Undergraduate - CourseBachelor of Informatics and Computation Advanced (Honours)

The Bachelor of Informatics and Computation Advanced (Honours) is a flexible course for high achieving students providing a strong foundation in information technology and leading to advanced studies in one field of IT. The course is primarily designed for students who expect to pursue postgraduate study or employment requiring research and advanced IT development skills.

Upon completion of the course, students will have achieved honours-level research studies in one contemporary specialised area of IT study. They will have a sound foundation in the core areas of IT and enabling disciplines, deep knowledge of one or more field of IT, and hands-on experience of IT research. They will have developed strong research, analysis, problem solving, communication and team work skills.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to demonstrate:

(1.) a comprehensive knowledge of the IT discipline including: computer programming skills; software design and development; IT project management; hardware and software architectures; and an understanding of the contexts in which IT systems are used

(2.) knowledge of fundamental IT abstractions and theoretical underpinning and the ability to adapt readily to changing technologies

(3.) in-depth specialist understanding of one of the following branches of IT: computer science; business information systems; information management or technical computing

(4.) understanding and appreciation of the ethical and professional issues that arise in IT practice and research, and the importance of adhering to ethical and professional guidelines

(5.) ability to work as an effective member or leader of teams

(6.) ability to communicate proficiently to a multi-disciplinary audience by: listening, speaking, reading and writing English for professional practice and to communicate research results

(7.) understanding and knowledge of research methodologies used in the IT discipline and of the different organisational contexts in which IT research is performed

(8.) ability to undertake a significant independent research informed by advanced studies in IT including critical literature analysis, choice of appropriate methodology and conducting the research project

(9.) strong problem-solving skills, the ability to undertake independent learning and to apply analytical thinking

Course progression requirements

A sustained high level of achievement must be demonstrated throughout the course. Students are required to maintain at least a distinction average (70 per cent) across their best 48 points of enrolment in IT studies or the total of their FIT-coded unit enrolment if 48 credit points have not yet been completed. Students who do not meet this standard will be required to transfer to the Bachelor of Software Engineering, Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Business Information Systems or Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems depending upon their major or specialisation.

Research or Industry Placement

In the third year of the course students will be required to undertake either a 22-week placement in a research group or work unit of a participating organisation or a 22-week Industry Based Learning (IBL)Industry Based Learning (IBL) (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/ibl) placement. The student's work during the placement will be structured and assessed as part of the degree and must be successfully completed to be eligible to graduate.

This course consists of:

• seven compulsory (core) units in information technology
• an eight-unit major
• a research or industry-based learning placement
• an honours thesis
• two restricted electives chosen from an approved list of topics
• eight free elective units.

Refer to course mapscourse maps (http://infotech.monash.edu.au/current/course-information/) for guidance on how to plan your unit enrolment for each semester of study and approved elective information.

Students must complete:

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

• FIT1004 Data management
• FIT1031 Computers and networks
• FIT1040 Programming fundamentals
• FIT2001 Systems development
• FIT2002 Project management*

* Students must complete this unit over summer semester or overload in one semester by one unit in order to complete the degree within four years.

(b.) a major of eight units from one of the majors listed under 'Areas of study' (48 points)

(c.) two research project units (12 points):

• FIT1041 Research project 1
• FIT2082 Research project 2

(d.) one research or industry-based learning placement unit (18 points):

• FIT3153 Research placement or FIT3045 Industry-based learning

(e.) eight elective units (48 points)chosen:

• from one of the specialisations listed under 'Areas of study'
• from a science area of studyscience area of study (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/undergrad/sci.html), e.g. biology, physics, chemistry, biotechnology
• from any Faculty of Information Technology undergraduate course
• from disciplines offered by another faculty
• to form minors or a major
• as individual units.

Students must be able to meet any prerequisites for elective units.

Elective units can be identified using the browse units toolbrowse units tool (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/search) in the current edition of the handbook. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; undergraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 1-3.

Majors and minors can be identified from the areas of study indexesareas of study indexes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/aos/index.html) in the Handbook.

Students may select free elective units from any campus, but should be aware of the teaching location as this may require travel to another campus and have timetabling implications. Students may also select units offered in off-campus mode (Note: The number of off-campus units permitted for international students is limited).

(f.) an honours thesis (24 points):

• FIT4441 Honours thesis part 1
• FIT4442 Honours thesis part 2
• FIT4443 Honours thesis part 3
• FIT4444 Honours thesis final

(g.) two honours electives (12 points) as approved by the course director.

General requirements

In addition to the above unit requirements, students must meet the following general requirements in relation to the overall number of points at each year level:

• a maximum of 60 points is obtained at level one
• a minimum of 36 points is obtained at level three.

Students cannot take additional units that exceed the 192 credit points required for the course. Students wishing to take additional units can only do so on a single unit basis (full-fee paying) with the approval of the faculty.

• Business information systems
• Computer science
• Computing technology
• Information management

Bachelor of Informatics and Computation Advanced (Honours)