Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Computing Research and Project Preparation

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COSC3130

City Campus

Postgraduate

175H Computing Technologies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2025

Course Coordinator: Professor Zahir Tari

Course Coordinator Phone: -

Course Coordinator Email: zahir.tari@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: contact via email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course focuses on research techniques and project management methods designed specifically for computing. You will explore fundamental research principles and both qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as intellectual property, research integrity, and ethics. Additionally, you'll expand your understanding of key agile project methodologies and critically analyse their usability compared to traditional project management approaches.

Throughout the course, you will learn critical analysis of literature, crafting research questions, and writing comprehensive reviews. You'll also develop skills in articulating research objectives, methodologies, and outcomes within proposals. Ethical considerations, comparative analysis of agile versus traditional methods, and practical experience in project planning and success criteria assessment are integral components of the course.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

This course is an option course so it is not required to contribute to the development of program learning outcomes (PLOs) though it may assist your achievement of several PLOs.

For more information on the program learning outcomes for your program, please see the program guide.


Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Critically analyse literature, formulate research questions, and compose comprehensive literature reviews for research projects.
  2. Develop research proposals to articulate research objectives, methodologies, and anticipated outcomes.
  3. Identify and address potential intellectual property, research integrity, and ethics issues in research to make informed and ethically sound decisions.
  4. Compare and critique agile methodologies against traditional project management practices.
  5. Develop research project plans to address identified research questions, employing a variety of proprietary and non-proprietary project management tools.
  6. Identify relevant metrics to assess the success of projects within the computing sector.


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities in this course include:

  • Lectorials presenting general research principles, methodologies and practices of data collection (both qualitative and quantitative) and analysis in research, intellectual property, research integrity and ethics, project management concepts, Project Governance and Methodologies/
  • Meetings with your research supervisor, to discuss issues related to application of research method knowledge in the development of an example research proposal
  • Directed reading and analysis of topics related to the lectures
  • Tutorials involving group discussions based on analysis of research literature pre-reading
  • Presentation of research concepts, critically evaluate other’s presentations and receive feedback on own presentation.
  • Feedback sessions: Another important learning activity is private study, working on aspects of the project in a self-directed and autonomous manner within a team framework. To support you in this activity, we will schedule feedback sessions – drop-in sessions where you can ask questions on the course material.
  • Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course. The learning resources accessible through myRMIT Studies Course include: course related material, e-books, journals and databases.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment 1: First draft research proposal
Weighting: 25%
This assessment task supports CLOs: 1, 2 and 3.

Assessment 2: Final research proposal and presentation
Weighting: 35%
This assessment task supports CLOs: 1, 2 and 3.

Assessment 3: Team-based Project Report
Weighting: 40%
This assessment task supports CLOs 4, 5 and 6.

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.