About Computer Science (BSc)

Love computing? Get a kick out of troubleshooting glitches and software bugs? Want to know exactly how it all works and help set future directions in the fast-paced world of IT? Then this is the course for you! Computer Science at Murdoch will give you a thorough understanding of the theory, methods and systems used in the computing industry. You will be fully trained in computer systems technology and software development with a strong focus on the application of computer and software systems for problem solving.

What can I do with my Computer Science degree?

Murdoch Computer Science graduates go everywhere from business, industry and manufacturing right through to government departments and the community sector. Depending on which skill combinations or specialisations you choose, your Murdoch degree may lead you to work or study in a huge number of exciting areas. Not just in Australia either, but right around the world you'll be in demand in areas as diverse as programming, system analysis and software engineering.

The following are just some professions you could consider:

• Software Architect/Developer/Programmer;

• Software Engineer;

• Computer Systems Analyst;

• Security Specialist;

• Network Analyst;

• Computational Scientist.

• Download the flyer for this course.

Professional Recognition

Graduates receive professional membership to the Australian Computing Society (ACS).

How to apply:

Our entry requirements tool will help you find the most appropriate and quickest pathways to admission. The tool will take you through a couple of steps to help identify the best pathways for you based on your situation. Once you have chosen the most suitable pathway you will also be provided you with information on how to apply based on the criteria you are using for admission.

Domestic student applications:

If you would like to apply for this course you can now:

• Apply online
• Apply through TISC
• Download an application form

International student applications:

If you would like to apply for this course you can now:

• Apply online
• Download an application form

Course Details

Length of course	3 years full-time internal study or part - time equivalent. Available fully externally Please note that international students can only study full-time
International fee information	$18,250 indicative annual fee
Location	South Street Campus Rockingham Campus
Murdoch course code	B1205
TISC code	MUCKC (South Street) MRCWC (Rockingham)
TER cut- off for 2008	South Street 70.95 or country equivalent Rockingham N/A
STAT score	>145
Information on course units	Link to handbook entry

Recommended TEE subjects:

The following recommended subject will provide you with a useful background if you are interested in studying Information Technology: Maths.
We don’t have prerequisite subjects for any of our courses as we are a strong promoter of a well rounded education. However, remember that you will also need to demonstrate competence in English, normally through passing either English or English Literature or by getting a sufficiently high score in ESL.

Course Structure

Year 1

Foundation Unit
All new first year students take a Foundation Unit. These are designed so you have some idea what’s going on, because, let’s face it, you may never have been to uni before!

Core Units

• Introduction to Computer Science
• Principles of Computer Science
• Fundamentals of Computer Systems
• Introduction to Data Communications
• Computational Mathematics

General Electives
You must take these units to have enough units to graduate. General Electives give you the flexibility to learn from a variety of different areas. Select two units offered by the University, subject to individual unit prerequisites.

• Download our flyer for further details on the course structure

Suggested double majors

To take a double major, students simply take the core units from another major in place of their general elective units. Further details on double majors are available in the Prospectus. Some recommended double majors are :

• Internet Computing;

• Games Technology;

• Internetworking & Security;

• Business Information Systems;

• Commerce majors;

• Science majors.

 

What are my Career Options?

As a Murdoch Computer Science graduate, your employment outlook is bright, especially if you combine it with other disciplines. Depending on which skill combinations or specialisations you have, your Murdoch degree may lead you towards work and study opportunities in a number of areas. The following are some professions to consider, including extra majors and minors that will improve your prospects of achieving them.

Professions	What they do	Suggested double majors
Systems Analyst / Computer Systems Analyst	Computer Systems Analysts solve computer problems and apply computer technology to meet the individual needs of an organisation. They help an organisation to realise the maximum benefit from its investment in equipment, personnel, and business processes. Systems Analysts may plan and develop new computer systems or devise ways to apply existing systems resources to additional operations. They may design new systems, including both hardware and software, or add a new software application to harness more of the computer’s power. Most Systems Analysts work with specific types of systems; for example, business, accounting, or financial systems, or scientific and engineering systems’ that vary with the kind of organisation. Some Systems Analysts also are known as systems developers or systems architects. Systems Analysts begin an assignment by discussing the systems problem with managers and users to determine its exact nature. Defining the goals of the system and dividing the solutions into individual steps and separate procedures, Systems Analysts use techniques such as structured analysis, data modelling, information engineering, mathematical model building, sampling, and cost accounting to plan the system. They specify the inputs to be accessed by the system, design the processing steps, and format the output to meet users needs. They also may prepare cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to help management decide whether implementing the proposed technology will be financially feasible.	Multimedia Multimedia Information Systems Information Systems Development Internetworking and Security Mathematics and Statistics Internet Computing Business Information Systems
Security Specialist	Security Specialists manage the security of an organisation’s system infrastructure, investigate and resolve incidents, monitor for intrusions, provide virus protection defences, enforce bandwidth policy, monitor data transactions in and out of a network environment and secure all servers from unauthorised use.	Internetworking and Security Internet Computing Security Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Network Analyst	Network Analysts research and recommend policies and strategies for an organisation’s network infrastructure. They design, install, analyse and implement computer systems/networks, ensure that the network is effective and that it meets emerging requirements of the organisation. The role can also include operational tasks sch as monitoring system performance, software and hardware upgrades.	Internetworking and Security Multimedia Information Systems Information Systems Development Business Information Systems Business Informatics
Computational Scientist	Computational Scientists apply computer simulation and other forms of computation to problems in Physics or in other scientific disciplines.	Physics Mathematics and Statistics Industrial Computer Systems Engineering

• See our careers sheet for a full list of career options for this study area.