Professional Issues in Computing

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 5
• Convenor: Dr Brian Gannon
• Assessment: a case study analysis (50%) and online quizzes (25% and 25%)

In this module you will learn about the social, legal, ethical and economic implications of computing in modern society, with a particular focus on the responsibilities and issues facing IT professionals and computer scientists in industry. This is a practical module, grounded in real-life examples/case studies.

Indicative syllabus

• Computer technology in context of technology revolutions
• Brief history of information systems in society and industry
• Information security in everyday life and why information systems fail
• Freedom of information
• Data protection
• Intellectual property
• Computer misuse
• Commercial issues in computing including contracts and liability
• Information surveillance
• Information security careers

By the end of this module, you will:

• recognise legal and professional issues in information security
• have an understanding of commercial issues in information security
• be familiar with the origins and importance of information security in the modern world
• understand the roles of various actors in the context of information security operation and development
• understand the legal, ethical and professional responsibilities of IT practitioners
• understand how to design a solution to a real-world problem that can be solved with information security/IT constructs
• have an appreciation of the social implications of the use of computers.