NCRA Teaching

COMP30290 Natural Computing

Offered on UCD's BSc Computer Science This module provides an introduction to a broad range of Natural Computing algorithms and illustrates how they can be applied to real-world problems using a series of case studies. In addition to teaching the essentials of Natural Computing, the module provides experience in the planning, executing, writing up, and critical evaluation of research.

COMP41190 Natural Computing & Applications

Offered on UCD's MSc Negotiated Learning Computer Science & Structured PhD Elective This module provides an introduction to a broad range of Natural Computing algorithms and illustrates how they can be applied to real-world problems using a series of case studies. The module also provides experience in the planning, executing, writing up, and critical evaluation of research. In addition, this 10 credit module focuses on the final step of Innovation where the research is brought to bear on real world problems, and examines Innovation opportunities.

FIN40090 Advanced Specialist Methods in Finance

Offered on UCD's MSc Quantitative Finance & Structured PhD Elective. The last decade has seen significant advances in the field of biologically-inspired computing, leading to the development of powerful new modelling technologies. Generally, these technologies fall into four categories, those which are inspired by the workings of biological neurons, those which are inspired by an evolutionary metaphor, those which are inspired by studies of animal interactions, and those which are inspired by mammalian immune systems. A brief introduction to each of these follows. This module provides an introduction to a range of Natural Computing algorithms and illustrates how they can be applied to real-world problems in finance including the modelling of financial markets, corporate distress prediction, and corporate bond rating. No prior exposure to biologically-inspired computing is assumed.

COMP00010 ICSP (Introduction to Computer Science & Programming)

ICSP is an Outreach module delivered to Secondary School students (High-School) which informs them about what the exciting discipline of Computer Science is all about, and the broad range of career opportunities. In so doing we also instill some of the fundamentals of Computer Programming and Problem Solving. This is a full university module and students participate through hands on practical sessions held in the UCD School of Computer Science & Informatics. After successful completion of ICSP students earn 5 UCD credits, which they can cash-in if they study a degree in Computer Science @ UCD. This is the first module of it's kind in Ireland, and was developed specifically to address the fact that Irish 2nd Level Education has no curriculum in ICT. As such students at this level find it difficult to understand what it means to study Computer Science and the kinds of careers that are possible. A recent news item on this very issue was broadcast by the national TV station RTE.


ICSP is sponsored by Google through their CS4HS (Computer Science for High School) initiative. In the academic year 2010/11 ICSP will be offered as part of the UCD Computer Science Summer School. The content of the module is released under a Creative Commons Licence (Login as a Guest).

Download an application form for the CSI Summer School and ICSP (27-29 June 2011).