackle the problem.
Research Topic Areas
There’s a wide range of suitable topic areas – anything that’s related to Software Solutions Architecture. Previous research projects have covered:
- Software Architecture
- Infrastructure Architecture
- Data Architecture
- Software Development Processes
- Cloud Computing
- Security
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Research Paper Publication
The aim is for participants to have their research paper published once their projects are finished. Learners will work one to one with their supervisor to complete a dissertation of approximately 15,000 words. From here a smaller research paper will be formed – this is essentially a synopsis of the larger dissertation. The research paper will then be submitted to a variety of publications and conferences for peer review.
David Jackson, a graduate from last year, has been invited to present his findinsg at a conference in Zurich in December 2018. David’s project entitled “Serverless Functions: Impact of Language Runtime on Performance and Cost” focuses on the public cloud. Serverless is a form of cloud computing that is highly scalable, event-driven and supports many programming languages. The research compared two vendors platforms AWS Lambda and Azure Functions and analysed their speeds. David compared and contrasted each platform to see how fast they were for certain types of applications and a range of languages and to see how speed might impact on cost.
More Questions?
If there’s anything else, you’d like to know we’d love to hear from you. We are also accepting applications and you can apply now by completing this short form. You should note the closing date for applications is 30th November and the programme commences in January 2019.