Associate Degree in Computer Systems
Get comfortable presenting systems ideas in the boardroom or the workshop with our computer systems course. You’ll also improve your prospects of finding work as a computer networking engineer, internet/intranet network administrator, network analyst, virtualisation engineer, data centre administrator and much more with this applied computing course.
Our associate degree includes majors in networking, cloud computing and virtualisation. You’ll expand on fundamental studies in:
- computer hardware and software
- networking
- virtualisation
- operating systems
- network security
- programming
- programming for web applications
- business and communication skills
Box Hill Institute is a Cisco Training Centre for the Asia Pacific region and the course can lead to certifications in Cisco CCNA and other certifications such as Linux LPI, Microsoft (MCTS), VMWare VCP. The networking major will include topics including Cisco Academy CCNP. The cloud computing and virtualisation stream will include desktop, applications and data virtualisation, with course information from EMC and Citrix as well as from VMWare.
In our computer systems course, you will study:
- computer networking
- operating systems
- network security
- cloud computing
- virtualisation business management and practices
You’ll also cover internet and emerging technologies, systems fundamentals.
This degree will train you in the following vendor certifications: Cisco (CCNA, CCNP), VMWare (VCP), EMC (EMCISA), Citrix (CCA), Microsoft (MCTS) and Linux Professional (LPIC).
| Course Code | ADBC3 |
|---|---|
| CRICOS Code | 054850M |
| Study Areas |
Networking System Administration |
| Study Level | Associate Degree |
| Course Type | Associate Degree |
| Campuses | Box Hill Campus |
| Tuition Fee Type | Estimated Annual Fee |
| International Fee | $18,110.00 |
| Service Fees | Estimated Annual Fees |
| Service & Amenities* | $155.00 |
| Core Skills Support** | $75.00 |
| Annual Material Fees | No materials fee applies |
| Retain Course Items*** | No fee applies |
* Does not apply to VETiS or Short course students.
** Does not apply to VETiS, International students, Short Courses, Graduate Degrees , or re-enrolling students who re-enrol in the same course.
***Retained Course Items are purchased by the student once prior to commencing. The course items bought by the student become the property of the student. Such items retain a generic application for other purposes outside the student's course of study (e.g. textbooks).
Annual student tuition & material fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Fees listed are for 2019 and may increase annually over the duration of delivery. Advertised start dates and delivery locations are subject to viable student numbers. For more information please contact our Course Advisors on 1300 BOX HILL.
You must have completed:
- Australian Year 12 or international equivalent with a pass.
- Year 12 in Mathematics , or international equivalent with a pass;
A minimum IELTS overall score of 6.0 (Academic) with band no less than 5.5. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 for paper examination; 213 for computer based and 79 for Internet based, or approved equivalent.
For other accepted tests, please visit the English Language Requirements page.
Full time: 2 years. Classes take place on weekdays.
Mode of delivery is face to face.
Applicants with Higher Education study
Applicants who have completed some of a higher education course, either at non-university higher education providers or university some time ago or recently, are welcome to apply.
Applicants seeking to transfer to Box Hill Institute from another education provider or applicants changing to a different course at Box Hill Institute can apply for Advanced Credits. All applications for advanced credits are assessed on an individual basis and are granted for subjects where the content and learning outcomes has been demonstrated through your completion of subjects in your prior course.
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed. You will be asked a series of questions relating to your suitability for the course. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of career goals and an aptitude for the course of study, including any relevant industry experience.
Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) Study
Applicants who have completed a VET course of study (a VET Certificate IV course as minimum) with ICT field of study focus at a public TAFE or other VET provider either recently or some time ago are welcome to apply. You may receive advanced credits for relevant subjects on the basis of your diploma studies.
Applicants seeking to transfer to Box Hill Institute from another education provider or applicants changing to a different course at Box Hill Institute can apply for advanced credits. All applications for advanced credits are assessed on an individual basis and are granted for subjects where the content and learning outcomes has been demonstrated through your completion of subjects in your prior course.
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed. You will be asked a series of questions relating to your suitability for the course. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of career goals and an aptitude for the course of study, including any relevant industry experience.
Applicants with recent secondary education
Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is based primarily on completion of Year 12 undertaken at school, TAFE or other VET or higher education provider (this includes both Australian or overseas equivalent) that was completed (or will be) in the current year or within the previous 2 years.
You can apply to study with us through direct entry if you have:
- successfully completed VCE, with a study score of at least 20 in Maths (any) and 20 in English (any).
- Additional consideration will be given for achievement in physics, chemistry, systems and technology, technological design and development and/or mathematics methods.
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed. You will be asked a series of questions relating to your suitability for the course. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of career goals and an aptitude for the course of study, including any relevant industry experience.
Applicants with work and life experience
Applicants with work and life experience have left secondary education more than 2 years ago (i.e. applicants who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken VET or higher education study since then.
‘Experience’ could include a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education. This includes mature age entry, professional experience, community involvement or work experience.
Applicants are required to present evidence of current employment or experience in the ICT industry together with evidence of your ability to meet the demands of the program.
Interview: All applicants will be interviewed. You will be asked a series of questions relating to your suitability for the course. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of career goals and an aptitude for the course of study, including any relevant industry experience.
You can progress into the Bachelor of Computer Systems or similar courses at other higher education organisations.
Direct entry. See how to apply or contact the international office.
This course is accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and the qualification is aligned with the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level 6 and Box Hill Institute Graduate Attributes.
Learning outcomes are as follows:
- a broad background of technical skills and knowledge that will allow you to be employed in paraprofessional roles in the IT environment. The knowledge is based on the computing technologist level of the Australian Computer Society Core Body of Knowledge, extended by substantial system administration, networking and virtualisation components
- identify, analyse and evaluate IT environments and opportunities, as well as apply the skills necessary to plan and implement solutions to ICT problems
- identify, then creatively and effectively problem solve in the ICT discipline, with stronger skills and knowledge in system administration area
- demonstrate problem solving and communication skills and knowledge needed by ICT paraprofessionals who support computer systems that operate in conventional industries and enterprises
- apply the communications and relationships skills needed by ICT paraprofessionals in modern businesses, including team working skills.
- solve routine and some more complex problems in the ICT discipline
- flexibly apply skills and knowledge of ICT to match operational demands of organisations and a capacity to adapt to diverse and changing environments
- reflect on own experiences, drawing on rigorous evidence, leading to improved paraprofessional practice
- work as effective and reliable members of a project team
This course may provide you with employment opportunities such as:
- computer networking associate
- internet or intranet network administrator
- network professional or analyst
- a junior network design engineer
There are 16 subjects in total.
We expect to enrol between 6 and 12 students.
Code |
Title |
Points |
|---|---|---|
| ICT114 | MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTING | 6.0 |
The aim of this subject is to equip students with a set of fundamental mathematical skills, which will allow them to better comprehend the technical concepts encountered throughout the course. Students will firstly be introduced to analytical techniques applicable to hardware applications, such as statistics and queuing theory. This will follow on to numerical methods applicable to software applications, error analysis and topology. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT223 | OPERATING SYSTEMS 1 | 6.0 |
This subject is targeted towards the Microsoft Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT212 | ADVANCED ROUTING | 6.0 |
This subject includes Cisco Academy module CCNP "Implementing IP Routing". This subject builds on the basic routing principles considered in first year. It is designed to take students to the level of system evaluation and configuration. Students will be expected to exhibit a higher level of autonomy in designing, configuring and commissioning a medium sized network. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT112 | NETWORKING AND ROUTING BASICS | 6.0 |
This subject includes the new Cisco Academy modules CCNA “Introduction to Networks” and “Routing and Switching Essentials” This subject provides students with a solid basis in networking and routing. This involves an examination of networking from the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) seven-layer model and TCP/IP perspectives. Students will learn the function and operation of appropriate equipment from each layer. Finally, given a small to medium network specification, students will perform the task of commissioning a network themselves. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT113 | COMPUTER SYSTEMS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE | 6.0 |
This subject is an introduction to Computer systems hardware, software and architecture. Using the PC as an example of a modern computer system, it will embody all aspects of hardware construction, fault-finding and commissioning. Suitable hardware devices and associated software will be selected, installed and commissioned to meet a given set of specifications. Features of computer architecture will be discussed with particular emphasis on performance enhancement techniques. The architectural features and performance of different computer systems will be compared. Finally, parallel architectures will be introduced, which will define the direction of all modern computer architecture designs. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT215 | BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 6.0 |
In this subject two aspects of Business Management will be examined: organisational leadership and financial planning. Styles of organisational structure, strong leadership and effective management of people will also be explored. Some theoretical concepts will be introduced related to the various categories of management style and positional hierarchies of people in organisations. However, a strong emphasis will also be placed on observing and reporting on real examples in order to demonstrate the value of these concepts. The subject will also investigate principles of sound business accounting practice and financial planning and introduce various tools of financial planning and analysis, along with the reasons for their value in decision making. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT213 | MULTI-USER OPERATING SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION | 6.0 |
This subject is targeted towards Linux Professional Institute certification. This subject introduces students to the technical and administrative challenges of centrally controlling a multi-user network. The Unix environment will be introduced, along with such concepts as multitasking, security, print management and data backup. The technical aspects of installation and maintenance will also be discussed. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT122 | SWITCHING PRINCIPLES AND WAN TECHNOLOGIES | 6.0 |
This subject includes the new Cisco Academy modules CCNA “Scaling Networks” and “Connecting Networks”. This subject examines the principles of switching, common routing and wide area network (WAN) technologies. The students will examine the fundamentals of switched network design, especially the use of trunking and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN), culminating in a network design involving configuration and commissioning the network. Students will then examine principles of scaling IP address and current WAN technologies. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT115 | OBJECT-ORIENTED DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING | 6.0 |
This subject provides students with an introduction to computer programming. It is assumed that students have little or no previous programming background. The basic concepts will be covered including data types, selection, iteration, input/output, file handling and arrays. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT118 | DATABASE AND INFORMATION RETRIEVAL | 6.0 |
The unit intends to introduce students to the concept of the database as a repository of organisational information, and to the technical requirements of database management. The unit will use the relational model of data as it is the model most commonly used in database products. The unit will show students how to design databases from business requirements and how to create and populate database tables, modify table contents and interrogate them in order to report the organisational information held within the database. The syntax of the required SQL language statements will be taught. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT218 | INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES | 6.0 |
Introduction, history and overview of the internet: organisation and management, intranet, extranet, internet services. WWW publishing: application of HTML, XHTML, dynamic HTML, HTML5 CSS, CSS3 and XML, comparison of different kinds of web page design styles. Graphics and Style for the WWW. Using Integrated Development Environments for Web Development Introduction to server-side and client-side applications: programming languages and interfaces, practical application of such technologies using OO techniques. Impact of the internet: social, cultural, legal and ethical issues. JavaScript, JQuery, Twitter Bootstrap, PHP OO programming, Java Server-side Development. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT117 | SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN | 6.0 |
Systems Analysis and Design (SAD) are the two fundamental investigation and planning activities associated with the development of computer-based information systems. They constitute the major investigative and planning activities that are undertaken by the IT professional before and during the software development stage of the information system development lifecycle. This subject is intended to introduce the student to the activities of Systems Analysis and Design, and to the professional roles involved in the Systems Development Life Cycle, particularly the role of Systems Analyst. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT219 | NETWORK SECURITY | 6.0 |
This subject includes Cisco Academy module CCNA "Security". This subject serves as an introduction to the problems posed by data security in networked computer systems. The vulnerability of these systems to malicious activity will firstly be considered. This will follow on to the various technical methodologies and management policies designed to protect systems from such activity. The emphasis will be on higher level activities such as policy decisions and network configuration. Students will be exposed to advanced techniques in network security and will consolidate these with laboratory and assignment work. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT224 | ENTERPRISE VIRTUALISATION | 6.0 |
This subject includes VMWare Academy courseware. This subject provides students with knowledge and skills in the different techniques of virtualisation and how these can be applied in an enterprise environment involving data centres and cloud systems. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT119 | INTRODUCTION TO CLOUD COMPUTING | 6.0 |
This subject covers fundamental cloud computing topics as they pertain to both technology and business considerations. It covers Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Cloud Delivery Models. Public, private, hybrid and community clouds are considered. External issues such as service level agreements, privacy, security and legal requirements are addressed. The subject includes vendor-independent courseware. It also includes a practical component based on vendor-specific cloud frameworks such as Google or Amazon clouds. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 2 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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| ICT216 | WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES | 6.0 |
Cisco Wireless Certification. As technology continues to evolve, wireless technologies are finding their way to the forefront of networking solutions to business requirements. This clearly indicates the progression from a fixed wired type of connectivity to a more fluid, mobile workforce that can work when, where, and how they want. This subject deals with the theoretical and practical aspects of wireless technologies. The CCNA Wireless curriculum includes information and practice activities to prepare students for configuring, monitoring and troubleshooting basic tasks of a Cisco WLAN in Small and Medium Business and Enterprise networks. After completing the subject, students should have the associate-level knowledge and skills to configure, implement and support of wireless LANs, specifically those networks using Cisco equipment. They are also able to support a basic wireless network on a Cisco WLAN in a SMB to enterprise network. Contact hours are 2 hour lecture and 4 hours practical x 13 weeks |
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