INFO1111: ace the component, not just read the notes
Your complete guide to University of Sydney's computing 1a professionalism unit. See where the marks are, work real practice questions, and study with an AI tutor that knows INFO1111.
Sia generates INFO1111 practice questions, works through them step by step, and quizzes you on the material the component that weights most heavily.
Sharpen your argument
A bank-account web system needs a functional requirement for transferring money between a user's own accounts. The INFO1111 requirements lecture stresses that a good requirement is precise, testable and handles the abnormal cases, not just the happy path. Which of the following is the BEST-formed functional requirement?
Recall the lecture's test for a good functional requirement: it must be precise (no vague words), testable (you can write a concrete pass/fail test for it), and cover the abnormal and edge cases, not only the normal one.
Option B is the lecture's own starting example of an under-specified requirement: it does not say which accounts, how much, what happens if there are not two accounts, or what response is given on success or failure.
Option D combines two un-testable absolutes ('error-free', 'very fast'); 'error-free' can never be fully tested and 'very fast' has no threshold.
Option C is the lecture's 'more precise requirement': it names the inputs (source, target, amount), states the success behaviour and response, handles the insufficient-funds case (no balance change, clear message), and rejects the two-different-accounts edge case, so it is precise, testable and complete. Option C is the best-formed requirement.
The weaker choice: Picking a fluent-sounding requirement like A or D because it reads professionally. Words like 'quickly', 'reliably', 'error-free' and 'very fast' are the exact red flags the unit warns about: a requirement you cannot turn into a concrete pass/fail test is a bad requirement, however polished it sounds. watch this!
One component decides 50% of your grade. All three Foundation tasks are pass/fail HURDLES and must all be passed to achieve a Pass (50) or higher. 'Pass' means reaching a satisfactory threshold set by the markers, not necessarily 50% of the questions. There is no simple extension because multiple attempts are built in. This whole page is built around that.
Overview
What INFO1111 is, and where it sits
INFO1111 Computing 1A Professionalism is the University of Sydney's first-year professional-practice foundation for computing students. Unlike the coding units that sit beside it, INFO1111 has almost no programming: it introduces the non-technical knowledge and skills that a computing professional needs, ethics and professional standards, problem solving and requirements, teamwork and collaboration, communication, professional development and self-directed learning. It is a core unit in the Bachelor of Advanced Computing (and its combined degrees) and is taken by essentially every student in those programs, where it doubles as an orientation to the degree structure and majors.
The semester runs as a sequence of idea-led weekly lectures and tutorials: the profession and what makes computing a profession, ethical theories (teleological versus deontological reasoning, egoism, utilitarianism, contractarianism and pluralism) mapped onto the ACS Code of Professional Ethics and the ACM/IEEE-CS code, problem solving and how to write good requirements and tests, group work and collaboration tools, and communication. The back half adds professional development through the SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) framework, intellectual property and copyright, and a series of guest speakers covering career paths in computer science, software development, cyber security and data science.
The assessment is the part students must read carefully, because it is structured in an unusual way. There is no conventional final exam. Instead the unit is built around three Foundation tasks that are pass/fail hurdles (a Knowledge test, a Skills assignment and a Self-Learning assignment), all of which must be passed to reach a Pass (50), plus optional Advanced tasks (a Knowledge Advanced test and two Advanced assignments with secure no-AI oral reviews) whose marks are added on top of 50. The content is manageable, so the real risk in INFO1111 is procedural: missing a hurdle, not a hard idea.
Official outline: sydney.edu.au · INFO1111 outline. Always treat the official outline and the exam timetable as authoritative.
Difficulty & time commitment
Is INFO1111 hard, and how much time does it take?
INFO1111 is manageable if you keep a weekly rhythm and treat the back half as the main event. Across student reviews the pattern is consistent: it starts gently and steepens, and the heaviest assessment is the part that separates grades.
The difficulty curve and the assessment weighting point the same way: the back half is harder and worth more. Front-loading effort there is the highest-return decision in the unit.
Is this unit for you
Who tends to do well, and who tends to struggle
You will likely do well if
- You read the assessment structure early and map out exactly which Foundation hurdles fall in which weeks, so you never accidentally let an attempt window pass.
- You take the oral reviews seriously and can explain your own reasoning out loud, since the marked Advanced work ends in a secure no-AI oral review.
- You engage genuinely with the professional ideas (ethics frameworks, SFIA, what makes a good requirement) rather than treating the unit as box-ticking, because the Advanced marks reward depth.
- You contribute reliably to your group and use the collaboration tools, since the Skills work and parts of the assessment are team based.
You may struggle if
- You dismiss INFO1111 as an easy elective and skip the hurdle deadlines, then run out of attempts on a Foundation task and cannot reach a Pass.
- You lean on AI to produce your Advanced assignment and then cannot defend it in the no-AI oral review.
- You write fluent but vague requirements or essays without the precision and testability the unit explicitly asks for.
- You disengage from group work and leave the team to carry the Skills assignment.
- Clear all three Foundation hurdles as early as possible (on the first attempt where you can) so the rest of the semester is spent lifting Advanced marks, not chasing a missed pass.
- For the Advanced tasks, write to the unit's own standards: precise, testable requirements; ethical analysis that names the framework (teleological, deontological, ACS code) and applies it; reflection that shows real self-directed learning.
- Prepare for the oral reviews like a viva: be able to justify every choice in your own words, because the secure no-AI review is where depth (and HD marks) is demonstrated.
- Use SFIA properly to frame your professional-development reflection (map a real task to a skill and responsibility level) rather than writing generic 'I learned a lot' prose.
Syllabus
The 13 topics, week by week
The exam-weight marker on each topic shows where the marks concentrate. The amber topics carry the highest exam weight.
T1 · Administration, degree structure and majors; transition
Unit role and why it is core to the Bachelor of Advanced Computing; how the degree is structured and how to choose a major; transitioning to university study; Canvas, Ed Discussion and the lecture-plus-tutorial rhythm.
T2 · The profession and ethics
What makes computing a profession (versus a trade or a paid activity); ethical theories (teleological versus deontological, egoism, utilitarianism, contractarianism, pluralism); morals versus ethics; the ACS Code of Professional Ethics and the ACM/IEEE-CS code; applying frameworks to workplace scenarios.
T3 · Problem solving and professional development
Understanding the real problem before solving it (the slow-elevator parable); problem-solving strategies (fishbone diagrams, the Six Thinking Hats, work backwards, find a pattern); functional versus non-functional requirements and the marks of a good requirement; SFIA as a way to plan your professional development.
T4 · Group work and collaboration
Working effectively in a team of computing professionals; team responsibilities and processes; collaboration and project tools for tracking issues and managing artefacts; the group Skills assignment is introduced.
T5 · Communication and Knowledge Foundation preparation
Communicating with stakeholders to determine requirements and convey solution properties; professional written and verbal communication; preparing for the Knowledge Foundation test under the Respondus LockDown Browser.
T6 · No lecture (public holiday); tutorial only
No lecture in Week 6 (Good Friday public holiday); tutorials continue where timetabled. A consolidation week ahead of the Week 7 review and the first Knowledge Foundation test attempt.
T7 · Review and connections between topics; Knowledge Test attempt 1
How ethics, communication, group work, problem solving and professional development connect for a professional career; review for the Knowledge Foundation test, with the first of the test attempts running this week.
T8 · Guest speaker: Computer Science; Skills Assignment foundation
Guest speaker on a computer-science career path; Skills Foundation assignment activity and the first oral review; what a system ought to be like, how requirements can be checked, and how a group plans those checks.
T9 · Guest speaker: Software Development; Knowledge Test attempt 2
Guest speaker on a software-development career path; group assignment activities; the second Knowledge Foundation test attempt for students who have not yet passed.
T10 · Guest speaker: Cyber Security; Advanced assignment opens
Guest speaker on a cyber-security career path; Foundation assignment attempt 2 and the first submission slot for the Advanced assignment (feedback only if Foundation is already passed).
T11 · Guest speaker: Data Science; Knowledge Test attempt 3
Guest speaker on a data-science career path; group assignment activities; the third Knowledge Foundation test attempt before the final-exam-period attempt.
T12 · Guest speaker (others); Advanced assignment attempt 2
Further career-path guest speaker; Foundation assignment attempt 3 and the second Advanced assignment slot, with the secure no-AI oral review approaching in Week 13 or STUVAC.
T13 · Review
End-of-semester review and synthesis across the professional-practice themes; final Foundation oral reviews and the marked Advanced oral reviews in Week 13 or STUVAC.
How it's assessed
Assessment structure
| Component | Weight | Format & timing |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation tasks (Knowledge test + Skills assignment + Self-Learning assignment) | 50% | Three pass/fail hurdle tasks that together define the Pass (50) floor. Knowledge Foundation test: up to 4 attempts (Weeks 7, 9, 11 and in the final exam slot), done in-tutorial under the Respondus LockDown Browser. Skills Foundation and Self-Learn Foundation assignments: 3 attempts each (Weeks 7, 10 and 13) with oral reviews in Weeks 8, 11 and 13/STUVAC. Across Weeks 7 to 13 (and the final-exam slot for the last Knowledge test attempt). All three Foundation tasks are pass/fail HURDLES and must all be passed to achieve a Pass (50) or higher. 'Pass' means reaching a satisfactory threshold set by the markers, not necessarily 50% of the questions. There is no simple extension because multiple attempts are built in. |
| Knowledge Advanced test | 30% | A single in-person test taken in the final exam slot, marked out of 30. Sits on top of the passed Foundation hurdles. Final exam slot (one attempt only). Optional but required to score above 50P; marks are added to the 50 base once all Foundation hurdles are passed. |
| Skills Advanced assignment | 10% | Group assignment marked out of 10, with two submission slots: Week 10 (feedback only, if Skills Foundation was already passed by Week 8) and Week 13 for marking, with a secure no-AI oral review in Week 13 or STUVAC. Submission slots in Weeks 10 and 13; marked oral review Week 13/STUVAC. Optional but required to score above 50P; marks added to the 50 base once Foundation hurdles are passed. |
| Self-Learn Advanced assignment | 10% | Assignment marked out of 10, with two submission slots: Week 10 (feedback only, if Self-Learn Foundation was already passed by Week 8) and Week 13 for marking, with a secure no-AI oral review in Week 13 or STUVAC. Submission slots in Weeks 10 and 13; marked oral review Week 13/STUVAC. Optional but required to score above 50P; marks added to the 50 base once Foundation hurdles are passed. |
- To pass (reach 50), you must PASS all three Foundation hurdle tasks (Knowledge, Skills and Self-Learn); these are pass/fail, where 'pass' means reaching a satisfactory threshold, not just answering half the questions. Any mark above 50 comes only from the optional Advanced tasks (Knowledge Advanced test out of 30, Skills Advanced out of 10, Self-Learn Advanced out of 10), which are added to the 50 base once the hurdles are cleared. Missing a single Foundation hurdle prevents a Pass regardless of Advanced marks.
- There is no traditional final exam. The 'final exam slot' is used for the last Knowledge Foundation test attempt and the one-attempt Knowledge Advanced test. Knowledge tests run under the Respondus LockDown Browser; the marked Advanced assignments end in a secure no-AI oral review.
- Calculator policy: Not applicable: this unit has no quantitative or numerical assessment.
This is a coursework unit. Coursework carries 70% of the grade and the foundation tasks (knowledge test + skills assignment + self-learning assignment) is the single heaviest piece at 50%, so steady work across the semester decides your result more than any one sitting. All three Foundation tasks are pass/fail HURDLES and must all be passed to achieve a Pass (50) or higher. 'Pass' means reaching a satisfactory threshold set by the markers, not necessarily 50% of the questions. There is no simple extension because multiple attempts are built in.
Final exam timing: approx mid-to-late Nov 2026 for the final Knowledge test / Knowledge Advanced test slot (S2 2026 offering; confirm against the official exam timetable). Note INFO1111 has historically run in S1.. Confirm the exact date and venue on the official exam timetable.
How to actually pass it
A weekly rhythm, two checklists, and the traps to avoid
The unit rewards consistency over cramming, and practice over re-reading. Here is the loop that works, then what to have nailed before each exam.
The weekly loop
Before the mid-semester checklist
- Set up and test the Respondus LockDown Browser via the practice quiz well before the Week 7 Knowledge Foundation test attempt.
- Pass the Knowledge Foundation test on the earliest attempt you can (Weeks 7, 9 or 11), so you are not relying on the final-slot attempt.
- Start the Skills Foundation assignment and book your group's oral review in Week 8; do not leave it to the later attempts.
- Revise the ethics frameworks (teleological versus deontological, utilitarianism, the ACS code) and the marks of a good requirement, since these anchor the Knowledge test.
Before the final heaviest topics
- Confirm all three Foundation hurdles are passed before counting on any Advanced marks; if one is outstanding, use the last attempt window.
- Polish the two Advanced assignments to the unit's standard (precise requirements and testing, framework-named ethical analysis, genuine self-learning reflection) and submit by the Week 13 marked slot.
- Rehearse the secure no-AI oral reviews: be able to justify every decision in your own words.
- If you sit the Knowledge Advanced test, review SFIA, the ethics theories and codes, problem solving and requirements, which are the examinable knowledge.
The mistakes that cost marks
Treating it as a throwaway easy unit. The content is light, but the three pass/fail Foundation hurdles are not. Coasting and missing an attempt window on a hurdle can stop you reaching a Pass even if everything else is strong. Track the hurdle weeks like deadlines.
Using AI you cannot defend. The marked Advanced assignments end in a secure no-AI oral review. Leaning on generative AI to write the work and then being unable to explain it in the oral review is the fastest way to lose Advanced marks (and risk an integrity issue).
Writing vague, untestable requirements. The unit explicitly teaches that 'fast', 'reliable' and 'error-free' are bad requirements because you cannot test them. Carrying that vagueness into the Skills assignment costs marks; write precise, testable requirements that handle the edge cases.
Mis-reading the grade structure. Marks above 50 come only from the Advanced tasks (30 + 10 + 10), added on top of the passed Foundation base. Students who pour effort into Foundation tasks expecting marks, or who ignore the Advanced tasks expecting a high grade for free, both misread where the marks are.
Teaching team
Who teaches INFO1111
The bios below are factual. The star ratings are not ours: they are impressions from students who have taken the unit, so you can hear from people who sat in the lectures.
Associate Professor Simon Poon
Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science, University of Sydney, and the contact for administrative, policy and paperwork matters in INFO1111.
Professor Alan Fekete
Professor in the School of Computer Science, University of Sydney, who lectures the professional-practice material including problem solving, requirements and the connections across the unit's themes.
Dr Ravihansa Rajapakse
Lecturer in the School of Computer Science, University of Sydney, who co-delivers the unit's lectures on professionalism, ethics and professional development.
Teaching team as listed in the unit materials reviewed. AskSia does not rate lecturers; star ratings are submitted by students who have taken INFO1111.
Where it fits
Prerequisites, related units & why it matters
No formal prerequisites. INFO1111 is a first-year core unit of the Bachelor of Advanced Computing (and its combined degrees), taken by essentially every student in those programs. Dalyell students may enrol in ENGD1000 Building a Sustainable World in place of INFO1111.
Your INFO1111 study toolkit
Study the unit with Sia, not just read about it
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is INFO1111 hard?
The content is not hard: it is conceptual (ethics, professional practice, communication, problem solving) with no programming and no maths. The catch is the assessment structure. There are three pass/fail Foundation hurdles (Knowledge, Skills and Self-Learn) that you must all pass to reach 50, so the real risk is procedural, missing a hurdle, rather than struggling with difficult ideas. Treat the hurdles and oral reviews seriously and it is very manageable.
How is INFO1111 assessed?
There is no conventional final exam. You pass by clearing three pass/fail Foundation tasks: a Knowledge Foundation test (up to 4 attempts, in Weeks 7, 9, 11 and the final-exam slot, done under the Respondus LockDown Browser), a Skills Foundation assignment and a Self-Learn Foundation assignment (3 attempts each, with oral reviews). Marks above 50 come only from the optional Advanced tasks: a Knowledge Advanced test out of 30, a Skills Advanced assignment out of 10 and a Self-Learn Advanced assignment out of 10.
What happens if I fail one of the Foundation tasks?
All three Foundation tasks are hurdles, so you must pass every one to achieve a Pass (50). If you do not pass one, you cannot reach 50 even with strong Advanced marks. That is why the unit gives multiple attempts (the Knowledge test has up to four and the assignments have three each); use them rather than leaving a hurdle un-passed.
Is there a final exam in INFO1111?
Not in the usual sense. The final-exam slot is used for the last attempt at the Knowledge Foundation test and for the single-attempt Knowledge Advanced test, both done in person. The marked Advanced assignments instead finish with a secure no-AI oral review in Week 13 or STUVAC, so prepare to explain your own work out loud.
Do I need to know how to code for INFO1111?
No. INFO1111 is the professional-practice unit of the computing degree and has essentially no programming. It focuses on ethics, problem solving, requirements and testing, teamwork, communication and professional development (including the SFIA framework). The coding lives in the other first-year units.
What are the late-submission rules in INFO1111?
The unit has an exception to the standard University policy. Because multiple attempts are built in, no simple extension applies. The Advanced assignments follow the usual penalty of 5% per day late (up to 10 days). Because the Foundation tasks carry no marks (they are pass/fail), a late Foundation assignment is instead penalised 0.5 overall unit-grade marks per day. Special consideration must be applied for within three working days.
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