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Programs SCS CS(PG)CompSci MCSMaster of Computer Science (Research Pathway) (2025)

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Semesters
Pathways/Majors
Unit Blocks
Requirements
Reports

Select plan for Major/Pathway

Year 0 - Planning your degree

SITS Diet Block/Type

Unit of Study/Unit Block

Note: Research Pathway | Important information

Students can view all available specialisations under the `Major/Pathways` tab. We strongly recommend that students complete their Foundation units before enrolling in specialisation units.

The Specialist units chosen may contribute towards a designated Specialisation. See the Majors/Pathways tab for details of each Specialisation.

Students who have completed a minimum of 48 credit points with at least Distinction average marks may take the Research Pathway.

In addition to this page, students should refer to the resources available on the School of Computer Science Canvas page https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/15961/pages/master-of-computer-science-mcs-2

This includes details on academic advising and a link to FAQs specifically for Master of Computer Science students, including those pursuing a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma.

Year 1 - Semester 1

SITS Diet Block/Type	CP	Unit of Study/Unit Block
Computer Science Foundation Core units	6	COMP9120: Database Management Systems
Computer Science Foundation Programming Selective units	6	COMP9001: Introduction to Programming
Computer Science Foundation Networking Selective units	6	COMP9601: Computer and Network Organisation Note: Students can enrol in COMP9121 in Semester 2 and instead choose one of the Computer Science Core units in Semester 1.
Computer Science Core units	6	INFO5990: Professional Practice in IT

Note: Students are advised to enrol in the Computer Science Foundation units during the first semester of their studies.

Year 1 - Semester 2

SITS Diet Block/Type	CP	Unit of Study/Unit Block
Computer Science Core units	6	INFO6007: Project Management in IT
Computer Science Core units	6	INFO5992: Understanding IT Innovations
Computer Science Foundation Core units	6	COMP9123: Data Structures and Algorithms
List	6	Select from Computer Science Foundation Elective units Computer Science Specialist units Note: Students who are interested in Data Science and AI Specialisation are strongly encouraged to enrol in Foundation Elective STAT5002 before they select their specialist units.

Year 2 - Semester 1

SITS Diet Block/Type	CP	Unit of Study/Unit Block
Computer Science Specialist units	6	Computer Science Specialist units
Computer Science Specialist units	6	Computer Science Specialist units
Computer Science Research units	6	INFO5993: IT Research Methods
Computer Science Research units	6	COMP5704: IT Research Project B

Note: Students who have completed a minimum of 48 credit points with at least Distinction average marks may take the Research Pathway.

Year 2 - Semester 2

SITS Diet Block/Type	CP	Unit of Study/Unit Block
Computer Science Specialist units	6	Computer Science Specialist units
Computer Science Specialist units	6	Computer Science Specialist units
Computer Science Research units	12	Select from COMP5702: IT Research Project A

Requirements for this Pathway

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5347: Web Application Development COMP5348: Enterprise Scale Software Architecture ELEC5618: Software Quality Engineering ELEC5620: Model Based Software Engineering

1. Algorithms and Theory Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5045: Computational Geometry COMP5270: Randomised and Advanced Algorithms COMP5530: Discrete Optimisation CSYS5030: Information Theory and Self-Organisation
View complete Program Structure

2. Cybersecurity Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5618: Applied Cybersecurity CSEC5614: Data Privacy: Theory and Practice CSEC5616: Cybersecurity Engineering INFO5301: Information Security Management
View complete Program Structure

3. Data Science and AI Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5310: Principles of Data Science COMP5318: Machine Learning and Data Mining COMP5339: Data Engineering STAT5003: Computational Statistical Methods
View complete Program Structure

Note: Students who are interested in Data Science and AI Specialisation are strongly encouraged to enrol in Foundation Elective STAT5002 before they select their specialist units.

4. Digital Media Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5405: Digital Media Computing COMP5415: Multimedia Design and Authoring COMP5425: Multimedia Retrieval COMP5427: Usability Engineering
View complete Program Structure

5. Human-Computer Interaction Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5047: Pervasive Computing COMP5048: Visual Analytics COMP5427: Usability Engineering IDEA9106: Design Thinking
View complete Program Structure

6. Networks and Distributed Systems Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5216: Mobile Computing COMP5313: Large Scale Networks COMP5416: Advanced Network Technologies COMP5426: Parallel and Distributed Computing
View complete Program Structure

7. Software Engineering Specialisation

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5347: Web Application Development COMP5348: Enterprise Scale Software Architecture ELEC5618: Software Quality Engineering ELEC5620: Model Based Software Engineering
View complete Program Structure

8. Computer Science Specialist Units (unspecified specialisation)

Type	CP	CP From
Computer Science Specialist units	24	Select from COMP5045: Computational Geometry COMP5046: Natural Language Processing COMP5047: Pervasive Computing COMP5216: Mobile Computing COMP5270: Randomised and Advanced Algorithms COMP5313: Large Scale Networks COMP5318: Machine Learning and Data Mining COMP5339: Data Engineering COMP5347: Web Application Development COMP5348: Enterprise Scale Software Architecture COMP5349: Cloud Computing COMP5405: Digital Media Computing COMP5415: Multimedia Design and Authoring COMP5416: Advanced Network Technologies COMP5425: Multimedia Retrieval COMP5426: Parallel and Distributed Computing COMP5427: Usability Engineering COMP5530: Discrete Optimisation COMP5618: Applied Cybersecurity CSEC5614: Data Privacy: Theory and Practice CSYS5030: Information Theory and Self-Organisation ELEC5618: Software Quality Engineering ELEC5620: Model Based Software Engineering IDEA9106: Design Thinking INFO5301: Information Security Management STAT5003: Computational Statistical Methods
View complete Program Structure

Block 1 - Computer Science Core units (Min CP: 18,Max CP: 18)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
INFO5990	Professional Practice in IT	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO5992	Understanding IT Innovations	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO6007	Project Management in IT	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 2 - Computer Science Foundation Core units (Min CP: 12,Max CP: 12)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP9120	Database Management Systems	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9123	Data Structures and Algorithms	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 3 - Computer Science Foundation Programming Selective units (Min CP: 6,Max CP: 6)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP9001	Introduction to Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9003	Object-Oriented Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9017	Systems Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 4 - Computer Science Foundation Networking Selective units (Min CP: 6,Max CP: 6)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP9121	Design of Networks & Distributed Systems	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9601	Computer and Network Organisation	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 5 - Computer Science Foundation Elective units (Max CP: 6)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP9001	Introduction to Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9003	Object-Oriented Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9017	Systems Programming	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9110	System Analysis and Modelling	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9120	Database Management Systems	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9121	Design of Networks & Distributed Systems	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9123	Data Structures and Algorithms	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9201	Software Construction and Design 1	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP9601	Computer and Network Organisation	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
STAT5002	Introduction to Statistics	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 6 - Computer Science Specialist units (Min CP: 24,Max CP: 30)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP5045	Computational Geometry	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5046	Natural Language Processing	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5047	Pervasive Computing	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5048	Visual Analytics	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5216	Mobile Computing	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5270	Randomised and Advanced Algorithms	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5310	Principles of Data Science	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5313	Large Scale Networks	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5318	Machine Learning and Data Mining	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5339	Data Engineering	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5347	Web Application Development	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5348	Enterprise Scale Software Architecture	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5349	Cloud Computing	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5405	Digital Media Computing	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5415	Multimedia Design and Authoring	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5416	Advanced Network Technologies	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5425	Multimedia Retrieval	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5426	Parallel and Distributed Computing	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5427	Usability Engineering	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5530	Discrete Optimisation	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5618	Applied Cybersecurity	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
CSEC5614	Data Privacy: Theory and Practice	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
CSEC5616	Cybersecurity Engineering	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
CSYS5030	Information Theory and Self-Organisation	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5618	Software Quality Engineering	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5620	Model Based Software Engineering	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
IDEA9106	Design Thinking	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO5301	Information Security Management	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
STAT5003	Computational Statistical Methods	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Note: The Specialist units chosen may contribute towards a designated Specialisation. See the Majors/Pathways tab for details of each Specialisation.

Block 7 - Computer Science Elective units (Max CP: 12)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
CISS6022	Cybersecurity	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
DATA5207	Data Analysis in the Social Sciences	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Int December 112 - Int December
ELEC5507	Error Control Coding	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5508	Wireless Engineering	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5509	Mobile Networks	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5510	Satellite Communication Systems	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5514	IoT Wireless Sensing and Networking	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5517	Software Defined Networks	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
ELEC5619	Object Oriented Application Frameworks	6	Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO5010	IT Advanced Topic A	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO5011	IT Advanced Topic B	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Block 8 - Computer Science Research units (Min CP: 24,Max CP: 24)

Unit Code	Unit Name	CP	Sessions Offered
COMP5702	IT Research Project A	12	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
COMP5704	IT Research Project B	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
INFO5993	IT Research Methods	6	Semester 1 For Semester 1 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp Semester 2 For Semester 2 calendar dates look up `Semester 1` on the university timetable website at https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Note: Research Pathway Units

Students who have completed a minimum of 48 credit points with at least Distinction average marks may take the Research Pathway.

Candidates in the Research Pathway must take all 24 credit points of the Research Pathway units of study (COMP5702, COMP5704 and INFO5993).

Candidates who choose the Research Pathway will be required to undertake a project in an area related to the specialisation.

Course:	Master of Computer Science (Research Pathway) (2025)
CP Required:	96
Min FT Duration:	2.00 Years
Min PT Duration:	N/A
Faculty/School:	Faculty of Engineering
Years Offered:	2025, 2024
Requirements:	Summary Students must complete 96 credit points as follows: ► A minimum 24 credit points and maximum 30 credit points of Foundation units, including: - 12 credit points of Foundation Core units, - 6 credit points of Foundation Programming Selective units, and - 6 credit points of Foundation Networking Selective units ► 18 credit points of Core units ► A minimum 24 credit points of Specialist units ► A maximum 12 credit points of Elective units ► 12 credit points of Capstone Pathway units, OR ► 24 credit points of Research Pathway units, OR ► 24 credit points of Work Integrated Pathway units The completion of a specialisation is not mandatory. If a student chooses to do a specialisation, it must be completed within the Specialist units credit points described above. Units of study counted towards one specialisation may not count toward any other specialisation completed University Handbook Refer to the university handbook at http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/ for more information.

Report Type:

The University of Sydney - Engineering