Our Courses

Computer Science

WHY STUDY THIS COURSE?

It’s a great way to develop critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills, which can be transferred to further learning and to everyday life. The aims of this qualification are to enable learners to develop:

  • An understanding and ability to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of Computer Science, including Abstraction, Decomposition, Logic, Algorithms and Data Representation.
  • The ability to analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems including writing programs to do so.
  • The capacity to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically.
  • The capacity to see relationships between different aspects of computer science.
  • Mathematical skills.

WHAT DOES THIS QUALIFICATION COVER?

This course covers a comprehensive range of computer science topics, including hardware, software, computational thinking and algorithms. Modules include:

  • The characteristics of contemporary processors
  • Software and software development
  • Exchanging data
  • Data types, data structures and algorithms
  • Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues
  • Problem solving and programming
  • Algorithms to solve problems and standard algorithms

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

Unit 1 – Computer systems (40%)

  • The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
  • Software and software development
  • Exchanging data
  • Data types, data structures and algorithms
  • Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues
 

Unit 2 – Algorithms and programming (40%)

  • Elements of computational thinking
  • Problem solving and programming
  • Algorithms to solve problems and standard algorithms
 

Unit 3 – Programming Project (20%)

  • The learner will choose a computing problem to work through according to the guidance in the specification.
  • Analysis of the problem
  • Design of the solution
  • Developing the solution
  • Evaluation

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

Two exams in the second year

Unit 1 – 2.5 hours – Worth 40% of final grade
Unit 2 – 2.5 hours – Worth 40% of final grade

The programming project for Unit 3 is submitted and marked during the second year, this is worth 20% of the final grade.

WHERE CAN IT LEAD?

Students who want to go on to higher study and employment in the field of Computer Science will find it provides a superb stepping stone, it will also provide a good grounding for other subject areas that require computational thinking and analytical skills.

COURSE MATERIALS