University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 1

Planned timetable: TBC

This module aims to explain the techniques used to encode data, emphasising in turn the ideas of: security and secrecy, error correcting capabilities, data compression. The syllabus comprises: the weakness of early encryption schemes, the Data Encryption Standard, public key schemes including RSA; attacks on RSA by integer factorisation; Hamming distance, linear codes, parity check equations; Hamming codes, BCH codes; information and uncertainty, run encoding, Huffman encoding.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact:

Scheduled learning hours: 28

Guided independent study hours: 122

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews:

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 60%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 40%

Personnel