King's College London

This course teaches students to model and analyze typical mechatronic devices and their implementation using digital computers, with particular emphasis on robotic systems. Students develop kinematics and dynamic models of robots and examine the electro-mechanical design aspects of mechatronic systems. The course investigates intelligent methods for robotic navigation as well as trajectory and path planning.

This course raises questions about state powers to coerce, to intrude into people’s private lives, and to inflict the pains of punishment. In recent years, there has been a radical shift from “just deserts” to “public protection” and prevention of re-offending. Criminal justice policies determined to be “tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime” have led to an astonishing increase in the use of imprisonment. The female prison population, for example, has more than tripled in two decades. The course covers all the major issues including patterns of crime and criminological theories of the causes of, and responses to, criminal behavior. Students examine policing, prosecution, sentencing, and the purpose and effects of imprisonment. Students consider special categories of offender – including children and young people, women, and those considered dangerous. Students examine how political ideology informs and shapes criminal justice policy. At all stages, they consider race, class, and gender and whether the system provides equal rights and protection to defendants, victims, and wider society.

This course covers the history of war from as far back as the 13th century right up to the height of large-scale, industrialized warfare in World War Two and the global, colonial violence of the 20th century. It does not strive to provide what would end up inevitably being a superficial coverage of all wars in all regions of the world. Rather, different, select periods or conflicts are considered as illustrations to help us explore the central theme of escalation over time and the emergence globally of modern war and violence. This is the fall-only version of the course.

This course introduces students to theories and practices involved in the management of diversity and inclusion, and equips students with the knowledge and skills to build and sustain diverse and inclusive workplaces. In the first half of the course, students explore the sociological and psychological theories that underpin the notions of diversity and inclusion. The course focuses on key dimensions of inequality including race, age, disability, gender, and sex, and situates this discussion within the wider context of intersectionality. In the second half of the course, the course moves on to explore organizational policies, practices, leadership styles, behaviors, and cultures that serve to promote or, conversely, inhibit, diversity and inclusion. 

This course explores both theoretical and practical aspects of cryptography, authentication, and information security. Students learn the relevant mathematical techniques associated with cryptography, the principles of cryptographic techniques and how to perform implementations of selected algorithms in this area, and explore the application of security techniques in solving real-life security problems in practical systems.

During this course, students take a critical look at the music industry - particularly those companies that are based in London, such as Sony, Universal, and Kobalt - and explore the impact new technologies have had on the way music is produced and consumed. Central to this exploration is the question of how music is valued in the 21st century. Students survey two classic conceptions of value: the value of commodities by Marx (and later Marxians), and ideas about gift and gift exchange established by Marcel Mauss. 

This course provides an introduction to single machine organization, architecture and operation. Upon successful completion of the class, students learn how to demonstrably understand how instructions get executed in a sequential processor; be able to perform arithmetic operations in binary and conversions between number systems; be able to compose and analyze small assembly-language programs; explain and illustrate memory concepts and performance improvement measures.