Please read these Important Notes on eScience Courses in 2004

Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates

Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (eScience)
GradDipIT(eSci)

CRICOS Code: 036821K

Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Graduate Program: Computer Science and Technology
Contact: escience@cs.anu.edu.au
Program Code: 6701

In the history of computing, the main applications driver for technological innovation has been the requirements of 'big' science and engineering. In recent times, the World Wide Web and the web browser have been developed by computing centres attached to big science projects. At present, the needs of scientific workers to collaborate in remote experimentation, and in the processing and understanding of massive data sets, have led to further innovations in networked visualisation technology and virtual reality. The dominant programming paradigm of modern computing, that of object-oriented software engineering, has come directly from the field of engineering simulation. It is felt that students from a science or engineering background will find a ready affinity with this programming methodology.
This program will educate science graduates in these modern aspects of computing in a way that will provide a route for them into the Information Technology industry. The set of skills provided by this approach, termed 'eScience', will be useful for following and fostering innovation in the IT industry.
 

Admission Criteria

The program prerequisites are an undergraduate science degree with a equivalent to a good credit average at ANU in the third year, as well as a good pass for some university-level mathematics. A bridging mathematics course may be recommended. Students without these prerequisites, but with an equivalent combination of study and relevant work experience, may be admitted by the Dean on advice of the program coordinator.

Program Structure

The Graduate Diploma of Information Technology (eScience) requires 48 units drawn from the following groups of courses.  The full program requires 30 units from Group A (compulsory courses), 12 units from Group B (constrained electives) and 6 units from Group C (free electives).

The course COMP6700 is the prerequisite for all other courses in the program and, where required, will be started as an intensive course some 2 weeks, or so, before the start of each semester.
Students with a prior university-level computing background may be granted an exemption from COMP6700 and will be required to choose one extra course from Group B.

Group A – compulsory courses (total of 30 units)

Group B – constrained elective courses. Students must complete 12 units from the following

Group C – free elective courses. Students can complete 6 additional units from Group B or from other Computer Science, Mathematics,  Statistics or Engineering courses with the permission of the eScience program convenor.

 

Under exceptional circumstances the 12 unit eScience project course, COMP6703, can be taken instead of the 6 unit project course COMP6701 and one other 6-unit elective. This variation to the program would suit a student who has displayed excellent academic results in their first semester of study and who wishes to complete a more substantial project. It must be approved by the program convenor.

 

In the event that a student fails to complete a core or elective course, they might be allowed to enroll in an eScience Summer Topics course. This course will comprise a mixture of coursework, reading and project work and, with the agreement of the program convenor, its successful completion can be accepted for credit for the eScience program requirements in the stead of the course that the student failed to complete. In this way, students could complete their program of study without having to wait to the following academic year. A maximum of 12 units of eScience Summer Topics may be counted towards meeting program requirements for any one student.

Articulation to MInfTech (eScience)
The Graduate Diploma in IT (eScience) is a one-year full-time-equivalent program. Students must complete 48 units of the course in order to graduate from this program. If they successfully complete these units with a Distinction average mark (70%) or better, then they are eligible to automatically articulate to the Master of Information Technology (eScience) at ANU. The latter program will require a further 48 units of courses (or one further year of full-time study) to be completed.

Number of Units necessary for Program completion: 48

Compulsory Courses

 

Elective Courses

 

Details of Coursework Courses

 

COMP6240
Relational Databases
6 units
Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

Introduction to the basic goals, functions, models, components, applications and social impact of database systems applications. The course introduces the relational model and the database query language SQL. Entity-Relationship Diagrams are introduced as a tool for conceptual modelling. Consideration is given to the role of integrity constraints as well as to the impact of DBMS access schemes and query optimisation.

COMP6311
Software Analysis & Design
6 units
Semester 1
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

Provides a practical introduction to requirements analysis methods and design specification techniques that are either structured or object-oriented. The essential rationale for the requisite components of a number of such methods will be taught together with some techniques for their application. As always, the emphasis of applying any such method is to create, from a set of original requirements, a semi-formal representation or model of a system software specification that is unambiguous, consistent and understandable. An object -oriented methodology will be considered in detail.

COMP6313
Software Process
3 units
Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

This unit covers advanced topics concerning software process improvement (SPI) frameworks and standards. There are several SPI frameworks/standards available, each one processing its own merits and difficulties. Most are regarded as being more appropriate to large software development organisations where the assumed expenses of incorporated SPI initiatives typically provide significant return on investment. The course will introduce the various well known frameworks and standards in the context of importance to organisations but then also discuss tailored versions of some SPI frameworks that are more suitable to small organisations or teams of software developers.

COMP6340
Internet, Intranet & Document Systems
6 units
Semester 1
Prerequisite Courses
Incompatible with COMP6341
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

Studies the methods, software architecture and standards for computer communications over networks, at the upper level, and examples of major applications with the focus being on the Internet.
The following topics are included. Introduction to open systems and the Internet reference model. Foundations of Internet applications: electronic mail, file transfer application, MIME, hypertext transfer protocol, World Wide Web system architecture and operation. Standards, ISO and other standardisation, conformance and acceptance. Information structure; static, dynamic and active pages; HTML, CSS, XML, SGML; mobile code, CGI scripts; a simple introduction to symmetric and public key systems; study of applications such as PGP; SSL; eCommerce; design/study of an Internet based business system.

COMP6341
Information Technology in Electronic Commerce
6 units
Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
Incompatible with COMP6340
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

This subject studies some of the current and potential application of information technology in electronic commerce. Topics will be chose from areas such as document representation (XML, XSL, DTD, CSS) knowledge discovery (search-engines, meta-data, web-based data mining) data management (digital library, electronic document management), trading (spontaneous, deliberative, auctions) and security. Case studies will be used wherever appropriate. Other topics will be presented to match developments and maturation of the area.

COMP6421
Usability & Design of the Human/Computer Interface
3 units
Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

The course covers the principles behind the design of mechanisms for human-computer interaction (HCI) and develops competence in the specification and construction of user interfaces. Topics will be selected from: the human senses and their influence on user interface design; component of interaction (direct manipulation, forms, menus and command languages); characteristics of HCI; design methodologies; the impact of culture; user interface programming; interface and application management.

COMP6442
Networked Scientific Data Analysis & Presentation
6 units
Semester 1
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

Modern "big" science and engineering projects often make use of computing systems which combine components of networking, real-time control, data management, data analysis and visualisation. The interface to all of the above is increasingly via a Web-based workbench. This course adopts a case study approach to describing some of these systems. Sample applications include remote experimentation, scientific co-laboratories, graphical information systems (GIS), monitoring of industrial processes, financial information management, systems for the dissemination and outreach of science. The case study theme chosen will illustrate some aspects of the Java programming language which are more advanced than the Introductory Programming in Java (COMP6700) course.

COMP6461
Computer Graphics
6 units
Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite course: COMP6700

Computer graphics are an intrinsic component of many modern software applications and are often essential to the success of these applications. The objective of this course is to familiarise the student with fundamental algorithms and data structures that are used in today's interactive graphics systems as well as programming and architecture of high-resolution graphics computers. The principles and practice of computer graphics are described from their mathematical foundations to the modern applications domains of scientific visualisation, virtual reality, computer games and film animation. The course will include some practical experience of graphical software environments such as OpenGL, VRML and Java3D.

COMP6464
High Performance Scientific Computation
6 units
Semester 1

This course provides an introduction to High Performance Computing with an orientation towards applications in science and engineering. It will address high performance computer architectures including vector and parallel processors and will describe how an algorithm interacts with these architectures. It will also address aspects of numerical computation in floating point arithmetic and fundamental numerical algorithms.

COMP6700
Introductory Programming
6 units
Semester 1/Semester 2

A Java-based introductory programming course which includes aspects of good programming practice and software engineering.
This course will provide the appropriate programming background for students to participate in the balance of the Diploma.
Students with no programming background are advised to undertake some personal study of the Java language before taking this course. Contact the eScience convenor for more information.

COMP6701
eScience Project I
6 units
Semester 1/Semester 2
Prerequisite Courses
(Co-)Prerequisite courses: COMP6700 and completion of 24 units of the Graduate Diploma

This course will be made up of an individual project under the direction of staff of the Department of Computer Science - possibly in collaboration with staff elsewhere on campus or with industry. The projects will be concerned with the development of applications which could be broadly termed "eScience". Some of these projects may be in the field of distributed virtual reality. Other projects may concentrate on industrial and (eComnmerce) commercial applications such as the monitoring of industrial processes, financial information management, or IT systems for the dissemination and outreach of science.

COMP6704
Project Management
6 units
Semester 2

This course addresses some of the tasks needed to effectively plan and manage the software development process. Topics covered include choosing or tailoring a software development life-cycle; constructing a software development plan; applying techniques and tools for determining size, effort and costs of development; determining resource requirements; identifying, assessing and managing risks; using metrics for monitoring progress, controlling resources and estimating re-work.

 

STAT8026
Graphical Data Analysis
6 units
Semester 2

Introduces the principles of data representation, summarisation and presentation with particular emphasis on the use of graphics. The course will use the S Plus Language in a modern computing environment. Topics to be discussed include: Data representation; examples of good and bad graphics; principles of graphic construction; some pitfalls to be avoided; presentation graphics. Graphics environments; interactive graphics; windows; linked windows; graphics objects. Statistical graphics; stem and leaf plots, box plots, histograms; quantile-quantile faces; dynamic graphics including data rotation and brushing. Relationships between variables; smoothing scatterplots; simple regression; modelling and diagnostic plots; exploring surfaces; contour plots and prespective plots; multiple regression; relationships in time and space; time series modelling and diagnositc plots.
Outcomes: A good knowledge of the princibles of aesthetics of presenting statistical data using graphics.

COMP6245

EScience Summer Topics I

6 units
Summer session

Prerequisite courses

Enrolment in the eScience Graduate Diploma or Masters program and the permission of the eScience program convenor.

In the event that a student fails to complete a core or elective course, they might be allowed to enroll in an eScience Summer Topics course. This course will comprise a mixture of coursework, reading and project work and, with the agreement of the program convenor, its successful completion can be accepted for credit for the eScience program requirements in the stead of the course that the student failed to complete. In this way, students could complete their program of study without having to wait to the following academic year. A maximum of 12 units of eScience Summer Topics may be counted towards meeting program requirements for any one student.

 

 

COMP6246

EScience Summer Topics II

6 units
Summer session

Prerequisite courses

Enrolment in the eScience Graduate Diploma or Masters program and the permission of the eScience program convenor.

In the event that a student fails to complete a core or elective course, they might be allowed to enroll in an eScience Summer Topics course. This course will comprise a mixture of coursework, reading and project work and, with the agreement of the program convenor, its successful completion can be accepted for credit for the eScience program requirements in the stead of the course that the student failed to complete. In this way, students could complete their program of study without having to wait to the following academic year. A maximum of 12 units of eScience Summer Topics may be counted towards meeting program requirements for any one student.

 

COMP6247

EScience Summer Topics III

3 units
Summer session

Prerequisite courses

Enrolment in the eScience Graduate Diploma or Masters program and the permission of the eScience program convenor.

In the event that a student fails to complete a core or elective course, they might be allowed to enroll in an eScience Summer Topics course. This course will comprise a mixture of coursework, reading and project work and, with the agreement of the program convenor, its successful completion can be accepted for credit for the eScience program requirements in the stead of the course that the student failed to complete. In this way, students could complete their program of study without having to wait to the following academic year. A maximum of 12 units of eScience Summer Topics may be counted towards meeting program requirements for any one student.

 

 

ANU CRICOS Provider No 00120C
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