DIT  DOCTORATE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The School of Information Technology at Murdoch University welcomes applications for candidature in the new professional doctorate in Information Technology.

The Doctorate in Information Technology (DIT) is an intensive three year full-time (or part-time equivalent) program of study leading to the professional doctorate in Information Technology. The first three semesters consist of a selection from the school's masters level units covering a wide range of topics of current concern in the industry and several research courses. The final three research semesters culminate with the writing of a dissertation which embodies a significant contribution to professional practice in information technology.
 

DIT Admission Requirements
DIT Structure
Application Procedures
Information About Individual Units
Scholarships
Career Prospects
Further Information

See also:
About Murdoch University
About the School of Information Technology
Master of Science in IT  and other  Research Degrees in IT .

DIT Admission Requirements

Applicants should hold a four year degree in Information Technology or a related discipline (or its equivalent), and evidence of scholarly or professional attainment providing research preparation. This may include an honours degree or a postgraduate diploma in IT, Computer Science or Information Systems. Applicants without research preparation will receive research training as part of the degree. Applicants with a masters degree in IT,  including the  MScIT, can get up to 24 points credit towards the DIT: thus reducing the duration to two years of full-time study.

Apply for admission now.

DIT Structure

Semesters 1, 2 and 3.
Program Electives 36 points.

Choose from:

B608    Advanced Electronic Commerce Technologies  -- 4 points
B610    Data Communication Strategies  -- 4 points
B612    Human Factors in IT  -- 4 points
B614    Multimedia Systems  -- 4 points
B616    Data Resources Management  -- 4 points
B618    IT Project Management  -- 4 points
B620    Intelligent Systems  -- 4 points
B622    IT Strategy  -- 4 points

B706    IT Research methods – 4 points
B700   Computer Science Research Topic  -- 4 points
B704    Information Systems Research Topic – 4 points

For candidates without suitable research training, the following unit is also available and must be taken.
B708     IT Research Project – 12 points

Semesters 4, 5 and 6:
Required Units 36 points
B702 Doctor of Information Technology Thesis  -- 36 points
(at 12 points per semester full-time or 6 points per semester part-time).

Application Procedures

Application forms for domestic students can be downloaded from the Research and Development Office.
Application forms for international students can be downloaded from International Office.

Information about Individual Units

B608 Advanced Electronic Commerce Technologies
B610 Data Communication Strategies
B612 Human Factors in IT
B614 Multimedia Systems
B616 Data Resources Management
B618 IT Project Management
B620 Intelligent Systems
B622 IT Strategy

B706    IT Research methods – 4 points
The purpose of this unit is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to conduct research in computer science and/or information systems science. The unit also provides students with understanding of the widely differing natures of research across the Information Technology disciplines.

B700    Computer Science Research Topic  -- 4 points
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to an advanced topic of current interest within the computer science research community. The exact topic studied in this unit varies as the topic will be taught by an active researcher in that area. Possible topics include: parallel computing, object-oriented database design; digital image processing and analysis; artificial neural networks; software design and development; formal specification of software systems.

B704     Information Systems Research Topic – 4 points
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to an advanced topic of current interest within the information systems research community. The exact topic studied in this unit varies as the topic will be taught by an active researcher in that area. Possible topics include: advanced human computer interaction, electronic commerce, small business IT use.

For candidates without suitable research training, the following unit is also available and must be taken.
B708    IT Research Project – 12 points

B702 Doctor of Information Technology Thesis  -- 36 points
(at 12 points per semester full-time or 6 points per semester part-time).
The Doctor of Information Technology Thesis will be an applied systematic examination of an information technology issue or problem. A principal supervisor will be appointed for each candidate from the academic staff of the University (normally in the School of Information Technology); up to two additional supervisors may be appointed. The thesis would be examined in accordance with the requirements for professional doctorates.

Career Prospects

There is a critical need for modern IT professionals responsible for establishing, maintaining and developing information systems in a wide variety of sectors including commerce, telecommunications, health, education, architecture and mining.

Often a comparison is made between the DIT and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. The main distinction is that the DIT dissertation focuses on the profession and is required to "make a distinctive contribution to the profession and provide evidence of scholarship and originality", where the PhD dissertation focuses on the theory in the field, and is required to "make a distinctive contribution to the knowledge of the subject with which it deals and provide evidence of scholarship and originality". The work of the PhD and DIT theses are not murually exclusive, the difference being primarily one of emphasis. Thus, with the inclusion of both professional and scholarly emphases, the DIT greatly enhances career prospects in both industry and academia.

Further Information

Contact  Dr Lance Fung, the program chair for the DIT.