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Subject Lists
Computer Science subjects
The study of Computer Science to 100- or 200-level provides students with sufficient skills to use computers effectively as a tool in other disciplines. The study of Computer Science to 300-level provides students with sufficient knowledge of computing principles and sufficient experience of computing practice to commence work as computing professionals, or, with sufficiently good results, to undertake the Honours year. The Honours year provides a further year of professional development for students planning industry-based careers and also serves as a foundation for students considering research careers.
A Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) degree is available through the Faculty of Engineering. See the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science entry of the Handbook for details.
Students enrolled in the BSc single degree course planning to study Computer Science subjects should read The 50-point rule entry.
Coordinator: Dr L. Johnston
The Department of Computer Science offers four 100-level subjects. Students who intend to proceed to 200-level Computer Science must take both the subjects 433-141 Computing Fundamentals A and 433-142 Computing Fundamentals B before proceeding to 200-level studies in Computer Science.
The Department also offers two 100-level subjects which do not accrue Science points, but which may be taken as part of the non-Science points options of the BSc degree. These two subjects are 433-161 Introduction to Programming A and 433-162 Introduction to Programming B. Each of these subjects will accrue 7.14 points. All other 100-level Computer Science subjects do accrue Science points.
A student who is not planning to proceed to later year studies in Computer Science, and seeks an introduction to programming, can choose to take either 433-141 (12.5 points) or 433-161 (7.14 points). Neither subject assumes you have previous programming experience and both subjects place a strong emphasis on practical work. Project work in 433-141 involves the use of the programming language Miranda, a modern functional language which has powerful facilities for expressing programming ideas, and which is an excellent language for introducing many important concepts in programming. Project work in 433-161 is carried out in the language C, which is a widely used language in scientific and engineering applications.
A student who completes only 433-161 and 433-162 (total 14.28 points) can take a very limited amount of 200-level Computer Science study. A student who completes 433-161 and 433-162 and then wishes to take further substantial studies in Computer Science can subsequently complete 433-141 Computing Fundamentals A and then move into the mainstream computing subjects at 200-level.
The subjects 433-161 and 433-162 together cover a lot of material which is included in the subject 433-142, so it is not possible to gain credit for completing 433-142 after completing 433-161 and 433-162, and vice versa.
Coordinator: Dr T.Y. Chen
The Department of Computer Science offers the following 200-level subjects: 433-251, 433-252, 433-253, 433-254, 433-255, and 433-257. Students who have completed both 433-141 and 433-142, and two semesters of standard or advanced level first year mathematics, are eligible to take all of these subjects. Students who have completed only 433-161 and 433-162 and two semesters of mathematics are eligible to take 433-251 and 433-252.
Students who have completed 433-141 and 433-142, and who are intending to take some 200-level studies in Computer Science but not to continue with 300-level studies in Computer Science, are advised to enrol in either or both of the subjects 433-252 Software Development Principles and Tools, and 433-253 Algorithms and Data Structures. 433-252 should be taken prior to, or concurrently with 433-253.
Students who have completed 433-161 and 433-162, and who wish to take some 200-level studies in Computer Science, are advised to enrol in either or both of the subjects 433-251 Computer Organisation and 433-252 Software Development Principles and Tools.
Students intending to proceed with 300-level studies in Computer Science are required to complete the subjects: 433-251 Computer Organisation, 433-252 Software Development Principles and Tools, 433-253 Algorithms and Data Structures and 433-254 Software Design, and are encouraged to complete the subject 433-255 Models of Computation.
Students intending to proceed to BSc(Hons) in Computer Science are required to complete the subjects 433-251 Computer Organisation, 433-252 Software Development Principles and Tools, 433-253 Algorithms and Data Structures 433-254 Software Design, and 433-255 Models of Computation. Such students are strongly encouraged to consider the subject 433-257 Frontiers of Computer Science. Note that the BSc(Hons) requirements also include a requirement for completion of certain points in 200-level Mathematics or Statistics.
Students in the Faculty of Engineering may substitute 431-204 Computer Engineering 2 for 433-251 Computer Organisation.
Coordinator: Dr Z. Somogyi
The Department of Computer Science offers the following 300-level subjects: 433-303, 433-313, 433-330, 433-332, 433-340, 433-341, 433-342, 433-343, 433-351, 433-353, 433-361, 433-371, 433-380, 433-398 and 433-399. Note that 433-343, 433-398 and 433-399 do not accrue science points.
Students intending to proceed to 400-level Computer Science should note the minimum requirements for acceptance to BSc(Hons) listed in the subject description for 433-401 Computer Science Honours. These requirements include passes in at least 65 points of 300-level Computer Science or Electrical Engineering or Mathematics, including at least four of 433-303, 433-313, 433-330, 433-332, 433-342, 433-351, 433-361, and 433-380.
Coordinator: Dr H. Sondergaard
Students who wish to consolidate their knowledge of computer science and who have achieved an honours grade average in their third year studies should consider completing the BSc(Hons) year. This involves two components, 433-401 Computer Science Research Project (40 points) and 433-402 Computer Science Advanced Coursework (60 points). Completion of the honours year serves both as a preparation for postgraduate studies and an opportunity to strengthen practical skills before seeking industry employment.
An alternative year of fourth year study is available to students interested in specialising in Software Engineering studies. The Postgraduate Diploma in Software Engineering is a one year full time course with a practical orientation designed to extend a student's knowledge of modern software engineering tools and methodologies. To be eligible for this course a student must have completed, at a high level of achievement, the subjects 433-255 Models of Computation, 433-340 Software Engineering Project, 433-341 Software Engineering 3A and 433-342 Software Engineering 3B. Details of this course are available through the Faculty of Engineering or the Department of Computer Science.
For information about the Faculty and departmental entry requirements for Honours, please refer to Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Information Systems (Honours) These requirements should be considered when planning your course.
A typical sequence of study for a BSc student intending to major in Computer Science comprises:
The subjects listed below are regarded as science subjects. Each of these subjects, with the exception of those noted here, are worth 12.5 science points:
433-141 Computing Fundamentals A
433-142 Computing Fundamentals B
433-251 Computer Organisation
433-252 Software Development Principles and Tools
433-253 Algorithms and Data Structures
433-254 Software Design
433-255 Models of Computation
433-257 Frontiers of Computer Science
433-303 Artificial Intelligence
433-313 Computer Design
433-330 Theory of Computation
433-332 Operating Systems
433-340 Software Engineering Project
433-341 Software Engineering 3A
433-342 Software Engineering 3B
433-351 Database Systems
433-353 Networks and Communications
433-361 Programming Language Implementation
433-371 Interactive System Design
433-380 Graphics and Computation
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Status: Official 1998 Last Modified: Tuesday October 21 17:12 SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Technology Services Authorised by: Academic Registrar Email Enquiries: Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au