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Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) (C3001)

Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) (C3001)

Congratulations on your offer and welcome to Monash IT!

This page is designed to help you choose what you are going to study in your Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours). It will help you make a decision about what units you will enrol in, because enrolling in units is how you formally accept your offer.

Quick Facts

Course title	Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours)
Short title	BCompScAdv(Hons)
Course code	C3001
Credit points	192 credit points
Course duration	4 years full-time, 8 years part-time
Time limit	10 years
Enrolment information	2026 course maps

Each course has specific requirements that you must satisfy in order to graduate. Your course map clearly outlines, year by year, semester by semester, how to fulfil these requirements.
The Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) consists of:
- 8 core (compulsory) units:
  - FIT1047 Introduction to computer systems, networks and security
  - FIT1049 IT professional practice
  - FIT1053 Introduction to programming (advanced)
  - FIT1054 Fundamentals of algorithms (advanced)
  - FIT1058 Foundations of computing
  - FIT2004 Algorithms and data structures
  - FIT2014 Theory of computation
  - FIT2094 Databases
- A specialisation:
- Research units:
  - FIT2082 Computer science research project
  - FIT2083 Innovation and research in computer science
  - and a 4^th year, 24 point Honours project
- An Industry based learning placement or a project related to your specialisation*: 12 or 18 points.
- 8 free electives: Here is where you have a huge range of choices. You can take a major, 2 minors, a minor and 4 other electives, or any 8 units you’re interested in.
* Students completing the Industry based learning option (18 points) will not complete this elective.
Units (subjects) have a code and a name:
e.g. FIT1053 Intoruduction to programming (advanced)
The year of study, 1st year, 2nd year etc., is the first digit of each unit code.
Over your whole degree, you are allowed:
First year level units (FIT1xxx): Normally 8 units (48 points), and a maximum of 10 units (60 points).
Third year level units (FIT3xxx): A minimum of 6 units (36 points).
Credit points - Unless specified, all units are worth 6 credit points
Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) - 32 units x 6 credit points = Total of 192 credit points
Unit requisites - All pre-requisite and co-requisite requirements must be undertaken in order to be able to enrol into a specific unit.

Course Map

Your degree consists of 8 core (compulsory) units covering a range of Computer Science areas including programming, mathematics, professional practice, algorithms and data structures, databases, a specialisation (8 units) and a final year research project.
You need to enrol in units for both semester 1 and 2.
DOMESTIC STUDENTS: As a full-time domestic student, you will choose eight units per year - four in each semester. (If you plan to take longer than three years to complete your course, you can enrol in fewer units.)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (on a student VISA): You must enrol in eight units per year - four in each semester.
Refer to the course map or handbook entry to find out more about the core units in you course.
In each semester, you study four units (if you are enrolled as a full time student). In your first year, you will need to choose an elective in each semester unless you are completing the Data science specialisation where you’ll only need to select an elective in semester 1.
The BCompScAdv(Hons) has 8 free electives and, depending on your choice of project, 2 or 3 specialist electives. You can use your free electives to select units of your choice (making sure you meet the course requirements). You can also use your electives to:
- complete an Information Technology major*
- complete one or two minors*
- complete a major from another faculty
- complete 8 free electives
*Note that if choosing an IT major, up to two units can be cross counted between majors and your course core. This also applies to minors.
It is up to you what units you select in addition to your core units. Many students use these units to explore areas completely outside their experience. We recommend you spend a bit of time reading about possible options, because the units you choose in first year may impact on whether you are able to complete a major in your degree.
Your specialist electives must be chosen from an approved list of units. The list is published on the course map or in the handbook entry each year.
Majors
Majors involve eight units studied over at least three years. Majors are not compulsory in the Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours), but you can choose to complete one in your elective slots. Majors will appear on your academic transcript.
Information Technology Majors
Applied cybersecurity (not available with the Cybersecurity specialisation)
Business information systems
Games and immersive media
Software development

Minors

A minor is also an optional part of the course and consists of four units studied over at least two years. Minors will be listed on your academic transcript.

Information Technology Minors

3D modelling and animation
Business information systems
Cybersecurity (not available with the Cybersecurity specialisation)
Data science (not available with the Data science specialisation)
Games design
Games development
Human computer interaction
Mobile apps development
Software development
Software engineering
Web development

Alternatively, you may wish to consider a major or minor from another faculty at Monash, e.g. Science.

Some non-FIT areas you might like to consider are:

Applied mathematics
Mathematics
Pure mathematics
Languages

Refer to the handbook for a complete list of majors and minors and the units that make up each major and minor.

NOTE: When you start enrolling in units in WES, you’ll be prompted to nominate any majors that you would like to complete. You can select what you think you want choose now, however, this is entirely optional and you can change your mind later.

Applying for Credit

You can apply for credit for completed TAFE (Diploma level and above) and university level subjects. If you are granted credit, you will be awarded credit points towards the completion of your degree and you will not be required to complete those units. You can search online for previous credit decisions to give you an idea of what you may be granted.

VCE Algorithmics

If you have completed units 3 & 4 VCE Algorithmics (HESS), you are eligible for two units of credit (12 credit points): FIT1053 Introduction to programming (advanced) and a level 1 FIT elective.

How to apply

You can submit your credit application and supporting documentation for assessment online before or after you enrol (AFTER you create your Monash computer account).

Along with your completed credit application, you must provide an academic transcript with the marks and grades of the study you have completed, as well as unit outlines which include detailed information on the list of topics studied, contact hours, texts and references, methods of assessment and learning outcomes. If you know which major/specialisation you plan to complete, please specify this in your application.

You don’t need to provide your results or unit outlines for any study undertaken at Monash or VCE Algorithmics (we have these already!)

It is recommended that you submit your credit applications as soon as possible as this will allow you plenty of time to change your enrolment prior to the start of semester if required.

You will be notified of the outcome of your application via email.

In the meantime, you can enrol in a standard enrolment to secure your place in the course. Your enrolment can be changed when your credit application has been processed.

Apply Now

Already applied?

If you applied for credit as part of your course application, your credit has already been processed. Refer to the course map for your chosen major/specialisation and mark the units you have been given credit for. Using the map as a guide, you should then enrol into four units (24 credit points) for semester 1 and four units (24 credit points) for semester 2. Remember to pay attention to pre-requisite and co-requisite units listed on your map.

Industry Based Learning or Capstone project

Industry Based Learning (IBL)

If you want to apply for an IBL placement, you’ll need to think about how this will fit into your course. You cannot complete any on-campus units while you are doing your IBL placement, so you need to make sure that you complete your core course requirements outside of your IBL placement semester(s).

We strongly encourage you to apply for an IBL placement, as industry experience complements the already strong research experience present throughout and particularly in the Honours part of the degree.

If you want to ensure you complete your course within the 4 duration (which compulsory for international students) with an IBL placement, you will also need to plan to complete a summer or winter unit or overload in a semester since the IBL placement is worth 18 point (3 units).

Students can complete one placement in the BCS Advanced (Honours), pending entry requirements to the IBL program being met. Prerequisite units for BCS Advanced students are one of FIT1045, FIT1048, FIT1051, FIT1053 or ENG1003 and FIT1049. You will complete FIT1053 and FIT1049 as core units in your degree.

For the Algorithms and software specialisation: An IBL placement will replace FIT3161, FIT3162 and the approved algorithms and software elective on your course map.

For the Artificial intelligence specialisation: An IBL placement will replace FIT3192, FIT3193 and the approved AI elective on your course map.

For the Cybersecurity specialisation: An IBL placement will replace FIT3188, FIT3189 and the approved Cyber elective on your course map.

For the Data science specialisation: An IBL placement will replace FIT3163, FIT3164 and one approved DS&AI elective on your course map.

If you are selected for the IBL program, we will meet with you one on one to help you plan your placement and remaining course progression. These meetings are usually scheduled prior to the start of your second year of study in January-February.

Capstone project

Students who do not complete an IBL placement need to complete a ‘capstone’ (third-year) project which allows you to demonstrate the skills you have learnt throughout your course.

For each project there are prerequisite units which can be found in your course Handbook.

What next?

Now that you understand your course structure and how credit works it’s time to enrol.

Domestic and International Students
Enrol on WES
Orientation is your opportunity to find out more about Monash IT. You will have the opportunity to learn about your course, finalise your enrolment, join a student club, attend study workshops to set you up for success and much more. Further information is available on the Orientation website. Please keep checking your Monash student email account for further information on the Orientation program.

Domestic and International Students

Enrol on WES

Orientation is your opportunity to find out more about Monash IT. You will have the opportunity to learn about your course, finalise your enrolment, join a student club, attend study workshops to set you up for success and much more. Further information is available on the Orientation website.

Please keep checking your Monash student email account for further information on the Orientation program.

First Semester	FIT1053 Introduction to programming (advanced)	FIT1047 Introduction to computer systems, networks and security	FIT1058 Foundations of computing	Elective
Second Semester	FIT1054 Computer science (advanced)	FIT1049 IT professional practice	Elective (Algorithms and software) OR FIT1061 Introduction to artificial intelligence OR FIT1043 Introduction to data science (Data science) OR FIT1093 Cybersecurity tools and techniques (Cybersecurity)	Elective