Frequently Asked Questions
We have separated the FAQ's into three sections, questions for prospective, new and current students. Feel free to look through all the questions or you can jump straight the section you want:
Propective Students
Q. Where can I find applications forms (new / re-admission / changing between programs) for the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Graduate Diploma programs?
A. For all new degree applications or for students who wish to change from one award to another (see question about changing streams below), the application forms can be found here:
• Application
Form: Australian Student
• Application
Form: International Student
Forms are typically provided in PDF
format. PDF files require Acrobat Reader, which can
be downloaded for free from Adobe.
If you're not sure about what form you need, or how
to fill it out, please contact
us.
Q. What are the Entry Criteria for your postgraduate degrees and how do I know which one to choose?
A. You can find the entry criteria for each degree at the following pages:
- Master of Information Technology (and associate awards)
- Graduate Diploma in Information Technology / Graduate Certificate in Information Technology
- Master of Consulting in Information Technology
- Master of Engineering Management
- Master of Telecommunications Engineering
Choosing which degree you want to enrol should be a decision based on two things, what are you eligible to enter and what are you looking for in a degree (what content? what outcomes? what sort of qualification?). Some example cases are listed below, but feel free to contact us if you want any assistance with selecting a degree or if you would like to meet with an academic advisor.
Q. Will I be able to take a unit outside this university and count it towards my ICS postgrad degree?
A. Generally this is not supported in the postgraduate coursework programs in ICS, however if you have a special request regarding this you should contact us for an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss it.
Q. I want defer my postgraduate coursework studies for 6 months / 1 year / more than a year. Can I / How do I do this?
A. This is not possible for postgraduate students (i.e. the university does not support it administratively), you will need to re-apply for the semester that you want to start in, however the assessment of your application will be faster if you include a previous offer letter as the application should not need to be completely reassessed.
Note: Current students who wish to enrol in no units for one semester:
Students who have a grade (even a W) against at least one unit in a calendar year will automatically receive re-enrolment information the next year, so if a current student wants to take a break for one semester (e.g. due to work-related circumstances such as extensive overseas travel during that period), you can do so by either
a) enrolling in semester 2 units at the start of the year and skipping Semester 1 (note however that you must complete your enrolment at the beginning of the year or you would need to apply for readmission to enter in semester 2) or
b) enrolling in semester 1 units and getting a final grade for at least one unit (i.e. not withdrawing from all their units before census date) then not enrolling in any semester 2 units.
Q. What does it mean to be part time or full time?
A. Part time students are enrolled in either one or two units in a semester. Full time students are enrolled in either three or four units in a semester. We strongly recommend that students who work full time do not enrol in more than two units as, in our experience, there is not enough time in each week for them to satifactorally complete their study requirements.
You can change your part time / full time enrolment simple by adding or removing units in eStudent. You do not need to do any additional paperwork.
New Students
Q. How will I find my way around such a big campus?
A. It's a good idea to visit the university before you enrol. The campus is open to anyone and a couple of hours wandering around will help you to get a feel for the lay out of the buildings. You can find a campus map and places of interest to see by visiting http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.htm.
Go to the Union Building for a coffee and something to eat, check out the library and its services, check out the facilities at the Gym. By doing this you will feel more at ease when you arrive to enrol or start classes.
Q. How many hours of classes will I have a week?
A. This will depend on your course. In general
Q. What are the university rules for my degree?
A. The official university rules can be found in the Macquarie University Handbook if you want to go straight the section on postgraduate coursework rules you can use this link: General
Postgraduate Coursework Degree Rule
Q. I have completed studies previously that I think might be the same as units in this degree, how do I request credit points for my current degree?
A. For students enrolled or applying for a Masters or Postgraduate Diploma program, the rules and regulations for Credit for previous study can be found on the postgraduate studies section website. For graduate diploma students the undergraduate degree rules would apply. Please note that you cannot get credit for postgraduate units based on previous studies at an undergraduate level.
Q. Are lectures and tutorials compulsory?
A. We do not generally take attendance records, however it is expected that students will attend all required classes. Coursework is covered very quickly and catching up is difficult. International students should be aware that there are VISA requirements regarding class attendance, and further advice on this can be gained from the International Office.
Q. My note taking and essay writing skills aren't very good, what can I do?
A. We do not require much essay writing in our courses, however Macquarie University has plenty of help available at no charge. To find out more visit
Q. Can I ask my lecturers for help? How will I know where to find them?
A. Yes, your lecturers will have times they are available to see students and they will welcome your questions.
Your lecturers will give you details of how and when they can be contacted in the first lecture and in the unit study guide.
Often our lecturers are experts who work full-time in industry and teach part-time only, as a result it is always best to email your lecturer and request an appointment, rather than just try to drop in.
Q. Will I have access to a computer on campus?
A. All ICS postgraduate students will have access to login to the computers in E6A127. As long as there is not a class in the room at the time you will be able to use the computers in this room to work on your unit assignments and classwork. You can see a laboratory class timetable online here (then click on E6A127).
All Macquarie University students can also access computers and the internet in the Library, for more details on the resources available in the library check out their website.
Q. I need a Justice of the Peace, can I find one on campus?
A. Justice of the Peace times and locations can be found on the Student Enquiries Service website.
Q. What are the deadlines for adding and removing units each semester?
A. Students may add units for the first two weeks of semester in eStudent. Students may remove units from their program with no academic or financial penalty until 31st March in semester 1 and 31st August in semester 2. After these deadlines students will incur financial penalties (i.e. fees) and academic penalties (i.e. Withdrawn or Fail grade on their transcript).
Q. I have a question about FEE-HELP, where can I get information about it?
A. The Australian Government has introduced the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) to assist students pay for their studies. FEE-HELP is available for postgraduate studies. It provides eligible fee-paying students with a loan to cover their tuition fees. You can find more information at www.goingtouni.gov.au.
Current Students
Q. I want to request special approval to skip a pre-requisite in my degree or to change one of the requirements of my study pattern.
A. We cannot change the study pattern requirements for your degree, there is no option for exemptions for particular units or "swapping" one unit for another in your degree. If you have completed equivalent studies at postgraduate level from another university you may be eligible for credit for previous studies. If you wish to apply for a waiver of the pre-requisite requirements for a unit (this is particularly relevant for MIT project units) then you should complete a waiver request form and follow the divisional process for applying.
Q. What are the progression requirements for a Master of Information Technology student, or for a student who wants to articulate from the Postgraduate Diploma in IT to the MIT?
A. Students who fail more than one unit in the MIT program will note be permitted to proceed in their studies. Students in this situation may be allowed to complete with the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology, providing that they have met all the requirements for that award. Note that students who wish to articulate from the PD-IT to the MIT need to submit a new postgraduate application form, articulation is NOT automatic. Students will be assessed based on their studies and may be expected to meet the standard entry criteria for the MIT (G.P.A. of 2.75 or above).
Q. I am having a problem in eStudent with adding / removing / changing / viewing my course or unit.
A. For any problems in eStudent please login to eStudent and use the online help available by submitting an enquiry through "Contact eStudent Support". These are checked 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday and they will respond as quickly as they can, depending on how many enquiries are coming through. It is best to try to have your enrolment correct well before the deadlines to allow time for any problems that might need to be resolved. If you cannot login to eStudent, you should contact IT Support through the login page.
Q. I am enrolled in the MIT and I want to change my specialisation, what should I do and are there any deadlines for when I can do this?
A. The specialisations in the MIT are administratively treated like separate degrees. This is so that you can have the specialisation printed on your transcript to show people such as your employer or potential employer when you graduate. This means that the process is the same as if you wanted to transfer to another postgraduate degree in the university. You must complete a new application form and submit it as usual to the same deadlines. For local students this is usually mid-January for a Semester 1 start and end of June for a Semester 2 start. You do not need to include any attachments as we have already seen them before.
Q. But the semester has already started and I want to change now.
A. Unfortunately we cannot process the change to your degree outside of these deadlines. All we can recommend is that you see an academic advisor who can assist you in selecting the units most appropriate to the new program, but which are still allowed in your current program. To make an appointment with an academic advisor please contact us.
Q. I am enrolled in the MIT, how do I change from the minor to the major project option?
A. Students are enrolled in the minor project study patern by default. Most students will stay in the minor project, only students who wish to apply for a PhD or those with an excellent GPA who are looking for additional challenge in their studies would look to change to the major study pattern.
You can change from the minor to the major study pattern by using "Contact eStudent Support" in eStudent and requesting that you are moved from the minor project study pattern to the major project study pattern. If you wish to include the program code, you can find it in the university handbook.
Q. How do I pay my fees? I have had problems with fees or paying my fees, where can I get help?
A. Please check the Office of Financial Services page on Student Finances.
Q. What are the university policies and rules regarding IT.
A. You can find the university IT
Policies and Rules on the Information Technology Services website. There are rules for the usage ofICS computer laboratories which can be found here: Laboratories:
Rules of Use.
Q. What is plagiarism and what are the consequences if I am caught plaigarising in one of my units in ICS?
Our students are subject to the University's Policy on Plagiarism. Although we have excerpted the definition of plagiarism from the University's full policy here for quick reference, we expect you to read and comprehend the entire University Policy on Plagiarism. The Academic Senate in June 2001 approved policies and procedures to ensure that the University takes a consistent and equitable approach to plagiarism. The Senate adopted the following definition of plagiarism.
Definition: Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own. Any of the following acts constitutes plagiarism unless the source of each quotation or piece of borrowed material is clearly acknowledged.
a) copying out part(s) of any document or audio-visual material (including computer based material);
b) using or extracting another person's concepts, experimental results, or conclusions;
c) summarising another person's work;
d) in an assignment where there was collaborative preparatory work, submitting substantially the same final version of any material as another student.
Encouraging or assisting another person to commit plagiarism is a form of improper collusion and may attract the same penalties which apply to plagiarism.
Opportunities and temptations for plagiarism have increased with the spread of internet access. Plagiarism is a serious threat to the teaching and accreditation process, and seriously undermines the collegial and ethical principles which underpin the work of a University
Our Plagiarism Penalties
In general, at Postgraduate level in ICS, the penalty for any plagiarism whatsoever, once detected, will be that for the assignment concerned a mark of minus the full marks for the assignment will be awarded to all the parties involved. For example, if the assignment is to be marked out of 10, a mark of -10 will be recorded, for that assignment, on the student's record.
To ensure that there is no opportunity for doubt on anyone's part, an explanation will be sought directly from the students concerned before any mark is officially recorded. Please note that this includes students who, knowingly or unknowingly, permit their work to be copied by others.
The University keeps records of plagiarism on student files. Repeated cases of plagiarism will be referred to the Head of Division and/or the University's Disciplinary Committee for further penalty.
Q. My studies have been disrupted by unavoidable circumstances (e.g. I was sick on the day of my exam). What can I do to request consideration for this from my unit convenor?
A. The policy for postgraduate courses in ICS is available here. Details for undergraduate computing students can be found here, otherwise students should refer to their department website.
Q. Where can I find an assignment cover sheet and do I need to use them on every assignment?
A. Assignment coversheets can be downloaded from here: Assignment Coversheet. You are expected to use an assignment coversheet on every assignment, but this is usually managed by the unit convenor.
Q. When will the draft and final examination timetable be available?
A. The draft examination timetable is usually released 8 weeks before the exam period. The final examination timetable is usually released 4 weeks before the exam period.
Q. What should I do if I have two exams scheduled for exactly the same time in the draft timetable?
A. If a student has a clashing exam, ie two exams on the same day at the exact same time, they must notify the Academic Program Section as soon as possible. Please email apsinfo@mq.edu.au.
Q. I have concerns about my exam results, who do I talk to, what should I do?
A. If you think there was an error in the determining of your grade, you can find the official university rules about
appealing
your results from the handbook, but in the first instance we would recommend that you contact your unit convenor. The Dean of Students at Macquarie has an Information Sheet on Appeals against Grades to assist students with the process. You can find the form for academic appeals here, read the instructions carefully and make sure that you meet the university deadlines for submitting your appeal.
The following procedural matters are the only valid grounds for applying for a review or appealing a grade:
1. Unit Co-ordinator did not provide the outline as required
2. Assessment requirements as specified in the unit outline were varied in an unreasonable way
3. A clerical error has occurred in the computation of the grade
4. Due regard has not been paid to the evidence of illness or misadventure that was submitted by the specified date
5. I have been disadvantaged in some way due to the conduct of the final examination
6. Examiner’s judgement was not objectively applied because of prejudice against the individual
Q. I don't understand how my grade was determined. (e.g. I added up my assignment grades and I think I should have a different mark) Could you please explain the process that the university uses to determine my final SNG (Standardised Numerical Grade) and Grade?
A. Read out Grades Explained page about how your grade is determined. This process is complex to make sure that students get fair and equitable treatment. It is not possible for students to use their raw assessment marks to determine their final grade.
Q. I want to graduate at the next ceremony, what do I need to do. What if I want to graduate with a different degree from the one I am enrolled in now?
A. You must complete and sign the Expect to Complete form and submit it to the Student Enquiry Service, Level 1 Lincoln Building,
Macquarie University NSW 2109. On the form you must specify what award you wish to complete with and the university will check whether you meet the requirements for that award. It will take up to 5 working days to process the form and you will should check eStudent to see if you have been qualified. Once you are qualified for an award the Academic Program Section will post graduation paperwork to you at the appropriate time. Any enquiries about graduation or qualification for awards should be emailed to apsinfo@mq.edu.au.
Q. Can you provide confirmation of my enrolment status during my studies or confirmation that I have qualified / completed my program?
A. Students may request an enrolment status letter through the Student Enquiry Service in the Lincoln Building or through the International Office. Local students should refer to this page for more details and to access the request form. International students can submit their form online, please refer to this page for details and forms.