Degree Structure

Overview

The four-year Bachelor of Computing in Communications and Media aims to train students in the technological underpinnings of interactive and digital media technologies as well as the skills of media design and content creation tempered with an understanding of the artistic and human aspects. Therefore, the programme has been designed to facilitate the integration of all these aspects. Moreover, students who are passionate about games and wish to gain addition knowledge and practical experience in games development will be able to pursue a Specialisation in Games under this programme.

The following aspects of interactive media and games are covered in the programme:

• Foundations of IT: This refers to the basics of computing required to understand, design, and extend media systems.
• Information encoding, customisation, and repurposing: Information encoding, such as XML, is required for information to be mass communicated on the Internet and World-Wide Web (WWW). Customisation refers to the personalisation of information to individuals and groups which the technology allows, and repurposing refers to the customisation of information to heterogeneous networks (wired and wireless) as well as the plethora of end devices (static and mobile, with varying display plus communication capabilities).
• Text, multimedia information analysis and processing: These refer to the technological basis of various interactive digital media (text, image, graphics, audio and video) and the various types of processing, such as data-rate transformation, summarisation, etc.
• Human-computer interaction: This refers to the human-centred design of intuitive and flexible interfaces for people to communicate via end devices on Internet fringes.
• Games design and games technology. This refers to the design of games and the technologies for the development of digital games.
• Entertainment technology: This refers to technologies required to develop interactive games and virtual reality systems.

The Communications and Media Programme degree requirement is at least 160 MCs. Modules are classified as follows (note that every module can only be counted towards satisfying exactly one requirement):

(i) PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS (Total of 117 MCs)

Common Essentials
CS1101 or CS1101S  Programming Methodology
CS1102 or CS1102S  Data Structures and Algorithms
CS1105  Computing and Society
CS2100  Computer Organisation
CS2102  Database Systems
CS2105  Introduction to Computer Networks

Major Requirements
Computing Related
CS1231  Discrete Structures
CS2103  Software Engineering
CS3249  Elements of User Interface Design
CS3241  Computer Graphics
CS3240  Human-Computer Interaction^
CS3248  Design of Interactive Systems^
CS3249  Elements of User Interface Design
CS4348  Interactive Systems Project^
Either
CS4101  B.Comp. Dissertation
or
complete 12 MCs from any CM Programme Elective Group, with modules at level-4000 or above

Communications and Media Related
NM2101  Theories of Communications and New Media

Take at least 24 MCs from any CM Programme Elective Group, with at least 16 MCs at level-4000 or above^

Programme Elective Groups

A)  Interactive Systems Technology Group
      CS2106   Introduction to Operating Systems
      CS3103   Computer Networks and Protocols++
      CS3103L Computer Networks Laboratory
      CS3240   Human-Computer Interaction
      CS3243   Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
      CS3248   Design of Interactive Systems
      CS3343   Digital Media Production
      CS4243   Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
      CS4248   Natural Language Processing
      CS4249   Design of Advanced User Interfaces
      CS4341   Multimedia Technologies
      CS4345   General-Purpose Computation on GPU
      CS4348   Interactive Systems Project
      CS5240   Theoretical Foundation of Multimedia
      CS5241   Speech Processing
      CS5246   Text Processing on the Web
      CS5248   Systems Support for Continuous Media
      CS5249   Audio in Multimedia Systems
      CS5341   Computational Photography
      CS5342   Multimedia Computing and Applications

      Other relevant modules approved by the Department of Computer Science

B) Content Creation and Mass Communications Group
      NM2101  Theories of Communications and New Media
      NM2102  Communications and New Media Research
      NM2208  Principles of Visual Communication
      NM2210  Aesthetics of New Media
      NM2219  Principles of Communication Management
      NM3204  E-Learning
      NM3208 Designing Content for New Media
      NM3215  Advertizing Strategies
      NM4204   Ethics in Communications and New Media
      NM4205   Digital Media Project Management
      NM4206   Media and Communications Regulation
      NM4210  User Experience Design
      NM5204   Computer-Mediated Environments
      NM5206  Emerging Media Interaction Design
      NM5210  Critical Interactive Media Design Issues

      Other relevant modules approved by the Department of Computer Science

C)  Games Technology Group
      CS3343  Digital Media Production
      CS4213  Game Development
      CS4243  Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
      CS4247  Graphics Rendering Techniques
      CS4342  3D Modeling and Animation
      CS4343  Game Development Project
      CS4344  Networked and Mobile Gaming
      CS4345  General-Purpose Computation on GPU
      CS4346  Game Console Programming
      CS5243  3D Game Programming Technology
      CS5245  Vision and Graphics for Special Effects
      NM3216  Games Design
      NM5211  Serious Games & Educational Technology

      Other relevant modules approved by the Department of Computer Science.

Science Related
MA1301  Introductory Mathematics
MA1521  Calculus for Computing *
MA1101R  Linear Algebra I
ST2334  Probability and Statistics #
Science module &

(ii) UNIVERSITY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

(iii) UNRESTRICTED ELECTIVES

Specialisation in Games

1. Read CS3240 Human-Computer Interaction or CS4342 3D Modeling and Animation.
2. Replace CS3248 Design of Interactive Systems by CS4213 Game Development.
3. Replace CS4348 Interactive Systems Project by CS4343 Game Development Project.
4. Take at least 24 MCs from any CM Programme Elective Group, with at least 16 MCs at level-4000 or above. Among these 24 MCs, at least 16 MCs must be chosen from Elective Group C, with modules at level-3000 or above.

University Scholars Programme (Communications and Media)

Students in the University Scholars Programme who choose the Bachelor of Computing (Communications and Media) major will follow the Communications and Media curriculum, but with the following variations:

1.  They will not be required to take the following:
(a)   The University Level Requirements (20 MCs)
(b)   One Science Module (4 MCs)
(These are replaced by appropriate First-Tier Scholars Modules.)

2.  They will take UROP modules CS3208 and CS3209 in place of CS4348 or CS4343. CS3208 and CS3209 are independent study modules (ISMs) and will be counted as two of the four Advanced Scholars Modules [8 MCs].

Summary of degree requirement for Bachelor of Computing in Communications and Media @

@: There should not be any double-counting of a module's MC towards different parts of the programme.

^: Students who wish to specialise in games should refer to Specialisation in Games for the requirements of these modules.

*: Students pursuing double degree in Computing and Mathematics or second major in Mathematics are encouraged to read MA1102R Calculus in place of MA1521.

#: Students who wish to study more statistics modules are recommended to read ST2131 Probability and ST2132 Mathematical Statistics.

&: A Science module can be LSM1302 (Genes and Society), LSM1304 (Microbes, Environment and Man), PC1143 (Physics III), PC1144 (Physics IV), PC1221 (Fundamentals of Physics I), PC1222 (Fundamentals of Physics II), PC1432 (Physics IIE) or courses approved by the Department of Computer Science.