🇦🇺 Switching Fields in Australia: Information Technology and Computer Science ✨ Which Majors Can You Choose?!

A friendly reminder: studying IT or CS from a different background is really not easy. Use the gap before you start to take some related courses first, or your studies will be tough!

🔸 Applying from a different field

Whether you want to study abroad after working for a while or you're a new graduate looking to switch tracks for more career options, as long as you're interested in the field, you can study Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS) in Australia.

Most Australian universities accept applicants from other fields for IT and CS, and the first semester usually starts with 4 foundation courses. One more tip: when choosing schools and programs, look for courses accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS). After graduating, you'll have a relatively better chance of finding a job locally, staying long term and building overseas experience.

🔸 What is the ACS?

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is an IT accreditation body authorized by the Australian government. On the government's behalf, the ACS checks whether Australian university course designs can train IT, CS and Engineering professionals with the right knowledge and skills. After graduating, this accreditation can also bring you more job opportunities.

Use the link below, ACS Accredited Courses, to find which universities offer ACS-accredited courses.

https://www.acs.org.au/cpd-education/accredited-courses.html

🔸 Can students from the same field apply?

Many schools also accept applicants with an IT or CS background. The difference: if a double major is offered, you may get to pick two areas you're interested in (e.g. artificial intelligence, software development, data analytics, database systems), about 8 courses in total. Students from other fields can usually choose only a single major!

🔸 How do IT and CS differ in definition and application?

By definition

IT: focuses more on managing, applying and maintaining information systems

CS: studies the theory of computation, algorithms, programming, and software and hardware design

In application

IT: enterprise IT solutions, technical support, network administration, data analytics

CS: software development, AI research, web development, computer graphics

--- 🔸 Schools for Information Technology ---

▪︎ The University of Queensland UQ - Master of Information Technology

Fewer than 1/3 of the applicant's undergraduate courses may relate to IT, CS, software engineering, interaction design or multimedia design

▪︎ Queensland University of Technology QUT - Master of Information Technology

Majors: AI, CS, DS, HCI, IoT, ITM, cybersecurity, software development, process analytics and automation

▪︎ UNSW Sydney UNSW - Master of Information Technology

You start with a Graduate Cert. (GC) and need the required grades to continue into the rest of the master's program. Majors: AI, IT, database systems, data science and engineering, networking, security engineering

▪︎ University of Technology Sydney UTS - Master of Information Technology

Majors: cybersecurity, business information systems, data analytics, enterprise software development, interactive media, networking

▪︎ The University of Western Australia UWA - Master of Information Technology

Majors: AI, applied computing, software systems

▪︎ University of Wollongong - Master of Information Technology

Optional Professional Capstone

Majors: cybersecurity design and analysis, enterprise systems, information systems development

▪︎ Monash University Monash - Master of Information Technology

In the final semester, choose an industry team project or a thesis

▪︎ The University of Melbourne UniMelb - Master of Information Technology

(at least one programming language course required)

Majors: AI, HCI, computing, cybersecurity, distributed computing, industry internship, research project

▪︎ RMIT University RMIT - Master of Information Technology

Majors: big data analytics; cloud data, programming and infrastructure; AI in systems and applications; mobile and IoT computing; software systems and architecture; web systems and search technologies

🔸 IT career paths

- Android/iOS developer

- Algorithm engineer

- Quantitative analyst

- Virtual reality (VR) developer

- IT consultant

- Front-end developer

- Business intelligence consultant

- Data infrastructure engineer

--- 🔸 Schools for Computer Science ---

▪︎ The University of Sydney Usyd - Master of Computer Science

Majors: HCI, algorithm theory, cybersecurity, data science and AI, digital media, networks and distributed systems, software engineering

▪︎ The University of Adelaide Adelaide - Master of Information Technology (Computing and Innovation)

Majors: applied artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship management

▪︎ The Australian National University ANU - Master of Computing

Majors: AI, DS, ML, computer systems, computing foundations, human-centred and creative computing, software development

▪︎ University of Wollongong Wollongong - Master of Computer Science

Optional Professional Capstone

Majors: cybersecurity, robot learning and big data, network and information security, software engineering

🔸 CS career paths

- User interface designer

- Network architect

- Database administrator

- Data mining and analytics specialist

- Computer engineer

- Game or app developer

- Programmer

- Big data engineer

--- Further reading ---

2023 current student shares their experience - UQ - Master of Information Technology

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0GnlVfPSAi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

2023 current student shares their experience - UniMelb - Master of Information Technology

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Ows_zvhV9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

2023 current student shares their experience - RMIT - Master of Artificial Intelligence

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0y5DA2vHhX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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