1 Information Session on RMIT Computer Science Honours program Xiaodong Li, Honours coordinator Office: A Phone: Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Science with Honours (BH013)

2 CS Honours program (BH013): What and Why? Honours program structure Research project School research areas Research schedule Research proposal Assessment Scholarships in 2008 Further information Summer projects Outline

3 What and why? The RMIT Computer Science honours course is intended for undergraduate students interested in research careers in computer science (i.e., “The primary goal of Honours programs [is] research training”). Honours graduates will have completed advanced level studies in computer science and be experienced in the processes of research and written and oral communication; and are therefore able to proceed immediately to postgraduate studies. Gives you that extra edge when applying for jobs.

4 Program structure The honours course consists of a research project and a research methods subject (50%) and four electives (50%). The program “contains a mix of advanced theory, professional training, and a research project leading to a thesis”. Honours is taken full-time over one year. –Semester 1: research methods + 3 courses –Semester 2: thesis + 1 course 4 courses (1/8 each) = 50% course work (no failures!)

5 Research project The research methods subject and research project are designed to introduce students to the skills and character of computer science research. An honours project is a substantial work of supervised research or development, requiring the equivalent of about four months full-time work from start to finish. A project involves: –Identification of a task or problem; –Search and review of the relevant literature; –A proposed, implemented, and critically analysed solution or partial solution to the task or problem; and –A written report describing the problem, the relevant literature, the solution, and its relation to other work in the area.

6 School research areas Research Disciplines: –Information Storage, Analysis and Retrieval –Distributed Systems and Networking –Distributed Software Engineering and Architecture –Intelligent Systems More information about these research discipline groups can be found at: – This is a good starting point to find out who can be your supervisor for your Honours thesis. You can also look at the following list of the Honours projects (as proposed by research staff): –

7 Research Schedule 2 March – 15 March: Approach at least 3 potential supervisors; summarize this in a one-page report including the supervisors’ names and project titles. 15 March: Submit your one-page report to Xiaodong Li. 15 April: Project proposal is due. 30 October: Thesis submission is due. Note that A typical (successful) schedule would allow about 8 weeks between completion of research and submission date. Progress of honours students is reviewed at midyear, usually based on results in the elective subjects and on supervisors' judgements. Students making inadequate progress are counselled.

8 Research Proposal The proposal should describe a project that is of appropriate scale and is likely to lead to a successful outcome. Students must revise and resubmit unsatisfactory proposals. In extreme cases a student may be asked to change to a different project. Research methods teaches you how to write a research proposal.

9 Honours report should … Contain a clear description of the research problem being considered; Review literature that is relevant to the report and critically appraise this literature; Describe an investigation used to find answers or solutions to the research problem; Present information in a manner consistent with publication in an academic journal or conference; and Be written for a general rather than specialised computer science audience.

10 Assessment Honours projects are assessed on the final report and on the merits of the report as a research publication. The project mark is usually an average of the examiners' marks; Criteria grades on the following aspects: Contribution, Survey of field, Written communication, and Critical analysis. The project mark is combined with coursework marks to give an overall honours level, one of H1, H2A, H2B, or H3. In addition to the thesis, students are “required to provide a seminar on their thesis”, shortly after the thesis itself is submitted. This seminar (of 20 minutes) is a hurdle: if it is not given to a satisfactory standard, it must be repeated.

11 Student and supervisor The assessed work, the research and its presentation in a written report, is in all cases primarily the student's own effort. Supervisors must: have sufficient time for regular meetings; have sufficient time to read a reasonable quantity of material supplied by the student, including papers the student believes to be relevant and drafts of written material; provide assistance in identifying and obtaining relevant literature; Students must make significant progress in their project during first semester to have a reasonable chance of completing a satisfactory thesis.

12 Some discipline-funded Honours scholarships will be available for few top students in Typically around $5000. These may be linked to specific research areas. Following discipline groups have funds available: –Information Storage, Analysis and Retrieval –Distributed Systems and Networking –Intelligent Systems Make sure you apply before 9 November Honours project list: see “List of honours projects for students” in the following page: Scholarships in 2008

13 Further information School of CS & IT webpage about BH013 Honours program: – Detailed outline of the Honours year: – Additional information about BH013 Honours: – Information about the research discipline groups: – A list of potential Honours projects: –

14 A summer project is a great opportunity to gain first-hand experience of research in computing, working closely with a staff member on an interesting and challenging project. It may lead to further opportunities: you may go on to do an Honours, PhD, or other interesting challenging positions. A summer studentship looks excellent on your CV Available to all 2 nd and 3 rd year students. Some summer projects are funded, so you will be paid to do the project! Others are unfunded, but you will be supervised by the academic staff. Further information and application form can be found at: – Summer projects

15 Questions??