1996 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

Objectives
To provide a flexible program of study which allows the
student to undertake a special project. This would require
research into a topic which is relevant to the course but
alternative to the prescribed subjects in Stage 2 of the Master
of Information Systems degree.
Content
Students will work on an approved project under staff
supervision. Projects will usually require a literature survey
and a theoretical or experimental investigation. Students will
present their research results to staff and students in a school
seminar or equivalent.
References
There is no prescribed text. Students will be directed to
appropriate books and journal articles.
B1733 Minor Thesis
Credit Points - 50 4 hours per wek ow 2 semesters or
equivalmt Prerequisites - Completion of 4 approved Stage 2
nr~ects Instruction: Superuised reading,f;eld work and
individual consultation as required Assessment: - m'tten
report and presentation 100%
Objectives
To provide an opportunity for students to develop
analytical, research and report writing skills while exploring
in depth a topic from either the Management or Technology
Streams.
Content
Students will work on an approved project under staff
supervision. Projects will require a literature survey and a
theoretical or experimental investigation. A preliminary
proposal of the project to be undertaken must be submitted
for approval by the management panel of the Masters
program and it is expected that topics will be related to the
current research interests of staff.
There will be a requirement for formal monthly reporting
by the candidates, both oral and written throughout the
project. Failure to meet satisfactory standards of progress
may preclude final submission for the Masters degree.
Students will present their research results to staff and
students in a school seminar or equivalent. The thesis will
be examined by at least two examiners.
While developing their thesis proposal, students will attend
a course of study on research concepts and methodologies.
References
There is no prescribed text. Students will be directed to
appropriate books and journal articles.
B1802 Thesis
The thesis is the equivalent of 4 units, that is, 1 year part time
or 6 months full time study Hawthorn Prerequisite or
Corequisite: Satirfactory performance in at least 2 ofi BT708
Technology and Innovation, BH707 Strategic Change, BQ703
Technological Forecasting and B7706 Infomtion Technology
Effkctimess Assessment: examination by minor thesis
A subject in the Master of Business (Information Technology).
Objective
To develop the student's academic research ability.
Content
Candidates will be required to submit a research project
report on a topic selected by themselves in conjunction
with a supervisor. The topic will be related to
information systems. A preliminary proposal of the
project to be undertaken must be submitted for
approval. To enable other candidates as well as staff to
share the benefits from the applied nature of the projects
students will be required to present their results at an
appropriate seminar. Prior to commencing their
project, students shall undertake a short course of study
in research concepts and methodologies.
There will be a requirement for formal monthly
reporting by candidates, both oral and written
throughout the term of the project. Failure to meet
satisfactory standards of progress on a monthly basis
may preclude final submission for the Masters degree.
To enable other candidates to share the benefits from
the applied nature of the projects, all students in the
Masters program shall attend two or three seminars in
second semester (open also to the general public,
interested persons and employers) where final year
students will present the salient results of their research.
The duration of the project will be equivalent to four
subjects of the Masters degree. The project will be
normally taken in the final year of the course. Prior to
commencing their project, students shall undertake a
short course of study in research concepts and
methodologies.
As a guide, the following may be examples of topics
appropriate for research:
performance and implementation issues in database
crash recovery;
evaluation of information system planning and its
relationship to information systems performance;
a systems model for improving human factors of
computer environments;
a strategic planning methodology for a management
information system;
designing dependable information systems;
the effectiveness of knowledge based systems in a
commercial environment;
attitudes of office personnel towards advanced office
technology;
expert systems for design problem solving;
decision support systems in a manufacturing
environment;
distributed knowledge based system for an intelligent
manufacturing system;
decision support systems using expert system
techniques;
organisational structures to support end-user
computing.