"I think our program is unique. We have a strong industry links -- most of the students can be placed for four days a week for up to half a year. The experience is very attractive to international students who want a feeling of Australian industry or the local student who is looking at a change in industry. There are different types of students, including some with no IT degree.

The course also offers a great deal of flexibility due to its online structure. "Students can study without coming to the university. About half of the 20 units are online and we are going to try to put all online from mid-year. It is state of the art and a balance of Microsoft .Net and open source. Students can listen to voice lectures and have the same feeling as in a face-to-face environment."

Deakin offers three different specializations plus a combined Masters degree. There is also the option to gain a graduate diploma of IT after one year of full-time study.

All the enrolments are online as well as assignments and study materials. Lectures can be downloaded onto MP3 players while some have synchronized Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

From next semester Deakin will integrate the Cisco Certified network associate certificate with the MIT.