Here are the original reasons for introduction of CSE1370 Advanced Project Level 1 and CSE2370 Advanced Project Level 2. These reasons are still valid and warrant the mapping of these former CSE units into the new FIT unit codes.

The widespread availability of home computers, and the appeal of programming as a hobby among teenagers, has meant that many students arrive at university with quite reasonable IT skills, and the current structure of our introductory computing units often covers material with which these students are already familiar. In recent years, an attempt has been made to provide these students with some additional challenging material, and this proposal is an attempt to formalize those previously extramural activities. Feedback on our previous informal advanced project schemes (Carbone, 1997) indicated a view among students that the informality and lack of assessment added to the enjoyability and quality of their learning, but that some formal recognition by the University of their efforts would be valued. These units attempt to meet these potentially-conflicting needs. The units are designed to improve the students' flexible learning options by achieving the following goals:

1. To enable the Faculty to better satisfy the desire of many advanced students to be extended beyond the current curriculum.
2. To enable the Faculty to attract more of the very best students.
3. To enable formal recognition, on a student's academic record, of work done, both by student and University, to educate the student on computing matters beyond the curriculum.
4. To build on the best aspects of current informal ways of helping advanced students.
5. To enable advanced students to study advanced material in a way that does not restrict their ability to enrol in other units.

The last three points may merit further explanation.

On point 3: there had been substantial activity, both by students and staff in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineer, Clayton, on informal advanced 1st and 2nd year projects. This has proved successful in extending these students, but neither the student nor Monash get formal recognition for the work put in by both parties. Having a formal unit, which appears on a student's academic record, would rectify this.

On point 4: student feedback on the informal advanced project schemes indicated a student preference for the work not to be assessed (Carbone, 1997), since (a) part of their satisfaction comes from the lack of compulsion, and (b) the projects vary in nature and difficulty so much that rigorous assessment would be very difficult. This suggested assessment as Pass Grade Only. Awarding zero credit points for the unit would also be in keeping with this.

On point 5: we have not felt it desirable for an advanced project scheme of this nature to restrict students' ability to enrol in other units in their first or second years. Giving credit points for the unit would have that effect. It is therefore proposed that the unit carry zero credit points. It will thus not restrict students' choice of other units at all. The unit is not intended to bring in EFTSUs directly, but rather (a) to recognise work which students and staff do anyway to meet the educational needs of advanced students, and (b) to bring in, or retain, EFTSUs indirectly through increased student satisfaction and more attractive degree programmes. The unit follows the general form of the Advanced 1st Year Talks scheme (1997) and Advanced 1st and 2nd Year Projects (1996-98), co-ordinated in 1996-97 by Angela Carbone and reported in (Carbone, 1997).

07/12/2017 - Updating prerequisites to include the new programming unit.

30/11/2017 - Unit disestablished at FEC 5/17 Item 7.3.

31/8/2016 - Updated for course architecture programs. Effective Semester 1, 2016. Prerequisite additions - FIT1045, FIT1048 or FIT1051

19/06/2015 - Admin update: adding AQF learning outcomes which seem to have disappeared following issues with Monatar.

September 2012: Added FIT1040 as an alternative prerequisite to FIT1002 for 2013. Approved by CE (Ann Nicholson) via email 4/09/2012.

This unit has been updated as part of a 2009 review and comparison of data with current Handbook, Syllabus + and Callista data.

This unit will be available to any students within the Faculty of IT, but will typically be taken by Bachelor of Computer Science and Bachelor of Software Engineering students with advanced programming skills. The role of the unit within these degrees will be to: enable the Faculty to better satisfy the desire of many advanced students to be extended beyond the current curriculum; enable the Faculty to attract more of the very best students; enable formal recognition, on a students academic record, of work done, both by student and University; build on the best aspects of current informal ways of helping advanced students; and enable advanced students to study advanced material in a way that does not restrict their ability to enrol in other units.

FIT2044 Advanced Project, is a very similar unit but at level two instead of level 1. Being 0 point units, there is no reason why a student shouldn't do an advanced project in both years.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. research and evaluate tools and methodologies to solve problems involving concepts from several areas of Computer Science, not covered in their normal curriculum;
2. recognise and solve difficulties arising in large programming tasks;
3. approach and use new programming languages and tools on their own, without formal instruction;
4. recognise the diverse range of tools that can be used to solve computing problems.
5. recognise the breadth of the Computer Science discipline;
6. demonstrate a computer program;
7. give an oral presentation of a computing project.

029999

This unit introduces students to a variety of topics outside the curriculum, and provides an opportunity to write programs (or, rarely, to build hardware) in an area of interest to the student and the Faculty. The unit operates in an informal manner, and the programming tasks are designed to be interesting and challenging to advanced students. Students will typically meet with their supervisor on a weekly basis and in addition to demonstrating the results of their project, they will also give an oral presentation.

On-campus

Assessment is based entirely on a demonstration of the student's project work, which will include oral discussion of the concepts and skills learned. The unit is Pass Grade Only.

0

NA

FIT

ITS and Faculty IT support

One of FIT1045, FIT1048, FIT1051, FIT1040 or FIT1002 or equivalent first year programming unit

Students may undertake this unit by invitation only. Their previous academic results in IT (particularly programming units) will show D or HD achievement. They will be expected to have established programming skills.

Prerequisite addition - FIT1045 or FIT1053, FIT1048 or FIT1051