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MRes in Advanced Computing: Is it for you?. MRes Advanced Computing Year 2012/2013. Krysia Broda Coordinator - MRes Advanced Computing kb@imperial.ac.uk. MRes in a Nutshell. To give interested students a taste of research practice More in-depth individual study May lead into PhD.
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MRes in Advanced Computing:Is it for you? MRes Advanced Computing Year 2012/2013 Krysia BrodaCoordinator - MRes Advanced Computing kb@imperial.ac.uk
MRes in a Nutshell • To give interested students a taste of research practice • More in-depth individual study • May lead into PhD
Differences from MAC • You take 4 taught courses, not 8 • You must do 1 or 2 Research Projects • Either one project per term or single joint project • Effectively count as 4 courses in total • Research seminar course (Term 2) • Graduate School research skills courses
Switch to the MRes if... • You want depth more than breadth • There’s a subject area you want to specialise in • Use Research projects to focus on specific topics • You are happy with a more open-ended course of study • Research projects are driven by you! • You are happy to study by reading in a self-guided way • Research projects include state-of-the-art survey • You are contemplating the possibility of a PhD
Take the MAC if... • You prefer breadth over depth • You prefer a more directed course of study • (However, the ISO in Term 2 gives you an opportunity for independent study...) • You are contemplating the possibility of a PhD
The MRes is not “better” than the MAC • It’s just a (rather) different style of course • Both are an appropriate preparation for a PhD (as are our other MSc courses)
Element 1: Taught Courses • You take 4 taught courses in Terms 1 and 2. • At most 1 course for assessment from the restricted listFariba gave you this morning: • Advanced Computer Architecture • Advanced Databases • Complex Systems • Custom Computing • Machine Learning • Network Security • Type Systems for Programming Languages • At most 1 from • Software Engineering for Industry • Prolog
Element 2: Research Projects (RPs) • To acquire individual research skills, explore potential research areas, contribute to the field and (maybe) get to know your future PhD supervisor... • Directed in-depth individual research • Must include original work • Warning: RPs are hard work and can have hidden snags • You’re expected to spend two days a week on them • You must do 1 large or 2 smaller RPs • Single large project supervised by two supervisors • Interim assessment after Term 1; full assessment after Term 2 • Two smaller projects involve two supervisors • Assessments after Terms 1 and 2 • In both cases you'll produce a poster in term 2
Element 2: Research Project Allocation • MRes students need to fix the 1st RP by • October 12th 2012 (Friday) • A list of supervisors and research areas from http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/computing/teaching/pg/mresadv/ 2. Also check out academics web pages and research groups http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/computing/research/ 3. Email potential supervisors and arrange meetings • Discuss and agree on a RP
Element 2: Research Project Allocation This will only work after you have officially transferred to the MRes course. • MRes students need to fix the 1st RP by • October 12th 2012 (Friday) 4. Go to CATE: https://cate.doc.ic.ac.uk • Click on the “Projects Portal” icon • Click on “Admin” button for MRes Research Project (First) • Add a new “student proposed” project description 5. Email your supervisor to accept your project on CATE 10
Element 2: Research Proposal • Research proposals on CATE should include the following headings: • Problem Statement • What is the research problem that will be addressed? • State of the Art • Is this an unsolved problem? What did other people do? • Provide some pointers to existing research literature • Key Research Idea • What is the new approach that may solve the problem? • Research Work Plan • How will you go about doing the research?
Element 2: Research Project Assessment • Term 1 RP submission deadline: Jan 11th 2013 (Friday) • Assessment by supervisor and second marker • Written project/interim report • Oral examination • Project presentation • Project demonstration • Open Q&A • Feedback session after assessment • Not about marks but about points to improve • More information under research project assessment at: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/computing/teaching/pg/mresadv/projects
Element 3: Research seminar course • Runs in Term 2…… – You’ll gain experience in critically reading research papers • what is good? is the abstract appropriate? • have the authors evaluated their work? • have they cited related work? – not necessarily in your area of expertise – it aims to improve your own report writing skills – involves discussion groups – 1 or 2 papers each week – for one you present the paper and lead the discussion and write a report – for others you summarise in a short paragraph
Element 4: Research Skills Courses • To develop transferable skills relevant for research • Offered by Graduate School (GS) transferable skills • (see http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool) • You need to take at least 2 courses, mostly in Term 1 from Graduate School transferable skills classes or Master class lectures • (Currently) select 2 courses from the following three: • “Technical Presentations Fishbowl” • “Tackling A Literature Review Workshop” • “Technical Writing Lecture Series” OR “Technical Writing Two hour Workshop” • Unassessed – but you must attend!
Element 4: Booking GS Courses • Book early to avoid disappointment! • More information is available here: • http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/graduateschool • Read the course descriptions first
Other Elements: Same as MAC • Taught courses • At most one for assessment purposes: Prolog practical course or Advanced Topics in Software Engineering • Attend Introduction to Prolog and Matlab course in Week 1 – not assessed • Coursework from taught courses • Individual project (summer) • May lead on from one of the Research Projects...
How to Switch to the MRes? • It’s not automatic – we’ll make decisions on a case-by-case basis... • If you haven’t agreed during admission to join the MRes, please see me to discuss it. We’ll then decide. either at 5 on Monday or Tuesday or Thursday morning • Deadline for this: Thursday, Oct 4th 2012 • Fix up your first Research Project by: Friday, Oct 12th 2012
Questions? • For further information: • http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/computing/teaching/pg/mresadv (These slides will be available there.) • Send me an email: Krysia Broda <kb@imperial.ac.uk> • Any Questions?