FIT5145 Foundations of data science
Faculty of Information Technology
FIT5145 Foundations of data science is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Information Technology, offered in 2027 in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Malaysia. It needs FIT9136, FIT9131 or FIT9133 and unlocks 2 units, leading on to 5 units in all.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2027
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Clayton, Malaysia
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
Reviews
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Requisites
Before FIT5145
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After FIT5145
2 units list FIT5145 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite: For students enrolled in E3001, E3002, E3005, E3010, E3011, E3007 completing the Software Engineering specialisation: FIT2099
Overview
This unit looks at processes, case studies and simple tools to understand the many facets of working with data, and the significant effort in Data Science over and above the core task of Data Analysis. Working with data as part of a business model and the lifecycle in an organisation is considered, as well as business processes and case studies. Data and its handling is also introduced: characteristic kinds of data and its collection, data storage and basic kinds of data preparation, data cleaning and data stream processing. Styles of data analysis and outcomes of successful data exploration and analysis are reviewed. Standards, tools and resources are also reviewed. Basic curation and management are reviewed: archival and architectural practice, policy, legal and ethical issues.
Offerings in 2027
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| First semester | Malaysia | On campus |
| Second semester | Clayton | Flexible |
| Second semester | Malaysia | On campus |
Assessment
- Propose a Data Science ProjectWritten15%
- Data Analysis with R (Coding task I)Artefact15%
- Report on the Data Science ProjectWritten30%
- Data Analysis with Tools and Scripting (Coding task II)Artefact40%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Analyse the role of data in organisations, including curation and management issues;
- 2
Apply basic tools for performing exploratory data analysis and visualisation;
- 3
Apply basic predictive modelling methods and integrate data analysis results to guide real-world decision making;
- 4
Apply basic tools for managing and processing big data;
- 5
Identify data resources, data storage, processing requirements, and recognised standards for a data science project;
- 6
Recognise and analyse ethical and security challenges inherent to data science.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars24 hours
- Applied sessions22 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Applied sessions are scheduled from week 2 to week 12.
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled online and face to face learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated reading and preparation for scheduled teaching activities.
Learning resources
Technology resources
Python is available in the labs and is free to download from https://www.python.org/downloads/
Where it fits
FIT5145 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2027 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Lim Chern Hong
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Guanliang Chen
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for FIT5145?
You need FIT9136, FIT9131 or FIT9133 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
What can I take after FIT5145?
FIT5145 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 2 units, including FIT5201 and FIT5202. Those lead on to 5 units in all.
When is FIT5145 offered?
In 2027, FIT5145 runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2 at Clayton and Malaysia.
How much work is FIT5145?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does FIT5145 have an exam?
No. FIT5145 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include FIT5145?
FIT5145 is part of Computational science and Software engineering.