James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2002

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Postgraduate studies in Information Technology are available at Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters levels in three distinctive fields of study: E-Business, Multimedia or Networking. A combined Masters degree involving Information Technology and Business Administration is also available.

The E-Business specialisation is designed to provide a mix of business and marketing skills, multimedia production and support skills and computer networking skills. It provides a path for business, commerce and other non-computer science/information technology graduates, as well as for CS/IT graduates, seeking to move into the IT/E-Business industry.

The Multimedia specialisation is designed to provide computer skills for multimedia content production and support. It provides a path for non-computer science/information technology graduates, as well as for CS/IT graduates, seeking to move into the multimedia industry.

The Networking specialisation is designed to provide the ‘convergent IP technology’ skills of computing, networking and software that underpin the operation of the on-line IP-based business world. It will provide an upgrade path for computer science/information technology graduates, seeking to move into the networking industry, as network designers, network administrators, system integrators, WWW designers and masters and intranet supervisors.

GRADUATE COURSES

Graduate courses in Information Technology include Graduate Certificate (12 units), Graduate Diploma (24 units) and Masters (36 units). The required units must be chosen in one of the fields of study, ie e-business, multimedia or networking (see Schedules below).

MASTER OF APPLIED SCIENCE (COMPUTER SCIENCE) BY COURSEWORK

The Master of Applied Science in Computer Science (MAppSc(CompSc)) course provides high quality, professional training at an advanced level for people who have a background in Computer Science and also for people who have training in another discipline but have significant professional experience in computing. Admission to the course requires knowledge equivalent to the completion of the subject CP2001. The MAppSc(CompSc) can be undertaken full-time (12-24 months) or part-time (24-48 months).

The course provides both breadth and depth in topic coverage. Students choose a variety of subjects to suit their specific requirements, including a minor project. (People wishing to undertake a major research project should consider the Masters by Research course.) Subjects from disciplines other than Computer Science, offered by this or other universities, may be included in the course if approved.

Upon successful completion of the course as specified, including attaining at least a Credit grade for the project, the MAppSc(CompSc) degree provides an option for students to transfer to a Master of Science by research and then perhaps to a PhD.

MASTER OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN NETWORKING, E-BUSINESS OR MULTIMEDIA BY COURSEWORK

The Master of Information Technology (MIT) is a suite of coursework programs, that address the known worldwide demand for graduates who are skilled in electronic technologies – computing, networking, multimedia and software technologies. They provide a practical career track into the exciting IT industry for graduates with three or four year degrees in all disciplines. The MIT programs suit those who have an interest in online technologies and an aptitude for computing and who may be seeking to redirect their careers into IT. These are professional, applied postgraduate programs and include preparation for Cisco (CCNA) and Microsoft (MCSE) industry certification examinations.

These MIT programs offer February and July entry, with full-time or part-time enrolment allowed. Three specialisations are available:

MIT(Networking), for computer science or information technology graduates;

MIT(Multimedia), for graduates with any three or four year degree; and

MIT(E-business), for graduates with any three or four year degree.

Normally, a MIT course takes 18 months of full-time study to complete the 36 credit points required. There is an option of early exit points with a Graduate Certificate (after 12 credit points, typically in six months) or a Graduate Diploma (after 24 credit points, typically in 12 months); enrolments in Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are also available. A ‘Fast Track’ mode is available for the MIT(e-business), which means that the course may be completed in 13 months, but ‘intensive mode’ subjects will need to be taken during semester breaks.

Entry to the MIT(Multimedia) and MIT(e-business) is available to graduates in any discipline who have passed programming language subjects (eg in C, C++, JAVA) equivalent to one half of a full-time semester workload, or to graduates in any discipline who have at least 18 months of industry experience in software development. Other graduates will be offered places subject to passing a ‘Preliminary Program’, see www.cs.jcu.edu.au. Diplomates who have equivalent computing industry experience may be admitted after review of their CV.

Entry into the MIT(Networking) is available to graduates with a three or four year degree in computer science, information technology, telecommunications or electrical/electronic engineering, which included the computer science topics ‘Information Systems’ and ‘Data Structures and Algorithms’, as in CP1500 and CP2001 at http://www.cs.jcu.au/Subjects/. Graduates from other technology-related three or four year degrees, may be admitted after review of their academic transcript and curriculum vitae; this includes those who have done computer science majors equivalent to at least one year full-time, or have at least 24 months of industry experience in software development. An ‘Extended Program’ is available to graduates not meeting these prerequisites, see www.cs.jcu.edu.au.

A candidate must complete 36 units for Master or 24 units for Graduate Diploma or 12 units for Graduate Certificate, from one of the following fields of study. The prescribed course of study for each field follows:

Schedule

E-Business

Multimedia

Networking

For Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate and Master programs, the prescribed course of study for each field may be varied by the Academic Adviser or the Head of School to accommodate particular circumstances of individual students.

MASTER OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The objectives of the course are to provide theory and practical skills in accounting, finance, management, marketing and operations management; and e-business technologies, multimedia, programming, networking and software.

Students should complete subjects as follows: