There are 4 contact hours per week, for a total of 12 weeks. You will (probably) find it necessary to devote an additional 3-4 hours per week to the course material to achieve the desired level of competence.
Two hours per week will be devoted to a combination lecture/tutorial session, in which key ideas will be discussed and explored using simple computer tools.
Two hours per week will be devoted to a laboratory project
During the first session of the course you will be given user accounts and an access card to VisLab, together with advice on how to use the systems (and what you should not do!). Novices will receive extra support throughout the course.