FIT5008 is a compulsory unit in the Master of Digital Communications degree (MDC). Its introduction is based on two circumstances: (1) as part of the 2006 Faculty restructure, whereby all old units were progressively reviewed and mapped into new FIT coded units; and (2) as part of a review and restructure of the courseware units for the MDC, undertaken in 2006 at the same time as an Engineering Faculty review and restructure of their Master of Telecommunications degree. Previously the MDC has a compulsory project unit CSE5811 Digital Communications Project. The approved structure of the Master of Digital Communications degree requires either a 12 point project or a 24 point minor thesis to be taken as the compulsory part of the degree program. This is considered necessary for a student to carry out a significant individual research task under supervision. This task requires a high level of innovation as well as creation. CSE5811 project unit describes the project option for the degree. FIT5008 is a direct mapping from CSE5811.

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

07/12/2017 - Unit disestablished at FEC 5/17 Item 7.3.

This is fifth level, 12 point compulsory/core unit in the Master of Digital Communications, if the project option is selected (the other option is minor thesis). This unit can also be taken as an elective in other Masters degrees in the faculty, subject to the approval of the unit coordinator. It has a close relationship with other approved units in the Master of Digital Communications. FIT5008 replaces CSE5811 in the Master of Digital Communications, a cognate degree offered by the Faculty of IT. It builds upon assumed prerequisite knowledge at the level of other approved units in the degree.

This project unit provides graduates with an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they can carry through a reasonably large piece of individual research, investigation, development and/or reporting work under supervision, and to have the report and other relevant aspects of the project assessed. The skills gained are very important in IT and a wide range of employment. Digital communications is an active area of research within the Faculty, and this unit (and the other MDC courseware units) contribute to the Faculty's research-teaching nexus.

At the completion of this unit students will have -

A knowledge and understanding of:

• a field of consolidated knowledge in digital communications;
• the technology and development in the project topic area;
• the concept of a significant individual task that involves research and innovation in digital communications;
• standards and protocols for the topic area;
• trends and developments in the topic area,

Have developed the ability to:

• analyse some specific protocols and technologies in the topic area and their operations;
• evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of particular technologies in specific topic area. Developed attitudes that enable them to:
• appreciate the importance of carrying out a reasonably large piece of individual research, investigation and development and reporting under supervision;
• appreciate the importance of report writing and its related skills.

Developed the skills to:

• carry out an investigation into the selection and deployment of particular digital communications technologies;
• describe the characteristics of the key technologies in the topic area, and the role they play.

Demonstrated the communication and teamwork skills necessary to:

• communicate information on one or more advanced topics in digital communications area in written and/or oral form;
• work individually on one or more advanced topics in digital communications technology.

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The Digital Communications project requires a student to carry out a significant individual task in the Digital Communications field under academic supervision. The project can be conducted in a variety of topic areas, which may include: the design, development, prototype construction and testing of a significant protocol or device item in software or hardware an in-depth investigation and report of a relevant topic in information technology an in-depth investigation and report of an employment based topic with innovative and/or creative solutions. The project topic and summary must be approved by the project coordinator prior to its commencement.

The project will be assessed mainly by the project supervisor and the result approved by the course coordinator.

Regular meetings with supervisor(s) over the course of the unit enrolment

FIT

At least four units from the list of specified electives for the Master of Digital Communications.

Nandita Bhattacharjee