Computing Science Special Topics
The special topics units allow students to undertake a 6cp project selected from the current list of topics provided by the academic staff. The topics provided are directly linked to the research and interests of the academic staff and give students a chance to explore areas outside those provided within the regular coursework units.
Contents
Special Topics Unit Prerequisites
In order to be accepted into a special topics unit, you must meet the following prerequisites. If you do not meet these requirements, your enrolment will not be validated and you will be withdrawn from the unit:
- You must have completed at least 48cps of study in a relevant area (usually this will be COSC or COMP units).
- You must have a GPA of 5 or higher. This is equivalent to a credit average. Please note that some projects will require a higher GPA - see below.
Information on GPA calculation.
Current Special Topics
(listed by supervisor)
- Dr William Billingsley
- Mr Mathew Cooper
- Dr Greg Falzon
- Prof. Paul Kwan
- Dr Peter Loxley
- Dr David Paul
- Dr Mitchell Welch
- Dr Lai-Tee Cheok
Special Topics Unit Structure
There are three different types of topics that can be undertaken through these units.
- Coursework Topics. These are structured topics that include a set of readings and related assessment tasks.
- Software/Systems Development Opportunities. These projects involve the development of a system or software to solve a particular problem. Assessment for these topics is based on detailed documentation and software deliverables produced. Software/Systems development Opportunities are only available to students with a GPA of 6.0 or higher.
- Research Opportunities. These projects allow students to undertake a small research project in an area selected by the supervisor. The assessment for these projects include the delivery of a scientific report, presentation of results and any software deliverables developed. Research Opportunities are only available to students with a GPA of 6.0 or higher.
Topic listing for each supervisor will change overtime as research projects progress. These updates will usually happen at the start of each trimester. The assessment structure for each topic is set by the topics supervisor and can include an examination.
Enrolling In a Special Topics Unit
The steps for enrolling in a special topics unit are as follows:
- Add the special topics unit (SCI501/SCI502 for postgraduate courses or COSC301 for undergraduate courses) through the normal inline enrolment process. Your enrolment will appear, however it will be marked as INVALID – this is normal.
- Review the topics list for each supervisor and select a project that you are interested in.
- Contact the supervisor for the topic (email is fine) and work with them to complete the special topics enrolment form. Once you complete this form, it needs to be returned to the admin officers in the School of Science and Technology so that your enrolment can be validated.
