wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Apr 13 14:11:13 EST 1999
Auth: C Whip, University Webmaster's Office
Copyright © Monash University 1998 - All Rights Reserved - Caution
The
faculty charges postgraduate course fees for all postgraduate diploma courses
and masters degrees by coursework. The payment of postgraduate fees replaces
the Government Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) for these courses.
Fees are payable in advance each semester according to the number of enrolled
subjects. Please refer to individual course entries for fee information.
A student will receive a full refund of the semester's course fees if the
student discontinues the course and lodges the appropriate form to the faculty
on or before the semester census date. No refund will be given for
discontinuation after the semester census date.
Students who are undertaking masters degrees by research or the PhD and who
hold permanent residency in Australia are formally liable for the HECS charge.
However, full-time candidates in receipt of a Monash Graduate Scholarship or
Australian Postgraduate Award are exempt from the HECS charge. Other full-time
PhD candidates may be exempted from paying HECS if they enrol or re-enrol by a
date set by the research training and support branch.
Students enrolling in courses within the faculty are allocated home campuses. This is usually the campus on which the course is principally taught. It is expected that students will undertake the majority of their studies on their home campus.
Transfers
between courses conducted by the faculty may be possible but are not
encouraged. Transfers will normally be approved only where the student can
demonstrate that he or she has outstanding ability and wishes to study in a
field not supported under their current course and there is a better
alternative for which they are qualified and in which they are considered
likely to succeed. Each application for transfer will be treated on a
case-by-case basis.
All transfers between courses require the approval of the faculty manager.
Students wishing to transfer either between courses within the faculty or from
outside of the faculty to a course within the faculty should complete an
application for transfer form available from the faculty offices.
Good
study habits are vital in undertaking a computing course. In particular it is
important that computing assignments are tackled in a timely manner and that
programming is practised using the extensive computing facilities that are
available to students. Study workshops for new and current students are usually
run during Orientation Week.
All students have ready access to tutors and lecturers, and students are
encouraged to take their problems and concerns about their studies to them.
Students should not hesitate to approach academic staff at any time. The sooner
a problem is dealt with, the better for all concerned. If you do not feel
satisfied with the assistance or advice you receive then approach the head of
the school, the faculty manager, the associate dean (teaching) or the dean.
The university has student counsellors available to help students. Assistance
can be provided for both personal and study-related problems to students who
are reluctant to approach academic staff.
Many activities and events are organised and hosted by student associations, faculties, the university and Monash International to welcome new students, the week before semester begins. New students are provided with a program of activities for their campus in their enrolment packs, after they have accepted their offers. Orientation Week is the best opportunity for new students to adjust to university life and to make friends with other students.
Intending
students are advised that personal computers are used in a wide range of
courses within the Faculty of Information Technology. Students are strongly
advised to purchase, or have access to, an IBM-compatible computer. Students
intending to purchase a computer should consult the faculty before purchase.
While it is not necessary to own a personal computer to study successfully, it
can be a significant advantage. It is strongly recommended that students do not
buy their own computer before the commencement of their course as doing so may
lead to the acquisition of an unsuitable model.
The
faculty home page address is http://www.fcit.monash.edu.au/. Each school also
has its own home pages. Refer to the 'School profiles' in this handbook for
details.
Lecture notes, in many cases, are available on the internet to all enrolled
students. Enrolled students can apply for an email account. Instructions and
advice on equipment are available from the relevant campus computer centres.
On-campus access to the internet is not charged. Internet access via modem will
require an Internet Service Provider.
The computing profession, like others, conforms to a strict code of ethics that covers such matters as the improper and illegal use of computers and the use of powers that members of the profession enjoy in respect of access to information belonging to others. Because it is possible for the uninformed to breach the code of ethics or the law as it relates to computers, software and copyright, students are strongly advised to become acquainted with the regulations and the code of ethics published by the Australian Computer Society. Copies will be made available to students free of charge. In particular, students in computing should be aware that disciplinary action will be taken against those detected interfering with the operation of the university's computer equipment, interfering with the computer programs and data belonging to others, using unlicensed programs or breaching copyright by copying software that they do not own or do not have a licence to use. It is the university's policy to refer evidence of criminal activity associated with the use of computers to the police, ie 'hacking' may well lead to prosecution as opposed to disciplinary action by the university.
International
students are sent the 'Passport to Monash' publication upon acceptance of their
offer, which provides full details on all accommodation options, and budgets
for each campus. Short-term accommodation for the first few weeks upon arrival
in Australia can be booked through Monash International. Instructions for
arranging longer term accommodation are provided in the 'Passport to
Monash'.
Student housing offices can assist local and international students in
arranging short or long term accommodation. Various options for accommodation
apply to each campus. For further information:
Student Housing Office: (03) 9905 3195
Student
Union housing officer, Ms Kris Papadopoulos, telephone 9903 2525 fax
9903 2004
Frank Tate House, telephone (03) 9509 3181
Evancourt Hostel, telephone (03) 9572 4733
Mannix
College: telephone (03) 9544 8895
Halls of Residence, admissions officer, telephone (03) 9905 6200
Student Housing Office: (03) 9905 3195
Residence
administrator, telephone (03) 9904 4000
Student support officer, Monash University Student Union Inc., telephone
(03) 9783 4555
Amenities manager, telephone (03) 5122 6236
Parking
permits are available for most campuses. To arrange a permit, contact the
appropriate office:
Berwick: No permit necessary
Caulfield: Facilities and Services, telephone (03) 9903 2212
Clayton: Security and Parking, telephone (03) 9905 5789
Peninsula: Campus Administration, telephone (03) 9904 4110
Gippsland: No permit necessary
Students are advised to refer to the booklet Postgraduate course guide 1999 or alternatively contact the scholarships officer, Research Training and Support Branch, Clayton Campus, telephone (03) 9905 30009.
Students are advised that, while the faculty will endeavour to give every possible assistance and advice concerning subject choice, the onus is on the student to ensure that the subjects selected meet the course regulations and requirements. This is not the faculty's responsibility and the faculty does not take any responsibility for error in subject selection.
Enrolments
are normally accepted for both semesters at the beginning of the year and may
be varied after the first-semester examinations.
It is the responsibility of students to ensure that, at all times, their
enrolment is kept up to date. If the university's records show that the
student is enrolled in a subject, fees are payable whether or not classes are
attended. Should the work requirements not be met or the examination not
sat the record will show that the subject has been failed.
The
faculty undertakes pre-enrolment for continuing students. This has removed
time-consuming aspects of re-enrolment for many students.
In October each year, students complete pre-enrolment forms representing their
enrolment for the following year, according to the requirements for their
courses. Students who pass all subjects at the end of the year and have
submitted their pre-enrolment forms will be automatically re-enrolled. However,
students who fail subjects affecting their proposed study program for the
following year have to amend their subject choice. Students who do not
pre-enrol will forfeit their place in the degree.
It is important that a student maintains a current semester address with the
university. Failure to notify the university of a change of address may mean
that a student misses out on receiving vital information such as that
concerning pre-enrolment.
Students undertaking masters by research or PhD will pre-enrol via the Research
Training and Support Branch, Clayton, in mid-October of each year.
The
faculty board has determined that some subjects of the faculty have some common
objectives and subject matter and are therefore deemed to be prohibited subject
combinations. Prohibitions between subjects are listed in the 'Details of
subjects' section of this handbook. Except for electives, students will
normally select subjects specifically designed for the course in which they are
enrolled.
Students considering undertaking a computing subject that is not designed
specifically for their course should check with the faculty office on their
home campus regarding potential problems associated with subject overlap.
The details of subject assessments can be found in the subject descriptions in this handbook. All students should be aware that schools may require that a pass be obtained in all components of assessment for a pass in the subject. This is often referred to as the hurdle requirements of a subject. Students will be advised in the first week of teaching of a subject of any hurdle requirements that might be attached to the assessment for the subject.
The
faculty has set certain standards for the presentation of assignments and
theses. Students should make themselves familiar with these standards and
ensure that written work submitted conforms to the standards.
The standard text is Thesis and assignment writing by J Anderson
and M Poole, 2nd edn, Wiley, 1994.
Timetables
for the courses and subjects of the faculty are prepared by the faculty offices
on each campus. The timetables are displayed on notice boards located near the
faculty office on each campus. Timetables are usually available at the time of
enrolment and pre-enrolment. The revised second-semester timetable is usually
available a week before the semester begins. It is important to understand,
however, that timetable changes may be made in the first weeks of semester to
accommodate changing class sizes. Certain tutorials and lectures may be
restricted to some groups of students, ie those on day-release.
Students with a timetable clash between a core subject and an elective subject
are normally required to choose another elective. Every endeavour is made to
ensure that timetable changes and clashes are kept to a minimum. Complaints
about the timetable should be directed to the faculty manager.
For all subjects offered by the faculty, teaching staff are expected to issue a written statement at the commencement of classes, detailing the syllabus, the method of assessment, recommended textbooks and, where appropriate, reference material. Where suitable texts are not available, students will be provided with printed notes; if these notes are extensive, there may be a charge to cover production costs. Schools make arrangements in advance with the university bookshops to stock recommended texts. For most subjects, this handbook lists both texts and the form of assessment. Students are advised to wait until the lecturer has confirmed the textbooks before buying them.
Part-time
students are expected to proceed through their course at half the rate of
full-time students. Part-time evening classes are available on the Caulfield
campus for most courses on that campus. At the Clayton and Gippsland campuses
classes are available only during the day. However, classes for the
Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications and the Masters in Digital
Communications are held in the early evening at the Clayton campus.
At the Peninsula campus classes are available only during the day. However, the
tutorial arrangements for the Graduate Diploma in Computing held at Peninsula
may be negotiated between the tutor and the students.
At Caulfield the part-time evening classes normally commence at 4 pm or
6 pm.
The faculty has many students based in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia completing their degrees under twinning arrangements or by distance learning and at the Monash University Sunway Campus. Offshore students are subject to the same university, faculty and course regulations as students based in Australia.
All
courses offered by the Gippsland School of Computing and Information
Technology, with the exception of research degrees, are available to students
throughout Australia for part-time study by distance education. These courses
are designed so that it is possible to complete all requirements without any
on-campus attendance, although optional weekend school classes are offered in
most subjects. Some subjects offered by the School of Information Management
and Systems are also available by distance education - see the school entry.
Distance education applicants are normally required to be at least twenty-one
years of age.
All distance education students in computing courses must have an
IBM-compatible personal computer with a printer and a modem, in order to
complete and electronically submit assignment work, and to communicate with
lecturers and other students.
Final
examinations in most subjects are normally held during the university
examination period at the end of each semester. The Faculty does not normally
offer supplementary examinations. In the event of failure, students re-enrol in
the subject when it is next offered.
At the end of each semester, following completion of the examinations, a
faculty board of examiners considers each student's performance as a whole
before results are published.
Grades awarded for subjects for undergraduate courses of the faculty are fail
(N), near pass (NP), pass (P), credit (C), distinction (D), high distinction
(HD). In addition the grade PGO may be used for a pass where there is no higher
grade available. The NP grade can only be awarded by the board of examiners and
is a grade awarded where the faculty does not wish to record a fail (N) grade
for a student who has achieved a mark in the range 45-49. In graduate courses
(and some undergraduate subjects) in the faculty the additional grade of NE is
used.
A candidate, for the purposes of qualifying for an undergraduate degree, shall
not count or include more than twenty-four points of NP grades provided
that:
(a) a maximum of twelve points of NP grades can be counted for any one
year;
(b) where a candidate obtains a NP grade for a subject and subsequently
obtains a higher grade for that subject the NP grade is not included in the
count of points for qualifying purposes.
Honours are awarded in four grades, namely first class honours (HI); second
class honours, division A (HIIA); second class honours, division B
(HIIB); and third class honours (HIII).
Where
a student has been prevented by illness or other serious cause from presenting
for all or part of an examination or where a student's performance has been
gravely affected during the semester or academic year or examination or other
assessment by illness or other serious cause the student may apply for special
consideration or for a special examination.
Such an application must be made within forty-eight hours after a student's
last examination and must be supported, where appropriate, with medical
certificates and supporting evidence. Special consideration forms are available
from the faculty office on each campus. Medical staff are also available on
each campus.
Special consideration applications are referred to both the examiner and the
board of examiners. The examiners take the application into account when
marking papers and the board of examiners takes the application into account
when assessing the student's results as a whole.
Results are published on the world wide web, once the board of examiners has met, generally one week after the university's official examination period. Confidentiality is achieved through students accessing their results with their identification number.
Students should note that cheating is regarded as a very serious offence that is likely to lead not only to failure in the subject concerned but also to additional penalties including exclusion. Students should carefully note that the taking of any unauthorised material into examinations such as notes and unauthorised dictionaries will be regarded as cheating. Students should also note that essays, assignments and other work are generally understood to be the student's own work and where any such work is identical with, or similar to, another student's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. Where students wish to undertake work in conjunction with other students, it is suggested that the matter be discussed with the lecturer concerned.
The university is governed by statutes and regulations, which appear in the university Calendar. These cover such areas as the disciplinary measures which may be taken by the university and the rules which apply to each course. Students should read the regulations covering the award of degrees as well as the less formal course description. The degree regulations for the courses of the faculty are printed later in this handbook and can be accessed via the university web pages.
Under
normal circumstances a student is expected to pass all the subjects for which
he or she is enrolled. Failure to do so may result in a request to attend an
interview aimed at establishing the reasons for failure and finding ways to
overcome problems.
Where progress is considered so poor as to justify possible exclusion from a
course a student is called before the Student Progress and Exclusions
Committee.
Where scholarships are paid by the university, unsatisfactory progress may be
judged by more stringent criteria, and failure in more than one subject in a
single semester may be considered sufficient reason to terminate the scholarship.
Students
whose progress is considered unsatisfactory may be excluded from the faculty.
Students will be deemed not to have made satisfactory progress if they fail
half or more than half of the subjects for which they were enrolled in the last
two semesters or if they fail the same subject twice. No decision will be
taken to exclude a student until the student has been given the opportunity to
present a case to the Student Progress and Exclusions Committee.
Students who are asked to show cause why they should not be excluded will, in
the first instance, be invited to do so in writing. No student will be excluded
without being given the opportunity to appear in person before the committee. A
student excluded by the faculty can appeal to the University Exclusion Appeals
Committee.
Refer also to the section on 'Basic student rights and reasonable expectations'.
It is the responsibility of students to ensure that their enrolment is correct. The faculty board has approved a policy for students who fail to undertake subjects for which they are enrolled or who undertake subjects for which they are not validly enrolled. Under this policy, students enrolled in a subject but not submitting any work for assessment or attending the examination will receive a fail N grade for the subject. Students attending a subject for which they are not validly enrolled will receive no results for the subject. Students must check their confirmation of enrolment, sent to them in April and September.
Applicants
wishing to defer an offer of a course of study must attend for enrolment in
accord with the details contained in the letter of offer. Applications for
deferment must be made in writing to the faculty manager. The faculty reserves
the right to disallow deferment from certain one-year programs such as graduate
diploma and coursework masters courses.
The faculty considers each application for deferment on its merits. The maximum
period of deferment is one year.
Students who experience difficulties during the year or who wish to take a year away from study for any reason may apply for leave of absence. When granting such leave the faculty reserves a place in the course the following year and the period of approved leave will not be counted in the time limits for completion of the course. Leave is normally granted for one year only. The maximum period of leave a student may take from his or her undergraduate course is three years. The maximum period of leave a student may take from his or her postgraduate course is two years. Applications for leave of absence should be made in writing to the faculty manager and must state the reasons for requesting the leave of absence. A form for applying for leave of absence is available from the faculty office.
wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Apr 13 14:11:13 EST 1999