Open Letter to the University of Melbourne Computer Science Department

Dear University of Melbourne CS department,

As postgraduate students and graduates of the University of Melbourne Computer Science programs, we write to express our significant concern about the declining quality and breadth of the CS curriculum. Our experiences in the job market and when comparing our education to peer institutions have revealed significant gaps that undermine the value of a UniMelb CS degree.

Critical Gap: Missing Fundamental Courses

The University of Melbourne has systematically removed core computer science courses that are considered essential at every reputable CS program worldwide. These discontinued courses include:

• Programming Language Implementation (COMP90045) - Compilers and interpreters
• Program Analysis and Transformation (COMP90053) - Static analysis and optimization
• Constraint Programming (COMP90046) - Constraint satisfaction and reasoning
• Programming the Machine (COMP20006) - Low-level systems programming

The result is stark: UniMelb now offers zero dedicated courses in compilers, operating systems design, database implementation, or advanced systems programming at the postgraduate level. The sole systems course, Computer Systems (COMP30023), is not available to Master of Information Technology or Master of Computer Science students. These are the very programs marketed to career-changers who most need this foundational knowledge.

Even more concerning is the shallow treatment of databases. While INFO20003 teaches students how to use databases, there is no course covering database implementation, storage engines, query optimization, or concurrency control. These are the fundamental concepts that distinguish a computer scientist from a database user.

This is not a minor curricular adjustment. It represents a fundamental abandonment of core computer science education. Students are graduating without understanding how programming languages work, how operating systems manage resources, how databases are implemented, or how to optimize code performance.

Undergraduate Curriculum Analysis: Breadth Over Depth

The inadequacy extends to the undergraduate program. The Computing and Software Systems major requires only 12 mandatory subjects, creating dangerous gaps in foundational knowledge:

Critical Analysis: This curriculum produces web developers, not computer scientists. The capstone project (COMP30022) is merely website development, a task that can be completed by someone with a few months of coding bootcamp experience. Where are the compilers, operating systems implementation, database engines, or systems programming projects that define computer science education elsewhere?

The Postgraduate Program Crisis

The Master's programs (MIT and MCS) suffer from a fundamental design flaw: they attempt to serve both career-changers with no CS background and CS graduates seeking advanced study. This impossible compromise has resulted in severely watered-down courses that satisfy neither group:

Documented Impact on Graduate Outcomes

The consequences of these systemic problems are not theoretical. Graduates consistently report being disadvantaged in technical interviews and on-the-job performance:

• Industry feedback: Employers note UniMelb CS graduates lack fundamental systems knowledge compared to peers from other universities
• Interview struggles: Students report failing technical interviews due to gaps in operating systems, compilers, database implementation, and low-level programming concepts
• Self-directed learning burden: Graduates are forced to self-study core CS concepts that should be covered in their degree
• Research limitations: PhD applicants face disadvantages when applying to top programs due to missing foundational coursework
• Credential confusion: Master's graduates with vastly different skill levels compete for the same positions, devaluing the degree for everyone

Declining Quality of Existing Courses

Beyond the missing courses, the quality of remaining subjects has deteriorated significantly. Current offerings fail to meet industry standards and lack intellectual rigor:

Internet Technologies (COMP90007) exemplifies this decline. Despite being positioned as a comprehensive networking course, students report:

• Zero programming tasks or workshops in a supposed computer science subject
• Assessments limited to basic tasks like using the `ping` command
• No coverage of modern networking protocols, network security, or distributed systems architecture
• Content that would be considered introductory at most universities

Distributed Systems (COMP90015) suffers from similar issues:

• Curriculum unchanged for over a decade, focusing on obsolete technologies
• Emphasis on basic Java socket programming rather than modern distributed computing paradigms
• No coverage of cloud computing, microservices, or distributed consensus algorithms that define the modern field
• Students consistently report it feels like "Java Sockets 101" rather than a graduate-level distributed systems course

Stark International Comparison

The inadequacy of UniMelb's CS program becomes evident when compared to international standards. Students who participate in exchange programs consistently report a substantial difference in academic rigor and breadth:

Exchange experiences reveal the gap: At top international universities, students in single-semester courses are expected to build complete operating systems, implement production-quality compilers, and contribute bug fixes to real-world systems like GCC and Clang. Meanwhile, UniMelb students struggle to find courses that even introduce these concepts.

The exchange dependency problem: Many students now view international exchange as essential to obtaining a quality CS education. This clearly indicates fundamental problems with the local program. It creates a two-tiered system where only students with the financial means and visa eligibility to study abroad receive adequate CS training.

What We Are Asking For

The University of Melbourne has a responsibility to provide a world-class computer science education that prepares students for both industry and academia. We call for immediate action to address these deficiencies:

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  "name": "Your Full Name",
  "program": "e.g., MCS 2024, PhD CS",
  "status": "Current Student / Graduate",
  "comment": "Your experience (optional)",
  "date": "2024-01-15"
}