Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why should I study Informatics in first year?
There are many reasons to study informatics; please see http://www.informatics.unimelb.edu.au/about/ and browse the rest of
this website.
What does first year Informatics lead to?
After completing the Informatics subjects, you can go on to majors
in many areas of Information Technology or the Informatics Diploma;
for more details, please see http://www.informatics.unimelb.edu.au/ugrad/pathways.html
Is Informatics just another name for IT?
You will focus on information, not just digital technologies. You
will learn powerful ways to access, analyse, transform and visualise
information that will be useful in any degree and any career.
Informatics is nothing like IT at secondary school!
Can I do Informatics as a breadth subject?
Yes, in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor
of Environments degrees.
What are the contact hours for Informatics 1?
There will be 11 two-hour workshops consisting of group discussion
and lab work. You'll use this time to work on your team projects, and
attendance is compulsory. There will be three lectures per week; only
attend the ones you need!
Are there any projects?
In Informatics 1 you will do a semester-long team project to
develop interactive web pages in areas such as: biodiversity, climate
change, geography, history, international development, language
analysis, population health, and stock markets. In Informatics 2, you
can propose a team project in any application area you like.
Will I have to learn programming?
We'll teach you how to write programs, with the help of practical
examples using real-world problems. You'll be able to learn at your
own pace, with lots of support from our staff. You'll also learn
techniques apart from programming, for analyzing information-rich
problems, and synthesising information into powerful interactive
visualisations on the web.
I already know how to program; can I skip first year Informatics?
You need to do Informatics in order to do the BSc majors in
Computer Science or Software Systems, or the BCS, or the BE major in
Software Engineering. Even if you know how to program, you will learn
new techniques and applications, and you will find challenges in the
other areas of Informatics.
What programming language will I be learning?
We've chosen the Python language. Its an excellent first
programming language, and its also widely used in industry, arts,
science, government, education, engineering... http://www.python.org/about/success/
Will we use Windows, Mac, or Unix?
You can use your preferred operating system; the technical content
of the subjects will use web technologies that work on any platform.