***DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP STUDENTS ONLY***

The purpose of this module is to introduce you to programming in Python. You will be exposed to the key processes related to building functioning applications for business.

You will learn and apply the basic concepts of programming and programming logic. You will also be introduced to software engineering practice at an overview level.

The aim of this module is to ensure that you develop basic programming skills. In particular you will be able to demonstrate the following competences:

• Implement and test software to meet requirements.
• Configure and deploy solutions.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1. Implement and test software to meet a simple requirements specification

2. Write good quality code (logic) with sound syntax.

3. Develop simple software solutions and software modifications to specified requirements

4. Develop simple user interfaces

5. Link software to databases to retrieve data

6. Test code and correct errors found

7. Understand the structure of programmes in order to identify and resolve issues

8. Build and deploy software

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

9. Understand basic programming concepts

10. Understand programming principles including design, code, test, correct, deploy and document from supplied specifications, using agreed standards and tools

11. Understand the stages of a software development lifecycle

12. Understand software design approaches & elementary patterns

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and  Knowledge:

13. Solve problems creatively

14. Think analytically and critically

15. Organise your own work

16. Work to a deadline

17. Make decisions

Basic programming concepts and techniques (6 weeks)

•          Programme structure

•          Variables and data types

•          Assignment, functions and scope

•          Arrays

•          Basic and file I/O

•          Decision structures (ifs and loops)

•          Testing and correcting errors

More advanced concepts and techniques (4 weeks)

•          Objects, attributes and methods

•          Program organisation

•          Linking software to databases to retrieve data

•          User interaction

•          Exception and error handling

•          Mutability: passing by reference and value

•          Associative arrays

•          Writing good quality code (logic) with sound syntax

Introduction to program design (1 week)

•          Software development lifecycle

•          Interpreting specifications

•          Software design approaches

•          Elementary software patterns

•          Role of standards and tools

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be deferred in the assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you may be required to sit a referral. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.

Basic reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: