Curriculum details

Data is widely considered the world’s ‘new oil’, and data science is a powerful discipline that enables organisations to extract actionable insights from large volumes of data. This unit introduces students to the core concepts and practices of data science using Python — a widely adopted programming language known for its clarity, flexibility, and strong support for data analysis. Students will first build a solid foundation in Python programming, including data types, data structures, control structures, functions, and file operations. They will then progress to using Python’s data science libraries — such as NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib — for tasks such as data wrangling, exploration, and visualisation. Real-world datasets from areas such as health, business, sustainability, and community services will be used to provide practical and inclusive context, ensuring representation of diverse perspectives and experiences. The unit emphasises ethical data handling, reproducibility, and responsible analysis, while fostering critical thinking and hands-on experience. It also aligns with other units in the MINFTN program, providing foundational programming and data analysis skills that support more advanced study in areas such as machine learning, data mining, and business intelligence. The aim of this unit is to equip students with foundational knowledge and practical skills in Python and data science, enabling them to contribute to societal benefit and the common good.

Modern organisations require robust and scalable and and sustainable IT infrastructures to remain competitive and resilient. This unit introduces postgraduate students to the essential principles and practices of contemporary IT infrastructure, with a specific focus on cloud computing. Students will gain foundational knowledge in cloud architecture, virtualisation, automation, and infrastructure management. They will also explore leading cloud platforms (e.g. MS Azure, AWS, GCP) and gain practical experience with Microsoft Azure. The unit covers evolving technologies, such as infrastructure as code, containerisation, edge computing, and sustainability practices. Students will apply these concepts through real-world case studies across various sectors. Aligned with Microsoft’s curriculum, the unit also provides a pathway to the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification. Ethical considerations and sustainability are integrated throughout, encouraging students to critically evaluate the social and environmental impacts of IT infrastructure decisions in line with Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles, particularly stewardship and the common good.The aim is to equip students to design and manage secure, efficient, and sustainable IT infrastructures while critically evaluate their environmental impacts.

Databases are a critical technology for organisations, enabling the efficient recording, processing, and management of data while maintaining data quality and security. This unit equips students with foundational knowledge and practical skills in database design and implementation. Students will develop the ability to identify and model organisational information requirements, construct conceptual data models, verify structural integrity through normalisation techniques, and select appropriate database technologies to meet organisational needs. The unit introduces both relational and non‑relational data storage approaches and associated toolsets. Students will learn to implement and use relational database technologies and Structured Query Language (SQL) in a cloud environment using Microsoft Azure. The unit also covers core database administration tasks and ethical considerations related to the management and protection of organisational data. Designed in alignment with Microsoft’s curriculum, the unit provides a pathway to the DP‑900: Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals certification. The aim of this unit is to prepare students to select, design, implement, and administer large‑scale database solutions that address organisational data and information management requirements while upholding data privacy, security, and the dignity of the individuals served by the organisation.

Computer programs are widely used to drive business applications, and as a result, demand for individuals with strong programming skills continues to grow. Programmers are often required to maintain legacy code, develop new applications to enhance business competitiveness, and improve software security. This unit introduces students to the key concepts of computer program design and development using appropriate data structures, control structures, and functions. Students will also learn object-oriented programming, along with basic testing and debugging techniques. By acquiring these skills, students will be empowered to develop applications that not only meet business needs but also help improve working conditions by offloading laborious or repetitive tasks, allowing workers to focus on more creative and fulfilling activities. The aim of this unit is to help students grasp the essentials of Java—a globally accepted, modern, and practical programming language—while fostering critical thinking and the ability to build software applications involving objects and functional components.

In an increasingly digital world, where the ability to safeguard information and systems is critical to professional success and societal resilience, this unit equips students with essential knowledge and skills in cyber security. It covers the importance of cyber security, security threats, risk analysis and mitigation techniques. The unit demonstrates the basic cyber security concepts, security tools, cryptographic schemes, and the common architectures used as industry standards. Students will learn how to defend against cyber threats and attacks and study existing techniques for managing and mitigating security issues and maintaining the working environment. This unit introduces the broad discipline of cyber security and outlines how to ensure data confidentiality, privacy, integrity, authenticity, and availability of information. It also covers social, ethical, and legal issues in cyber-space to understand how cyber security affects legal compliance and solidarity in communities and society. The aim of this unit is to provide students with essential background knowledge in cyber security and develop practical skills, that will help them to understand advanced cyber security topics.

Machine learning involves enabling computational systems to learn from data and perform a wide range of tasks without being explicitly programmed. These models and algorithms underpin many aspects of contemporary digital life, including email filtering, search engines, social media platforms, virtual assistants, healthcare applications, and recommendation systems. This unit offers a technical and practice‑oriented introduction to core machine learning models and algorithms. Key topics include pattern discovery, classification, regression, feature extraction, and data visualisation. Students will also engage in hands‑on implementation using Python and the Scikit‑Learn library to address real‑world challenges, including applications in digital health. The unit further examines issues of machine bias and the potential consequences of inequitable or harmful algorithmic outcomes. Overall, the unit aims to equip students with foundational knowledge and practical skills to design ethical, effective, and responsible.

As software systems grow in complexity and interactivity, there is a growing demand for graduates who can develop efficient, scalable, and user-friendly applications. Building upon foundational programming skills, this unit enables students to deepen their understanding of advanced programming concepts that are essential for tackling real-world challenges in modern computing environments. This unit extends the fundamental programming knowledge acquired in introductory programming by introducing students to more advanced and applied programming concepts. It covers event-driven programming, graphical user interface (GUI) design, file input/output operations, generics, data structures, and algorithms. Students will learn to design and implement moderately complex applications that interact with real-world data through user interfaces. Emphasis is placed on the effective use of computing resources—including CPU cycles, memory management, and I/O operations—through the application of appropriate data structures and algorithms. This focus supports sustainable computing practices by promoting energy-efficient programming, thereby contributing to the stewardship of natural and technological resources. The aim of this unit is to equip students with advanced programming skills and the ability to design efficient, maintainable, and interactive software systems that demonstrate an awareness of both technical performance and environmental sustainability.

Almost all computing devices fare connected using computer networks. There is a need of professionals who exercise knowledge and leadership in the area of computer networks and its applications. This unit covers the fundamental topics of computer networks and data communication. The unit demonstrates the basic networking concepts, OSI and TCP/IP networking model, functionalities and characteristics of different layers, network devices, and protocols. Students will learn how these devices and protocols are used in computer networks and application programs. The practical works will help students to learn how to design, configure, build and test a small-scale peer-to-peer network for an organisation. In addition, the unit focuses on designing a network solution that utilises optimal resources and thus, aims to minimise negative impacts on the environment. The unit aims to equip students with background knowledge in computer networking, which scaffolds an advanced unit in emerging technologies of blockchain and IoT. It will produce graduates with i) a wide range of professional knowledge and skills relevant to networking and communication technologies, ii) adaptability to changing technology and society, iii) capability to design network solutions utilising minimal computing resources, and iv) prepare them for CCNA1 certification exam.

In a digital world increasingly reliant on mobile and web technologies, there is strong industry demand for professionals who can build secure, scalable, and user-centric applications. These applications not only drive business efficiency but also hold the potential to address pressing societal challenges. This unit builds on foundational programming knowledge to develop advanced skills in designing and developing industry-strength web and mobile applications. It introduces essential concepts, modern frameworks, development environments, and testing practices relevant to contemporary application development. Students will gain both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience in implementing responsive, interactive, and maintainable applications using a wide range of technologies. The unit emphasises the integration of back-end and front-end systems and introduces techniques for improving usability, performance, and accessibility. Through practical project work, students also explore how web and mobile technologies can be leveraged to support social impact—for example, by creating applications aimed at improving the lives of the poor, vulnerable, or otherwise disadvantaged. The aim of this unit is to develop students’ ability to design, build, and test modern web and mobile applications that meet professional standards while contributing to the common good.

The explosion in data and digital technologies has opened new ways of obtaining data-driven insights. Organisations increasingly require professionals who can work with modern data ecosystems, streaming data sources, and visualisation tools to extract, analyse, and communicate insights. This unit introduces advanced techniques in data analytics, including big data processing and visualisation using industry-standard and open-source tools. Students will use platforms such as Power BI, Google Looker Studio, Tableau, and Python-based libraries and big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, cloud-native platforms) to transform raw data into meaningful insights. Students will also explore data ethics, geospatial analysis, and advanced dashboarding techniques. The aim of this unit is to equip students with job-ready skills in applied analytics, big data techniques, data storytelling, and dynamic reporting—enabling them to deliver strategic, ethical, and environmentally responsible decisions in complex real-world scenarios.

Deep learning drives many real-world AI applications, including computer vision, natural language processing, and large language models (LLMs), and is a core approach within modern artificial intelligence (AI). Graduates, therefore, need the capability to design AI projects responsibly, select appropriate methods, and evaluate solutions that are effective, safe, and aligned with the common good. This unit develops conceptual and practical skills in contemporary AI, with a strong emphasis on deep learning. Students begin with a recap of core machine learning concepts, then progress to designing and developing deep learning models and exploring other emerging AI technologies. They will work through the full model lifecycle, including development, training, inference, testing, and evaluation. Using tools such as Python and Keras, students implement and assess AI solutions across key areas, including computer vision, natural language processing, large language models (LLMs), anomaly detection, and reinforcement learning. The unit also integrates Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals to familiarise students with industry standards, design principles, and common AI solution patterns. Throughout, students examine foundational AI use cases that promote stewardship and the common good, with sustained attention to ethics, safety, and human dignity. This unit aims to equip students with advanced AI knowledge and skills to design, develop, and evaluate AI-enabled applications responsibly, promoting the common good and upholding human dignity.

As digital infrastructures become increasingly integral to business, government, and everyday life, the frequency and sophistication of cyber threats continue to rise. Professionals with the ability to understand, anticipate, and defend against these threats are in high demand across all sectors. Engaging with network and information security equips students with the expertise needed to protect critical systems, ensure data integrity, and uphold public trust in digital technologies. This unit offers a critical awareness of current developments, industry practices, and future trends in network security, web security, database security, and wireless security. Students will explore a range of tools and techniques used to combat threats such as malware, intrusions, social engineering, data leakage, and zero-day attacks. These topics are examined through the lens of secure authentication mechanisms, password management, intrusion detection and prevention systems, information security policies, and user education. A hands-on component requires students to design a shell-script-based intrusion detection system (IDS), providing practical skills in identifying and responding to threats within a host system. The aim of this unit is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of network and information security issues, and to develop the knowledge and skills required to identify security threats and design appropriate countermeasures to protect systems and data.

Organisations today face the challenge and opportunity of leveraging vast amounts of data to derive actionable insights. Data mining is a critical process for discovering patterns, relationships, and trends within large and complex datasets to support strategic and operational decision-making. This unit builds on foundational studies in data science and programming, and provides a comprehensive exploration of the knowledge discovery process, incorporating essential topics such as data pre-processing, classification, clustering, association rule mining, anomaly detection, sentiment analysis, and sequential pattern mining. Emphasis is placed on applying both descriptive and predictive data mining techniques to solve real-world problems, using visual data mining tools (e.g. RapidMiner and Orange) and Python programming. Case studies and applied projects will help students design, implement, and evaluate end-to-end data mining workflows, applying ethical principles and critically reflecting on issues of data privacy, bias, and explainability. The primary aim of this unit is to develop industry-ready professionals capable of applying data mining techniques and tools to support informed and ethical decision-making across diverse domains.

Effective IT project management is essential to delivering technology solutions on time, within budget, and aligned with strategic goals, while managing risk and creating value for stakeholders. The Masters project (Parts A and B) extends across two semesters and is designed to promote the development of research including project management, communication. The objective of these two units is for students to show initiative, acquire new knowledge, develop basic skills in research, evaluating solutions, and disseminating results. The focus of Part A is to provide students with fundamental project management, communication and technical skills in the context of a particular information technology project, with an emphasis on investigation phases. It specifically covers the ACS (Australian Computer Society) code of ethics for the information technology profession as well as catholic social thought, for example, students may work on developing successful community and environmental stewardship projects such as digital identity for homeless people, marine pollution, carbon foot-print tracking. The aim of this project is to prepare students for professional or academic futures by building their capacity to lead and manage IT research projects that address real-world needs.

Effective IT project management is essential for delivering technology solutions on time, within budget, and aligned with strategic goals, while also managing risk and generating value for stakeholders. This unit is the second in the Master’s Project sequence and focuses on the implementation and dissemination phases of the project—including implementation of the project resulting in defensible outcomes, development and presentation of seminars, and production of a final thesis. Students are required to integrate and consolidate the knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes developed throughout their coursework. The primary outcome of the unit is the Master’s thesis, which documents the project’s aim, literature review, methodology, key outcomes, and reflections on project performance. It also includes an analysis of project challenges, success metrics, and recommendations for improving future project delivery. Importantly, students are expected to reflect on how their project outcomes contribute to the common good, aligning with ethical and social responsibilities in professional practice. The aim of this unit is to enable students to apply advanced project management and research skills to implement, evaluate, and communicate a substantial IT project that addresses real-world challenges and contributes to the common good.

Entrepreneurial activity is a major driver of creating the social and economic conditions individuals require to thrive. To be effective as an entrepreneur, accumulating knowledge and skills in opportunity & market analysis, validating creative concepts, strategic decision making and start-up establishment is essential. This unit provides an in-depth study of the theory and context on Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurship. It will explore several dimensions surrounding business opportunity creation and growth, in corporate and start-up environments, underpinned by the questions, concerns and decisions made by entrepreneurs. The dimensions explored will cover conceptualisation, innovation, strategy, operations, financing, management and marketing in forming sustainable businesses that generate wealth for both individuals and society. The foremost purpose of this unit is to advance students’ knowledge, understanding and skills of managing the complex process of launching a start-up and its innovative value proposition in different industries and settings, and how to analyse and suggest solutions to complex entrepreneurial problems.