Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Course

2672 - Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Computer Science

This course entry should be read in conjunction with information provided in the 'Faculty information' section of this Handbook by the Faculty of Arts

Managing faculty	Arts
Abbreviated title	BA/BCompSc
CRICOS code	037843G
Total credit points required	192
Standard duration of study (years)	4 years FT, 8 years PT
Study mode and location	On-campus (Clayton)
Admission, fee and application details	http://www.monash.edu/study/coursefinder/course/2672
Contact details	http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/current/coursework/contact_us/

Notes

Students may select arts units from any campus, but should be aware of the teaching location as this may require travel to another campus. Students may also select units offered in off-campus mode.

Description

The Bachelor of Arts is a general, flexible degree which allows students to match academic interests with career aspirations to create a personalised course progression. Studying humanities will develop general knowledge and specific intellectual skills relating to human thought and relations, such as the way we communicate or how the past has affected the present. Social science analyses and explains societies and the relationships of individuals within those societies.

Computer science is concerned with the scientific design and application of computer software and hardware. It is a broad discipline, encompassing software design, programming, algorithm development, the computing hardware, and the theoretical foundations of computation, as well as the present and potential applications of computing that pervade modern society. The study of computer science is not restricted to current technologies and instead emphasises fundamental principles, thus enabling graduates to understand and indeed shape future developments.

Objectives

Students graduating from this double-degree program will have the training of a computer scientist along with highly developed verbal, communication and visual skills. This degree will therefore give graduates an edge in a wide range of employment opportunities related to the areas of information technology and the arts, humanities or social sciences.

Refer to the Bachelor of Arts objectives at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/courses/0002.html and Bachelor of Computer Science objectives at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/courses/2380.html.

Structure

This course consists of 96 points in the arts component and 96 points in the computer science component.

For information on arts majors and minors, refer to the 'Areas of study' section in this Handbook at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2011handbooks/aos/index-ug-byfaculty-arts.html.

Requirements

Arts component

(a.) an arts major (48 points)

(b.) an arts minor in a different area of study (24 points)

(c.) a first-year arts sequence in a third area of study (12 points)

(d.) a further two arts units (12 points)

(a.) an arts major (48 points)

(b.) a second arts major (48 points)

As part of the arts component students must include one of:

ATS1263 Bioethics: Current controversies
ATS1292 English as an International Language: International communication (for non English speaking background students)
ATS1298 Professional writing (for students with English language background)
ATS2680/ATS3680 Literacies and communication: Education, media and cyberspace
ATS2859 Ethics at work: Ethical issues in professional life
ATS2867 Thinking about science
PSY2112 Organisational psychology

Computer science component

Students complete:

(a.) five information technology core units (30 points):

FIT1002 Computer programming
FIT1004 Data management
FIT1031 Computers and networks
FIT2001 Systems development
FIT2002 Project management

(b.) six computer science core units (36 points):

FIT1008 Introduction to computer science
FIT1029 Algorithmic problem solving
FIT2004 Algorithms and data structures
FIT2014 Theory of computation
FIT3036 Computer science project
FIT3140 Advanced programming

(c.) two core mathematics units (12 points):

MAT1830 Discrete mathematics for computer science
MAT2003 Continuous mathematics for computer science

(d.) 18 points of approved Bachelor of Computer Science electives chosen from a schedule published by the Faculty of Information Technology at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/bcs and comprising at least 12 points of third-year-level electives.

Approved course variations of the BArts/BCS course structure

Students may substitute MAT2003 with MTH1030 Techniques for modelling or ENG1091 Mathematics for engineering with approval.

Alternative exit(s)

Students cannot graduate from either degree until they have satisfied the requirements for that award and successfully completed studies to the value of 144 points in the relevant component. Students are permitted to count up to 48 points of the other faculty's component towards those 144 points. To meet Bachelor of Arts requirements students must also complete at least 36 points at third-year level.

Award(s)

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Computer Science