Diploma in Informatics
The Diploma in Informatics provides an option for students in all new generation degrees (except Biomedicine) to complete a sequence of study in the IT area, in order to complement their main major. This is a concurrent diploma, which means it must be undertaken in conjunction with a degree in another discipline at the University . You can enrol in the Diploma of Informatics after completing 50 points of Informatics subjects (see 'Course Structure' below).
Note: Students in the Bachelor of Science majoring in any of Computer Science, Science Informatics or Software Systems cannot enrol in the Diploma in Informatics.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of the Diploma in Informatics, you will be able to:
- demonstrate your understanding of the way information and communication technologies support integration of data from diverse sources;
- apply modern concepts and techniques to problems involving the acquisition, storage, manipulation, and presentation of data;
- critically analyse the information flows occurring in real world data sharing situations and be able to design supporting on-line or web-based solutions; and
- provide informed advice to people in other disciplines about how best to implement on-line or web-based solutions to problems involving the acquisition, storage, manipulation, or presentation of domain-specific data.
Course Structure
The Diploma in Informatics involves a total of 100 points of specified study, of which at most 50 points can be credited from your degree. That is, to graduate with a "new generation" degree and the Diploma, you must complete a minimum of at least 350 points.
Pathways
The standard pathway through the Diploma in Informatics consists of one subject per semester for four of the first six semesters, followed by a seventh semester of study containing a further four subjects. Students in this pathway will not enrol in the Diploma until they are ready to commence the seventh semester of study.
In the tables below, the bold number represents the level (100, 200, 300) of a particular subject.
| Sem | Subject 1 | Subject 2 | Subject 3 | Subject 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | This block: 225 points (18 subjects) of other NG degree study, leading to a major as prescribed by the rules of that program, and including (in the BSc) a further 50 points of breadth. Programs available: BA, BCom, BEnvs, BMus, BSc. In the BSc, the major may not be Computer Science, Science Informatics, or Software Systems. |
100 Informatics-1 |
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| 2 | 100 Informatics-2 |
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| 3 | 200 Informatics-3 |
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| 4 | Breadth |
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| 5 | 200 Info elective |
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| 6 | Breadth |
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| 7 | 300 Informatics-6 |
2/300 Info elective |
300 Info elective |
300 Info elective |
An accelerated six-semester “fast track” sequence will also be available to students who demonstrate their engagement with University study by obtaining the necessary degree-specific average mark during their first year of enrolment, and are then willing/permitted to overload in subsequent semesters. These students will enrol in the Diploma after completion of 50 points of Informatics.
| Subject 1 | Subject 2 | Subject 3 | Subject 4 | Subject 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | This block: 225 points (18 subjects) of other NG degree study, leading to a major as prescribed by the rules of that program, and including (in the BSc) a further 50 points of breadth. Programs available: BA, BCom, BEnvs, BMus, BSc. In the BSc, the major may not be Computer Science, Science Informatics, or Software Systems. |
100 Informatics-1 |
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| 2 | 100 Informatics-2 |
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| 3 | 200 Informatics-3 |
200 Info elective |
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| 4 | Breadth |
2/300 Info elective |
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| 5 | 300 Informatics-6 |
300 Info elective |
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| 6 | Breadth |
300 Info elective |
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Depending on the degree you are enrolled in, the structure of the diploma will vary slightly:
- in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Environments, and Bachelor of Music, the Diploma will consist of a minimum of 50 points of breadth study in Informatics, plus 50 points of additional Informatics electives to a total of 100 points; and
- in the Bachelor of Scicence, the Diploma will consist of a minimum of 50 points of core study in Informatics, plus 50 points of additional Informatics electives to a total of 100 points*.
* Students in the Bachelor of Science majoring in any of Computer Science, Science Informatics or Software Systems cannot enrol in the Diploma in Informatics
Check out some example course plans for new-gen undergraduate degrees with a concurrent Diploma in Informatics
Diploma subjects
The Diploma in Informatics consists of four compulsory subjects (Informatics 1:Practical Computing; Informatics 2:People, Data and the Web; Informatics 3: Content Management; and Informatics 6: eResearch Project) and four electives. Two further Informatics subjects, Informatics 4: Web Applications and Informatics 5: Applied Analytics, are available as electives; these two 300-level subjects have the single prerequisite of Informatics 3: Content Management and provide a straightforward pathway to the 'minimum of 37.5 points of 300-level study in Informatics' completion requirement of the Diploma.
The list of Informatics subjects that will be offered to Diploma in Informatics students is:
Compulsory:
You must complete all four of:
- Informatics 1: Practical Computing
- Informatics 2: People, Data, and the Web
- Informatics 3: Content Management
- Informatics 6: eResearch Project
Electives
You must complete four subjects (50 points) including at least two subjects (25 points) at 300-level, from the range of 200 and 300 level subjects offered within the study areas of Computer Science, Science Informatics, Software Systems and Information Systems.In addition these two subjects may be taken as electives:
Pathways for Graduate Courses
Students who have completed the Diploma in Informatics will be eligible to apply for entry to both the Master of Information Technology and the Master of Information Systems.
More Information
For more information on the Diploma in Informatics, contact Dr Andrew Lonie (alonie@unimelb.edu.au)