Atomic.edu: Monash University

Bachelor of Business Information Systems
As the name suggests, the three-year Bachelor of Business Information Systems (BBIS) is a business-oriented information technology course. Graduates of the BBIS are seemingly held in high regard, as maybe half of the course’s students end up earning $36,000 scholarships and spending time at two 22-week industry placements. This is a course for those who want to come up with information technology solutions for businesses.

Given the course’s focus, you’ll learn about marketing products, end-user training, client relationship management and the like. You’ll also cover the core units of the BITS – basic coding, networking, databases, project management, systems analysis and design, computer systems and information technology in organisations. The 2008 clearly-in ENTER for the BBIS was a little higher than the BITS, but we advise those interested in this course to try their hardest during their VCE – the higher your score, the more likely you are to receive the afore-mentioned scholarship and industry placement.

Bachelor of Computer Science
Run at the Clayton campus of Monash University, the three-year Bachelor of Computer Science covers a wide variety of topics, from the design, coding and maintenance of software right up to advanced studies in computer graphics, artificial intelligence, cryptography and user interfaces. Graduates can expect to get jobs as software engineers, games developers, systems analysts, technology consultants and algorithm designers. They may land positions researching artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, robotics, networks and cryptography.

As with the BBIS, the opportunity to engage in a stint of industry-based learning is available to some students. According to Monash University, the selection criteria include not only one’s academic performance, but career interests, employment history, maturity, interpersonal skills, enthusiasm and initiative. For Atomicans living abroad, take note – the industry placements are only offered to local students. Two double degree programs are available – a Bachelor of Computer Science combined with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Computer Science combined with a Bachelor of Arts, the latter of which would allow you to get into such areas as cognitive science.

Bachelor of Software Engineering
The four-year Bachelor of Software Engineering is offered only at the Clayton campus and covers abstract the mathematical foundations of software engineering, problem solving, software processes and lifecycles, software quality control, the writing of documentation, programming and software development methodologies. Depending on each student’s academic performance in the first three years, what the fourth year involves varies. For some, they’ll simply do a few more units and complete a year-long studio project. For those that perform well, the opportunity to complete the degree with Honours is offered. All students, though, are required to complete a 12-week stint of full-time, paid employment that is in some way relevant to their field of study.

According to Monash University, students usually do this over the summer break between the third and fourth years. Possible careers include games development, web developer, programming specialist, database designer, software engineer, software architect, software consultant and software developer.