This paper involves a project worth 15 credits. It is restricted but available in either semester 1 or semester 2 to computer science students with good grades who need an extra paper outwith the computer science major. So in effect it can be your "5th or 6th 159 paper" in 3rd year.
Project topics vary considerably - come and discuss with the paper coordinator (Prof Ken Hawick) - but topics will often involve programming or developing some software that builds on the ideas you will have learned in your other computer science papers.
Projects can be linked to computer science research activities, although they need not necessarily be. It is possible for several students to work on related project topics, but the work is assessed as an individual project report (15 credits).
Typically you would work during a single semster on a project - refining the topic in the early stages, perhaps implementing and experimenting with software then writing up a report of around 40 pages - although this is only a guideline.
Some good past projects have included: implementing a traffic simulation model; generating fast random number algorithms; visualising fractals; developing object-oriented parallel computing libraries; and animation. Some other ideas are available but the topic is very open. The main criteria I would have in setting a topic would be that it be achievable in a single-semester - apart from being interesting of course :-)
Doing a third year project gives you something very definite to try out your progranmming skills on. It can also be something to discuss with a potential employer at a job interview. (Their eyes often glaze over when you try to talk about your transcript...) A 333 project can also be a good taster experience of what it might be like to do a research project at postgraduate level - either at Honours level or beyond to Masters and PhD levels.
Course Outline: PDF | Doc (Word).