Postgraduate course information

UTS: Engineering offers postgraduate coursework and research programs, providing a wide range of professional development opportunities to engineers and other graduates. In fulfilling these responsibilities, UTS: Engineering draws on its close links with industry to offer distinctive programs that are highly regarded by engineering-dependent enterprises.

In 2008, approximately 1000 students were enrolled in postgraduate coursework programs and over 170 in research degree programs.

Postgraduate award courses may be taken by coursework or research. UTS: Engineering supports research through its management of postgraduate research, development of research strengths and centres, encouragement of individual researchers and research teams, facilitation of interdisciplinary research and sponsorship of visits to UTS: Engineering by internationally-renowned experts.

In addition to award courses, UTS: Engineering provides opportunities for continuing professional development through studies undertaken on a non-award basis.

The following information is intended to assist postgraduates to plan and complete their studies within UTS: Engineering. Additional information can be obtained online and from other publications or by direct inquiry.

Postgraduate coursework

Specialist courses

UTS: Engineering offers specialist courses by coursework in several fields. Each of these courses includes core subjects which must be satisfactorily completed during studies for the award.

Students in any specialist course receive preference in the allocation of class places in core subjects. Students taking popular subjects through elective studies are allowed to enrol when places are available.

General courses

A range of coursework programs is available through UTS: Engineering, leading to the general awards of Master of Engineering (by coursework), Master of Engineering Studies and Graduate Certificate in Engineering.

For each of these general awards, postgraduate majors are available. The majors offered reflect current research strengths and interests in UTS: Engineering.

Distance education

Flexibility is a major feature of UTS: Engineering's postgraduate engineering management and environmental engineering management programs.

The distance education program is designed to meet the professional needs of busy engineers. Core subjects and a selection of electives can be taken in distance mode as well as standard attendance mode.

The following are examples of subjects that may be offered in distance mode:

• 49122 Ecology and Sustainability
• 49003 Economic Evaluation
• 49121 Environmental Assessment and Planning
• 49001 Judgment and Decision Making
• 49069 Leadership and Responsibility
• 49013 Managing Information Technology in Engineering
• 49002 Managing Projects
• 49012 Project Management Support Systems
• 49309 Quality Planning and Analysis
• 49006 Risk Management in Engineering
• 49016 Technology and Innovation Management
• 49123 Waste and Pollution Management
• 49124 Water Quality Management.

Progression

Postgraduate students are excluded from further study at the University if they fail 50 per cent or more of the total number of enrolled subjects in an assessment period.

Timetables

UTS timetable information is available from:

Majors

Postgraduate majors are available in the Master of Engineering (ME), Master of Engineering Studies (MEStud) and graduate certificates.

UTS: Engineering offers an extensive range of programs by research and/or coursework through its award and non-award courses. A selection of these program majors are described below. Information on other specialist research areas can be obtained from individual members of academic staff.

Program majors have been developed to match the needs of engineers and other professionals. They provide opportunities for advanced studies and professional development in engineering and cross-disciplinary areas between engineering and other disciplines. All postgraduate program majors are differentiated by their focus, structure, presentation, attendance flexibility, assessment practices and multiple entry/completion options.

Students are entitled to have the name of the major listed in their degree transcript (not the testamur) if they have completed the following.

• ME (by coursework): a minimum of four subjects (24 credit points) must be completed within the particular postgraduate program major as described below, together with an approved graduate project in the major of between 18 and 30 credit points. Indicated major compulsory subjects must be completed.
• MEStud: a minimum of four subjects (24 credit points) must be completed within the particular postgraduate program major as described below. Indicated compulsory major subjects must be completed. Any special topics listed in the program major are not available in the MEStud. To obtain the energy planning and policy major, students must complete eight subjects (48 credit points) from the respective program major list. MEStud Group A subjects do not apply to these majors. To obtain the software engineering major, students must complete all five subjects from the major as well as the Group A subjects.
• Graduate certificate: a minimum of three subjects (18 credit points) must be completed within the particular postgraduate program major as described below. Indicated compulsory major subjects must be completed.

Postgraduate program majors reflect current research strengths and interests in UTS: Engineering and change with time. The availability of individual subjects in any year is influenced by student demand, arrangements with visiting lecturers, scheduling within the University and policies on class sizes.

If, in the opinion of the director of postgraduate coursework programs, a student does not have the required prerequisite knowledge to successfully undertake and complete a major, the student may be required to undertake one or two preparatory undergraduate subjects.

Civil Engineering (MAJ03455)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering (MAJ03456)

This major is available in the MEStud only.

Academic inquiries

Computer Control Engineering (MAJ03438)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Energy Planning and Policy (MAJ03439)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Engineering Management (MAJ08860)

This major is available in the ME only.

Specialist programs in engineering management are available as a Master of Engineering Management (C04094) and as a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management (C11054).

Academic inquiries

Environmental Engineering (MAJ03416)

This major is available in the ME only.

Specialist programs in environmental engineering management are available as a Master of Environmental Engineering Management (C04098) and as a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Engineering Management (C11051).

Academic inquiries

Local Government Engineering (MAJ03440)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Manufacturing Engineering and Management (MAJ03442)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Software Engineering (MAJ03432)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Structural Engineering (MAJ03433)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Telecommunication Networks (MAJ03434)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Telecommunications Engineering (MAJ03435)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Telecommunications Engineering and Telecommunication Networks (MAJ03431)

This major is available in the MEStud only.

Academic inquiries

Water Engineering (MAJ03436)

This major is available in the ME, MEStud and graduate certificate.

Academic inquiries

Postgraduate research

UTS: Engineering has a lively and cutting-edge research culture driving advances in engineering and IT technology, practice and education. UTS: Engineering's research is needs-driven and collaborative and works with many enterprises in business partnerships. Researchers are world-class and recognised leaders in their fields, responsible for delivering new, better and more cost-effective solutions to complex engineering challenges.

Research is varied and utilises modern laboratories and research facilities on the City campus, Broadway. These are supported by extensive computing facilities and library services. The laboratories have excellent back-up workshops and expert support staff. Many opportunities exist for professional development through challenging, well-resourced research programs.

Contacts and inquiries

The management and administration of all research matters of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology is managed through the faculty's Research and Development Office, headed by the Associate Dean (Research and Development). The office is responsible for a broad range of matters including, but not limited to, research strategic priorities, policy and planning, and advice and support to faculty staff in preparing grant applications, research publications, research conferences and research degree student supervision. The associate dean is supported by the director of research programs and the research administration officers, who are responsible for the academic management and support of research degree students and general research matters respectively.

Research matters are governed via the Research Management Committee and Research Degrees Committee that report to the Faculty Board in Engineering and Information Technology. The Research Management Committee has overarching responsibility for determining the faculty's research strategies and policies, and for making recommendations in relation to building research culture and profile and for budgetary and resourcing matters relating to research. The Research Degrees Committee makes recommendations and sets policies relating to candidature management of higher degree by research students, from admission through to graduation.

Specific inquiries should be directed to the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Research and Development Office. Key staff are:

Director of Research Programs

Research Administration Officer: UTS: Engineering

Research Administration Officer: UTS: Engineering

Research Administration Officer: UTS: Information Technology

General inquiries from domestic students should be directed to:

General inquiries from international students should be directed to:

Research profile and strengths

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology has a number of key research strengths, housed within the research centres and institute of the faculty. These centres are hives of research activity that have international standing within their respective discipline areas. The Centre for Autonomous Systems was sponsored in 2003 under the Australian Research Councils Centres of Excellence Programs. The centres include:

• ARC Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems
• Centre for Built Infrastructure Research
• Centre for Electrical Machines and Power Electronics
• Centre for Health Technologies
• Centre for Human-Centred Technology Design
• Centre for Innovation in IT Services and Applications
• Centre for Intelligent Mechatronic Systems
• Centre for Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems
• Centre for Real-Time Information Networks
• Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

Collaborative research

UTS: Engineering's researchers work with private and public companies to achieve their strategic objectives in engineering research and development. These collaborative programs tend to be long-term and offer mutually beneficial outcomes, with the economic, business, social and environmental dimensions of engineering being addressed explicitly. Most collaborative research is supported by sponsorships or grants.

Research opportunities and major research areas

Research opportunities are available in the following areas of specialisation.

School of Computing and Communications: adaptive intelligent systems, advanced web technologies, computer vision, computer systems and networking, enabling mechanisms that will allow the transformation of the current connectivity infrastructure into the service infrastructure of tomorrow's internet, image analysis, image processing, internet service architecture, mobile commerce and mobile learning, mobile computing, mobile ubiquitous services and technologies, networks management, next-generation IT services and applications, pattern recognition, peer to peer networking, radio frequency hardware, satellite systems, tackling missing and limiting characteristics of the current internet, video analysis, video surveillance, visualisation tools, wireless networks, and wireless technology.

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering: built infrastructure, groundwater management, local government, public health engineering, and water and environmental resource management.

School of Electrical, Mechanical and Mechatronic Systems: advanced control, artificial intelligence, autonomous robotics, automotive engineering, biomedical engineering, energy, embedded systems, health technologies, mechatronics, power systems, and renewable energy.

School of Software: art and technology, artificial intelligence, computer animation, computer games, computer graphics, computer usability, data mining, e-finance, e-government, e-health, e-marketing, e-safeguard, e-security and e-service, emergency management, expert systems, human-computer interaction, information systems, innovation and creativity, innovation and technology, intelligent agents, intelligent problem solving and smart business decision making in engineering, interaction design, interactive entertainment, interactive storytelling, learning environments, multi-agent systems, multimedia, next-generation automated enterprise cooperative infrastructure, object-oriented computing, object-oriented processes and methodologies, ontologies, optimisation activities, quantum computing, ray tracing, rendering techniques, requirements engineering, resource planning, robotics, semantic web, smart trading systems, software development, and technology design and use.

School of Systems, Management and Leadership: energy policy and planning, engineering practice, environmental risk, information systems, IT education, IT governance, IT strategy and management, knowledge management, operations and risk management, strategic IT leadership, systems analysis and design, systems development, systems theory and socio-technical systems.

Further information is available from:

Research centres and institutes

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology supports several institutes and centres, each capturing established research strengths in engineering, information technology and related fields. These include the following.

ARC Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems (CAS) is run in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) at the University of Sydney and the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the University of New South Wales.

The aim of CAS is to research and explore the nature of intelligence in problems of perception, learning and control, and to lay the scientific groundwork for the development and application of intelligent autonomous systems. Autonomous systems represent the next step in the fusion of machines, computing, sensing and software to create intelligent systems capable of interacting with the complexities of the real world. Autonomous systems have a broad and diverse range of applications of national importance. These range from field applications such as automated mining and cargo handling; construction, forestry and transport; to potentially dangerous applications including robotic bushfire fighting; search-and-rescue; and areas of air, land and maritime defence; as well as social applications in robotic health care, automotive engineering and entertainment.

Director

Centre for Built Infrastructure Research

The Centre for Built Infrastructure Research (CBIR) is a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the faculties of Engineering and Information Technology; Science; and Design, Architecture and Building. CBIR's nationally and internationally renowned work focuses on finding solutions to important global problems in building structures, materials, design, management, improvement, safety and conservation.

Director

Centre for Electrical Machines and Power Electronics

The Centre for Electrical Machines and Power Electronics (CEMPE) is principally concerned with electrical variable speed drives and generation of electricity using rotating electrical machines and renewable sources (such as wind and hydro). The technical research disciplines necessary for these two areas are very similar, covering electrical machines design, power electronics and mechanical design. The interest in renewable energy generation is primarily for remote areas and developing countries, so the incorporation of expertise in design for such areas is valuable, with the inclusion of energy requirements analysis, energy economics, technology transfer and human management issues.

Director

Centre for Health Technologies

The interdisciplinary research skill-base brought together in the Centre for Health Technologies (CHT) is unique in Australia in the development of medical devices and systems. The CHT has two research streams: biomedical devices and biotechnology science. Its focus is on health and disease processes, the development of new devices and advanced methods for the early detection, diagnosis and rehabilitation of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological disorders and cancer. Its research has already produced several new device technologies which are at the cutting edge of biomedical engineering and science.

Directors

Centre for Human Centred Technology Design

The Centre for Human Centred Technology Design (HCTD) is committed to information and communications technology design research, methods and approaches, as defined by its commitment to the human, that is, to those who will use the technology.

HCTD's approach furthers the development of a much needed socio-technical perspective on technology design that can both balance and extend the more common technology driven or management driven perspectives. HCTD's focus is on understanding the complex interplay between the drivers of social, organisational and technical change and how these shape, and are shaped by, the design, implementation and use of information and communication systems. The centre's research outcomes contribute to the design and development of ICT that fit easily and appropriately into the social, cultural and organisational contexts within which they will be used.

Directors

Centre for Innovation in IT Services and Applications (iNEXT)

The Centre for Innovation in IT Services and Applications (iNEXT) is a world-class research environment for developing and nurturing innovation for the NEXT generation IT services and applications, including internet-enabled business applications, mobile health services, high-end visualisation technologies, novel image processing architectures and advanced video surveillance systems.

Future internet: iNEXT aims to develop those enabling mechanisms that will allow the transformation of the current connectivity infrastructure into the service infrastructure of tomorrow's internet.

Applications and services: iNEXT aims to develop innovative applications with special focus on assistive mobile health and internet-enabled business applications.

Visual information processing: iNEXT aims to define novel visualisation techniques and intelligent recognition algorithms for extracting important information from video streams and wireless sensor networks for surveillance and environmental monitoring purposes.

Commercialisation of such applications and services is particularly emphasised. iNEXT includes a significant research training component, graduating many research students in the past years.

Directors

Centre for Intelligent Mechatronic Systems

Building on 15 years of strong cross-disciplinary research in electrical machines and power electronics at UTS, the Centre for Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (CIMS) integrates the disciplines of mechanical, electrical and electronics engineering and computer systems. Its four main research directions are: autonomous robots (operating in unstructured environments and for infrastructure maintenance, search and rescue, health care and road vehicles); electrical machines (new materials and topologies, system optimisation, variable speed control and compact, low temperature fuel cells); automotive systems (performance, comfort, fuel efficiency, road safety and emission control); and human factors (physiological and psychological aspects of human–machine and human–environment interaction).

Director

Centre for Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems

The vision of the Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems (UTS: QCIS) is to develop theoretical foundations, innovative technologies and practical systems that will result in next generation enterprise intelligent information systems. The four research laboratories under UTS: QCIS are knowledge discovery; decision support and e-service intelligence; infrastructure enhancement; and innovation and technology. The outcomes of the researches under UTS: QCIS will be applied for a broad range of businesses, including finance, marketing, security, health, government and engineering.

Directors

Centre for Real-Time Information Networks

The Centre for Real-Time Information Networks (CRIN) aims to support research and development activities related to the efficient creation, collection, transmission, analysis and use of information in real-time, engineering embedded applications. The centre supports the improvement of Australian society through a focus on applied research achieved through close links with both industry and research bodies working in appropriate application domains.

Examples of priority areas of interest for the centre are national security for safeguarding Australia, healthcare diagnosis and monitoring for the cost effective improvement of the health of Australians, environmental and resource monitoring for a sustainable Australia and the smart use of the web in supporting Australian industry.

The centre aims to design, fabricate and test proof of concept systems, in which the performance and operational suitability of the developed systems shall be demonstrated. The proof of concept systems may be electronic hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software, and will include the latest prototyping technologies, such as embedded processors, high-performance networks and sophisticated distributed software applications.

Director

Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

The Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater will undertake research shaped by the need for sustainable management of water resources, both nationally and internationally and in urban and rural environments. The centre will link research staff and students from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology with government, industry and community partners along with other disciplinary specialists through its collaborative programs. A number of research themes have been developed with the centre members contributing to multidisciplinary themes such as membrane hybrid and nanotechnology systems in water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment, water reuse, and desalination and in-situ barrier and other systems for treatment of groundwater, surface and ground water hydrology, bio-solid and waste management, urban water cycles, soil/aquifer management and modification, flood management and catchment modelling for flood prediction.

Director (Engineering)