Offered By	ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science
Duration	4 years full-time
Minimum	192 units
Academic Contact	bac.convenor@cs.anu.edu.au
Academic Plan	4716XBAC
CRICOS Code	071360K
UAC Code	135705(B Advanced Computing)
Areas of Interest	Computer Science, Information Technology, and Software Engineering

The Bachelor of Advanced Computing is a four year program that will be accredited by the Australian Computing Society. The program emphasizes the development of knowledge and skills to prepare future leaders of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) revolution. It will produce graduates with a knowledge and skills base that endures, has breadth, and keeps career options open.

The computing industry has grown very rapidly in the last 40 years, with various specialized areas requiring advanced computational techniques emerging. The pervasiveness of computers and computer-enabled devices is rapidly becoming established in modern society. Humans are interacting with computers in ever more profound and sophisticated ways. Allied with this, computers are having to act more intelligently in many different contexts. As the scale and complexity of these computer systems increases, so too does challenges in their engineering. As the amount of data increases exponentially, new challenges in the mining and warehousing of information emerge. In all areas of computing, increasingly sophisticated algorithms underpin all of the resulting technologies.  The resulting hardware and software systems in these areas are complex; hence an engineering perspective on their design and construction is valuable.  

In these areas of computing, another emerging trend is linkages with other disciplines. Valuable perspectives on artificial intelligence are emerging from the study of natural intelligence and biological systems. Psychology is a central element in human-computer interaction. The explosion in the volume and utility of information from bioinformatics is a key driver of large-scale data systems. An engineering approach, with emphasis on both hardware and software, is needed for the design of embedded computing technology. In all cases, reliable and systematic software development remains as a key element.

The Bachelor of Advanced Computing graduate will posses technical knowledge of programming, With these as a foundation, their technical knowledge will have been honed by the study of a selection of advanced computing topics. Professional and practical skills in software development will be gained through a series of courses in software analysis, design and construction, capped off with a group software project, With professional skills developed in the areas of entrepreneurship and management, the graduate will be in a position to apply their in-depth technical knowledge to become innovators in industry.

The best computing professionals are informed by knowledge of a wider field than computing alone. Graduates fulfilling a Major in an area of advanced computing and a cognate interdisciplinary area will be ideally positioned to shape the respective sector of the computing industry as it evolves over the near future. This will also imbue a capacity for lifelong learning by exposure to a broader range of perspectives and of ways of studying.

The degree also offers a research pathway for graduates wishing to pursue careers with a high emphasis on research.

Admission Requirements

UAI of 90 or above (or equivalent).

Required: ACT Maths Methods major(or equivalent)

Recommended: Specialist Maths major/minor (or equivalent).

The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.