C10141v3 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice Bachelor of Laws

Note(s)

It is the intention that this course be phased out and that a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Bachelor of Laws will be offered. The Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice will become a separate course and students wishing to undertake industrial training will enrol separately in this Diploma. Students should contact the Faculty of Information Technology for more information.

Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice, Bachelor of Laws program is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Information Technology. The law component provides a thorough grounding in Australian legal practice. The information technology component provides in-depth understanding and advanced practical skills in computer science, information systems and their applications. Students also learn to analyse how a business works and how to design better business systems.

Career options

Career options include in-house legal counsel to an IT or software company, legal practitioner or policy adviser in various government departments or specialist in areas such as e-commerce and privacy, intellectual property or Internet censorship. Alternatively, graduates can work as computing professionals in legal practice, legal publishing or private law firms.

Additional assumed knowledge

Mathematics and any two units of English.

Mathematics Extension 1 and English Advanced are recommended.

Additional recognition of prior learning

In the information technology component, students who have previously undertaken study at a university or other recognised tertiary education institution may be eligible for some credit for their prior study if the subjects previously studied are deemed by the Faculty of Information Technology to be equivalent to core subjects in the course. The prior study must have been completed before, but no earlier than three years before commencement of this course. Students must be able to demonstrate that their knowledge is current. Note that credit is not normally granted for elective subjects.

Students who have completed a Diploma of Information Technology at Insearch with a Credit (65 per cent) average are eligible for 48 credit points of exemptions. Students who have completed a Diploma of Information Technology at TAFE NSW may be eligible for up to 24 credit points of exemptions. Contact the Faculty of Information Technology for details.

Course duration and attendance

The course duration is five years of full-time study. The Law component requires attendance of 10–15 hours of lectures per week and timetable constraints require attendance at daytime and evening classes. The IT component requires attendance of 16–24 hours of lectures and seminars per week, and attendance at some evening classes may be required. The Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice includes at least nine months of paid work experience in the IT industry.

Course structure

The course comprises a total of 252 credit points. The course allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Bachelor of Laws.

The Law component of 144 credit points is made up of:

• 96 credit points of compulsory core law subjects (14 subjects)
• 24 credit points of law options (four subjects), and
• either 24 credit points of practical legal training subjects (five subjects) or an additional 24 credit points of law options (four subjects).

The Information Technology component comprises:

• 108 credit points of information technology subjects.

To gain credit for the DipInfTechProfPrac, students are required to have an approved, full-time job within the IT industry for a minimum of nine months.

Industrial training/professional practice

Industrial training within the IT component of the degree (the Diploma in Information Technology Professional Practice) is normally commenced after completion of Year 4, Autumn semester.

Admission to the Supreme Court of NSW to practice as a legal practitioner in NSW is based upon the successful completion of an accredited legal qualification (e.g. the UTS Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training.

Course completion requirements

Course diagram

Course program

Levels of award

Honours

Students interested in research in IT and who excel in their studies are eligible to undertake the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Information Technology.

Professional recognition

Australian Computer Society; Supreme Court of NSW

The IT component qualifies graduates for professional-level membership of the Australian Computer Society. The law component satisfies the requirements for admission as a legal practitioner, provided students undertake the optional Practical Legal Training in the final semester.

Other information

Further information on the Law component is available from the Law Information Office on: