EEE8119 : Wired and Wireless Communication Networks and Security
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Said Boussakta
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Wired and wireless communications networks is one of the fastest growing fields in the engineering world, and a tremendous interest for this topic exists among students. The purpose of the course is to:
- introduce the students to advanced topics in wired and wireless communications networks and security, their evolution and impacts on modern society.
- introduce a broad coverage of modern communication networks and technologies.
- provide students with the knowledge to design and apply security and encryption techniques in modern life and
communication systems.
- develop students' lifelong learning skills by covering current and future security algorithms, encryption methods, and emerging communication technologies. Additionally, expose them to actively evolving research topics. This involves a lot of self-study, reading papers, technical magazines and handouts.
Outline Of Syllabus
The syllabus will be divided into five parts as follows:
1. Evaluation of communications networks, network types, networking issues and networking topologies.
2. Description of Protocols and architectures: Detailed description of the ISO/OSI reference model and its application in networking. Comprehensive understanding of TCP/IP and its comparison with the OSI Model.
3. Communications networks transmission principles: Examination of switching technologies and their role in modern communication networks; In-depth study of Error and flow control techniques and standards; Performance issues and analysis.
4. Development of encryption algorithms for privacy and security as applied to modern communications:
Introduction to the concept of a cipher system and its relevance in modern communications.
Examination of public-key and private-key cryptosystems.
Hands-on development and implementation of encryption algorithms for enhancing privacy and security.
5. Develop Self-Learning skills: Each student can select a topic from a list of recent advances in wired/ wireless communications and security, study it in depth and present it to his/her group.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 16 | 1:00 | 16:00 | Online Synchronous |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Revision for final exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 2x 2 hours Lecture |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Final exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Software implementation and evaluation of encryption algorithms |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Workshops (Synchronous online). |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 4:00 | 12:00 | Workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Completion of time schedule for self-directed learning |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | Tutorials/drop in surgery. (PIP or Synchronous online) to support lectures, workshops, and self-direct learning |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 112:00 | 112:00 | SDL inc. new material on key topics + maths problems plus general reading + reviewing lecture notes. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Learning outcomes are achieved by a combination of lectures, workshops, and self-directed learning (SDL) parts. In the lectures, the students are introduced to the fundamentals of wired and wireless communications networks and security. The workshops provide a hands-on experience, allowing students to actively develop and implement encryption algorithms to enhance privacy and security, while in the SDL part of the module, the students are directed to study and investigate current and future trends and development in encryption techniques and communications network systems. In this part of the module the students will practice “life-long” learning, through covering new material and familiarising themselves with selected topics which are being developed in the research community. This will equip them with the necessary skills and time management required in self-study that will be needed in their future careers.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 100 | 2-hour in-person closed-book exam |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 2 | M | A short mock exam to give students feedback about their progress during the module. Marked but does not count towards the final mark. |
| Written exercise | 2 | M | Software code design and implementation of encryption algorithms. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The concepts introduced in the lectures, workshops and through independent study will be assessed via a final written exam, software code design/implementation of encryption algorithms and a mock exam. The final exam will assess knowledge outcomes 1-3 and skills outcomes 1-4.
The formative assessment will assess knowledge outcome 3, skills outcomes 5-7 and reinforce the understanding of encryption algorithms and their practical implementation.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- EEE8119's Timetable