Coursework programs
Master of Computer Science – Melbourne (Bundoora) (SMCSC)
The principal objective of this program is to provide training relevant to the software technologies required by information and communications technology professionals to design, program, manage, maintain, and enhance computer systems, particularly knowledge-based systems. The duration of the course is a maximum of two years of full-time study or the equivalent of part-time study.
Upon completion of this course students should possess:
- strong skills in the area of computer science and computer studies;
- research skills gained from independent research project;
- an appreciation of pertinent social, legal and ethical issues faced by today’s computing professional; and
- ability to lead and engage in lifelong learning.
Admission requirements
Prospective students must:
- have completed a three year undergraduate degree in computer science; or
- hold a four year engineering degree with a substantial computer science content, equivalent to a third year computer science course.
Full-fee international students are required to have equivalent qualifications.
Students should note that they may take out the award for the Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science after completing the first year of the Masters course only if they decide not to proceed to the second year of the Masters course.
Professional recognition
Satisfactory completion of the course meets the professional level requirements for membership of the Australian Computer Society.
Course structure
The duration of the course is two years full-time or the equivalent part-time and requires the completion of 240 credit points. Students are required to enrol in one of the following two course options:
Option 1 with major coursework thesis comprises ten coursework subjects (including up to four level 1, 2 or 3 subjects) (150 credit points), each involving about 20 hours of lectures and associated practical work, together with a major coursework thesis (CSE5THA and CSE5THB) worth 90 credit points. In the full-time course eight subjects are studied during the first year, the remainder being undertaken in conjunction with the completion of the major coursework thesis during the second year. The thesis is expected to take eight to nine months of work and must be written up as a minor thesis. For approval to enrol in this thesis, students must achieve a 65% average grade in the first year of the Masters by Coursework program (eight subjects). A pass in both the coursework subjects and the coursework thesis is required to qualify for the degree.
Option 2 with a minor coursework thesis comprises twelve coursework subjects (including up to four level 1, 2 or 3 subjects) (180 credit points), together with a minor coursework thesis (CSE4THA and CSE4THB) worth 60 credit points. In the full-time course eight subjects are studied during the first year, the remainder being undertaken in conjunction with the completion of the minor coursework thesis during the second year. The minor coursework thesis will be taken over two semesters. For approval to enrol in this thesis, students must achieve a minimum 60% average grade in the first year of the Masters by Coursework program (eight subjects). A pass in both the coursework subjects and the minor coursework thesis is required to qualify for the degree.
NOTE: Students with an average grade less than 60% in the first year of the program do not qualify for a major coursework thesis or a minor coursework thesis and will not be able to continue their enrolment in the Master of Computer Science. A transfer to a Master of Information Technology or Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science will occur.
Students are permitted to enrol in the subjects of their choice provided that the prerequisite requirements are met. Students undertake a maximum of four level 1, 2 or 3 subjects and select the remainder from level 4 subjects. The subjects can be chosen from the lists below.
Level 1, 2 and 3 subjects (a maximum of four subjects may be chosen)
Most subjects have prerequisites.
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Games Programming Technology | CSE3AGT | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Graphics Programming | CSE3AGR | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Artificial Intelligence – Logic and Reasoning | CSE3ALR | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 or TE-W39-W51 | Database Fundamentals | CSE2DBF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Database Management Systems | CSE3DMS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Intelligent Multimedia Systems | CSE3IMS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Intermediate Network Engineering | CSE3INE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Internet Client Engineering | CSE2ICE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Network Engineering Fundamentals | CSE2NEF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | System Design and Methodologies | CSE3SDM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | System Testing and Quality | CSE2STQ | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Artificial Intelligence – Fundamentals | CSE2AIF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Computational Intelligence | CSE3CI | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Professional Environment | CSE3PE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Games Programming Technology | CSE2GAM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Metrics, Quality and Reliability | CSE3MQR | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Network Engineering Fundamentals | CSE2NEF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Networks Systems and Web Security | CSE3NSW | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Object-oriented Programming using C++ | CSE1CPP | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Operating Systems | CSE3OSS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | System Design Engineering Fundamentals | CSE2DES | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Web Applications Engineering | CSE3WAE | 15 |
Level 4 subjects
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced System Design | CSE4ASD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Communication Protocol Engineering** | CSE4CPE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Decision Support Systems | CSE4DSS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Multi-agent Systems | CSE4MAS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Software Engineering Project A* | CSE4PRA* | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Real-time and Fault-tolerant Systems | CSE4RFS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Web Services Engineering | CSE4WSE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Wireless Network Engineering | CSE4WNE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Databases | CSE4ADB | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Quality and Reliability | CSE4AQR | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Data Mining | CSE4DMI | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Decision Support Systems | CSE4DSS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Entrepreneurship | CSE4ENT | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Mobile and Pervasive Computing | CSE4MPC | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Performance Analysis of Computer Systems | CSE4PCS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Pervasive Network Design** | CSE4PND | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Software Engineering Project B | CSE4PRB | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Programming Project | CSE4PRG | 30 |
Key:
*Students choosing CSE4PRA must also include CSE4PRB and CSE3SDM in their enrolment.
**Subject not offered in 2010.
Advanced standing
Advanced standing may be available for previous tertiary studies, for subjects completed equivalent to fourth year level or the completion of a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science. If advanced standing is granted for the first year of the Masters degree then second year subjects must be selected from the list of level 4 (advanced) subjects and no further level 1, 2 or 3 subjects may be taken.
Subject offerings may change according to available staffing resources and as a result of the ongoing process of evaluation and updating of content. Additional information on subjects is available from the School’s course handbooks.