University: The University of Western Australia

Degree: Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), Artificial Intelligence

School Subjects: Mathematics Specialist, Mathematics Methods, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, English

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I am enrolled in the Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), and within this Bachelor, there are four specialisations: Artificial Intelligence, Computing and Data Science, International Cybersecurity, and Quantum Computing. Be careful when enrolling, as the Bachelor of Science does offer Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Data Science as majors, but these are different from the ones offered in the Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours). The difference between the two is that Advanced Computer Science includes an extra 4^th honours year, while the other is just the regular 3 years.

My Experience

An aspect of my major that I enjoy is that it is very self-guided, both in its work and socially speaking. Most units have labs where you work at your own pace rather than tutorials that host group discussions, which suits my introverted personality better. However, a gripe I have with this major is that a lot of the coding units are still old-fashioned, as they require you to write the code on paper for exams and tests, despite coding being made to be typed in an editor.

For majoring in Artificial Intelligence under the Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours), you are required to do a philosophy unit. This was an aspect of my major that I disliked, as I never enjoyed humanities, and I found philosophy difficult due to essay writing.

A thing to note when enrolling in the Bachelor of Advanced Computer Science (Honours) degree or in any computer science-related major is that all these majors (in general) have practically the same units for three years. So, I would recommend using your electives to experience other Advanced Computer Science majors, even if you’re not enrolled in that specific major, to help you figure out which major you enjoy the most.

Most Computer Science units are quite chill. Typically, there are weekly labs that are mostly not mandatory to attend, but you can go to university for assistance from lab facilitators if needed. Basically, all of the work can be done wherever, as long as you have a computer/laptop. Thanks to this flexibility, it’s relatively easy to balance work with other aspects of life; most units aren’t that draining, as completing the lab exercises is enough work to understand the specific topic.

Computer Science units also have a variety of assessments. Newer units that have been introduced to the degree will usually have a mid-semester test and final exam, while some others will have more take-home assessments/projects. In my opinion, the take-home tasks are the best because you have time to code at your own pace and on an actual device rather than writing it on paper under time pressure. As this degree is relatively new (especially for Quantum Computing, which was only introduced in 2024), be aware that there are new units that may feel structurally disorganised, both in their schedules and assignments. For example, in one unit, they experimented with allowing ChatGPT for assignments and lab assessments, which led the in-class lab assessments to be very time-pressured and practically impossible to do without having an AI generate code for you.

Internships

A key aspect of succeeding in the tech industry is building a strong resume that’s packed with internships and work experience. You can source internships on your own, but also be aware that there is an optional Level 3 unit available for both Semester 1 and 2, which you can pick if you want. However, some courses also cram a lot of core units into Level 3, so make sure you plan out your units carefully and spend time researching companies that offer internships in your own time. Making a spreadsheet of all the possible internships, their opening dates for applications, and what the company specialises in, and then applying to all, is vital.

Is Computer Science ATAR Necessary?

Definitely not. Like most degrees at university, it is not mandatory to have its ATAR subject equivalent. The Computer Science ATAR course is a decade out of date, and everything covered in Computer Science ATAR is explained in greater detail and clarity in your first two years of the degree.

Other Points of Discussion

A general thing to keep in mind for careers is that a lot of computer science jobs are trending up. AI is hot, and cybersecurity is also in high demand with all the somewhat recent hacks. However, for AI specifically, it’s still somewhat difficult to find a job that isn’t just research with Google or another company like that, as we still haven’t really figured out how to utilise AI for commercial use outside of chatbots and some data analysis. But we’re always finding out new ways, so you never know when it will pop off.