Sorry, this course is not currently available.
For a related course see the MSc in Advanced Software Development.

Tomorrow's world will be concurrent and parallel. The programmer's free lunch provided by ever faster single-core processor speeds ended in 2006. Further advances in application performance must now rely on exploiting the growing parallelism of modern multi-core systems including the latest multi-core CPUs and emerging generations of programmable graphics processors (GPGPUs).

However, very few existing software applications even make good use of current technologies. Many harness just one core and most ignore GPU hardware entirely. Unless this deficiency is overcome, the gap between potential and actual performance will grow sharply over the next decade as the numbers of CPU and GPU cores rise exponentially.

Writing software that fully exploits multi-core systems requires a firm grasp of concurrent/parallel design and programming techniques as well as the latest parallel hardware architectures and software platforms. There is a huge and growing demand for programmers with these skills.

This unique course is designed for computing graduates seeking careers at the cutting edge of programming the latest technologies.

News: Kent researchers win major grant to improve memory management on multi-core systems

• Full-time (12 months)
• Full-time with an industrial placement (14-24 months)
• Part-time (3 years)

• Full-time (2 years)
• Full time with an industrial placement (26-36 months)

• A 1, 2.1 or good 2.2 honours degree in computer science or a closely related subject with a substantial coverage of programming and software engineering.

• A good ordinary Bachelors degree in computer science or a closely related subject with a substantial coverage of programming and software engineering.

Year 1

Core modules for all students:

• Advanced Java for Programmers
• C++ Programming
• Concurrency and Parallelism
  (how to write concurrent and parallel software)
• Parallel Architectures
  (modern multi-core and many-core processors)
• Parallel Programming with Message-Passing
  (a key paradigm for concurrent programming)
• Parallel Programming with Shared Memory
  (including graphics processors)
• Project Research
• Project and Dissertation

Optional modules (choose 1):

• Advanced English for Academic Study
• Cloud Computing
• Computer Graphics and Animation
• Computing Law, Contracts and Professional Responsibility
• Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery
• Development Frameworks
• Green Computing
• Introduction to Intelligent Systems
• Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing
• Molecular and Quantum Computing

Year 1

Core modules for all students:

• Research and Study Skills
• Individual, Group or Research project

Additional core modules for some students
(depending on academic background):

• Advanced English for Academic Study
• Fundamentals of Programming and Logic

Optional modules (choose up to 5):

• Advanced Programming Techniques
• Algorithms, Data Structures and Complexity
• Cognitive Neural Networks
• Computer Graphics and Animation
• Computer Networks and Communications
• Computer Security and Cryptography
• Computing Law and Professional Responsibility
• Concurrency Design and Practice
• Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery
• Database Systems
• Distributed Systems and Networks
• Dynamic Web
• Electronic Commerce
• Embedded Computer Systems
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Introduction to Intelligent Systems
• IT Consultancy Methods
• IT Consultancy Practice
• Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing
• Natural Computation
• Operating Systems and Architecture
• Programming Language Technology
• Software Engineering Practice
• Systems and Services, Design and Management

Year 2

Core modules for all students:

• Advanced Java for Programmers
• C++ Programming
• Concurrency and Parallelism
• Parallel Architectures
• Parallel Programming with Message-Passing
• Parallel Programming with Shared Memory
• Project Research
• Project and Dissertation

Optional modules (choose 1):

The options available are the same as those
for the Standard Masters (see list on left)

Placement (optional)

• Industrial placement

Placement (optional)

• Industrial placement

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