COMP20008 Elements of Data Processing
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1, Semester 2.
- Final exam 50%
Is COMP20008 hard?
COMP20008: About average. Makes it harder: You must pass the exam on its own, 1 other hurdle task. No student reviews yet — based on the Handbook only.
What you learn
Getting data ready for analysis: collecting, cleaning, combining, querying and visualising it.
After it you can
- Clean messy data and fill in missing values
- Combine data from several sources
- Build and compare steps in a data pipeline
What you need first
COMP10001 or COMP10002 or COMP10003
- COMP10001 Foundations of Computing
- COMP10002 Foundations of Algorithms
- COMP10003 Media Computation
- COMP90059 Introduction to Programming
What it leads to
Careers
Helps toward: Software Engineer, Web and social media developer, Computing professional, Mobile app designer
How it’s assessed
Projects 50%, Final exam 50%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 10 students on StudentVIP (2020–2025)
- The content (data wrangling, visualisation, intro machine learning) is widely seen as useful and interesting.
- Many reviewers say much of it is self-taught: lectures stay high-level and the assignments need Python libraries you largely learn yourself.
- Assignments include group work and a report; reviewers mention vague specifications and inconsistent marking, though a recent review was much more positive.
- A statistics background helps with the theory-based exam.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate COMP20008
Quick answers
- When is COMP20008 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1, Semester 2.
- What do I need before taking COMP20008?
- Needs COMP10001 or COMP10002 or COMP10003.
- Does COMP20008 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 50% of the mark. You must pass the exam on its own. Assessment: Projects 50%, Final exam 50%.
- Is COMP20008 hard?
- From 10 student reviews on StudentVIP: The content (data wrangling, visualisation, intro machine learning) is widely seen as useful and interesting.
- What do students say about COMP20008?
- The content (data wrangling, visualisation, intro machine learning) is widely seen as useful and interesting. Many reviewers say much of it is self-taught: lectures stay high-level and the assignments need Python libraries you largely learn yourself. Assignments include group work and a report; reviewers mention vague specifications and inconsistent marking, though a recent review was much more positive.
- Can I take COMP20008 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music.
- What can I take after COMP20008?
- 2 subjects need it first, for example BMEN30011, COMP30027.
- Can I rate COMP20008?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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