Course code: AC
Course coordinator: Mr Ken Harris
Introduction
This course is designed to produce diplomates who satisfy the computing needs of industry, government and commerce. Upon completion of the course, diplomates should be well suited to employment in the fields of computer programming or systems analysis at the subprofessional level, both in commercial and technical application areas.
The course leads to professional accreditation by the Australian Computer Society.
Entrance requirements
The prerequisite is VCE English at levels 3 and 4 and grade average of D or better in two units of VCE mathematics at levels 1 and 2. Students must also have VCE prerequisites appropriate for any first-year subject which they take.
Course structure
The course for the associate diploma consists of subjects to a total value of ninety-six points, with compulsory subjects totalling seventy-two points and twenty-four points of elective subjects. The course is generally studied part-time over four years, and students take subjects worth twenty-four points in each year.
The Associate Diploma in Computing is based in part on the first two years of the Bachelor of Computing with a major in system development. Students complete the first-level system development subjects GCO1811, GCO1812, GCO1813 and GCO1815, and the second-level subjects GCO2811, GCO2812, GCO2813, GCO2814 and GCO2815.
Other compulsory studies in human communications, accounting and mathematics must be completed. In addition, twenty-four points of approved elective subjects must be completed. These electives will normally include at least one further computing subject.
The recommended program of study is as follows. Note that individual student study programs may vary from this slightly, depending on the electives taken. Each subject is worth six points.
First year
* GCO1815 Computer technology
* GCO1811 Computer programming I
* GCO1812 Computer programming II
* GAS1612 Discrete mathematics
Second year
* GCO1063 Human communication
* GCO2812 Computer organisation
* GCO1813 Information systems I
* Elective
Third year
* GBU1001 Introductory accounting
* GCO2811 Commercial programming
* GCO2813 Information systems II
* GCO2815 Database management systems
Fourth year
* GCO2819 Computing project
* Three electives
Elective subjects
Students take four elective subjects, normally chosen from the following list:
* GBU1302 Management theory and functions
* GAS1030 Science and society
* GAS2062 Scientific thought and methods
* GCO2814 Operating systems
* GCO2817 Computer programming III
* GCO3812 Data communications
* GCO3813 Systems programming
* GCO3815 Artificial intelligence
* GCO3817 Computer graphics
Students may be granted approval to take elective subjects other than those listed above.
Conversion from the Associate Diploma in Computing to the Bachelor of Computing with a major in system development
Previously the Associate Diploma in Computing was known as the Associate Diploma in Applied Science (Computing)
On completion of the Associate Diploma in Computing, many students apply for admission to the Bachelor of Computing. Students who choose their associate diploma electives appropriately may be able to satisfy the requirements for the Bachelor of Computing with a major in system development by completing a minimum of a further eight subjects. These will include the core subject GCO3811 (Software engineering) and at least three third-year computing electives from the system development major. Students must also complete (or have completed in the associate diploma) the core subjects GCO2814 (Operating systems), GCO2817 (Computer programming III) and GAS2062 (Scientific thought and methods). Other elective subjects are usually selected from another discipline area such as accounting or management, although further third-level computing electives may be taken. The exact study program is dependent upon the subjects already studied in the associate diploma.