CS 6000+: RSCS Postgraduate Coursework

CECS Student Services
(02) 6125 4450
studentadmin.cecs@anu.edu.au

<i>ANU Students’ Association</i>
(02) 6125 2444
sa.cecs@anu.edu.au
http://anusa.com.au

<i>ANU Computer Science Students' Association</i>
https://cs.club.anu.edu.au
https://www.facebook.com/groups/anucssa/

<i>ANU Engineering Students' Association</i>
http://anuesa.com.au

<i>Course feedback</i>
https://cecs.anu.edu.au/course-feedback

<i>General questions about your enrolment at ANU (lots of links -- answers lots of questions)</i>
http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/program-management

<i><b>ANU University Calendar </b>containing key dates, such as semester start and finish dates, census date etc</i>
http://www.anu.edu.au/directories/university-calendar

<i>Master of Computing</i>
2021 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/7706XMCOMP
2020 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2020/program/7706XMCOMP
2019 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2019/program/7706XMCOMP
2018 rules -- https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2018/program/7706XMCOMP
2015-2017 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2017/program/7706XMCOMP

<i>Graduate Diploma of Computing</i>
2018-- rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/6706XGDCP
2014-2017 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2017/program/6706XGDCP

<i>Master of Computing (Advanced)</i>
2021 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/VCOMP
2020 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2020/program/VCOMP
2019 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2019/program/VCOMP
2018 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2018/program/VCOMP
2015-2017 rules -- http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2017/program/VCOMP

https://cs.anu.edu.au/cs-current-students/cs-postgraduate#acton-tabs-link--tabs-0-footer-3
Use this page to research the semester and year a course is offered in, as well as to find out who the convenor is.

Please check the CECS credit/exemption application page, paying attention to extra information at the bottom concerning the postgraduate computing programs.
Please take note of deadlines for applications. Students are allowed to apply for credit/exemption at 2 points in their degree (1) before starting and (2) at the end of their first semester.
https://cecs.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-and-resources/claiming-course-credit-exemption

Exemptions for COMP6250 only are handled via a diagnostic test usually run during the first week of semester. You need to enrol in the course and register to attend a diagnostic test in Week 1. You will be advised of the outcome of the test by the start of Week 2. You are advised to attend either COMP8260 PP2 or a chosen COMP elective/specialisation course if you think you will receive exemption.

Exemption or credit is NOT available for COMP8260 PP2.

Students enrolled in the Master of Computing (MCOMP) or the Master of Computing (Advanced) complete a capstone project. COMP6442 Software Construction and COMP8260 Professional Practice 2 are both pre- or co-requisite courses. Please note that from s2 2019, COMP6442 Software Construction will be a pre-requisite and not co-requisite for the capstone courses and plan accordingly.

Students enrolled in the MCOMP complete 12 units of project work. This may be taken as 6 units in each of the student's final two semesters, or 12 units in the student's final semester. The project may be completed in either group or individual mode. Students enrolled in the MCOMP (Advanced) undertake 24 units of individual research project, which is taken as 12 units in the student's final two semesters.

<i>Group project (12 units)</i>
COMP8715 -- TechLauncher -- https://cs.anu.edu.au/TechLauncher/


<i>Individual project (12 units)</i>
COMP8755 -- https://cecs.anu.edu.au/student-projects-0
To enrol in the individual project, students must first find a project and a supervisor. Once you have a signed Individual Study Contract (available for download from the above link) you should show this to Student Services who will provide a permission code to enable enrollment. Note that the above link is out-of-date and is indicate only for the projects. An alternate place to search for project topocs is https://cecs.anu.edu.au/research/student-research-projects/available-projects-s1-2021

<I>COMP8830 Internship (12 units)</I>
The CS Internship needs to be done as 12 units in one semester. Students need to apply in either their second or third semester and meet eligibility criteria. A selection process is involved.
https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/course/comp8830

<i>Individual project (24 units) -- Master of Computing (Advanced)</i>
COMP8800 -- also see https://cecs.anu.edu.au/student-projects-0

Students planning to take either COMP8755 or COMP8800 may be able to get some ideas for supervisors and projects here -- https://cecs.anu.edu.au/current-students/student-research-projects. It is recommended that students begin their search for a supervisor and project well before Week 1 of the semester in which they plan to start. This is especially important if you are completing 12 units in a single semester.

To overload, students must meet the ANU requirements. These rules are designed to help students maximise their ability to achieve, rather than to put unnecessary hurdles in place. The rules governing student overload are here - https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_002611
Graduate coursework student overload is covered in Sections 14 and 16 of the policy document.

<i>General</i>
Section 17
Graduate coursework students wishing to enrol in more than 24 units but not more than 30 units in a single study period must at a minimum meet all of the following criteria in their current ANU program:
a) successful completion of at least 24 units of courses in a single period; and
b) an overall mark average of at least 60 percent (NCN and WN counting as 0 per cent in this calculation)

<i>Final semester</i>
Section 19:
16. Students who have only 30 units remaining to complete their award but do not satisfy the criteria in 10 to 15 (inclusive) may apply to the Associate Dean (Education) of the relevant College(s) for permission to undertake the remaining 30 units in one study period to complete their degree. Approval is at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Education) and will not be granted for more than 30 units.

This means you need to apply to the Associate Dean (Education) – Dr Adrian Lowe (E: adrian.lowe@anu.edu.au) – requesting permission to overload. I suggest that you copy Student Services (E: studentadmin.cecs@anu.edu.au) on your email.

To have two specialisations listed on your transcript, you generally need to complete eight courses: four distinct courses for each specialisation.

Where a course appears in more than one specialisation, then you may be able to obtain the two specialisations by completing only seven distinct courses. In other words, one course may count in both specialisations.

The ANU allows students just over one week in which to complete their enrollment. Last day for students to freely change their enrollment is usually the Monday of week 2.

If you find yourself in a position where you believe it's in your best interests to swap your course enrollment and ISIS will not allow you to do so, you will need to email the lecturer explaining your background and providing the reasons you wish to enroll late in their course. If they provide you with permission, you will need to complete the application for enrollment change and take this to Student Services who will help you swap your enrollment. Details can be found here -- http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/enrolment/swapping-or-dropping-a-course

RSCS course convenors/lecturers names and emails can be found on the courses page listed above. It is recommended that students who plan to enroll in a course late, contact the lecturer as soon as possible because it can take up to 48 hours after a student's enrollment is confirmed in ISIS for the access to the Wattle course page to be available.

Students should note that <b>late enrollment is not considered grounds for special consideration or late submission of assessment items.</b> If an assessment item has been completed, or it is impossible for you to complete (for example it is group work and is due for submission almost immediately), you forfeit those marks. This means that if a piece of assessment worth 5% has been completed by the time you enroll, the maximum marks you can receive for that course is 95%.

To transfer between degree programs at the ANU you need to apply formally prior to the appropriate cut-off date. Instructions on the process, dates etc can be found here -- http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/program-management/transferring-between-degrees

<i>"Candidates are reminded that the University requires all candidates to remain in Canberra for the duration the official examination period in order to be available for any further examination which may be required."</i>

http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-conduct

<i>Supplementary Assessment</i> -- http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/supplementary-assessment
The provision of supplementary assessment is governed by ANU, not School or College, rules. Clauses 13-17 of the legislation sets the policy out in detail. You should note the detail contained in Clause 17(5)
<i>"Unless the Delegated Authority otherwise approves, a supplementary assessment must be held before the end of the first week of the semester or trimester after the semester or trimester to which the assessment relates."</i>

If you are considering this, please see https://cecs.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-and-resources/cross-institutional-study

Intensive course offerings are run outside of the regular semesters (i.e. Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter semesters) for some CS courses like COMP8410. These are intended only for domestic students (with work commitments) of the Masters of Applied Data Analytics. They will only be made available to GDCOMP/MCOMP/VCOMP students under exceptional circumstances, i.e.:
* for a domestic student similarly with significant work commitments.
* where otherwise not being able to take the course would mean an extra semester's study at ANU to complete the degree (with the final semester approaching). There will need to be a good reason why the course was not taken in the regular semester.
Even with the above reasons, these courses often run to a small-group quota (e.g. 20), in which case MADA students will get priority.
It should be noted that:
* the on-line intensive format makes it harder not easier to pass.
* the format may assume real-work data analytics experience that MADA students are assumed to have
* there is significant overlap between the working periods of the intensive course and the regular semester (and permission to overload will still be required if you want to take 4 courses in the regular semester).

Therefore you should not assume these course offerings will be made available when planning your degree program, or when enrolling in or withdrawing from courses. The regular semester (S1/S2) offerings of such courses should be taken if you want to do the course.

Direct entry to the Master of Computing (Advanced) or VCOMP requires the background of an (undergraduate) degree cognate to computer science. To maintain equity between normal direct entry and entry after the Grad Dip (Comp) or entry via transfer after 1 year in the Master of Computing, not all 6000-level courses will be credited to the VCOMP. In particular, MATH6005, COMP6250, COMP6260, COMP6710, COMP6730 and COMP6780 will not be counted.
Also, these courses will be excluded from the GPA calculation when applying for transfer or entry. COMP6331 and COMP6420 will still be required for the VCOMP, even if COMP6340 and COMP6240 have been taken.

Students aspiring to the VCOMP should therefore expect to take an extra semester (unless they received exemptions for MATH6005, COMP6710 and COMP6250) if they transfer, and should note the above when selecting courses. Also they should plan to take the VCOMP version of the MCOMP pairs or required courses, e.g. COMP6331 instead of COMP6340, to avoid having to take both courses.

Normally, you are bound by the program rules for the year you commence your program. e.g. If you commenced ithe MCOMP in 2020, you must follow the 2020 version of the P&C rules for the MCOMP.

However, when newer rules arise, it is possible to arrange to graduate under those rules. e.g. the 2021 MCOMP and VCOMP rules offer more flexibility and choice of specializations under the 2020 rules.

If you wish to do this, contact your current program convenor, making a clear justification of why you want to change to the newer rules, together with your Statement of Results from ISIS and a study plan for the rest of your program (which is consistent with the 2021 but not the earlier rules). This should be done *before* you make any enrollment decisions which deviates from your existing program rules.

Note that you cannot mix rules from different years, e.g. take the rule for the core of your program and the rules for a specialization for another.

Please note that you need to nominate a Specialization under the 2021 rules. When preparing your study plan, check that there are no hidden prerequisites in your intended course for the specialization.

Note also that you should not request this unless you are absolutely sure this is what you want, and you will not be allowed to swap back and forth.