CSE postgraduate coursework programs require students to undertake
a number of courses (ranging from 8 to 16 courses). After all courses
are successfully completed, students are eligible to graduate with
the appropriate degree. Each course is typically worth 6UoC (Units
of Credit); a 6UoC course generally requires on average 12 hours work
per week (or roughly 180 hours over the course of the semester).
All programs draw from a common pool of courses, but differ in the
emphasis they place on particular topic areas or in the mix of
fundamental and advanced courses.
Programs also differ in how prescribed they are; the MCompSc and
MInfSc degrees, for example, specify groups of required courses
which must be completed before the degree can be awarded.
CSE postgraduate courses fall into three natural groups:
- Foundations (Group A)
-
Topics that form the basic foundations of the discipline of computer
science and engineering, including programming fundamentals,
digital systems, discrete maths and data structures.
- Core (Group B/C)
-
Topics that cover the breadth of the discipline, ranging from advanced
foundational material such as algorithms and software engineering,
through important applied topics such as operating systems, databases,
networks, graphics and artificial intelligence. Any graduate from a CSE
postgraduate program would be expected to be familiar with most
of this material.
- Advanced (Group D)
-
Topics that extend the core material or introduce cutting-edge
research in areas such as machine learning, eCommerce or network
implementation.
Each of the CSE postgraduate programs chooses a different mix of
courses appropriate for the background of the students in the program.
This is described in more detail in the descriptions of the individual
programs.
Course Groups
Notes (these are not part of the document for students):
- The new Group B list is really core. I think everyone
who graduates from CSE should know all of this. This is a minor change
in emphasis from the current MCompSc program. It doesn't quite fit
with the current MINfSc ... but maybe that's because MInfSc needs
changing.
- The new group C list is the stuff that gives breadth and all
students ought to know at least three courses from it (this fits
in with the existing programs).
- We should still expect MEngSc students to know at least 7 of
the 11 Group B/C courses before we admit them to the program; and
we let them do at most 2 Group B/Cs in their degree.
- Replacing COMP9221 in core by COMP9211 is plausible.
- Including COMP4001 (suitably renumbered) in Group B would be
plausible, but maybe overemphasises the Software Engineering side
of things ... also, it's not clear what should be removed to allow
its inclusion.
- A red course code means that I think the
course code needs changing to something permanent.
- A red course title means that I'm sceptical
about leaving this course on the books ... maybe not available in
the future.
- A green course title means that the course
wasn't in the current list; I'm sure there's a reason, but I'd like
to hear what the reason is.
|
Group A
| COMP9020 | Foundations of Computer Science |
| COMP9021 | Principles of Programming |
| COMP9022 | Digital Systems Structures |
| COMP9024 | Data Structures and Algorithms |
|
Group B
| COMP9008 | Software Engineering |
| COMP9101 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms |
| COMP9151 | Foundations of Concurrency |
| COMP9511 | Human Computer Interaction |
|
Group C
| COMP9102 | Compiling Techniques |
| COMP9201 | Operating Systems |
| COMP9221 | Microprocessor Systems |
| COMP9311 | Database Systems |
| COMP9331 | Computer Networks & Applications |
| COMP9414 | Artificial Intelligence |
| COMP9415 | Graphics |
|
|
Group D
| COMP4001 | Object-oriented Software Dev. |
| COMP4011 | Web Applications Engineering |
| COMP4111 | Distributed Object Sys & Tech |
| COMP4141 | Theory of Computation |
| COMP4411 | Experimental Robotics |
| COMP9018 | Advanced Graphics |
| COMP9116 | Software System Dev. Using B |
| COMP9211 | Computer Architecture |
| COMP9215 | VLSI Systems Design |
| COMP9231 | Integrated Digital Sysmtems |
| COMP9242 | Advanced Operating Systems |
| COMP9243 | Distributed Systems |
| COMP9314 | Next Generation Database Systems |
| COMP9315 | Database Systems Implementation |
| COMP9316 | eCommerce Systems Implementation |
| COMP9332 | Network Routing & Switching |
| COMP9333 | Advanced Computer Networks |
| COMP9416 | Knowledge-based Systems |
| COMP9417 | Machine Learning |
| COMP9444 | Neural Networks |
| COMP9518 | Image Processing & Applications |
| COMP9519 | Multimedia Authoring & Cooperative Agents |
| COMP9921 | Personal Software Process |
|
|
Masters vs Graduate Diploma
The Computer Science and Information Science programs are available as
both Masters and graduate Diploma programs.
The difference between a Graduate Diploma and the corresponding Masters
is that students undertake four additional courses of study.
Normal practice for transferring from Graduate Diploma to Masters is
to complete the Grad Dip requirements and then transfer enrolment
to the correpsonding Masters program.
Note that it is not possible to
- transfer from a Graduate Diploma to a Masters program unless a 65% average is maintained
- transfer from a Graduate Diploma to a Masters program in a different area
- apply to graduate for the Diploma and then immediately transfer to the Masters program
Note also that students who are enrolled in a Masters program, but
fail to maintain a 65% average in their first 12 courses will not be
eligible to continue on to the Masters and must take out the Graduate
Diploma at this point.
Projects
In any of the Masters programs, it is possible for exceptional
students to undertake a research project in place of three courses in
the final session of their degree. This project is worth 18 UoC and has
the course code COMP9945 (why not COMP9918?)
The project option is only available under the following conditions:
- the student is enrolled in a Masters program
(projects are not available for Grad Dip students)
- the student has completed at least four courses towards their
program at UNSW
- the student averages 75% or better in all CSE courses prior to
their final session of study
- the student can find a member of the CSE academic staff who is
willing to supervise a project
- the project must be undertaken in the final session of study;
it can be the only study in that session
- the project must be completed during that session
(projects must be submitted by the end of session)