Module Specification

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
1. Module Title Safety and Dependability
2. Module Code COMP524
3. Year Session 2023-24
4. Originating Department Computer Science
5. Faculty Fac of Science & Engineering
6. Semester Second Semester
7. CATS Level Level 7 FHEQ
8. CATS Value 15
9. Member of staff with responsibility for the module
Professor S Schewe Computer Science Sven.Schewe@liverpool.ac.uk
10. Module Moderator
11. Other Contributing Departments  
12. Other Staff Teaching on this Module
Mrs J Birtall School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science Judith.Birtall@liverpool.ac.uk
13. Board of Studies
14. Mode of Delivery
15. Location Main Liverpool City Campus
    Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
16. Study Hours 20

  20

      40
17.

Private Study

110
18.

TOTAL HOURS

150
 
    Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other
19. Timetable (if known)            
 
20. Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 
21. Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 
22. Co-requisite modules:

 
23. Linked Modules:

 
24. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a mandatory basis:

25. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

26. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

27. Aims
 

1. To provide a critical and in-depth understanding of all aspects of software safety and dependability; including issues realting to security, reliability and trustworthiness.
2. To provide a broad understanding of the state-of-the-art software engineering techniques currently used to address safety and dependability issues.
3. To provide an overview of the contemporary research issues relating to software safety and dependability.

 
28. Learning Outcomes
 

(LO1) At the end of the module, a student will understand some of the problems associated with the use of computer software in critical applications where safety, security and trust are issues.

 

(LO2) At the end of the module, a student will understand some of the contemporary mechanisms for ensuring dependability and reliability.

 

(LO3) At the end of the module, a student will understand a variety of approaches to the design and development of safe and dependable systems.

 

(LO4) At the end of the module, a student will understand formal verification techniques in relation to the assessment of safety and dependability.

 

(LO5) At the end of the module, a student will  be aware of some of the contemporary research problems in the areas of safety, security, dependability and trust.

 

(S1) Working in groups and teams - Group action planning

 

(S2) Skills in using technology - Using common applications (work processing, databases, spreadsheets etc.)

 

(S3) Numeracy/computational skills - Reason with numbers/mathematical concepts

 

(S4) Numeracy/computational skills - Problem solving

 

(S5) Communication skills - Presenting

 

(S6) Problem solving - Co-designing a program and a correctness proof

 

(S7) Problem solving - Model (MDP) design analysis

 

(S8) Business and customer awareness - Brief discussion of the cost of software bugs and the cost of applying formal techniques

 

(S9) Information Technology (IT) skills - Formulating (probabilistic) models as Markov chains and decision processes, and using of-the-shelf tools for their analysis

 
29. Teaching and Learning Strategies
 

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description:
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Tutorial
Description:
Attendance Recorded: No

Standard on-campus delivery
Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: Mix of on-campus/on-line synchronous/asynchronous sessions
Teaching Method 2 - Tutorial
Description: On-campus synchronous sessions

 
30. Syllabus
   

Introduction to safety critical systems (1 week)
Partial and total correctness (3.5 weeks)
Dependability, reliability, and discrete stochastics (1.5 weeks)
Markov chains and decision processes (4 weeks)

 
31. Recommended Texts
  Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
 

Assessment

32. EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
  (524) Written Exam There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment. Assessment Schedule (When) :Semester 2 150 70
33. CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
  (524.1) Assessment 1 There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is not an anonymous assessment. Assessment Schedule (When) :Semester 2 0 15
  (524.2) Assessment 2 There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is not an anonymous assessment. Assessment Schedule (When) :Semester 2 0 15