CECC Project Course Postponement is now open! Please see below for the link to the relevant application form.
How do I find a project and supervisor?
For individual research projects, students are required to secure a project and supervisor(s) before the start of the semester they intend on commencing their project. For group projects, students will attend a group formation event in the first week of the semester to choose their project.
Current research project opportunities are listed on the:
- CECC Student Opportunities page
- School of Computing Project Opportunities page
- School of Engineering Project Opportunities page
Approaching a Supervisor
If any specific projects or potential supervisors stand out to you, contact them via an email to express your interest!
If they have available projects and the capacity to supervise you, they may arrange to meet with you for an informal interview. If you get this opportunity, prepare to show the potential supervisor that you’re enthusiastic, independent and capable of deep understanding in the field of research.
Student tip: Do not be afraid to email academics in the field of your interest. You can ask them to recommend another academics in their field if they are unavailable!
What do I do if I can’t find a supervisor?
If you can demonstrate that you have attempted multiple times to find a supervisor but have not succeeded, then you should reach out to your program and course convener for the particular course you’re hoping to enrol into. They can help introduce you to potential supervisors so you can continue the negotiation process. You can find out who the convener of a course is listed on the ANU Programs and Courses website.
Remember though – it is your responsibility to actively seek a project supervisor. This means that you need to be proactive in reaching out to academic staff and you may also need to follow up with supervisors or conveners if you haven’t received a response after a week or so.
How do I enrol into an individual or Honours project course?
Once you’ve secured a supervisor(s) and negotiated the details of your project (including the topic, duration and weighting of your project, the artefacts you’ll be expected to deliver and your submission timeline), you will then be able to complete the CECC Project Registration Form which Student Services verify with the Project Convener and use to manually enrol you into your Project Course.
Note that you do not need to apply for a Permission Code for a project course, as you will be manually enrolled by Student Services; however, prerequisites for specific Project Courses (e.g. minimum performance requirements, enrolled program requirements, etc.) still apply and your enrolment will be vetted against the published requirements by Student Services. If you do not meet the requirements, you will not be permitted to enrol.
Important information for engineering students who are following pre-2019 program rules: The Associate Director (Education) for the School of Engineering has determined that you will be able to enrol into ENGN4200 (as per your program rules), instead of completing ENGN4300 or ENGN4350. You will still need to source your own Project Supervisor.
Project course enrolment workflow
Project Registration Form
Please use the appropriate project registration form to register your project. For example, if you are doing a computing project, please use the Computing Project Registration Form. Similar to that, if you are doing an engineering project, please use the Engineering Project Registration Form. Please note that using the incorrect form may cause the delays in processing your project registration with your supervisors and course conveners.
Note: Project registration is not required for students enrolling in Engineering R&D projects, Computing Group projects (TechLauncher projects) and Engineering Group projects. All other Computing and Engineering projects will require a Project Registration Form for enrolment.
Semester 2 2024 Computing Project Registration
Semester 2 2024 Engineering Project Registration
Project Course Postponement
If you are in a one-semester project or a group project (TechLauncher or Capstone), this process is not applicable for you. Please contact CECC Student Services to discuss your enquiry.
Year-long individual research projects (i.e. projects running over two, consecutive study periods) are typically not able to be postponed (“paused”) part way through, as this has significant implications for supervisors and could also be seen as providing an unfair advantage to the student. Students who choose to discontinue from their project after the first semester will typically receive an “NCN” grade for the first instance of their project and when they wish to recommence their project course, will need to secure a brand new project.
However, in exceptional/extenuating circumstances that can be substantiated with detailed supporting documentation, the College may consider approving formal postponement of your project, particularly where it is associated with a period of leave from your program.
The key principles and guide below outlines the processes that will be used to consider Project Course Postponement. This process applies to all students enrolled in a year-long COMP, ENGN or CYBN-coded individual research project course, wishing to postpone the project course for a maximum of 6 months (one semester). The process can only be considered once the first instance of the project course has been successfully completed.
For students undertaking a non-CECC project course with a CECC Supervisor, please ensure that you discuss your plans with your supervisor in the first instance and then contact your home College to discuss your formal postponement options.
Please be advised that where you are part-way through a project, the Project Course Postponement is the first step to complete, before lodging an application for a reduced study load or program leave or before your drop the second instance of your project. Please contact CECC Student Services if you have any questions on this matter.
If you have not completed the first half of your project, you do not need to complete this form. You will need to follow the applicable process to unenrol from the first instance of your project (information available). You may still drop the first instance of your project without academic penalty after Census Date and before the last date to drop courses; however, you will remain financially liable for the course.
If you believe you have circumstances that meet the strict criteria for a Late Withdrawal, you can consider applying to have your tuition fees returned. Please ensure your circumstances align with one of the special circumstances information and you have all the sufficient supporting documents before applying.
Exceptional/Compelling Circumstances for Project Course Postponement:
Students may be considered for project postponement if they fall under one of the scenarios listed below. Students must provide a formal statement and supporting documents (e.g. medical certificate, statutory declaration, police reports, etc.) to prove that they meet the requirements.
- Significant medical/ health challenges, typically requiring you to take a leave of absence from your program to manage.
- Family/personal reasons (e.g. death of a close family member that has caused you significant distress and interruption to your study).
- Administration reasons (e.g. unforeseen departure of your current supervisor and inability to find a suitable replacement supervisor).
- Significant Misadventure (e.g. direct involvement in an accident that requires ongoing involvement in a formal investigation).
- Other significant, compelling reasons.
Please be aware that your Project Course Postponement will not be considered as grounds for requests for any of the following:
- Exemption in the academic performance process (in the case of any failure to pass any courses this semester).
- Complaints or Appeals regarding poor academic performance due to project course postponement.
Before applying for a CECC Project Course Postponement, we would recommend to discuss your enquiry with CECC Student Services to evaluate whether your circumstances are appropriate to apply. Please ensure you have all supporting documents in a single PDF file ready to upload to your application. The standard processing time is 20 working days and students are urged to be patient while we are working on your application.