CQUniversity Unit Profile
COIT20277 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
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All details in this unit profile for COIT20277 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we interact with technology, enabling machines to think, learn, and adapt in ways that mimic human intelligence. From intelligent chatbots to autonomous robotics, AI is becoming an essential part of our everyday lives and has the potential to transform entire industries. This unit introduces the core concepts of AI, starting with foundational principles and real-world applications. You will explore key machine learning approaches, including both supervised and unsupervised learning, and examine advanced topics such as reinforcement learning, classical and heuristic search strategies, and deep learning, with a focus on convolutional and recurrent neural networks for tasks like image classification and natural language processing. Additionally, you will examine ethical AI practices, addressing the societal impact of AI and the importance of ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI systems. The unit also covers cutting-edge trends like cloud-based AI and AI at the edge, which are shaping the future of AI deployment. Through programming and problem-based assessments, you will gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in modern AI technologies.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 9
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisite: COIT20245 Introduction to Programming  

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Website

This unit has a website, within the Moodle system, which is available two weeks before the start of term. It is important that you visit your Moodle site throughout the term. Please visit Moodle for more information.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Regional Campuses
Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Metropolitan Campuses
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 30%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 25%
3. Project (applied)
Weighting: 45%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

CQUniversity Policies

All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

You may wish to view these policies:


This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student feedback

Feedback

Too much material and too little time.

Recommendation

This unit is designed as an introduction to AI, providing a broad overview of major subareas to prepare students for advanced units such as COIT29224 Evolutionary Computation and COIT29225 Neural Networks and Deep Learning. In response to feedback, the two weekly topics on Cloud AI and Edge AI will be combined into one week, allowing for extended coverage of Deep Learning with an additional week.

Feedback from Student feedback

Feedback

Students reported improved understanding of AI, with weekly quizzes suggested as a useful addition.

Recommendation

A summative quiz could be introduced in tutorials following major topic areas, such as Machine Learning or Search Techniques (typically spanning two to three weeks), to reinforce key concepts, provide timely feedback, and support ongoing student engagement.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Explain key AI principles, including machine learning, deep learning, classical and heuristic search, and differentiate between supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning paradigms.
  2. Implement machine learning models to solve real-world problems such as image classification and natural language processing in a modern programming language.
  3. Evaluate the role of emerging technologies, such as cloud-based AI and AI at the edge, in improving the efficiency and performance of AI applications.
  4. Examine responsible AI practices and ethical challenges in AI development, focusing on ethical standards and societal impact.

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments and individuals in many countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles. ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile.

This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 9 (the SFIA code is included):

  • Data analytics (DAAN)
  • Data science (DATS)
  • Data engineering (DENG)
  • Machine Learning (MLNG)
  • Programming/Software Development (PROG)

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Practical Assessment - 30%
2 - Written Assessment - 25%
3 - Project (applied) - 45%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Information for Textbooks and Resources has not been released yet.

This information will be available on Monday 16 February 2026
Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?