Uts Bachelor Of Science In Information Technology (with A Sub-major In Computer Graphics)
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday April 17, 2002
The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (formerly the Bachelor of Science in Computing Sciences) offers a new sub-major in computer graphics.
In addition to core information technology subjects, students undertake four specified elective subjects. The course includes spending a year in the workforce to do industry training.
Accreditation Graduates are eligible for professional level membership of the Australian Computer Society.
Where The course is taught at UTS Broadway campus.
Duration The degree takes four years full-time (six years part-time), including industry training in the third year.
Cost This year's HECS charge is $5125.
When Classes are held from March to November and graphics subjects are held in the evenings. There is no midyear intake.
Who is it for? A senior lecturer, Dr Kevin Suffern, says the graphics industry ``needs two types of people artistic directors who usually come from a design background and computer scientists".
``Our students have programming skills and an understanding of operating systems and computer graphics, and they're experienced in writing graphics algorithms," he says.
``The industry uses several standard, high-end rendering and animation packages. But often packages can't do exactly what artistic directors want them to do and need to be customised. This is where our students are valuable. They have an understanding of how packages work and how to get the most out of them."
Prerequisites Maths Extension 1 and Advanced English are recommended. To begin the computer graphics sub-major in second year, students must have successfully completed a year of programming at UTS. Last year's UAI cut-off score was 87.4.
Success rate Associate Professor David Wilson, the Faculty of Information Technology's associate dean (education), says: ``The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology is new; however, the course it is derived from boasts a very high employment rate and is well respected by the local industry.
``Ninety-eight per cent of last year's graduates secured full-time employment, with 1 per cent working part-time and 1 per cent looking for work. The average starting salary was $44,650."
Suffern says: ``The computer graphics industry is very healthy in Australia and it has grown over the past few years because we are getting a lot of special effects work.
``Hollywood has lost billions of dollars to Canada and Australia. Some movies are shot overseas but the special effects work is done in Australia, and many of our students go abroad to work, too.
``Some have won Academy Awards, some are working on the new Matrix movie, and one has gone to England to work on the next Harry Potter movie."
*what graduates sayAndre Mazzone, 29, working in research and development for Industrial Light and Magic, San Francisco. Credited as technical director and tools programmer on Bunny, which won an Academy Award for best animated short feature in 1998. Graduated 1994.
``I chose UTS because at the time it was the only university in Sydney that offered a pure computer science degree. Another thing that attracted me was the industrial training placement. I thought correctly, as it turned out that this experience would make me more useful in my first job.
``In retrospect, I've discovered computer science is not about retaining specific knowledge but is more the ability to absorb new concepts and apply them when needed. It would be impossible to teach the myriad sciences towards which computing can be applied. UTS showed me how to learn new sciences quickly and effectively. It offered a broad theoretical knowledge of the science of computing.
``With only a few exceptions, the lecturers and lab advisers were experienced, professional and open-minded in their attitude, without being too formal. I could not have done so well without the superb education offered me by UTS."Justen Marshall, 27, technical director film visual effects programmer, Animal Logic, Fox Studios, Sydney. Credited on The Matrix which won an Academy Award for best special effects in 2000. Graduated 1999.
``When I finished school, I knew computers would be the basis of my career but I didn't want to get stuck in a `boring' job, so I was excited to find UTS's computer science course offered computer graphics electives.
``The course is very focused. Every subject is useful to an IT career and the electives give students options for planning their ideal education.
``UTS Computer Science combines a tight industry focus, cutting-edge content and excellent teaching.
``I did my industrial training in the visual effects industry, working with Animal Logic, and I completed the course part-time so I could keep working.
``During the final semester I created digital effects for the film The Matrix, including writing to a design brief for the software that generated the falling green code used throughout the film.
``I have recommended the course so highly that my brother ended up enrolling. It's good for anyone looking for an edge in the competitive IT industry."
*what an employer says
Andrew Winter, IT manager, GMD, St Leonards, Sydney.
``Whenever GMD is looking for IT staff, our first port of call is always UTS. Our technical management have a very high opinion of the calibre of students who [graduate] from the course.
``There are three factors that differentiate the graduates: industrial training which gives them familiarity with the workforce; their diverse programming experience; and the fact that the course covers a great depth of computer graphics theory.
``These give graduates an advantage in the professional graphics market and are unavailable in any other undergraduate degrees at such depth.
``Graduates are extremely talented, skilled, adaptable, fast learners, passionate, reliable, dependable and have a good understanding of the challenges and deadlines of the workplace."
johagan@mail.fairfax.com.au
Phone 9514 1803 http://www.it.uts.edu.au
© 2002 Sydney Morning Herald
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