Planning and Organising Your Computer Science Studies
It is important that you plan and organise your study program carefully.
If you have any concerns you should contact the Program Executive,
Singapore, at Ph: + 65 6738 2910, Email:
elenayong@naaec.com.sg
Fax: +65 6738 3314.
In planning your enrolment, students should consult their letter of offer from
the University of Adelaide.
This may indicate a specific range of courses that must be taken together
with any variations to the degree rules appropriate to each student's background.
important notes
- the course advice presented below is of a general nature and must be read in conjunction with your letter of offer
and the appropriate rules for your program of study.
- not all Computer Science courses are available to students studying at the NAAEC.
- every effort is made to offer enough courses to allow for some choice.
The full range of courses available to NAAEC students is available on the School of Computer Science website at:
http://www.cs.adelaide.edu.au/courses.
To find an overview of each course click on its link on the courses page.
To find the course website for a particular offering, follow the link on the over-view page
to the Singapore term in which you are enrolled or wish to enrol.
Teaching
The following notes provide an overview of how courses are taught and what may be required of students.
Please read this carefully before deciding on which courses to enrol in.
Recommended Background Knowledge
Computer Requirements and Knowledge
All participants will be expected to come to the programs proficient in the fundamentals of
using word-processing software such as Microsoft Word,
spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel, and presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint.
Participants are also expected to have access to and familiarity with the Internet.
Unix Style Systems
All courses will assume that students are developing familiarity with Unix style systems through their assignment work
and personal study.
Although the laboratory facilities provided give access to Linux systems, many participants will wish to use their
own Microsoft Windows systems.
It is each participant's responsibility to learn the basic systems administration skills necessary to achieve this.
Mathematics
All participants are assumed to have basic Mathematics skills as taught at Polytechnic level including,
set theory, algebra, logarithms, matrices, trigonometry, geometric transformations, probability and statistics.
Intensive Lecture Sessions
The main lecture sessions will be held in a series of intensive sessions.
Most intensive lecture sessions are presented by lecturing staff from the University of
Adelaide who teach the same courses in Adelaide.
However, all assignments and examinations are set by lecturing staff from the University of Adelaide and all
course results are reviewed by a School of Computer Science examiners meeting prior to publication.
The lecture series generally provide for 32 contact hours held over two visits by staff and
require students to invest some of their weekend time.
The sessions are designed to enable the lecturer to
present the core material and interact with the students.
These sessions may also involve case studies, exercises and group discussion under
the direct supervision of the lecturer in charge of the course.
Class Size Policy
Generally class sizes will range in size up to a maximum of 35.
However in exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to go above these limits.
The only exception is the course Software Engineering and Project which can only accommodate
much smaller classes.
When all available places have been taken in a course, further enrolment in the
course will be suspended.
This is to allow the Program Executive to manage a list of students waiting to enrol.
Waiting students will be manually enrolled as places become available.
Required Commitment by Participants
All award programs require a significant time commitment by participants.
Since the courses presented contain the same material as taught in Adelaide and the assessment requires the same
standards to be achieved, participants are expected to make the same time commitment as a student studying in Adelaide.
From Term 1, 2009, all Computer Science courses taught at NAAEC will also use the same
assignment/examination weightings as courses taught in Adelaide.
The only significant difference between courses taught at NAAEC and in Adelaide is scheduling.
Lectures for NAAEC courses are usually presented over two intensive weekends and the
assignment work for NAAEC courses may be repackaged as two major submissions
rather than a larger number of smaller assignments.
The time commitment is up to 16 hours per week on an individual course.
Many participants undertake the program on a part-time basis, doing a single course per term.
This flexibility enables them to integrate study with their work, lifestyle and family situation.
How many courses to enrol in
The NAAEC does not make a rigid distinction between "full-time" and "part-time" and allows students to
determine their own study load.
In most terms it is possible to complete two courses per term, although students who work during the day
should only undertake one course per term.
Students who enrol in more than two courses in a term may have one or more of their enrolments cancelled to
make room for other students in those courses.
Class attendance requirements
Attendance at class is critical in the educational experience of students.
Students who miss more than 20% of the intensive classes for a course will be expected to
give reasons for their continued enrolment in the course.
Approval for absence must be sought in writing and obtained from the NAAEC program executive.
Acceptable reasons may include travel commitments required by the student's employer.
Applying for Extensions for Assignments
Extensions will only be given for medical or other serious reasons.
Extensions will not be granted due to enrolling in more than one course in a term.
Requests for extensions must be emailed to the lecturer in charge of the course,
with a copy to the Program Executive, NAAEC, before the due date.
Each request will be assessed on its merits.
While the NAAEC is sensitive to problems that might arise from time to time,
everyone must submit their work at the designated time if we are to maintain a fair and equitable system.
At the start of each course the policy on penalties for the late submission of assignments will be presented.
Late Penalties
The School of Computer Science policy on late penalties sets a cap on the mark awarded to an assignment submission
based on how late it is.
For each day, or part day late, the maximum mark that can be awarded is reduced by 25%.
No penalty applies if the mark that would have been awarded is less that the maximum permitted.
The following table shows how the policy would apply to different ranges of marks over a 4 day period.
On Time
no penalty | 1 Day Late
max 7.5 | 2 Days Late
max 5 | 3 Days Late
max 2.5 | 4 Days Late |
|---|
| 0 out of 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 out of 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 out of 10 | 4 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 6 out of 10 | 6 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 8 out of 10 | 7.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 10 out of 10 | 7.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
Bachelor of Computer Science
The Academic Program Rules for the Bachelor of Computer Science are contained in
the University Calendar and up to date copies may be accessed via the University
of Adelaide's website:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/calendar/ug/eng.
The following notes should assist student studying the Bachelor of Computer Science at NAAAEC in
choosing which course to study and in which order.
All University of Adelaide Mathematics and Computer Science courses taught at the NAAEC are 3-unit courses.
24 units of study is considered a one year full time load.
Most students should be able to complete the Bachelor of Computer Science in 1.5 to
2 years depending on their academic background and advanced standing granted.
The full range of courses can be found here:
http://www.cs.adelaide.edu.au/courses.
Preparatory Course
Some students may be required to undertake a preparatory course after receiving a conditional
offer of a place in the Bachelor of Computer Science.
These students must successfully complete the preparatory course (score 65% or more) before they
will be offered a place in the Bachelor of Computer Science.
These students do not start their program of study until after they have completed the preparatory course.
Computer Science Concepts
Students with a limited Computer Science background may be required to undertake the course,
Computer Science Concepts as
their first course.
This includes all students who were required to undertake the preparatory course.
These students must successfully complete (achieve a Pass grade or higher) this course before they
will be allowed to enrol in any other University of Adelaide courses.
Upon successful completion these students must then enrol in the course
Data Structures and Algorithms.
Data Structures and Algorithms
All students will are required to successfully complete (achieve a Pass grade or higher) the course
Data Structures and Algorithms.
This course provides students with the basic programming skills that are assumed in all subsequent courses.
A solid foundation in programming skills provides the basis for understanding all future material.
Students may not enrol in any other University of Adelaide Computer Science courses until they have
successfully completed this course.
Computer Systems
All students will are required to successfully complete (achieve a Pass grade or higher) the course
Computer Systems.
This course provides students with a basic understanding of how real computers work and how
the programs they write are affected by the underlying hardware.
We strongly recommended all students to complete this course before attempting any level-3
Computer Science courses.
Discrete Mathematics IIN / Mathematics for Information Technology I
There is a core set of mathematical knowledge that Computer Science students are assumed to possess.
The Discrete Mathematics IIN course presents this material in an accessible manner for students
who may not have a strong mathematical background.
From term 3, 2009, this will be replaced by Mathematics for Information Technology I.
A student may not take both courses.
These courses are taught by lecturers from the Discipline of Pure Mathematics in the School of Mathematics.
The course website can be found in MyUni.
All Bachelor of Computer Science students are required to successfully complete (achieve a
Pass grade or higher) either Discrete Mathematics IIN or Mathematics for Information Technology I.
We strongly recommended all students to complete one of these courses before attempting any level-3
Computer Science courses.
Software Engineering and Project
All students who started their programs from Term 3, 2007, are required to successfully complete
(achieve a Pass grade or higher) the course
Software Engineering and Project.
This course gives students valuable experience in working in a group to implement a significant
software system.
Many students believe this is one of the most valuable courses they study and such courses are
highly regarded by potential employers.
Students taking this course will benefit from having previously completed the course
Programming Techniques.
Important Notes:
- Students should not take this course until they have completed all the other
requirements of their program of study.
- Students are not permitted to enrol in other courses when taking this course.
Other Level-3 Courses
All students who started their programs from Term 3, 2007, are required to complete
at least six level-3 Computer Science courses which must include
Software Engineering and Project.
Students who started their program of study before term 3, 2007, or students who are required to take
more than six level-3 courses, may count Coding and Cryptology as part of their program of study.
Important notes:
- Coding and Cryptology is a Pure Mathematics Course and not a Computer Science course.
- Students may not enrol in Coding and Cryptology, if it is offered, until they have passed Discrete Maths IIN.
Conceded Pass Grades
The University of Adelaide allows undergraduate students to obtain a grade of Conceded Pass in a
course if they achieve a final mark in the range 45 to 49.
For NAAEC Bachelor of Computer Science students, at most one course with a grade of Conceded Pass
can be counted towards a program of study.
This course must not be one where a grade of Pass or higher is required.
Students who started their programs before Term 3, 2007, may not count a grade
of Conceded Pass in Computer Science Concepts or Data Structures and Algorithms.
Students who started their programs from Term 3, 2007, may not count a grade
of Conceded Pass in Computer Science Concepts, Data Structures and Algorithms,
Computer Systems, Discrete Maths IIN or Software Engineering and Project.
Repeating Courses and Overloading
Students are not permitted to retake a course in which they have achieved a grade of Pass or higher.
If students wish to broaden their studies, they may take more courses than are required
by their program of study.
Some students may wish to take additional courses to improve their chances of entry to the Honours
Degree in Computer Science.
Entry to the Honours Degree is typically based on a student's performance in their best five level-3
Computer Science courses.
Graduate Diploma of Computer Science
The Academic Program Rules for the Graduate Diploma in Computer Science are
contained in the University Calendar and up to date copies
may be accessed via the University of Adelaide's website:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/calendar/pg/eng.
The following notes should assist student studying the Graduate Diploma in Computer Science at NAAAEC in
choosing which course to study and in which order.
All University of Adelaide Computer Science courses taught at the NAAEC are 3-unit courses.
24 units of study is considered a one year full time load.
Most students should be able to complete the Graduate Diploma in 1.5 to 2 years depending
on their academic background.
The full range of courses can be found here:
http://www.cs.adelaide.edu.au/courses.
Choice of Courses
To complete the program of study a Graduate Diploma student must complete a total of 8 Computer Science
courses.
Only Computer Science courses may be counted towards the Graduate Diploma in Computer Science.
In most cases a student would be required to first complete the course
Computer Science Concepts, then
Data Structures and Algorithms, then
Computer Systems.
The final course a student must take is
Software Engineering and Project.
Conceded Pass Grades
Students studying the Graduate Diploma in Computer Science may not obtain a grade of
Conceded Pass.
Courses cannot be counted towards the program of study unless a grade of Pass or higher is achieved.
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