MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS

Computing & Information Technology Handbook 1996

Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia

Caution Copyright © Monash University 1996
ISBN 1320-6222

Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996

GRADUATE STUDIESPart 7

CONTENTS

  1. Master of Information Systems
  2. Master of Librarianship
  3. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  4. Research scholarships

Master of Information Systems

Caulfield campus

Course code: 1167

Course leader: Mr Martin Atchison

Introduction

The Master of Information Systems is offered by the Department of Information Systems. It provides specialised and directed advanced study in specific areas in the information systems domain of current interest and importance to computing professionals.

Subjects will primarily take the form of seminars. They normally focus on the lecturer's current areas of research. This results in the students gaining considerable insight into active research domains, in sufficient depth to enable them to apply the results of current research in their place of employment.

Graduates of the Master of Information Systems program are expected to play leading roles in the profession in Australia and other countries.

Masters students have access to the department library and the department's honours and graduate studies centre.

Admission requirements

Applicants are required to hold a Bachelor of Computing with honours, or the Monash University Graduate Diploma in Information Technology, Graduate Diploma in Information Systems, or equivalent qualifications. Marks in fourth-year subjects should be at the HII level or equivalent.

Fees for Australian residents

In 1996 the course fee is $8000 or $1000 per subject.

Course structure

The Master of Information Systems comprises forty-eight credit points of coursework taken over one year full-time or two years part-time. The course contains no research component. Subjects will be taken primarily from the fifth-year offerings of the Department of Information Systems. In particular cases, these may be supplemented by selected offerings from the fourth year of Information Systems and other departments in the faculty. No more than two of the subjects selected will be at fourth-year level or from another discipline.

Individual courses of study will be developed by selection from the following existing subjects:

+ SYS4130 Information technology strategic planning (6 points)

+ SYS4140 Information modelling (6 points)

+ SYS4160 Decision aids (6 points)

+ SYS4170 Executive information systems (6 points)

+ SYS4180 Knowledge-based systems (6 points)

+ SYS4190 Knowledge engineering (6 points)

+ SYS4210 Decision support systems (6 points)

+ SYS4220 Systems analysis (6 points)

+ SYS4270 Systems design and implementation (6 points)

+ SYS5010 Reading subject (6 points)

+ SYS5110 Advanced topics in artificial intelligence (6 points)

+ SYS5120 Requirements acquisition and modelling (6 points)

+ SYS5150 Decision support methods (6 points)

+ SYS5240 Management and information systems (6 points)

+ SYS5250 Advanced topics in information systems management (6 points)

+ SYS5260 History of computing thought (6 points)

+ SYS5270 Current topics in cognitive science (6 points)

+ SYS5280 Knowledge-based decision support (6 points)

+ SYS5306 Advanced topics in systems design (6 points)

+ SYS5316 Design theory (6 points)

Each student's course of study must be approved by the course leader.

Course options - some examples

A student can develop a course of study to meet specific goals. For example, a project leader with many years industrial experience who wishes to change role to a managerial position may select:

+ SYS4130 Information technology strategic planning

+ SYS4360 Information systems management

+ SYS5120 Requirements acquisition and modelling

+ SYS5150 Decision support methods

+ SYS5240 Management and information systems

+ SYS5250 Advanced topics in information systems management

+ SYS5306 Advanced topics in systems design

+ SYS5316 Design theory

A systems analyst who wishes to move into a specialist decision-support consulting role may select:

+ SFT5030 Visual programming

+ SYS4170 Executive information systems

+ SYS4470 Human-machine interfaces

+ SYS5110 Advanced topics in artificial intelligence

+ SYS5150 Decision support methods

+ SYS5240 Management and information systems

+ SYS5280 Knowledge-based decision support

+ SYS5316 Design theory

Master of Librarianship

Clayton campus

Course code: 0018

Course leader: Dr Brian McMullin

Introduction

The Master of Librarianship is offered by the Department of Librarianship, Archives and Records. It is an advanced degree open to graduates who hold a professional qualification in librarianship and have qualified for a bachelors degree in a field other than librarianship.

Admission requirements

Applicants must hold a professional qualification in librarianship and must have qualified for a bachelors degree in a field other than librarianship at Monash University or at another university or tertiary institution approved by the faculty, provided that the degree concerned is considered by the faculty to be a suitable preparation for the proposed field of study.

In special circumstances the faculty may admit to candidature an applicant who lacks all or some of the qualifications listed above but whose qualifications, publications and experience are considered by the faculty to be a suitable preparation for the proposed field of study.

Duration

The period of candidature will be not less than one year and not more than three years for full-time candidates and not less than two years and not more than five years for part-time candidates. Full-time candidates should normally allow two years to complete the degree.

Course structure

The program consists of four subjects (one of which will normally be LAR5320) plus a major thesis weighted at 66 per cent of the course, but permission may be given for other combinations involving fewer subjects and a more heavily weighted thesis. In exceptional circumstances candidates may undertake the degree by thesis alone. All candidates will be required to attend departmental seminars regularly. Subjects offered (subject to student demand, staff availability and appropriate background) are:

+ LAR5090 Computers in information transfer

+ LAR5200 Special topic

+ LAR5310 Management of library and information services

+ LAR5320 Research in librarianship

+ LAR5330 Bibliography and textual scholarship

+ LAR5340 Historical bibliography

+ LAR5350 Australian booktrade history

+ LAR5380 Library and information services to ethnic minority communities

+ LAR5410 Preservation of library and archival materials

+ LAR5430 Computer-supported information services

+ LAR5440 Source materials for Australian studies

+ LAR5470 International and comparative librarianship

+ LAR5490 Evaluation and implementation of information systems

+ LAR5630 Community information (archives, records and librarianship)

+ LAR5640 Business records management

It is also possible for students to take subjects in other departments and faculties.

Timetable

All enrolled students are required to attend the university for at least one half-day per week until they have completed all the coursework required for the degree.

Full-time candidates should expect to spend at least two half-days per week attending formal subjects.

As far as possible, subjects will be planned to allow part-time candidates to take their coursework by one visit to the university per week; some subjects will be offered in the late afternoon.

Part-time candidates are strongly advised to plan to spend at least the equivalent of one full day per week at the university and in the library.

Departmental seminars

Departmental seminars, conducted by visitors, staff members and students who are engaged in research, are held weekly. Students in the MLib program are expected to attend these seminars regularly during their candidature, and those who are writing a thesis will be expected to report at a seminar.

Thesis

All candidates who have reached the thesis stage will be required to report regularly to their supervisor. The frequency of these reports will be decided by the candidate and the supervisor. Candidates should note, however, that the department will require them to have personal consultations with their supervisors while the thesis is being written.

The approval of a thesis topic will depend not only upon the suitability of the proposal and the ability of the candidate to undertake the research but also upon the availability of an appropriate thesis supervisor.

Candidates who lack some of the background knowledge or research techniques needed to undertake their proposed investigation may be required to attend appropriate subjects or segments of subjects to remedy this deficiency.

All candidates will be required to write a detailed thesis proposal that sets out the subject, purposes and methods of the investigation.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Caulfield, Clayton, Peninsula and Gippsland campuses

Course code: 0190

Departmental coordinators: Dr Andrew Flitman (Business Systems), Associate Professor John Hurst (Computer Science), Dr Noel Craske (Computer Technology), Dr Paula Swatman (Information Systems), Dr Brian McMullin (Librarianship, Archives and Records), Professor Jim Breen (Robotics and Digital Technology), Dr A Sajeev (Software Development), Dr Baikunth Nath (Gippsland School of Computing and Information Technology), Dr Jun Han (Peninsula School of Computing and Information Technology)

Introduction

The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology offers a Doctor of Philosophy program by research in each of the nine academic units of the faculty, across four of the university's campuses. The degree is awarded for a thesis which, in the opinion of the examiners, makes a significant contribution to knowledge or understanding of any field of study with which the university is directly concerned. The award of the degree is generally accepted as showing that the candidate is capable of carrying out independent research.

Areas for research include graphics and image processing, artificial intelligence, inductive inference, parallel and persistent computer architectures, systems analysis and design methodologies, knowledge-based systems, information systems management, inter-organisational systems, data modelling, electronic commerce, computer-assisted software engineering, programming paradigms and languages, object-oriented systems, formal specification, software metrics, decision support systems, executive information systems, human-machine interfaces, distributed systems, information storage and retrieval, robotics, digital communications, microelectronic circuit design, digital systems design, librarianship, archives and records.

The degree is usually undertaken on a full-time basis over three years. Part-time studies are available on conditions approved by the PhD and Scholarships Committee.

In appropriate circumstances enrolment for a masters degree by research may be converted to enrolment for a PhD.

Admission requirements

The minimum qualifications for admission to PhD candidature are

1. A bachelors degree requiring at least four years of full-time study and which normally includes a research component in the fourth year, leading to an honours degree at first or upper second class level (HI or HIIA); or

2. A course leading to a masters preliminary qualification at a level rated by the relevant department and faculty as equivalent to a first or upper second class honours degree; or

3. A masters degree which comprises a significant research component, at least equivalent to (1) above.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at Monash signifies that the holder has completed a course of postgraduate training in research under proper academic supervision, and has submitted a thesis that the examiners have declared to be a significant contribution to knowledge, and that demonstrates the candidate's capacity to carry out independent research.

For further information about the PhD program and attendance requirements, please contact the Research, Training and Support Branch in the Research Services Division of Monash University, Clayton campus.

For further information about the research interests of each department and school within the faculty, please refer to the section titled `Departmental information' at the front of this handbook. Departmental coordinators can provide advice and information about research topics and supervision.

Applications for PhD candidature can be made at any time of the year and application forms are available from the faculty offices.

Research scholarships

The following scholarships are available for candidates undertaking either a Masters degree by research or PhD:

+ Monash Graduate Scholarship (MGS)

+ Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) (for permanent residents only)

+ Overseas Postgraduate Research Scheme Award (OPRS) (for non-permanent residents only).

Scholarship applications close on 31 October and are available from either the research training and support branch or the faculty office at Clayton campus. Applicants should apply for candidature through the faculty office at the same time.

Initial enquiries about research degrees should be made to the research coordinator or head of department for the relevant academic area, or the graduate studies officer of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology.

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