Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2010

Undergraduate courses offered by the Faculty

Bachelor of Information Systems (SBIS) – Melbourne (Bundoora)

The Bachelor of Information Systems course is designed to place a strong emphasis on the management and design of information systems, including the design and use of software and applications in business organisations.

The course allows students the opportunity to select a variety of subjects from other areas of science, business, economics, commerce, or the humanities, corresponding to areas of domain related knowledge. It is a three-year, full-time course, and the Honours program requires a further year of study.

The course is accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS).

Upon completion of this course, students should possess:

  • a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the core body of information technology required for the construction of information processing systems;
  • a comprehensive understanding of the different types of information technology tools, and their role in managing knowledge and information;
  • familiarity with the latest developments in information technology;
  • an exposure to Information Technology in an industry context and an appreciation of Information Technology in enhancing business function;
  • skills in systems analysis, software design, implementation and deployment;
  • an ability to critically evaluate currently existing information systems and new developments
  • skills and abilities necessary to function effectively in project teams;
  • written and oral communication skills enabling effective communication with professional colleagues and the wider community;
  • ability to engage in lifelong learning, and
  • an appreciation of pertinent social, legal, and ethical issues faced by today’s computing professional.

Scholarships

First year scholarships are available for high achieving students. Prospective candidates should contact the Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering early in their Year-12 studies for details.

Course structure

In first year, students are required to take subjects from a list of core and recommended subjects from within the disciplines of computer science, information systems, and discrete mathematics.

Optional subjects from other disciplines offered by the University are also available. In second and third years, the course concentrates on computer science and information systems, together with optional subjects from other disciplines.

Mid-year commencement

Students entering the course mid year with equivalent year-12 studies will commence second semester on 5th July 2010, three weeks earlier than the normal commencement date for second semester. Some students with prior tertiary studies may also be required to commence their course on 5th July. These students will be advised by the faculty office at the time of offer.

The structure of the Bachelor of Information Systems was revised for 2009; the new course structure will be phased in over 3 years. Students commencing first year from 2009 onwards will complete the new course structure, existing students will complete the existing course structure, both structures are listed below.

New course structure

For students commencing first year from 2009 onwards.

First year (120 credit points)

Core subjects (75 credit points)

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Discrete Mathematics MAT1DM 15
TE-SEM-1 Information Technology Fundamentals CSE1ITF 15
TE-SEM-1 Object-Oriented Programming Fundamentals CSE1OOF 15
TE-SEM-2 Information Systems CSE1IS 15
TE-SEM-2 Intermediate Object-Oriented Programming CSE1IOO 15

Electives (45 credit points)

The remaining 45 credit points may be chosen from first year subjects offered by any department, subject to meeting the prerequisites for those subjects.1

Second year (120 credit points)

Core subjects (75 credit points)

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Database Fundamentals CSE2DBF 15
TE-SEM-1 Information Systems Development CSE2ISD 15
TE-SEM-1 Internet Client Engineering CSE2ICE 15
TE-SEM-2 Information Systems Practice CSE3ISP 15
TE-SEM-2 Professional Environment CSE3PE 15

Electives (45 credit points)

The remaining 45 credit points may be chosen from second year level subjects offered by any department for which the prerequisites are satisfied.2

Third year (120 credit points)
Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Database Management Systems CSE3DMS 15
TE-SEM-1 Information Systems Project A3 CSE3ISA 15
TE-SEM-2 E-Business Systems BUS3EBS 15
TE-SEM-2 Information Systems Project B3 CSE3ISB 15
TE-SEM-2 Web Applications Engineering CSE3WAE 15

Electives (45 credit points)

The remaining 45 credit points may be chosen from third year level subjects offered by any department, subject to meeting the prerequisites for those subjects.

Recommended subjects

Students may wish to incorporate subjects in commerce, economics, finance, management or marketing if they wish. Students should see the course coordinator to discuss subject choice. Students are recommended to take the following two subjects amongst their electives.

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 Foundations of Management MGT1FOM 15
TE-SEM-2 Organisational Behaviour MGT2OBE 15

Key: 1 the subject BUS1MIS is not permitted.

Key: 2 the subjects BUS2BAD and MGT2BCO are not permitted

Key: 3 the subjects CSE3ISA and CSE3ISB must be taken in the one academic year, these two subjects will not be available until 2011.

Honours

For students commencing an Honours year in 2012.

Honours degree students are selected based on their performance in the final year of the pass degree course. To qualify for entry to the Honours year in information systems students must obtain a minimum average of 60% across all of their third year subjects and obtain an average of at least 70% over their best third year level computer science and computer-engineering subjects (which must include a project) to the value of 60 credit points. The subjects CSE3ISA and CSE3ISB (30 credit points) will count as 15 credit points only in this calculation. Meeting this requirement, however, does not guarantee a place in the Honours year as resources may limit the total number of places available, and students are expected to find a supervisor prior to re-enrolment.

Fourth (Honours) year (120 credit points)

In the honours year students must take 60 credit points of coursework subjects and a Thesis (60 credit points).

Core subjects (90 credit points)

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Thesis A CSE4THA 30
TE-SEM-2 Thesis B CSE4THB 30
Plus 2 of the following subjects
TE-SEM-1 Decision Support Systems CSE4DSS 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Databases CSE4ADB 15
TE-SEM-2 Business Inteligence Engineering1 CSE4BIE 15
TE-SEM-2 Entrepreneurship in I.T. CSE4ENT 15

Key: 1 Not available in 2010

Electives (30 credit points)

Electives must be chosen from any fourth year level coursework subjects for which the pre-requisites have been satisfied.

For a full description of subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, students should access the Subject Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.

Existing course structure

For students who commenced prior to 2009.

First year (120 credit points)

Core subjects (75 credit points)

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Information Technology Fundamentals CSE1ITF 15
TE-SEM-1 Object-Oriented Programming Fundamentals CSE1OOF 15
TE-SEM-1 Discrete Mathematics MAT1DM 15
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 One first year level business elective1 15
TE-SEM-2 Intermediate Object-Oriented Programming CSE1IOO 15

Electives (45 credit points)

The remaining 45 credit points may be chosen from first year subjects offered by any department, subject to meeting the prerequisites for those subjects.

Second year (120 credit points)

Core subjects (105 credit points)

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Database Fundamentals CSE2DBF 15
TE-SEM-1 Internet Client Engineering CSE2ICE 15
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 Algorithms and Data Structures CSE2ALG 15
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 One second year level business elective2 15
TE-SEM-2 Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals CSE2AIF 15
TE-SEM-2 System Design Engineering Fundamentals CSE2DES 15
TE-SEM-2 Professional Environment CSE3PE 15

Electives (15 credit points)

The remaining 15 credit points may be chosen from any subjects offered by any department for which the prerequisites are satisfied.

Third year (120 credit points)
Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Database Management Systems CSE3DMS 15
TE-SEM-1 System Design and Methodologies CSE3SDM 15
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 Third-year level computer science subjects chosen from the list below3. 60
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 One business elective 2 15
TE-SEM-2 E-Business Systems BUS3EBS 15

Third year level computer science electives must be chosen from the list below. Other subjects may be chosen in special cases, subject to prerequisites and the permission of the Course Adviser.

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit Points
TE-SEM-1 Artificial Intelligence: Logic and Reasoning CSE3ALR 15
TE-SEM-1 Intelligent Multimedia Systems CSE3IMS 15
TE-SEM-1 Object-Oriented Application Development CSE3OAD 15
TE-SEM-2 Web Applications Engineering CSE3WAE 15
TE-SEM-2 Computational Intelligence CSE3CI 15
TE-SEM-2 Networks, Systems and Web Security CSE3NSW 15

Key: 1 the subject BUS1MIS is not permitted.

Key: 2 the subjects BUS2BAD and MGT2BCO are not permitted

Key: 3 students must include either the software engineering project (CSE3PRA and CSE3PRB) (30 credit points) or the programming project (CSE3PRG) (30 credit points) in their choice of subjects.

Honours

Honours degree students are selected based on their performance in the final year of the pass degree course. To qualify for entry to the Honours year in information systems students must obtain a minimum average of 60% across all of their third year subjects and obtain an average of at least 70% over their best third year level computer science and computer-engineering subjects (which must include a project) to the value of 60 credit points. The subjects CSE3PRA and CSE3PRB (30 credit points) and CSE3PRG (30 credit points) will count as 15 credit points only in this calculation. Meeting this requirement, however, does not guarantee a place in the Honours year as resources may limit the total number of places available, and students are expected to find a supervisor prior to re-enrolment.

For a full description of subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, students should access the Subject Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.